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I pull him in for one last kiss.
It’s slow, unhurried. His stubble rasps against my own. He’s rough beneath my lips, and also so warm. The taste of mint toothpaste and scent of my own bodywash swirls around me, nearly knocking me on my ass.
This feels like the sort of kiss I’d want to share with him every morning.
When he pulls back, I’m breathless and regretting everything about how we have to go our separate ways. And yet, for someone who always feels like they’ve got words, right now, I’m tongue-tied and simply staring at him.
Flinn looks back at me with an unreadable expression, his eyes flickering between mine, before he finally lets out a heavy breath. Running a thumb over my bottom lip, wet from his own, he leans in close, pressing his mouth against my forehead. The gentlest kiss is placed there before he speaks in a hushed tone.
“I’ll see you around, my sunshine boy.”
And with that, he’s gone.
CHAPTER 18
“Can you two hurry up and get home for Christmas already?” my baby sister grumbles at me over the phone, making sure to lay the guilt on extra thick. “Mom and Dad are breathing down my neck nonstop about why I’m not seeing anyone.”
“You could just invent a girlfriend. Pick one from your book collection. They’d be none the wiser,” I say, rubbing a palm over the back of my neck.
She snorts in disapproval. “Like you can talk. You know they’re gonna be all over you like a rash about that moron you were seeing. At some point you’re gonna actually have to tell them they’re never meeting the guy.”
I shove one hand in my pocket, looking out for any sight of Izzie, who told me to wait here while she did some last-minute Christmas shopping. Considering I’d rather punch myself in the face than listen to any more festive carols, I’ll happily hang out in front of this café in the cold.
“Well, I think by the time I get there, our sister will succeed in taking all the heat. I don’t know what she’s gotten herself into, but it’s a hot mess.”
My baby sister makes an intrigued noise. “Gossip straight from the horse trainer’s mouth. I knew you were my favorite brother.”
“I’m your only brother,” I deadpan.
“Semantics.” She brushes me off with her prim and proper scholarly voice. “Now give me the dirt so I can be ready with the popcorn when you two arrive.”
Should I be getting into this? Should I be talking about things concerning Izzie and her relationship status …? Especially because it skirts mighty close to my own tremendously poor decisions where sneaking around with Brad is concerned.
Although, there is no Brad, because I left and we’ve parted ways.
I hate it.
“She cheated on her boyfriend, and I don’t know what else happened, but she’s been acting all sort of weird since I got here. Even more so than normal,” I add.
“Well, that tracks. You know she loves to trample everyone and everything to get what she wants. Our sister’s big three is officially bitch sun, narcissist moon, and self-absorbed rising. Look at the fact you’ve driven all the way there, generously offering to move her shit, and I bet she hasn’t said thank you either.”
A laugh belts out of me.
“See? She might be our blood, but to be honest she’s got a lot of work to do in order to actually start showing up as a sister.”
Truer words have never been spoken.
“Okay, wise one, so we let Izzie be the family train wreck at Christmas, and you and I can sneak off somewhere. Maybe go ice skating and get tipsy on that peach schnapps poison you love.”
“Ew. That was one time when I was sixteen, and I think I’d hurl if I ever smelt it again. But I’m down for escaping the family interrogation by candlelight and drinking spiked hot chocolate.”
“Done.”
“Annnnd you have to promise me you’ll tell me about whoever this boy is you’re seeing.”
That has me coughing up a lung. “There isn’t—”
“Pfft. Don’t try denying it, Flinn.” She tuts, and I can imagine her eyebrows arched behind her reading glasses. “You haven’t sounded this happy in forever. Not even after seeing your favorite ponies are you this … chipper.”
