Page 76 of Special Delivery

It’s scary sometimes how he seems to know exactly what I need. When I need him to push me, he does. When I need him to give me space, he does exactly that.

“Yeah, I think it’s pretty spectacular.”

“Why don’t you go?”

“What do you mean?” I shoot him a curious look.

“It sucks that it fell through before, but Peru is still there. Why not go?” He takes a sip of his beer, shrugging his shoulders.

I huff a nervous laugh, my neck heating up. “I have other things to do. I have no one to go with. I don’t know.”

“Well, if you can work in the Bahamas, I think you can work in Peru.” He leans back, crossing his hands over his chest. “And I could go with you.”

A snort escapes me as I shake my head. “You’d go with me to Peru?”

His biceps flex as he leans on his elbows, drawing my attention. “Why not?”

“Pfft. I don’t know… Maybe because you have a job?”

“It’s barely a job, and I’m not planning to do it forever.” He raises a single eyebrow.

“Then what will you do?”

“Maybe I’ll travel.”

This time, a cackle sneaks past my lips. “You? Traveling?”

“Why is that so hard to believe?” The smirk twitching the corner of his mouth taunts me.

“You never mentioned wanting to travel.”

“So? You wanted to travel since always and you don’t plan to make that happen. If you can change your mind, so can I.”

In a way, he’s right. I grit my teeth together, hating the idea. “Where would you go?”

“Maybe Peru.”

“This conversation is exhausting, you realize that?” I don’t mention the fact that my belly clenches with envy at imagining him doing something I wanted to do for so long.

“A person who knows a shit-ton about traveling recommended it so I think it’s a pretty good option.”

Irritation gnaws at my insides. “You’re in the middle of buying a house!” Why does he act like it’s so freaking simple? To just up and leave?

“Yeah, and it’s going like shit. Look, I don’t know who you’re trying to convince, but the sound of going to Peru doesn’t sound half as bad. Matter of fact, maybe that’s exactly what I need to clear my head. Hell, maybe some ayuhasca is the magical cure for my headaches. And I think you love the idea, but you’re scared.”

My mouth parts, my cheeks flushing. Of course, I’m fucking scared. And it has nothing to do with Peru. “Wouldn’t it be weird? The two of us going to Peru together?”

“Why would two stepsiblings traveling together be weird?” The napkin I throw hits him straight in the nose, and I’d be more excited about it if not for the massive grin on his stupid, gorgeous face. “I know,” he says, placing the napkin back on the table. “I hate that word, too.” His statement is loaded but I don’t dare overthink it.

“What about the wedding?”

He lets out a loud sigh. “Fine, we’ll go after the wedding.”

What the hell just happened? “I’m not agreeing to it.”

“But you’re not disagreeing, either.”

“I…” I open my mouth to protest, but no sound comes out. No matter how much I want to tell him it’s a ridiculous, unrealistic idea, my body doesn’t let me. Finally, I exhale. “Your mom asked me to go wedding dress shopping with her.”