Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“Were you serious about getting a tattoo?” I asked as we stepped to the curb to await the walk signal.
Alex nodded. “Maybe seeing all of yours made me feel more confident.” He reached out and wrapped his fingers around my wrist to study my newest one more closely. He released a quiet gasp. “That was your mom’s nickname for you.”
“Yep.” Mom would call me Little Peep when I was a kid because of my bright-blond hair. I wanted to get something to honor her and had decided on this.
“It’s cool.”
“Thanks.” When our eyes met, his fingers were still curled around my wrist, and my skin felt warm and prickly. It felt good to finally be speaking to him out of earshot of my brother. We were more ourselves but also obviously distracted because we didn’t even realize the light had changed until we were jostled by a group of students trying to get around us.
“I’d better make sure Bailey’s okay,” Alex said as we broke apart.
“I understand if you need to keep the peace. To focus on your swim season and classes,” I replied, kicking at a stone on the sidewalk. “It was Derek’s idea to head to your table. I probably wouldn’t have done that on my own.”
Alex shrugged. “It was fun at first. I wish we could hang out more.”
My chest felt achy. “Maybe someday.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
After crossing the street, we turned in opposite directions, our gazes lingering until the very last second.
4
Alex
I’d come home to find Bailey sitting in bed and frowning at his phone.
I toed out of my shoes. “Why’d you have to storm off like that?”
“I’m trying to strike out on my own in a new place,” he replied as I tugged my shirt over my head. “Remy’s paved the way before me too many times to count, and let’s be honest, sometimes leaving a rocky path.”
I threw him a cutting look. “Is this where I point out how you chose to attend the same university as your older brother?”
He growled in frustration. “Doesn’t mean I want to hang out with him. I looked like a fool in front of those guys.”
“You didn’t have to respond the way you did. You could’ve been way more chill.” I sighed as I sank down on my bed. “Besides, plenty of our teammates have annoying older siblings, so they’d understand. Remy and Derek would’ve eventually gotten bored hanging with a bunch of athletes.”
“You don’t get it. I don’t want to be chill with Remy.” He clenched his jaw. “Don’t want him to think I’m cool with him after what he did.”
“But you’re cool with your father after what he did?” I replied for the hundredth time, my irritation bubbling over.
His shoulders slumped. “He never wanted our family to break up.”
“Neither did Remy.” I scoffed. “You can’t possibly believe that.”
“He’s always been jealous of my relationship with Dad.”
“Okay, you need to take several seats. Your emotions are getting the best of you.” I cut the lights so I didn’t see his deep scowl. “Why don’t you sleep on it? Maybe you’ll feel better in the morning.”
It was true that life events could change you, and I’d seen how devastated Bailey had been since his parents’ divorce. But instead of growing a thicker skin and learning from the experience, he’d dug his heels in. It was like he was still grieving and stuck in the anger phase. And I supposed I couldn’t fault him, except that Remy was likely grieving too.
Bailey began tossing and turning, which was keeping me awake, so I threw the covers over my head but then pulled them back in a huff. “Did you happen to look at Remy’s tattoos—really look at them?”
“Why would I want to do that?” he grumbled.
“The one on his arm is the nickname your mom had for him. And obviously your dad too, at least some of the time.”
He was quiet a moment, and then, “Little Peep?”
“Yeah.”
“Whatever,” he said, but I could hear how jagged his breathing became.
I didn’t know why I told him that. Why was I taking up for Remy so much when it was something for the two of them to figure out? I just wished he’d soften his stance about the whole thing already.
It was the afternoon of our first swim meet, and things were feeling back to normal again after all that awkwardness surrounding Shenanigans last week.
“Will your parents be there?” Bailey asked as we stuffed our suits in our bags, getting ready to head to the aquatics facility.
“Yeah.” I smiled, looking forward to seeing them in person and glad they lived close enough to the university to watch me compete my first time out. “Yours?”
“Uh-huh,” he replied around a yawn.
I wanted to ask about Remy showing up but kept my thoughts to myself. Besides, sporting events were so not his thing. He’d made that abundantly clear in high school, normally grumbly about being made to attend and support his brother. He always had his sketch pad and barely paid attention unless his parents bugged him about it.