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I made the decision to come back for the weekend to attend the wedding and secured a flight when he was still in town, visiting. And anything Chase knows these days; Oakley automatically finds out too. Not that I would’ve kept it from my sister. But I did want to surprise Madison. I was disappointed when Mads never mentioned the wedding over text and she never called to ask me to come. But then I remembered how stubborn she was. She gives me a run for my money in that department because I’m as bullheaded as they come. It’s something we’ll probably struggle with. I guess we already have. But I always planned on being here with her, ever since we first discussed it. Hurting my knee and heading to Chicago a few weeks early didn’t change that. Being salty over my injury didn’t change it either.
My gaze shifts over to my sister. She’s responding to something Mads just said. She brushes her hair over her shoulder, the dark strands a longer version of my own. The protective gene inside of me flares to life when I see a guy around our age approach her. Oakley smiles politely and shakes her head in response to whatever he asks. He accepts her rejection and walks away.
“Are you gonna take care of my sister when I’m gone?” I ask Chase, knowing he was watching the scene on the dance floor just as closely as I was.
Even though I trust Chase with my life and I know he’ll be there for Oakley, no matter what, I still haven’t been able to totally release the reins. I’ve been playing the big-brother role my entire life. I relish it. It’s been my job to watch out for my sister and make sure she’s good and taken care of, even when I do it from a distance. I don’t know how to stop being protective of my little sis. But things are changing. I realize I won’t be around much anymore. And I need to know that Chase will step up for me when I’m gone.
“You don’t even have to ask that, Ollie,” Chase replies earnestly. “You know I’ll take care of Oak. And Mads too. I’ll watch out for them both.”
“They’re a handful,” I comment with a smirk, past scenes of the two women running through my memory. Like when they snuck out for a concert in their sophomore year of high school and got caught by our parents. Or when they got drunk for the first time at a party during their junior year, the first year I was in college. Or those matching tattoos on their hips that Oak doesn’t think I know about.
His eyebrows rise on his forehead as he answers with a serious expression, “You don’t have to tell me that. Especially the blonde.”
I chuckle in agreement. “Especially the blonde.”
“Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper starts to play. Celeste has always loved ’80s music, playing it on the regular around the house and in the car when she would drop Madison off at our house.
I watch as Brent approaches my girl. I’m one second from intervening as he offers his hand to Madison, silently asking her to dance. The entire reason she stayed with me for the summer was because she wasn’t comfortable with being around her mom’s new man. But then she smiles, and I recognize it as a genuine one. My tense shoulders relax as I sit back in my chair and take another drink from my glass, watching Brent lead her on the dance floor. As long as she’s comfortable, then I’m good.
Oakley walks over and sits on the other side of her boyfriend. She lifts her dark mane and fans the sweaty skin on her neck.
“It’s still hot as sin out,” she gripes. She lowers her hair and blots her forehead with a napkin.
“I don’t know what you’re complaining about,” Chase answers. “You aren’t the one in a suit.”
“That’s what happens at the end of summer,” I add, “especially when you’re jumping around the dance floor like you’re in the middle of an ’80s aerobics routine.”
“Take off your jacket if you’re hot,” Oakley says to Chase. “And what would you know about ’80s aerobics?” she snarks through narrowed eyes at me. “Mads and I can destroy a beat. Don’t be jelly of our legendary moves, big brother.”
I snort. “You forget that I’ve witnessed those same moves for years now.”
Oakley steals Chase’s beer and empties it in one or two swallows.
“Hey,” he complains, but we both know he’d give her anything, including the shirt off his back if she wanted it. Oakley knows it too.
“Get us another one?” she asks him, batting her eyelashes.
He rolls his eyes but rises from his chair and starts to walk toward the bar.
“Whipped,” I cough out from behind my hand.
Chase scratches his temple with his middle finger. I laugh.
“Stop saying he’s whipped,” Oakley grumbles while sliding over into the chair that Chase was sitting in.
“Why? It’s the truth.” I slip out of my coat and loosen my tie, deciding Oakley was on to something.
“Just because he treats me well and does things for me, it doesn’t make him whipped. It makes him a good boyfriend. Plus, I do stuff for him too.” She tilts her head as she studies me. “Besides, I’d say you’re a small step away from that description yourself, big brother.”
“How so?” I ask, knowing I’m opening myself up to criticism just by acknowledging her comment.
“I heard about the coffees you got her …” she says knowingly in a lowered voice.
This is the problem with dating my sister’s best friend. Oakley knows way too much about our relationship.
Relationship. Huh. That’s a first.
“And it’s funny how you jumped on a flight to come to the wedding this weekend, but you won’t do the same for our cousin’s nuptials next week.”
