Page 25 of Came the Closest
“Kaia was showing me a reel yesterday and it got stuck in my head. But back to me. Rate it.”
I pause to take in his floral-patterned polo, tan golf shorts, and white sneakers. “What am I rating it for? I need some context.”
“I met this girl—”
“Give me her number so I can apologize.”
“—at the coffee shop,” Justin continues. “We’re going out tonight. Rate the date, I guess you could say.”
“For the fit,” I say, grinning, “I give it an eight out of ten. It could be a little formal, depending on what you’re doing. Date-wise, I’d have to hear what you have planned before I could rate it.”
“Well, she’s a golfer, so I thought we’d—”
“Justin, if you say mini golf, it is my sisterly responsibility to remind you why we don’t mini golf anymore.”
“Okay, first of all, I was eight.” He holds his fingers up for emphasis and pokes his glasses into place. They slide right back down his nose. “And second, we’re not going back to that mini golf place.”
“To refresh your memory, your ball plunked into the deeply dyed water, and you dove in after it. Are you sure you’ll be able to resist if the same situation arises?”
Justin’s frown flips into a smile and he points at my dining table, where the donut box still sits, only one blueberry cruller left. And next to it, a…fishing net? I slide my eyes back to my brother in silent question.
“That’s what this bad boy is for.” He rounds the island to grab the net and waves it too close to my face. Because, you know, that’s what brothers do. “This way, in the event of another water incident, I won’t have to worry about it. I can just scoop up—”
A knock at the door cuts him off. I glance at my watch—4:02—and then point at my brother. “That is the proper way to ask to enter one’s home. Also, don’t be weird.”
My brothers only know that Colton and I dated briefly, not the depth of my feelings for Colton. Unfortunately, that means they toggle between being ticked at him and friendly with him. Based on Justin’s current pre-date bubbliness, I’m hoping for the latter today.
“Hey.” I ignore the lift in my pulse when Colton offers a lopsided smile. “Come in. Justin’s here, but he was just leaving. Right, Justin?”
My brother narrows his eyes. “What is he—”
“Don’t want to be late for your date, do you?” I give him a look and tip my head at the door. “I rated your ‘fit, so off you go. Go on, my little duckling.”
Justin lifts his brows, insinuating he’ll have thoughts on this later. He pauses when he gets within a half-foot of Colton. “Hurt her and you’re dead.”
“Justin,” I hiss.
Colton only chuckles. “That’s fair. But trust me, she has way more power than I do.”
Sticky warmth trickles through my body. I mean, I know flirting comes as naturally to Colton as breathing to most people. I am, after all, the girl he took a redeye flight from Maryland to Chicago to kiss goodnight.
Justin laughs, and just like that, his whole protective-older-brother façade has vanished. “You know, you’re right.” He claps Colton on the shoulder and backs toward the door. “Wish me luck tonight, Mother Dear!”
“Bad luck,” I call after him.
He pokes his head back inside, expression annoyed.
I shrug. “You didn’t specify what kind of luck.”
“Good luck,” Colton offers.
“For the record,” Justin says, “he’s my favorite.”
Colton turns his focus to me after my brother leaves, and for a moment, I don’t move. I’m not sure I even breathe. In the small space of my apartment, Colton Del Ray feels too big, too filled with life, too real. I’ve forgotten what it feels like to be the center of Colton’s attention—like you’re the Earth and he’s the sun, orbiting you with fervor, with boundless warmth.
I remember when I wondered what it would be like to be within this man’s revolution forever.
But they say you’ll get burned if you stare at the sun for too long. I guess that only makes sense.