“Hey, bro, what’s up?”
“Why does anything have to be up for me to call? Can’t I call and check on my little sister?” Shade tried to insert warmth into his voice. His relationship with his younger half-sister was as close to normal as he was going to get.
A snort sounded through the line. Clearly, he hadn’t fooled her.
“How is school?”
“Good. Would have been better if Mom and Dad would actually let me go without having to live at home.” Penni hadn’t been able to come up with a valid argument for leaving home when they lived within a few miles of the University of Ohio.
“I could help convince them to let you go to an out of state college.”
“What’s the catch?” Suspicion laced her voice.
“It has to be the college of my choice.”
“What’s the name?” Penni asked excitedly.
“Breckinridge College.”
“Don’t recognize the name. Let me check it out on the web. Hang on.”
Before he could protest, the phone was set down. It didn’t take long before she came back on the line.
“No, thanks.” All excitement was gone from her voice.
“Come on, give it a chance.”
“No.”
His snort could be heard over the line this time. “What will it take?”
“A car, a generous allowance, and a vacation of my choice every summer.” Damn, the little vixen knew he could afford it, too.
“Okay. Do the paperwork. I’ll talk to the parents.”
“That’s not all.”
“Penni…” he warned.
“A reason?”
He stared across the church yard at Lily as she filled her plate with food. She was the only reason he had come to the lame Fourth of July picnic.
“Someone needs a friend.”
“Deal.”
Shade hung up the phone as Beth and Lily approached the picnic table he was sitting at, waiting for everyone to return from the buffet.
“Where’s Razer?” Beth asked.
“Getting the drinks.”
As the two women sat down on one side of the table with filled plates, Lily didn’t look any happier than before she had left the picnic table. She had spent the last hour trying unsuccessfully to convince Beth to let her switch colleges.
Razer set drinks in front of everyone before sitting down next to Beth, who promptly gave him her shoulder. Shade wondered why the blond was giving Razer a hard time now.
“How long you going to stay mad?” he asked, picking up his hamburger.
“At least past that date you had tatted on your razor knife.”
“Still can’t understand why you’re so mad. I thought it would make you happy,” Razer said in his own defense.
“Most women get engaged with a romantic dinner and a ring, not the guy pointing to a tattoo then saying ‘let’s do it’.”
“No sense in putting it off with a bun in the oven.” Razer shrugged.
Shade almost burst out laughing when she nearly choked on her hamburger.
“I am not pregnant,” she told Lily, who was unable to hold back her own amusement.
“You will be if we miss that date,” Razer threatened. “Take a drink before you choke to death.”
Beth reached inside her paper cup, pulling out a diamond ring.
Razer took it from her, sliding it on her finger, then kissed her until Lily turned red watching the couple.
“Is this romantic enough?” Razer asked, brushing the tears off Beth’s cheek.
“It’s perfect.”
“I’m so happy for you both!” Lily jumped up from the picnic table, giving them both hugs from behind as the brothers behind them began cheering. Shade nearly crushed his own cup in his hand as he watched Lily’s breasts press against Razer’s back when she hugged him. Lily was so happy she didn’t notice Shade giving Razer a warning look.
Razer hastily stood up, moving to shake the brothers’ hands while Shade couldn’t prevent the jealousy storming through him. His hand trembled with fury at the sight of Lily gradually opening up with Razer, spending time with him when she visited from college on the weekends. He wanted her to grow closer to him, not Razer. On the other hand, he had no desire to develop the brotherly bond Razer was forming.
Shade tried to look interested when Beth flashed her ring to the others standing around, using the opportunity to stand closer to Lily and smell the soft fragrance she used.
Lily glanced up at him warily before gripping her sister’s arm. “I’m going to go help Winter with the kids.”
“Okay,” Beth told her happily.
Shade watched her skitter away like a doe sensing danger. He stood with the brothers, keeping her within eyesight as she began playing freeze tag with the children. She stopped suddenly when she saw a young couple arrive with twin boys.
“I’m going to go fix some more punch. It’s beginning to get low,” Beth commented.
“Don’t take long,” Razer told her before she left, going inside the church.