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“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” Dylan asks me as I sit beside him.
We’re at the beach, stretched out on chairs next to each other. I’m in the sun, but Dylan and my brother are both too hungover to do anything other than sit in the shade and nap.
When I complained that Dylan was being boring, he promised he’d be back to normal if I let him sleep it off for a bit, and he wasn’t wrong. It’s midafternoon, and he’s almost back to his annoying self.
I laugh, nodding to the plate of chicken nuggets from the beachside snack bar I just handed him. “Yes, but only when I bring you food.”
“Doesn’t make it any less true,” he says around a full mouth, and I roll my eyes at him as I lie back in the chair.
Adam sits up from Dylan’s other side and looks at me.
“Where’s mine?”
“When I said I was going to get snacks and asked who wants something, you stayed quiet.” I pop a french fry into my mouth.
“Plus, I like him better.”
“I was sleeping,” Adam grumbles, but I ignore him and instead focus on Dean, Lori, Alessio, and Kellan, who are playing two-on-two beach volleyball.
Lori’s partnered with Dean, and she’s had this goofy grin on her face the entire time. From what I can tell, they’re beating Alessio and Kellan, which isn’t a surprise because Lori’s always been really athletic, at least way more than I am.
Dylan follows my gaze, folding his tattooed arm behind his head. “You know, when you’re not around, Lori’s actually really cool.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “What does that mean? She’s not cool when I’m around?”
He shakes his head. “No. I’m saying that I’ve only ever hung out with her when you’re around, and she’s always really quiet.
When you’re around, you usually do all the talking for the both of you, but she’s cool by herself.”
Pouting, I think back on all the times Lori has been at my house when Adam had his friends over. I didn’t realize I do all the talking, but that’s natural for us. I’m the loud, outgoing one; Lori’s the shy, quiet one. It works.
My brother sits up to butt into our conversation. “He’s saying that it’s cool to see who she really is when you’re not around to walk all over her.”
I’m taken aback. “I do not walk all over Lori.”
Adam snorts.
“I don’t!”
“Uh-huh.” He stands. “I’m going to get myself some food sincesomeonedidn’t bother thinking about anyone other than herself, as usual.”
As I watch his retreating form, it’s like there’s smoke coming out of my ears—I’m fuming. He’s literally theworstbrother. He’s mad about me not bringing him food when Ioffered, but the last time he offered to bring me anything wasnever.
Sitting up, I place my feet in the sand and face Dylan.
“Seriously, why are you friends with him?”
He sits up to face me as well. “You guys are—watch out!”
Before I can turn to see what I should watch out for, Dylan grabs my arm and yanks me off my seat and toward him, and a heavy object whizzes by my head before there’s a loud smack.
“Sorry!” Alessio calls out, and I realize the volleyball would have taken my head off at full force if Dylan hadn’t pulled me out of the way.
Dylan—who I’m lying on top of half-naked—laughs at Alessio.
“You guys okay?”
