Page 96 of The Brothers Hawthorne

Fourth of July at Hawthorne House meant a carnival—a private one complete with Ferris wheel, bumper cars, a massive roller coaster, and dozens of challenges and games. From his perch on top of the tree house, Jameson could see it all.

And no one could see him.

“You don’t have to carry me, Grayson.”Emily.Jameson would have recognized her voice anywhere. He couldn’t make out Grayson’s reply, but soon, the two of them were ensconced in the tree house, and Jameson could hear every word.

“Be careful, Em.”

“I’m not going to fall.” Her tone was teasing. There weren’t many people who made a habit of teasing Hawthornes. “Though it would serve my mother right for trying to make me stay in tonight. I mean, honestly, I think my heart could handle one little roller coaster.”

The roller coaster in question wasn’t little, and with Emily, there was never justoneanything. She always wanted more.

Jameson and Emily were alike in that way.

I should have been the one to sneak her out, Jameson thought.I should have brought her up here.

But he hadn’t. Grayson had. Perfect, never-broke-the-rules Grayson was breaking them now. At twelve, Jameson had an inkling of why that might be the case. Emily was twelve, too, Grayson thirteen.

And he brought her toourtree house.

“I’m going to kiss you, Grayson Hawthorne.” Emily, her voice as clear as day.

“What?” Grayson, stupefied.

“Don’t tell me no. I am so tired ofno. My entire life isno. Just this once, can’t the answer beyes?”

Jameson waited, unnaturally still, for his brother’s reply. It never came, and Emily spoke again. “When you’re scared,” she told Grayson, “you look straight ahead.”

“Hawthornes don’t get scared,” Grayson said stiffly.

“No,” Emily shot back. “Idon’t get scared. You’re scared all the time.”

Jameson knew an opening when he saw one. He dropped from the branch he was sitting on, catching it with his hands and swinging his body in through the tree house window. He landed rough but smiled. “I’m not.”Scared.He didn’t say the word, and Emily didn’t need him to.

“You’re not scared of anything,” she told him with a toss of her hair. “Even when you probably should be.”

Jameson looked at Grayson, then back at Emily. She and her sister, Rebecca, were the only two non-Hawthorne children allowed to spend any significant amount of time on this side of the gates.The Hawthorne brothers. The Laughlin sisters.It was a thing.

“I’ll kiss you,” Jameson offered boldly.

Emily stepped toward him. “Do it.”

He did.His first kiss—and hers.Emily smiled. And then she turned to Grayson. “Now you.”

Jameson felt his brother’s eyes dart to his, but they didn’t stay there long. “I can’t,” Grayson said.

“Can’t. Shouldn’t. Will anyway.” Emily placed a hand on the side of Grayson’s face, and Jameson watched as the girl he’d kissed a moment before brought her lips very close to his brother’s.

Jameson didn’t let himself turn away as Grayson kissed her, too. Their kiss seemed to last longer. Alotlonger. When it was finally over, Emily stared at Grayson. Juststaredat him. And then she threw her head back and laughed. “It’s like spin the bottle… without the bottle.” For a second, she looked like she might kiss Grayson again.

“Here you are, boys.” Tobias Hawthorne’s voice was deep and smooth as he climbed into the tree house. “The festivities weren’t to your liking?”

Jameson recovered first. “You rigged the carnival games,” he accused. That was why he’d taken to the tree house to begin with.

“Then rig them back,” the old man replied. His discerning gaze seemed to miss absolutely nothing as he raked it over first Jameson, then his brother, and Emily last.

“About what you just heard…” Grayson started to say.

Tobias Hawthorne held up a hand. “Emily.” He cast her a mild look. “Your grandfather is down below with a golf cart. Your mother is on the verge of calling in the National Guard.”