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gio

M y sister isn’t responding to her text messages .

Weird.

Usually, she’s glued to her phone, rapid-firing back sarcastic replies or random memes that don’t make sense half the time. Tonight though?

Radio silence.

I’ve called twice, too. Straight to voicemail.

The knot in my stomach tightens as I head down to her apartment. It’s probably nothing. Maybe she left her phone at work or went out with friends. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off. She’s my sister. I know her better than anyone else, and this isn’t like her.

While I’m in the elevator, I shoot Austin another message.

Odd that she hasn’t gotten back to me, either?

Not that I expect her to be waiting by her cell, but still. We’re in that honeymoon phase and can’t get enough of each other…

After a long day of practice, my body is beat down and tired. My shoulders ache, my legs feel like lead, and all I want—the only thing I want—is to talk to one of the two leading ladies in my life. Is that so wrong?

A quick message. A phone call. Anything to remind me that the world isn’t just weights, drills, and endless team meetings. But no. I get nothing.

Not from my sister, not from Austin.

Fuck. Is this what pouting feels like?

I WANT ATTENTION. IS THAT SO WRONG?

The elevator dings, and I step out into the hallway. Her apartment is all the way at the end of the hall, and with every step I take, my mind spirals. Is she sick? Hurt? God, please don’t let this be one of those horror movie scenarios where I walk in and find her body on the— No.

She’s probably taking a nap. Or a shower.

She’s fine.

When I turn the corner to her apartment, I slow down.

Laughing.

I hear laughing…

It grows louder as I approach Nova’s door, muffled but unmistakable. Two voices, both female.

One of them is definitely my sister—her laugh is impossible to mistake, that obnoxious, almost hysterical sound that makes everyone else laugh, too.

Muffled voices.

Snorting.

I stop in my tracks, tilting my head.

I inch closer to the door, their laughter tumbling out in waves now. It’s not just polite chuckling—it’s full-blown, gasping-for-air kind of laughter. My brow furrows as I stand there, listening, torn between relief and confusion.

Austin?

I try to make sense of what I’m hearing. The two of them are absolutely losing it, laughing so hard it sounds like they’re struggling to breathe. I can make out a few words between the gasps, but they’re so garbled, it’s like listening to an inside joke I’ll never understand.

I knock firmly, loud enough to cut through their wheezing. The laughing stops immediately, replaced by the kind of silence that’s more suspicious than reassuring.

“It’s me,” I call out. “Open up.”

Nothing.

I knock again, harder this time. “Seriously, I know you’re in there. Stop pretending you don’t hear me.”

A muffled “Shhh!” comes from inside, followed by a burst of barely-contained giggles.

Great.

They’re messing with me.

This is so annoying.

I try the door handle and surprisingly, it turns.

I push the door open and step inside. The smell of one of Nova’s candles smacks me in the face first, followed by the sound of upbeat tunes from the sound system.

Then I see them.

My sister and Austin, cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by an array of snacks: half-eaten popcorn, an open bag of chips, and what looks like an entire cheese board they didn’t even bother putting on plates. A half-empty bottle of wine sits between them, two mismatched glasses perched precariously on the coffee table.

They both look up at me, startled, before dissolving into another fit of giggles.

“Seriously?” I say, crossing my arms as I close the door behind me. “This is what you’re doing?”

Nova raises her glass, her face red from laughing so hard. “Welcome to the party.”

Before I can respond, Austin lets out a dramatic gasp and jumps to her feet. She rushes toward me, throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me full on the mouth. “Babe! You’re here!”

Oh my God—they’re drunk.

I carefully untangle Austin’s arms from around my neck and hold her at arm’s length, looking her over. Her eyes are sparkling, and her smile is so wide it’s almost contagious .

“How much have you had to drink?” I ask.

She scrunches up her nose, pretending to think.

“Umm…like…two glasses? Three? But Nova’s glasses are really big.”

“Two glasses,” Nova calls from the floor, still sitting cross-legged among the snacks. “And maybe a little from the bottle. Don’t be so uptight.”

“Uptight?” I echo, raising an eyebrow. “I came down here because neither of you were answering your phones. I thought something bad happened.”

“Something bad did happen,” Austin says solemnly, gripping my shirt like she’s about to deliver earth-shattering news. “We ran out of crackers for our cheese tray.”

Nova bursts into another fit of giggles, almost spilling her wine as she leans back against the couch. “It was tragic.”

Nova pats the floor beside her, still grinning. “Come on, sit down. Have a drink. We’re solving all of life’s problems tonight.”

