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My brother arched his brows. “Wasn’t he your boyfriend?”
I hesitated with my spoon halfway to my mouth. I ended up sticking it back into the bowl and leaning back. “The problem is I like another guy more.”
“You never told me…”
“We didn’t used to talk much.”
Oliver was thoughtful for a few seconds.
It was true. We had always loved each other. He had been the perfect brother, protective, gentle, and flexible when he needed to be. I had idolized him as long as I could remember, and I loved being around him, but the ten years dividing us had always been an issue. We had never talked about this kind of thing because before I had friends to empty my heart to and it would never have even occurred to me to bring those issues up with him. We just joked and had good times with our family when he came home to eat or stay with me for a while in Dad’s studio.
“So…another guy,” he continued.
“Yeah, but he’s kind of out of my reach.”
“That means he’s not the right one.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re special. And I’m not saying that because you’re my sister, even if that’s a point in your favor.” He leaned forward. “I’m saying it because it’s true. You’re the kind of girl that would make a guy lose his mind.”
I picked my ice cream back up without much enthusiasm. “I doubt that’s going to ever happen with this guy.”
“Then forget him, because if he can’t see how amazing you are, he’s an idiot.” Oliver drummed his fingers on the table. “Did you ever talk about it with Mom?”
I grinned remembering, remembering her…
It was the first time I ever smiled as I did so.
“You can’t hide anything from Mom,” Leah said.
56
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Leah
The yard at home was decorated with garlands between the branches of the trees that lit up the rectangular wooden table. It was my seventeenth birthday. I had already celebrated with my friends the week before, but Mom wanted to do something with just the family and the Nguyens, and she invited them over for dinner.
They had already seen each other that afternoon, but when they showed up, there were hugs and kisses before they went to the kitchen to get the dishes ready. I stayed in the yard because Emily came with a smile to hand me a present from her and Justin. I unwrapped it quickly, tearing the paper. It was several books about drawing. Precious. Perfect.
“Thanks, Emily!” I hugged her.
“Hey, I picked them!” Justin complained.
I hugged him too.
“Let the king through,” Axel said boastfully. “Now it’s time for her real present.”
Oliver rolled his eyes next to him. “I still don’t know why I’m your friend.”
“Here.” Axel handed me an envelope. No wrapping.
I turned it around. On the back was a drawing of his under the message Happy birthday, Leah: a girl with a baby face and long blond hair painting on a canvas, her clothes stained with colored paint. Me.
“Go on, open it. The gift is inside.”
I couldn’t stop looking at the drawing. There was something intimate in the idea of his fingers drawing me, those long masculine fingers I had drooled over so many times. That he had made every line thinking just about me…
