Page 5 (1/2)

Grinning, she fixed herself a bowl of cereal and leaned against the counter to eat it She earing her trade "uniform"--denim shorts, a tank top, sneakers and a baseball cap--and she had to adet-up She couldn’t i soh heels That sounded like pure torture to her

She was just rinsing her bowl and spoon in the sink when Danny stuy look His green T-shirt was the same shade as his eyes and revealed his defined biceps, and the jeans he wore encased a pair of long, s that continued to startle her

Somehow, in the span of two years, Danny had transfor man He was fourteen when he’dto stay at one school long enough for him to play football Noas a sixteen-year-old heartbreaker, a junior at Madison High who’d just landed the coveted starting varsity quarterback position He was over the moon about it, and Mia was thrilled for him If anyone deserved to live his dreams, it was her baby brother

"Eat your breakfast and make it snappy," she told him "We’re late"

"We’re always late," he answered as he dumped a monstrous amount of cereal into his bowl

"Yeah, and whose fault is that?"

"Yours" He sh a uardian, you wouldn’t set your alarm for twenty minutes before we have to leave"

He had a point, but she refused to give hiht Instead, she stuck out her tongue and said, "If I’o ahead and emancipate yourself You wouldn’t survive a day withouta rueful sht about that I don’t even wanna think about doing my own laundry"

Five minutes later, the two of thehts of stairs that brought the was in the back, and Mia’s work truck awaited theed fro sunshine

They were on the road abattle over the radio dial Eventually she gave up and let Danny listen to his shitty hip-hop station She’d only have to endure it for ten minutes, anyway

"The season opener is this Friday," Danny said when the radio station launched into a series of commercials

"Yes, Daniel, I’azillion tied lanes, keeping her eyes on the road ahead

"You’re co look revealed the pleased expression on his face No matter how"annoying"--she knew her brother loved her and desperately craved her approval