Page 9 of The Other Brother

My summer just became a whole lot more interesting.

Chapter3

All those years when my sisters disappeared off to the beach house, I’m glad I didn’t know where they were going. Because I would have exploded with jealousy if I’d realized what I was missing.

The house is hunkered down right on the beach. Although it’s an old man compared to some of the flashy homes around it, inside it’s been modernized with a new-ish kitchen and living space, yet still has a relaxed vibe.

The best thing is it’s a mere fifty-foot stroll from the front door through the sand dunes down to the waves. Leaving Mel to finish unpacking, I make that stroll within an hour of arriving. I paddle out on my board through the surf, the salty tang saturating the surrounding air. I catch the first wave as I try to relax into the zone. My only focus is riding the wave. Everything else slides off into insignificance.

Two hours later, I’m humming a happy tune as I head back to the house, sand caking my wet feet.

My smile fades when I open the back door to the kitchen and discover Mel’s not alone. Cody is sitting at the breakfast bar.

He turns to look at me with those big blue eyes as I stand dripping in my wetsuit.

“Next time you should probably take your wetsuit off outside,” he says. “Dad freaks out about water messing up the floorboards.”

My shoulders stiffen. Is this Cody marking his territory, reminding me I’m a guest here? And not a particularly welcome one at that.

“What are you doing here?” The words sound too abrupt, but I can’t take them back.

He raises an eyebrow. “My piano teacher broke her arm, so my lessons have been cancelled for the next few weeks. I thought I’d hang out here for a while.”

“Lucky me. I get to spend time with both of my brothers.” Mel directs most of her smile at Cody.

“I’m having a shower,” I mutter.

The warm water beats down on my tired muscles as I try to decide how I’m feeling about this recent development.

I’m pissed off. With just Mel here, I didn’t feel like an interloper. Now, with Cody, I’m the outsider. But there’s something else bubbling underneath the annoyance. Excitement at the idea of spending time with Cody.

Pissed off excitement. That’s a new one.

Because I’m me, I haven’t thought to bring any clean clothes into the bathroom. I grab a towel off the rail and wrap it around my waist. Pushing open the bathroom door, I find Cody standing in the hallway. He looks me up and down. I brace myself for him to tell me I’ve used his grandfather’s heirloom towel or something, but he simply swallows and continues to stare.

“Hey,” I say, just at the point where the silence is about to tip over into an awkward zone.

Cody clears his throat. “Hey…I just wanted to say sorry for crashing your time here with Mel. I hope it won’t be weird with me here.”

Damn, do I have to add mind reading to my list of Cody’s talents?

“Seriously, dude, it’s your family’s place. You don’t need to apologize for being here.”

“I don’t want to cramp your style.”

“Well, you might curtail all the hair braiding and making friendship bracelets that Mel and I had planned, but I’ll live.”

A faint blush creeps up his cheeks. He hesitates, then speaks again. “It might be good for us to get to know each other better. You know, since we’re both about to become uncles to the same kid.”

I haven’t even thought about Kate’s pregnancy in that light. When she first told us, I had to cope with Mum lurching between her disappointment at Kate having an unplanned pregnancy, her excitement about becoming a grandmother, and her concern about whether Kate and her fiancé Chris knew what a big life change having a kid meant. But now I realize what it means for me. Uncle Ryan. Uncle Cody. Another arena for Cody to show me up in. Awesome.

Cody’s studying me, wearing a curious expression. I have no idea what he’s seeing on my face, but I quickly shutter it.

“I’m all for heart-to-hearts, but do you think we could continue this when I’m not standing here naked?”

He’s definitely blushing now. “Yeah, okay. Sorry.” He hurries to get out of my way.

I walk past him to my room. After I’ve thrown on some clothes, I unpack. I’m just shutting the closet door when I notice it’s painted a light purple. Mum’s favorite color. I guarantee she was the one who painted the door back when she and Frank were married and they used to come here together with Kate and Mel.