Page 29

Nate snickers. "Wouldn't blame her."

Dean finally speaks. "As long as he treats you right."

I know Dean well enough to understand that this isn't him giving us his approval. It's a warning.

Ava swallows. I squeeze her hand, grounding her, but for the first time, I wonder if it's actually her brothers' reaction that's affecting her most.

She loves them. And they love her. But this—this us—is a lie.

And they're trusting me with her.

It sits uneasily in my chest.

Ryan sighs, clearly deciding he's done with this conversation. "Well, if you hurt her, we'll make sure you regret it."

Dean mutters something under his breath that sounds an awful lot likeconsider that a promise.

"Great," I say, nodding at all of them. "Now that the threats are out of the way, where's the beer?"

Nate snorts. Ryan shakes his head. And Dean? Dean just watches me.

The rest of the day passes in a blur of uncomfortable conversation. The food is great and the beer is chilled—the Bennetts are pretty good with their barbecue, but the unsaid things make it very, very difficult for any of us to enjoy ourselves.

Ava escapes halfway through the evening.

I extricate myself from Emily, who's probably the only one actually excited about our being in a relationship, and find her in the back yard, sitting on the old wooden swing, her fingers wrapped around the chain, staring at the sky like it has the answers.

I don't announce myself. I just walk up, take the chain beside her in one hand, and lean against it. "You planning your escape?"

She lets out a short laugh. "Something like that."

I nudge the swing slightly with my foot, watching the way she lets herself sway. "You okay?"

She doesn't answer right away, just exhales slowly. "It's just… a lot."

I nod, waiting.

She swallows. "They love me, you know?"

"I know."

She bites her lip, gaze flicking to me. "It's not that I don't appreciate it. It's just…" She exhales again, shaking her head. "Sometimes, it feels like I have to be this version of me they've decided on. The baby sister. The one they need to protect. And if I step outside that, if I want something different, it's like I'm letting them down."

I watch her, feeling a soft, dull pain settle in my chest.

Because I get it.

I get the weight of expectations. The pressure to be who people think you are instead of who you want to be.

I look back at the house, at the laughter and warmth spilling from the windows. Then I look at her.

"They just want to protect you," I say quietly. "Because you're worth it."

Ava stills.

Her fingers tighten around the chain as she looks up at me. Her lips part slightly, like she's about to say something, but then she doesn't.

I don't look away.