She pushes out of our hug, and we head toward my house together.
“Yeah, the guy is definitely causing a stir. Rumor has it he was already seen making out with two different girls earlier this morning, and asked a different one out for this weekend.”
“Wow. He’s not wasting any of his time here, is he?” My words come out in a weird mixture of unimpressed laughter and slight disappointment.
Savannah shrugs. “Rumors could be bullshit. Who knows. He hasn’t made a move on me yet, and—”
My head jerks in her direction. “You already have a boyfriend—one whose room Kingston is currently occupying! If he makes a move on you, he’s not only classless and disrespectful, he’s dead! Hell, if I can’t kill him, I’ll sic Clay on him to finish the job.”
Her resulting laughter is choppy. “I know that, silly. That’s what I’m trying to say: Don’t trust rumors, because I’ve been told that some people think Kingston and I are becoming a thing, and that’s not true. He barely speaks to me. So the rest could be BS, too.”
“He better watch himself, that’s all I’m saying,” I tell her. “A whole lotta good ol’ boys around here are gonna start having issues with their girlfriends fawning all over him.”
Savannah nods. “Speaking of which, I better go rescue Kingston from Clay, or at least be there to mediate if needed. You know the ego on that man.”
“Which one?”
“Clay!” she responds with a snicker.
“We really calling him a man now?” I ask, watching her walk away. “‘Cause I’m not seeing it.”
“Funny, Echo! Don’t let him hear you say that. Might just break his heart.”
“I’ll take the chance!” I call out, but she’s already too far away to hear me.
As I continue home, a sudden, all-consuming need to talk to my brother hits me hard. And seeing as how I’m running out of spots to go to for privacy, I decide not to try any of them…and hide right out in the open.
On my front porch.
Chapter 7
I dial Sebastian, smiling when he answers on the fourth ring. Just hearing his voice, the simple “Hello,” has my eyes prickling with bittersweet tears.
“Hey, brother,” I say softly, battling against any sadness trying to reveal itself. “It’s me, Echo.”
He laughs. “Echo who?”
“Stop,” I respond with a snicker. Guess I probably didn’t need to identify myself after calling him ‘brother,’ not to mention my number popping up on his phone. “How are you?”
“Bloody fabulous!” His attempt at an accent fails, turning my snicker into a full laugh.
“Please tell me you’re kidding. You know you don’t have to talk like them, right?”
“I am kidding, so you can stop rolling your eyes,” he responds, reminding me just how well he knows me. “Seriously, though, I’m great. You’d love it here, Echo. It’s got an artsy kinda feel that reminds me of you.”
“But you miss home,” I manage through a gulp, “don’t you?”
I know him just as well, so without seeing it, I’m sure he’s shaking his head at me right now. “Of course I do. I told you I’m not interested in staying here forever, so you better not be worrying about that. Correction: You better stop worrying about that. Now, how is everyone?”
Has he not talked to anyone else here since leaving?
“Pretty much the same. Sammy and I have been working on his magic. He’s really hoping Dad will let him perform it at one of the holiday shows.”
“You better video it if he does. Promise me.”
“Of course.” I relax against the step behind me. “Mom and Dad are…Mom and Dad.” I laugh. “Have you not talked to them?”
“Just for a sec to say I landed.” The guilt is thick in his reply. “I need to call Mom after I hang up with you. Don’t tell her we talked, okay? I want her—”
“I know.” I purse my lips and ask, “What about Savannah? Have you called her?”
He makes a hemming-and-hawing noise, his non-answer my answer.
“Really?” My exclamation is so loud there’s no way he missed my shock.
“Hey, she hasn’t called me either!” he defends himself, albeit with a surprising lack of concern in his tone. “Why open that can of worms?”
Can of worms? What does that even mean? Is he being serious right now? Nearly inseparable for the last couple years, those two could never keep their hands off each other. I thought absence made the heart grow fonder…and yet, we’re discussing worms?
“Oh, I don’t know,” I finally respond. “Maybe because she’s your girlfriend?”
“You’re my little sister—my favorite person in the whole wide world—and I haven’t even called you. I feel much worse about that.” God, I love my brother. “So, tell me about Kingston. How’s that going?”
It’s my turn to hum, stall, and choose my words very carefully.
And apparently take too long.
“What, Echo? If that motherfu—”
“Calm down,” I say, cutting off his rant before he pops a blood vessel. “Kingston is fine. He’s done nothing you’d kill him for—in fact, I think you’d have been quite proud of how he handled Camden at school earlier.”
Stupid, Echo! What was I thinking?