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She nods as a chorus of objections float down the hallway and the dog perks up froate

"They’re watching the ga disappeared to "They’re in the den Head on back"

I follow Eric through the wide entry hall towards the back of the house We enter a large kitchen, an assortment of snacks out on the marble-covered island The kitchen has a wall of s showcasing the backyard and a set of French doors that open onto a paved patio There’s a large in-ground pool, covered for the season, in the yard beyond the patio, co in the back is no less impressive than the front The pots on the patio are filled with seasonal plantings and the yard is filled strategically with towering ht, a short wide hallway e into the den He strides in, confident on his path, as I trail behind and assess ame plan I can conjure is pointless in the end Because everything is about to change

Fifteen

Three Hours Ago

Finn is on the couch, his focus on the television as we enter the rooame with his father, as I’d assumed There’s another man on the couch with him A few years older,alike Whereas Finn has a lanky runner’s physique, this man is built in an entirely different way Fit, er He must have twenty pounds on Finn, all of it muscle across a broader chest and a taller frame

This other man notices us immediately and his eyes run over me and spark with an interest I’ for in Finn and never finding, no ressively I push for it

Finn is aus and he deflates a little when he sees me I hate to admit it, but it’s true I can see that now The difference in reaction between Finn and this other man is so discernible when I can analyze them simultaneously

Thethat has the each other on the back in that way that men do There’s a pause then, ait, as the uage, the shade of our hair, the si who I anition crosses his face and his eyes land on mine with amusement and a hint of fascination

"You’re Eric’s little sister"

A lifetime of etiquette forcesout a hand to shake "I’m Everly"

"You two haven’t rasps h nize this man as my soulmate based on a handshake Such bullshit His hand is nice though Fire His thumb caresses the back of nize that he’s probably good in bed But that’s it

"No, we haven’t," I agree, as I wonder why I’ve never given this ht before now I’ve known of his existence, certainly My hout the years I just haven’t cared, I suppose He had nothing to do with enda and was thus irrelevant

"I’ured this out for myself, of course Just as he’s determined I’m Eric’s sister It wasn’t any siave it away It was sied here An ars sprawled before hi on this couch, in this room, a mundane event