Page 73 of Pinch

I shrug, playing it off. “I’d like to get to know him better, before the entire world finds out and goes crazy.”

“You don’t trust him. Why not?”

Dang Kimmie Joy Bradford. She’s six years older than me, and I’ve never been able to get anything past her. Who am I kidding? I’ve never been able to get anything past anyone. It’s some sort of miracle Mav and Gina don’t know about Gavin and me—or a testament to how busy we all are.

“We went to college together, and he dated my roommate Karen. When they broke up, she said it was because he cheated on her. He says it was the other way around.”

Kim’s nose wrinkles. “You don’t know who to believe?”

My shoulders drop. “I want to believe him… Mav says he’s not a player.”

Kim lifts her chin. “If Mav vouches for him, he’s a good guy. Your cousin would never lead you wrong.”

“But what if Mav doesn’t know him like I do?” I’ve been burned before. “Why is trust so hard?”

Her lips twist, and she puts an arm around my shoulders. “Is he hot?”

Nodding, I pick up a spicy candy cane. “Very.”

“Eh, I say take a chance. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Boy, if only she knew. I’m so close to telling her when our aunt Allie dances up to us.

“Here are my girls!” She pulls me into a hug.

She’s actually Kim’s step-mom, but we would never, ever call her that. It sounds too Disney-villain, and Aunt Allie is the best human on the planet beside my mom… and all our other aunts.

“You two better get on that dance floor, or I’m going to go get Austin and Edward to make you.”

“Austin’s here?” My voice goes up, and I’m so excited.

We rarely get to see Allie’s son from a previous marriage anymore. He moved to Texas to play football, and he’s a big star—just like Uncle Jack was before he retired.

Austin was always one of the big boys when we were little, but he was so sweet to us anyway. He’d give us rides and tease us. I think we all had baby crushes on him.

Kim’s back stiffens, and she seems suddenly nervous. “I just remembered I have to take care of something at the house.”

Aunt Allie makes a complaining noise, but I catch Kim’s arm before she disappears. Our eyes meet, and she steps to me, giving me a hug and pinching my upper arm playfully.

“Don’t worry, Hads. You’re the smartest girl I know. You’ll make the right decision.” Then she whispers in my ear. “Keep me posted.”

I watch as she makes her way out the back screen door at the same time as Austin and Edward enter through the front. They’re grown-up men now, and handsome as ever… although, I guess I’m a grown-up woman, too.

With a big fat secret in the middle of my big ole family, and only one person who knows the truth.

20

Gavin

“And for Lane, a brand-new mouthguard!” My mom Elaine is playing Santa this year, and as soon as she pulls the purple and white guard from the red sack, my mom Kenny throws a sock at her.

“You did not get him a mouthguard for Christmas!”

“You got him socks!” Elaine argues. “This has the Champions logo right there in the middle. Isn’t that fun?”

“Mom, I told you I’d protect my teeth.” I pull her into a hug, then I make a fist and noogie the top of her blonde head.

“Patrick Lane Knight!” She squeals, and my dad chuckles from where he sits in his recliner, a stack of gifts on his lap.