“Yes, come sit down.” Austin grabs my hand and pulls me toward the living room to join my sister.

I let out a mock sigh, sinking onto the floor between them. “Alright, but I’m warning you now—if you two are trying to drag me into whatever nonsense this is, I’m charging a babysitting fee.”

Austin hands me a glass of wine, her eyes twinkling. “Consider this your payment.”

She plops unceremoniously down beside me, leaning her head on my shoulder like she’s perfectly content with the world.

I can’t wait to hear the shit they’ve been talking about, taking a sip from the glass I’ve been given.

It’s good – surprisingly good – not too sweet, not too dry.

I take another sip from the glass I’ve been handed, then another, letting the wine settle as I lean back against the couch.

“So,” I say, glancing between the pair of them. “What were you yapping about while I was gone?” I pause, raising an eyebrow. “Better yet, could someone please explain how you even ended up here? Together?”

Nova grins, tipping her glass toward me. “Austin was giving me advice.”

I turn to Austin, my curiosity piqued. “What kind of advice?”

“About boys.” I laugh. “Mostly how horrible dating apps are.”

Nova nods emphatically.

“She was lecturing me about not settling ,” Nova replies, swirling her wine like she’s about to say something profound. “Deleting guys the second they display red flags instead of waiting to be disappointed.” She pauses dramatically, her eyes narrowing as if she’s just realized something. “Actually, she sounds freakishly like you.”

Austin snickers, nudging me with her elbow. “See? Great minds think alike.”

I laugh, leaning back against the couch. “It’s not exactly groundbreaking advice, Nova. Red flags are red for a reason.”

Taking another drink from my wine glass, I let my gaze drift between the two of them as they dissolve into another round of giggles. They’re both so caught up in their own little world of bad dating profiles and half-finished snacks that I almost feel like an outsider just watching them.

And honestly? It’s cute.

Nova never had a sister, and for that matter, neither has Austin. Watching them laugh and bond like this, it’s hard not to feel a little proud. I’d worried about how this dynamic would play out—my sister and my girlfriend spending time together without me as the buffer.

But seeing them now? They’re like two peas in a very chaotic, wine-fueled pod.

“You two are ridiculous,” I mutter, but there’s no bite to it.

“We’re delightful,” Nova corrects, raising her glass in mock cheers .

“Delightfully tipsy,” I counter, which only makes them giggle harder.

Austin leans her head against my shoulder, still laughing. “You love it.”

I do love it.

The thought sneaks up on me, unbidden but undeniably true. Watching them like this—completely at ease with each other, laughing like idiots, their glasses half-empty but their smiles full—it’s hard not to feel a little soft about it.

Then Nova catches my eye, her grin shifting into something sly, her brows lifting knowingly.

“Stop it,” I blurt out, pointing my wine glass at her as if it were a weapon.

Her grin widens. “Stop what?” she asks, all innocence.

“You know what,” I say, narrowing my eyes. “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t.”

I glare at her, silently willing her to shut up.

The last thing I need is for her to start running her mouth about the conversation we had earlier—about love at first sight and whether or she believes in it or not because lately, I feel myself turning into a lovesick idiot.

Austin lifts her head, glancing between the two of us. “What’s happening? Did I miss something?”

“No,” I say quickly, shooting Nova a warning look. “You missed nothing.”

“Gio, relax ,” my sister says slyly. “I’m not going to tell her the things we talk about. I’m not that drunk.”

“You’re drunk enough,” I mutter, sinking back against the couch and shooting her one last warning look. She just smirks, clearly enjoying herself way too much.

Austin looks between us, suspicious but amused. “You’re both weird.”

“However!” Nova says, holding up a finger like she’s about to make a grand proclamation. Her gaze lands on Austin, pointed and deliberate. “Do you believe in love at first sight? ”

Oh.

My.

God.

The air leaves my lungs in an instant, and my brain short-circuits. Why the hell did I open my mouth and say anything earlier? If I’d just kept my stupid questions to myself, we wouldn’t be in this situation. Nova wouldn’t have the ammo, and Austin wouldn’t be staring at her like she’s just sprouted a second head and that head is Wayne Gretzky.

“Nova,” I say sharply, sitting up straighter. “Don’t.”

I chug all the wine in my glass and grab the bottle.

“What?” Nova asks innocently, batting her eyelashes. “I’m just saying—it’s interesting, isn’t it? Some people believe in it. Some people wonder about it.”

I am stupid, stupid, stupid !

This is why we can’t have nice things.

