Page 55 of Forever in the Country

MARLEE: (gif of woman cackling)

HANNAH: Maybe I should get that made into a sign for the bookstore

FALLON: Y’all are the best

Because she wasn’t kidding, I had Otto bring over one of those water coolers that football teams use on the sidelines filled with lemonade. We’re nothing if not accommodating in this family.

“I’m glad y’all will have some time together,” Otto says as he maneuvers the cooler onto the island. His phone vibrates next to him and he ignores it. “Fallon hasn’t been feelin’ great.”

“She is growing your child,” I tease and he beams even as his cheeks heat. It’s adorable and I step forward to give him a hug.

“That little baby already has you wrapped around her little finger, doesn’t she?”

“You know it. We can’t agree on a name though, and we’ve vetoed all of Briggs’s suggestions.”

I giggle as I step back, imagining Briggs offering all sorts of silly things. Otto’s phone vibrates again, and I glance down briefly at the screen before everything comes to a screeching halt.

My mouth drops open, and I bump him out of the way with my hip before snatching up the device and putting the table between me and my younger brother.

“Give me that! You weren’t supposed to see it!” he says, panic in his tone. He lunges to the right, and I move in the opposite direction, keeping as much of the table as I can between us as I enter his password and watch in horror at what plays out on the screen.

“How do you know my password anyway?” Otto grumbles as he admits defeat.

“It’s Briggs’s birthday, but Otto”—I wave the phone back and forth—“what is this?”

He worries his bottom lip with his teeth as he fights a smile, and like an addict, I can’t help but watch as the video plays out again.

It’s Sorren reading in a lawn chair.

Shirtless.

“He’s going to kill you.”

My gaze scans to the account name and then to the number of views and likes andoh my God.

My brother is totally dead. Probably Case too considering there’s no way only one of them is involved.

“You’re not going to tell him, are you?” Otto whines and I shrug.

“I won’t tell him, but I won’t lie when he finds out.”

“He won’t find out.”

My eyes widen. “I would agree with you if you said that about Hank, but there’s no way…” My voice trails off as I scroll through some of the comments. It’s a mistake because they’re filthy and now I’m pissed.

“Have you seen what they’re saying?” I hiss and he smirks.

“Why do you care?”

“Because you know Sorren is private and, and—”

“And you’re banging him?”

“I amnotbanging him.” Otto raises his eyebrows, eyes wide and totally disbelieving. “We haven’t…” I huff and my brother laughs.

“I like seein’ you happy.” He pauses. “We’ll take it down…eventually.”

A knock on the door is the distraction he needs because he snatches his phone from my hand and shoves it into his pocket.

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