When we’re finally done, my mom shoos us both out of the kitchen so we can make a trip to the store.
“Shit, that was close,” Emery says when we’re in Thomas’ car and on our way down the mountain. “Your mom was eyeing us like she knew. This is why I can’t hide and lie, August. I crack under pressure.”
“You did great,” I say and then reach over and squeeze his hand. “I’m sorry. I know it’s asking a lot.”
He sighs and then peeks over at me, threading his fingers through mine. “It’s a good thing you’re so hot, because I would so not be doing this for anyone else.”
“I know and thank you,” I say with a little smile.
“Just two more days, August, and then you have to decide which way this goes. If it was up to me, I’d just put it all out there and run with it.”
I nod, biting on my bottom lip.
“Two more days,” I say as we park the car in front of the small general store.
Emery hops out and tugs his coat closed, and then the two of us make our way inside. The old wooden floors creak with each step as we stroll down the small aisles, and suddenly Emery groans in delight.
“Heaven,” he mutters as he grabs onto a large candy bag, rips it open, and pulls out a green apple lollipop. “Oh, fuck yes,” he mutters as he pops it into his mouth, and I stare at him. “Bliss.”
“We should have paid for those before you ransacked them,” I say.
“Couldn’t wait,” he says and then walks down the aisle and practically cleans off all the candy on the shelves.
“I don’t think I’ve ever loved anything as much as you love candy. Do they have rehab for candy addicts?” I ask.
“Probably. My uncle Leroy went to rehab for eating too many carrots. Apparently, the beta carotene in large doses mimics nicotine. He ate so many his skin turned orange and he had the shakes when he tried to stop.”
“You’re shitting me?” I say, blinking at him.
“Nope, it’s a real thing. I saw it on Reddit. Look it up.”
The grocery basket is now brimming with all sorts of sweets, and then he moves to the t-shirt section. He sets the overstuffed basket onto the ground and then shuffles through the racks, holding one t-shirt to my chest and then pulling out another and doing the same thing. He closes one eye and then the other, looking at me intently.
“Hm, it’s a hard to decide. You’re so damn hot, my brain only focuses on picturing you naked.”
“And we need t-shirts because…?”
“We need to commemorate the occasion. The winter I spent fucking around with my stepbrother.”
I narrow my eyes at him, but he’s not paying any attention to me.
“Should we get matching shirts?” he asks. “We could so pull that off. What about this one, does this one scream ‘twincest?’”
I snort and grab the t-shirt from his hand and hold it up to him.
“Looks good on you.”
Emery takes it and then turns to look in the mirror. He shrugs. “Yeah, not bad, but I think you should for sure get a size smaller so I can ogle your muscles while you wear it.”
I shake my head with a smile, pulling the right size t-shirt off the rack. Then the two of us make our way to the counter where a college-aged girl is flipping through her phone.
“Hello there,” Emery says with a flirtatious smile.
I instantly feel irritated at his tone, and the way his body leans into her.
It’s not like I haven’t seen him with women, but that wasbefore.
Before me. Beforeus.