Austin swallows a lump in her throat, setting her wine glass on the coffee table. “For the record, no—I don’t believe in love at first sight. Since you brought it up.”

Oh.

The word sinks in, heavy and hollow. I shift awkwardly on the floor, reaching for the bottle of wine to pour myself another glass, the act giving me something to do other than meet her eyes. The sting of disappointment is sharp, but I shove it down, covering it with a practiced nonchalance.

“That’s fair,” I say finally, forcing my tone to stay light. “It’s not exactly the most logical concept.”

Out of the corner of my eye, Nova freezes. Her grin falters, and she looks at me, her expression tight with something close to regret.

Guilt.

“Exactly,” Austin says, relaxing a bit as she settles back into her spot beside me. “Love takes time. It’s not something that happens the second you meet someone.”

Nova fidgets with her glass, not meeting my eyes .

“Right,” my sister says softly, her earlier confidence gone. She looks like she wants to say something more, but she bites her lip instead, her shame practically radiating off her.

I nudge her with my toe.

She glances at me, startled, and I give her a look—a silent it’s fine, stop beating yourself up.

Chaos is practically her default setting.

I don’t want her to feel like shit because she’s drunk and messing around—this is supposed to be fun.

But just when I think we’re about to successfully steer the conversation into safer territory, Nova blurts out, “What about my brother though? Did you fall head over heels for him?”

Again, the room goes silent, except for the music in the background.

Austin freezes mid-reach for a pretzel, her eyes going wide. Nova immediately clamps a hand over her mouth, as if she can take back the words by sheer force of will.

Her gaze flicks to me, panic written all over her face.

I am going to kill her!

“I mean—” Austin stammers after a beat, her voice slightly higher-pitched than usual. “I’ve been his biggest fan since he was drafted.”

She lets out a nervous little laugh, trying to cover her discomfort.

“That’s not what I mean,” Nova says, lowering her hand. Her tone is softer now, but the damage is already done.

My face burns as I glare at my freaking sister, silently screaming what the hell are you doing?! She winces, mouthing a quick “sorry” in my direction, but it’s too late to undo her slip.

I clear my throat, desperately trying to salvage the situation.

“Okay, let’s just pretend Nova didn’t say that,” I say quickly, forcing a light laugh. “She’s had too much wine and clearly has no filter right now.”

“Agreed,” Nova says, holding up her glass in a weak toast. “Too much wine. Blame the wine. ”

Austin chuckles nervously, her cheeks still faintly pink. “Yeah, let’s blame the wine.”

But as much as I try to focus on the banter, I can’t help but feel the weight of Nova’s words hanging between us. Because as much as I’d like to believe Austin’s answer didn’t matter, the truth is, I was holding my breath for it.

We sit here for another several hours, wine bottles empty, charcuterie board dwindling, the laughter coming and going in waves. By the time the conversation finally slows, it’s eleven o’clock, and my eyes are starting to feel heavy.

I yawn.

Stretch.

“I should get going,” I say, reluctantly pushing myself off the floor. “I have to be up at five.”

Both women wrinkle their noses in unison, the distaste on their faces almost comical. “Ew,” they say at the same time.

I chuckle. “Yeah, I know.”

When I stand, Austin stands too. “Mind if I come with you?”

Of course I don’t mind.

I nod, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

“Oh, sure. Leave me here all alone!” Nova makes a half-hearted attempt at protesting. “It’s fine. I’ll just sit here and continue to be lonely.”

I chuck a pillow at her. “Drink some water.”

“Rude,” she mutters, catching the pillow and pulling it into her lap. “But fair.”

Austin steps over the remnants of snacks and empty glasses, slipping her hand into mine. The gesture sends a warmth through me I can’t ignore. I squeeze her hand lightly, grateful we’re leaving together.

When we’re back in the elevator, she leans into my side, her arms wrapping loosely around my waist. The faint scent of her shampoo lingers, and I resist the urge to rest my chin on top of her head. Instead, I keep my arm around her shoulders, holding her close.

“What about Gio?” I ask after a moment, my voice low in the quiet hum of the elevator. I might not love her dog—okay, fine, he’s kind of a menace—but I don’t want the poor little bastard stuck alone overnight.

She tilts her head up to look at me, a soft smile on her lips.

“He was out with the dog walker tonight—but thanks for asking. I’ll relay the message.”

“Thanks. I need all the help I can get.”

She grins, leaning up to press a quick kiss to my jawline. “It’s because you’re not handing over the treats fast enough. He’s a slut for snacks.”