Page 62 of Sleeper: The Palisades Edition

“Really well. The twins love her. She’s shockingly great with them. And she’s just nice to have around.”

“Good.” He watches me while taking a pull on his beer.

There’s a long, strange silence that can only be filled with a sigh and four words: “I’m falling for Willa.”

He lowers the bottle from his mouth. “What?”

“I really like your sister. A lot. I’m falling in love with her.”

He slams the beer bottle on the table. “What?”

“How many times do you want me to say it?”

He continues to stare at me, incredulous. “Zero. What? Since when?”

“Since I met her, I guess. At Erewhon, I mean. Maybe since the first time, in some weird way, I don’t know.”

“Willa?”

“Your sister, Willa, yes. Are you clear on who we’re talking about now?”

I watch his hands, which are balling up into fists while he processes this. He shakes his head and raises one hand to his temple. “I don’t even… It never even… I don’t know why it didn’t… I didn’t think she was your type.”

“She wasn’t. I mean. She isn’t a type. She’s amazing.”

Nico studies my face, and I don’t know what kind of expression I have, but it’s obviously telling him what he doesn’t want to hear. He covers his eyes. “You had sex with my sister.” He groans. “I’ve never met one of her guys before. I can’t. Ugh. Why would you do that?”

I’m arching an eyebrow at him when he finally manages to look at me again.

“Don’t answer that. I feel sick.”

“Do you really?”

“I don’t know. I know I’m being an immature little shit, but this is weird.”

“If you’re pissed off, I get it. I just can’t change how I feel about her. I tried. Anyway,she’spissed at me. I get that too. But I wanted to tell you, before I…try to make it work with her.”

“Why is she pissed at you?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Not really.”

“She basically gave me an ultimatum.”

“She did? That doesn’t sound like her.”

“Not in a shitty, manipulative way. She just told me what she wants. She’s cool. She’s really, really cool.”

“Wow, you really like her, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Does Margo know?”

“No. Fuck, no.”

“Dude.”