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“Owen” I grip his knee and he looks up, his gaze h I always thought his were prettier He has the thickest, darkest lashes I’ve ever seen, and I don’t knohere he got the to go crazy for those eyes someday, if they aren’t already My brother is handsoirl who falls for him “I want you with me I don’t want to do this alone”
“What about Drew Callahan? Wouldn’t you want to ri on with Drew But you and me? We’re blood We’re family I’m not about to leave you We’re all each other has”
“What’s Moet mad?”
“I doubt it This way she doesn’t have to worry about us and she can go live with her boyfriend I can find a nicer place that’s smaller and pay less rent It’s a in for us all” I can’t think about Mo to do this Why should she care? I’ her life easier
“What happens if it doesn’t work out for her and Larry the Loser? Then where will she go?”
“Owen” I grip his knee tighter “She’s not our responsibility She’s an adult She can take care of herself”
He tilts his head, screws up his lips Looking far older and world-weary than any fourteen-year-old should “I just worry about her I worry about you too I’m supposed to be the man of the house”
My jaw drops “Who told you that?”
“Moo She said I had to watch out for the both of you and I promised I alould I haven’t done the best job of it but I swear, I try”
My heart breaks for this kid He’s gone through sohis shoulders, I bring hi since I know he’ll just wiggle out of rip anyway “We’ll take care of each other, okay? It’s not all on me or all on you We’ll share the load”
“I’ll help you hatever you need, Fabes I’ hier I love him so much I hate that he’s conflicted between Moet up off his bed and start out of his rooet hohter follows me down the hall as I head toward the kitchen I’ve been up for over a half hour, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling Thinking of looking for an apart up the courage to talk to Mo my best to not think of Drew
What the hell happened last night, anyway? Our fight had started out of nothing I tried to be honest with hiuys-have-you-fucked-anyway on me I accept him for who he is, flaws and all, so why can’t he acceptabout it So it’s best I don’t
A knock sounds at the door and I scowl Who the hell is here at seven in the h the peephole but I see nothing I throw open the door and peek to the left, then the right No one’s there
Then I glance down and find a gorgeous bouquet of wildflowers sitting on the thin, faded doormat The vase is full of a riot of colorful blooms, I can’t identify any of them beyond their pretty colors I know in an instant who they’re fro the vase, I clutch it in aze steady as I study the parking lot But I don’t see his truck I don’t see any indication he’s been here at all but the flowers in et them here and then disappear? I know he’s fast on the football field but co—oh Lover Boy”
I turn to see Owen grinning ata stained T-shirt with soo on the front, and black faded skinny jeans We both walk back into the apartlances down at hiot any suilty look on his face says it all If the floeren’t so beautiful, I’d hurl the vase at hi to smoke It’s a horrible, nasty habit”
“You do it”
“Not all the time I mostly quit” Yeah, that sounds lame as hell
“I only smoke every once in a while,” Ohines “It soothesaround in your rooht?” I raise a brow, just daring hiht before he goes for pure defiant nonchalance “Oh, who cares? You act like you’ve always been on the straight and narrow I bet you’ve ss don’t do h school but nothingparty would do s After a while, that’s why I avoided them “I’m twenty, you’re fourteen There’s a difference bethat I’”