Page 32 of Stops Along the Way
I keep my fingers resting against his skin. “Have I been calling you by the wrong name?”
He glances from the road to my baffled expression. “I like that you call me Declan. Not a lot of people do.”
“Really?” My concern melts away into a feeling of being special, something a little bit unique. Like a reverse nickname.
“Mostly just some family, and you guys at Roll Again.” Declan nods confidently, then suddenly goes shy when he glances down to my hand still on his arm, and he returns to the initial subject as I pull away. “But, yeah, I’m glad our siblings are getting along well enough for this drive. It’s a fun time.”
“Of course,” I agree.
He thinks for a second, then adds, “But them dating seems…highly unlikely.”
I laugh. “Exactly.”
It’s so obvious that Amelia finds his brother mildly irritating to say the least. But hold on—is Declan implying that Grady wouldn’t be interested in my sister?
Amelia is great. Funny, smart, and a total catch. Any guy would be soluckyto catch her interest. I remember Grady’s curiosity about her driving glasses earlier, and my immediate reaction here is to get super defensive.
“Is it because my sister—”
“What? No, nothing against your sister,” Declan is quick to reassure, turning to make eye contact once more. “I didn’tmean to make it seem like that. It’s just Grady has never seemed interested in dating, well,anyone.”
“Oh,” I say, realization washing over me. “I get that.”
“So, combined with the fact that they don’t really seem to like each other much to begin with, my guess is that you really don’t need to worry about them getting together like that.”
He’s making it seem like this is some huge unfounded concern of mine.
“Why would I be worried?” I ask.
“Youjustsaid it would be weird.”
I break off another piece of chocolate, but when I go to give it to him, he keeps his hands on the wheel and opens his mouth. I roll my eyes and toss it onto his tongue. “Why would it be weird?”
His face is blank. “I…can’t think of any reason.”
“Exactly.” I take the final piece of chocolate for myself to finish the bar, folding the candy wrapper in half several times and sliding it into the cupholder to dispose of later.
Yet Declan looks at me out of the side of his eye, a smile curling up on his lips. “But if you think of a reason, let me know.”
“Or ifyouthink of anything,” I counter, worried we’re trapped in an endless game of chicken, but I’m not brave enough to be the one to make a move here. I like how things have been going between us these last couple days and don’t want to do anything that could jeopardize that.
The highway divides, and he merges to the left to follow our siblings and the GPS. Should we play some music? It’s his car. I’ll let him take the lead on that, at least.
Declan chooses to keep making conversation. “What do you have going on the rest of this summer?”
“Um, attending lots of graduation parties.” I cross my legs on the seat and lean against the headrest. The seat belt is tight as I turn to face him, so I hold it loosely in my hands to keep it from stabbing me in the neck. “Hanging with Amelia before she ditches me for Europe, this big impressive study abroad program she’ll be at for three months. Picking up shifts at my friend Peyton’s family restaurant.”
“I know Peyton,” Declan reminds me.
“I can’t believe I forgot for a second that you also know Peyton. And obviously, going to play Rivalry,” I add with a laugh.
“You’ll need to get in as many matches as possible to improve your stats.”
“What about you?”
He eases on the brake as some car weaves through traffic going ninety. “Well, work shifts and game nights at Roll Again. Then Grady likes to drag me along to canvass for certain progressive issues whenever they need an extra guy, but he’s going to be busy this summer with an internship. Roy and I like to go fishing at his dad’s place…You know Roy,” he teases me.
Roy is the short guy with big glasses, whom I’ve never seen talk much except in impassioned bursts about new game releases. “I know him, but I didn’t realize you two were that close.”
