As Simon went to see if Andrew was up, I wandered into the kitchen, where Derek was eyeing a rusty can of beans. "That hungry?" I said. "I will be soon." He prowled the kitchen, flipping open cupboards. "So you don't want me asking Andrew about that kid?" I said. "You trust him, though, right?""Sure." He took down a box of crackers and turned it over, looking for a 'best before' date.*** "Is he drinking the ketchup yet?" Simon swung into the kitchen. "Ten minutes, bro. Andrew's on his way—

My fourteen-year-old sister Lara is a brat. Unfortunately, no one sees it but me. To everyone else, she’s adorable. She’s tiny and blonde and sweet and as helpless as a kitten. Chloe reminded me of Lara, at first. The difference, as I discovered, is that Chloe really is as sweet as she seems and she isn’t as helpless as she looks.

Just a guy. A college-aged guy. Talking to Chloe.I watched him bend over the table, hands planted on it, his gaze fixed on Chloe, his lips parting in a smile as he said something to her. A slow burn started in my gut, and before I could stop myself, I was barreling down on them, Simon’s protests fading behind me.

"Were you crying?" Tori peered at my face. "You were.""I-it's nothing. I—" "Simon pulled something, didn't he? Got you out on that walk, and the next thing you know, it's not your hand he's holding." Her eyes blaze. "Guys. They can be such—""It wasn't like that.""If he pulled that crap, you can tell me. I've had a few surprise first dates myself. Wish I'd had my spells then. Especially the binding one."

"Hey, I skinned my palm," Tori said. "Ground it up pretty bad.""You need to check Chloe's stitches, too," Derek said. "She got cut with glass a few days ago. They fixed her up, but it should be looked at." Tori waved her injured palm. "Anyone? Anyone?" She rolled her eyes. "Guess not.""It looks sore," I said. "We should get some iodine on it." She gave me a wan smile. "I can always count on you, can't I? Guess I know who sent the cavalry back t rescue me."

He pivoted, gaze following me as I crossed to the shower and turned on the cold water, so it would drown out our conversation without steaming up the room.Great," he muttered."Now they're going to think we're showering together. Maybe we can just tell them we were washing off the crawl space dirt and trying to conserve water.

I'm behind you." I spun to see Derek. "I can't win," he said. "You're as skittish as a kitten.

If there's anything I can do- I know there probably isn't, but..."Just be here

He had a newspaper rolled in his hand, bearing down on me like a puppy that had piddled on the carpet. "Bad Chloe,” I muttered. "What?”I’d forgotten his bionic hearing. “Bad Chloe.” I gestured at the rolled-up paper and putout my hand. “Get it over with.