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“She is. Whenever I head home for the holidays, Lily and I become two peas in a pod. We have all these little traditions.”

“Tell me.”

“Well, for starters, we always have a movie marathon night. We build this epic blanket fort in the living room, stock up on all our favorite snacks, and binge-watch classic Disney movies until we pass out.”

Elliot dabs his lips with a napkin. “That sounds like a lot of fun.”

“Oh, it is. But not as fun as the annual hiking trip we take with our parents in the spring. We visit this gorgeous spot that’s from out of a fairytale. We pack a picnic lunch and spend hours talking about everything—school, work, life.”

It’s one of my favorite places to go with my family. The sun warms our faces, the breeze rustles through the tall grass, and Lily’s infectious laughter rings out across the mountaintop.

“But I think my favorite tradition is our Saturday morning pancake extravaganza. I wake up early and sneak down to the kitchen to whip up a massive batch of chocolate chip pancakes. The smell always lures Lily out of bed, and she comes bounding down the stairs with her hair all wild from sleep.”

“That’s adorable,” Elliot says softly. “She’s lucky to have you for a big brother.”

“Nah, I’m the lucky one. Lily’s my rock. No matter what’s going on in my life or how stressed I am about school or hockey, I know I can always call her, and suddenly, everything is better.”

I pause, realizing I’m rambling on about Lily. I love gushingabout my little sister but don’t want to dominate the conversation. This is a date, after all, and I want to learn more about Elliot, too. “But enough about me. Tell me about you and Jackson. He’s a brother to you, right?”

Elliot nods, and a smile appears on his face at the mere mention of Jackson’s name. “Yeah. We’re extremely close. I met him during a class project freshman year.”

I nod encouragingly, sensing there’s more to the story, and I’m right.

“He’s the greatest guy I know. He defends me against bullies. He makes it a point to talk to me every day, even with his busy schedule. He sees me as a person, not a minority card he can tick off his list.”

“I know I’ve only known him for a little over a month, but I can sense he’s someone you want in your life. I’m glad you have him.”

Elliot smiles. “I’m glad, too. There was this one time a couple of weeks after we first met when I was walking back to the library after a late-night class. This guy jumped out of the shadows and tried to mug me.”

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Whoa, seriously?”

“Yeah. Thankfully, I didn’t have much on me—just my wallet with like ten bucks and my cell phone. But this guy was desperate, I guess. He grabbed me and shoved me up against a tree, demanding I hand everything over.”

A surge of protectiveness washes over me, even though I know this happened years ago, and Elliot is okay. “That must have been terrifying.”

“It was,” Elliot admits. “But then, out of nowhere, Jackson came barreling down the sidewalk like some kind of superhero. He tackled the guy to the ground and held him there until campus security showed up.”

I whistle. “That’s ballsy. He could have been seriously hurt if the dude had a knife or a gun.”

“I know, right? Jackson was my knight in shining armor. Afterthat, we kind of became inseparable. I didn’t think he’d stick around when sophomore year started, but he did, and it made me like him even more.”

The waitress returns and asks if we want dessert, but Elliot and I are full. We get the check, I pay the bill, and we head outside. Elliot’s hand finds mine, our fingers intertwining as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. We cross the street and enter the park. The glow of the streetlamps cast a warm, inviting light over the winding paths and manicured lawns.

We aren’t the only ones with the idea of an after-dinner stroll. Couples pop up here and there; some holding hands like us, and others sitting on benches, engaged in quiet conversation. It’s a peaceful night, and the soft laughter, hushed voices, and pitter-patter of our footsteps only add to the soundtrack.

“So, tell me,” I say, breaking the comfortable silence that’s settled between us. “Any ex-boyfriends I should know about? Anyone who might come beating down my door and threatening to whisk you away?” I keep my tone light and teasing, but a part of me is genuinely curious.

Elliot laughs, and I grip his hand more tightly. “No, no ex-boyfriends will come after you, I promise. My last relationship was back in high school.”

“Oh yeah?” I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “Do tell.”

“His name was Liam. He was a hockey player, believe it or not.”

I stop walking and turn to face Elliot fully. “Wait, seriously? You dated a hockey player?”

Elliot smirks. “I know, I know. Considering my initial uncertainty about havingyouin my life, it’s ironic, don’t you think? But yeah, Liam and I were together for almost a year.”

“What happened? If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”