Page 58 of While the Sun Shines

“Ew, no boys,” Julie says but scoots closer to Penny so Drew can balance on the arm of the couch. “C’mon, I never get to see Penny ’cause you never invite any of us over.”

“I think you know where the farm is,” Drew says.

“Yeah, and drive all that way just to watch you work?” Julie asks. “No thanks.”

“Watch me work?” Drew asks. “Please, I’ve got a barn to be mucked out with your name on it.”

“I can’t. I’m allergic.”

“I know you’re not.”

“I am, but it’s more of an emotional allergy. Quite serious, really, doctor’s orders.” Julie dodges when Drew reaches to tug her ponytail. “I’m just lucky you got saddled with the cows and cow shit.”

Drew huffs a soft laugh. “Sure you don’t want to trade?”

That’d be a sight. Him trying to figure his way through the mire of college and finding a job that has him sitting at a desk in a cubicle, fluorescent lights glaring. Though last summer, on the brink of going out of business, even that had sounded appealing. Still does, some days.

But he’d had that choice. Aunt Mary had driven him to look at schools while Bert worked, even helped him apply for loans. Maybe someday, he’d figured as his high school graduation had neared, but the pull of making cheese had been too strong and proved far more interesting than any syllabus or degree. No, the farm had been the right direction for him. Still is, if he can make the damn thing work.

Hay, Drew thinks again.

Penny, he reminds himself.

Drew leans over Julie and snags a chip from her plate, only to get his hand smacked. Penny grins.

“How’s the season coming?” Bert asks from behind him.

Drew jerks his hand back and sits up straighter.

“Where’s our cheese?” Lucy shouts from the kitchen.

“And my mom’s already toasted,” Julie murmurs and Penny laughs.

“Yeah, the summer’s going well.” Drew shrugs and tries to keep his voice casual. Awful, he wants to say.

“We want cheese!” Lucy chants.

“That’s good to hear,” Bert says.

“Cheese, cheese, cheese!”

“Not that I can hear anything over my dear sister.” Bert walks over to the kitchen, trying to put his hand over Lucy’s mouth as she dodges.

Penny leans back into the couch with a happy sigh. “I really do love this family.”

“Everyone in it is completely mortifying.” Julie pushes herself to her feet. “I can’t believe I invited actual people I know to this. Excuse me, I’m going to go hide in a closet.”

“Can I come?” Drew asks. “’Cause I really didn’t bring any cheese.”

“Nuh-uh or Mom will hunt us both down,” Julie says and messes up his hair as she steps past him.

Julie’s weight left a divot in the couch cushion. Drew could sit there. Slip down from the arm of the couch, settle where Julie was, and be close enough to Penny that their knees might brush.

We kissed, he thinks again, marveling at the fact.

Yeah, they kissed and he apparently seriously messed up too. He rubs his palm down his thigh, picking at lint on his jeans, and keeps himself firmly seated where he is. Penny carefully uses the side of her burger to scoot ketchup away from her cake, though she looks at him while she does it.

“What?” he asks.