Page 8 of Actions and Reactions
“And speaking of... I need to eat something.” I turn and dig around in my duffel for the big-ass tupperware of pasta my chef left ready for me this morning. “How about you?” I ask while I get everything ready to eat.
“I was thinking a week too. I have a few projects lined up to start in the third week of July, and I want those done before everyone gets back mid-August.”
“Oh yeah?” That piques my interest. “Like what?” Ilook up quickly and see him smirking—the cocky one he was always flashing around when we were growing up.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he murmurs, andfuckthat’s alluring. Addicting.
It’s the kind of tone that drove me up the walls when I was a teenager, and one of the things that made me fall in love with him in the first place.
I remain speechless until it’s too awkward to continue that conversation, so I just stretch my lips into the least authentic smile ever and focus on my food.
Out of the corner of my eyes, I see him stand and reach for his bag that’s in the seat behind him.
“I brought cards,” he says softly. “How about a game of Gin?”
Even while I’m still chewing I smirk.
I nod and hurry to swallow.
“I’ll beat your ass in no time,” I tell him and gesture at the tupperware.
“You’ll try,” he says, that cocky smirk coming out again.
Okay, he might have a few advantages.
2
Silas
The awkwardnesswe seemed to beat back on the plane by playing Gin comes back with a vengeance when we walk over to the black Jeep that’s waiting for us at the small airport nearest to our cabin.
Lex was struck mute by the sight of us walking over side by side, and he barely got a “hello” out before Ivan was asking him a million questions about school and his season and whatnot.
It was very clearly a distraction tactic, but I’m still grateful Ivan isn’t giving Lex a second to get a word in when we’re only a minute away from the cabin.
Lex isn’t exactly shy.
He never has been, and though I haven’t seen him much in the last seven years, I know for a fact his teenage attitude has only intensified his shamelessness. I can very easilypicture him asking us why we flew together, and then sincerely asking how awkward it was, but Ivan doesn’t give him a chance.
Still, I know exactly how awkward it’s been, and since I’ve thought of that word at least a dozen times in the last six hours, I’m sure it’s apparent to Ivan as well.
“Everyone’s already here,” Lex says as he shifts the Jeep into park. He hesitates for just a moment where I see his eyes collide with mine through the rearview mirror. “We actually got here last night.”
“What?” Ivan explodes, while I’m just dumbstruck.
They texted us last night . . .
“Yeah, I’ve known about it for a week,” Lex admits and looks down and away.
“That’s . . .” Ivan trails off, clearly speechless.
But now I’m the one ready to explode.
“It’s fucking insulting,” I murmur darkly, then snap my door open and throw my bag over my shoulder.
I let myself feel every bit of indignation that’s in me as I stomp my way to the porch steps, but the hurried footsteps behind me have me reconsidering.
I don’t know exactly what Ivan feels in this moment, though I assume it’s the same as me, but if he doesn’t want me to... if he feels that they’re right...
