Page 76 of Wright Together

Bailey shrugged. “Is she always this much of a downer for you, too?”

“She’s wonderful.”

Bailey fluttered her eyelashes at her sister. “He’s a keeper, sis.”

“I like him,” Eve admitted.

My heart skittered over those words. They shouldn’t have drawn such a reaction, but as much time as we’d spent together, neither of us had ever admitted to feelings. Hearing them from her, even as much as her liking me, was a revelation.

“When does school start?” I asked Bailey. “Eve said you’re starting your senior year.”

Her face soured at those words. “Yeah. I mean, I spent half the summer retaking Trig so they’d let me take AP Calculus. I haven’t exactly had a break. But it’s fine. I didn’t want to be in the house anyway.”

Eve bit her lip. “And you have everything you need to start on Monday?”

“Sure.”

It didn’t exactly sound convincing. Eve must have heard it, too, because she opened her mouth to ask more, but Bailey bulldozed over her.

“I just want to get back on the volleyball team.”

“Which is why you cared enough to retake Trig,” Eve said.

“Whatever works, right?” Bailey smiled up at me. “I couldn’t play last year because I was on academic probation.”

“She’s going to turn it around this year though, right?”

Bailey rolled her eyes at her sister. “Of course. Have to get into college so I can play volleyball.”

“Do you know where you want to go?” I asked.

“Nebraska,” she said automatically. “Though wherever will recruit me to play all four years.”

The waiter came back now that Bailey was here. We put in our order and chatted about her future plans while we ate. Bailey nibbled on a salad, Eve had a chicken sandwich, and I got the burger, which everyone had insisted was incredible, hence its placement on the sign. And it was every bit as good as described.

Bailey entertained us the whole meal. She could talk a mile a minute about anything that interested her. Like any teenager, she could shut down just as quickly when bored with a subject. Which appeared to be a long list of things—school, her grades, last year, work, the house, her dad. I’d thought Harley was a handful. Bailey gave her a run for her money.

“So, Nebraska is the dream?” I asked in surprise. I wasn’t sure I’d heard anyone say they wanted to move to Nebraska.

“If they can fill a football stadium for volleyball, I want to go there,” she told me confidently.

The waiter appeared then with the check, and I paid the whole thing before either woman could offer. Bailey shot Eve a look. I recognized it as the twin look that West and I shared. Though I didn’t know Bailey well enough to read it, I got the impression that I must have been doing something right.

We lingered over drinks as the crowd ebbed and flowed around us. Bailey kept trying to convince me to get out onto the dance floor and show off my line dancing moves.

“Come on,” Bailey said, jumping to her feet and grabbing my arm. “I’ll show you how it’s done. Eve would never.”

“You’re right. I would never, and I’ll bet you good money Whitt won’t do it either.”

“Yeah, you couldn’t pay me to get out there.”

Bailey sighed. “Come on, y’all. It’s fun.”

“You go then.”

“Not without you. Come on, Evie.”

Eve shook her head with a laugh, and then suddenly, the expression was gone from her face.