“…And Hunter is taking a gap year while working full time. These two young men have bright futures ahead of them, so let’s give them a hand.”
My brother looked embarrassed while everyone clapped. Hunter nodded his thanks, then got up and excused himself. Both Lance and I watched him go inside the house.
“I feel sorry for him,” Lance said. “Losing his parents like that. No wonder he’s not going to college.”
“Hunter could have gone to college if he wanted,” I replied. “He was accepted at Miami, Bowling Green, and I think Kent State.”
Lance waved it off. “So he’s just going to hang around town doing nothing?”
“He’s not doingnothing.He’s working on a YouTube channel about cars.”
Lance scoffed. “AYouTubechannel? Seriously?”
“Why do you say it like that?”
“That’s the kind of thing you do as a hobby,” Lance said with a sneer. “While getting arealjob. But if he’s not cut out to do both…”
Anger rose up in me like a geyser. “Hunter is incredibly smart when it comes to cars. You have no idea what he can do.”
Lance gave me a funny look. “Why are you getting so defensive? I thought you said you didn’t like him.”
“I don’t,” I said. “I just don’t think it’s nice of you to make fun of him.”
“Chill out. I was only joking around.”
Mom came over and tapped me on the shoulder. “Can you grab more plates out of the garage? Your father said we had plenty out here, but…”
“Sure,” I said, eager for an excuse to get away from Lance for a bit.
I dropped the towel from my shoulders and went inside. Maybe inviting Lance had been a mistake. He was good-looking, but his personality left a lot to be desired.
And he’s the opposite of Hunter,I thought as I went through the kitchen and into the garage.
I stopped as the door closed behind me. Hunter was standing in front of the garage fridge, two Sprites in his hand. He looked like he had frozen when he saw me, too.
“Hey,” I said.
He nodded back at me. “Hey.”
“I just, um, came in here to get more plates for mom.” I walked by him and reached up to the shelves above the car.
Rather than take his Sprites back outside, Hunter lingered by the fridge, watching me. “Lance is nice,” he finally said.
I snorted. “You’re just saying that.”
Hunter put the Sprites down and crossed his arms over his bare, muscular chest. “You’re right. Iamjust saying that. Lance is a douche. The douchiest of douches that ever douched.”
“If I didn’t know better,” I muttered, “I would say you’re jealous.”
“You can do better.”
The comment made me turn and look at him. He was looking at me,reallylooking at me, like I was a riddle he couldn’t decipher.
“Why do you care?” I asked.
He shrugged stubbornly. “I’m just looking out for you.”
I loved that he wanted to look out for me. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside that he had fought Derek at the drop of a dime last night, and that he was being protective with Lance. It drew me to him like a moth to a flame.