Page 154 of Who I Really Am

Scratch that. She’s way too lively for his type, but there’s got to be someone who’s good enoughandfast enough to keep up with her.

Tripp leans onto his elbows. “You know what I do think you need, Gonz? Seriously now?”

I wait.

“Time. Time to figure out the new you. Time to learn and grow in the faith you’re finding. And I can’t argue the point that Annalise could use a little of that herself.” He shakes his head. “Man, I didn’t have a clue about half the junk she’s been through.”

“She told you stuff, eh?”

He holds up his palm. “Please. If there’s more, I don’t want to know.”

“Who knew being a blonde bombshell could be such a curse?”

He huffs. “As her brother, I can tell you it’s sure been a curse for me.” He flashes a wry grin.

This time, I sigh. “I feel you. Got a little sister at home who’s the Latina version of yours. She may be the death of me yet.”

He chuckles. “I forgot about that for a minute. But see?” He leans in. “This is why you’re perfect for Annalise.”

Perfect? “I don’t follow.”

“Because you get her. I love her to death, Gonz, I do. But most men won’t be able to keep pace. She scares me witless. However…with you in her life, I could totally sleep at night.”

And that’s about the nicest thing my best friend could ever say.

CHAPTER 42

Annalise

The garage door opens and in walks Avery, Tripp scowling as he brings up the rear, pizza box in hand.

Trouble in paradise?

“What’s the matter?” I brace. So much has gone wrong these last months I feel stuck in other-shoe-drop mode sometimes.

Avery sets her purse and keys on the end of the counter, turning to my brother, a sign the floor is his—if he wants it.

He sets the pizza down hard and yanks a water bottle from the fridge, torquing off the lid.

“Tripp?” My heart thumps.

“You tell her.” He downs half the bottle.

Avery leans against the counter, somber, but not nearly as dire looking as my brother, unknotting a bit of the tension in my chest. “I just bailed him out of jail.”

My jaw plummets. “What on earth—ohhh. Wait.” Amused delight hops onto my shoulder. “Let me guess. Parking tickets?”

They both blink, jaws a little lower than normal. “How did you know?”

I snicker, wishing like crazy a certain someone were here to see this. “I’ll let Marco tell you that story.” I know they’re speaking again—not something that can be said about me and Marco, the lousy rat.

Sweet rat. Lovable rat.

Vanishing rat.

In an exchange of raised eyebrows and knowing smiles, they let it go, probably because they perceive everything regarding Marco to be a sensitive subject for me. And they’re right, though I can feel the healing process slowly doing its work.

Tripp’s mood palpably evens out. I envy his and Avery’s ability to communicate with a simple look. Lucky couple, these two. They’re so in love.

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