Page 27 of Bad Reputation

I roll my eyes. “And?”

“And we all hung out at our pool all summer, my friends and your group of girls.”

“I remember. My friend Karen worshipped you, followed you around like a puppy the whole summer. And you didn’t discourage her.”

Asher flushes. “That was not one of my more shining moments in time.”

I finish my croissant, shrugging. He continues his story.

“Anyway, I remember coming into the pool house. There were a few guys standing there, and Corey was telling them… he was telling them about your… body. In great detail.” He pulls a face.

“Ugh, really?” I scrunch up my face. “Gross.”

“I totally lost it on him. Not just because no guy should talk about a girl like that. And not just because you’re my little sister, although that was part of it.”

“No?” I ask, picking at a loose thread on the hem of my tee shirt.

“No. I also lost it because there are almost ten years between you guys! I mean, here you are, so young and like… not ready for that kind of attention from men. And there Corey was, piling it up on top of you anyway.”

I squint at my brother for a long second.

“It’s nice of you to tell him off for what you saw as inappropriate behavior. It really is. But that’s a fact of the world. You can’t save me from it just by telling your friends not to harass me.”

He looks down. “Yeah, I know. I just— fuck that guy, you know?”

I set my coffee down, patting his shoulder. “I know. Like, fuck the patriarchy too, while we’re at it.”

He smiles. “Right.”

“I have a feeling that you were telling me that story for a reason though, right?”

He nods, taking a sip of his coffee. “Yeah. I was.”

“And? Are you going to tell me about you and Evie at some point here?”

Asher looks at me, surprised. “You know already?”

“Of course I know.” I sit back, crossing my arms. “You are the most oblivious person ever, I swear.”

He winces. “I’ve been accused of being self-involved before.”

“Rightly so, I would say.”

He throws up his hands. “All right. I’m the out of touch older brother, then.”

I crack a smile. “It’s good that you’re finally becoming self-aware. I was tiring of how impervious you were to reality.”

“You’re hilarious, you know that?”

“I try.” I pick my coffee up again, considering him. “Is this little admission of yours the opening gambit to something? Are you supposed to be telling me that Evie is moving in with you or something?”

Asher looks a little uncomfortable. “I mean, that’s what I want, but she is stubbornly clinging to her independence.”

I am impressed, and a little relieved. “Good for her.”

“You would be on her side.” He sighs. “It’s a little more complicated than just me wanting her to move in, though.”

“Of course it’s complicated,” I say. “Nothing that is worthwhile is ever easy.”

---