Page 68 of Sunset Catchers

To anyone, including herself.

That’s it. It ends here. It has to. We’re friends.

“Okay,” Sloane relents. “I can see when a girl isn’t ready to hear it. I’m the prototype in this department.” I’m willing to leave it at that, but it seems Sloane has one more thing to say. “I’ll just add that Levi is a great guy. Kind-hearted. Funny. He’s my big brother, so, of course, my opinion is skewed, but still. I’d totally tell you if he were a first-class jerk.”

I believe her, so I tell her as much. Sloane doesn’t seem to be the kind of girl who would waste her time and breath on unnecessary lies. I bet her filter wouldn’t let her.

But mostly, I believe her because, after spending the last two weeks with Levi, I have nothing but proof to corroborate her claims. It’s annoying that he appears to be without a flaw, but at the same time, I’m immensely relieved that I get to spend my days with a fundamentally good guy. I think the entire universe can agree that the world needs more of those.

I’m filled with relief when we move on to other subjects because, really, there isn’t much to say on the subject. I don’t even care that Sloane thinks Levi likes me a lot. That he seems to think I’m funny and loves my designs and thinks I’m really hot. What’s it to me? Nothing.

Oh look, that’s me in the darkened sky, floating away on my king-sized cloud of delusion.

…

“This is really good ice cream!”

Levi and Sloane bob their heads in unison.

“This Campfire flavor is the best thing I’ve ever tasted.” I’d gotten a cone with two scoops of the ice cream parlor’s most popular flavor, which tasted like burnt marshmallows, in the best way possible.

“Same. It’s our favorite,” Sloane says.

I eye Levi’s cone and its two scoops of chocolate ice cream.

“Why did you take chocolate, then?” I ask him.

“In case you didn’t end up liking yours.”

“Huh?”

“So we’d be able to switch.” This is a level of thoughtfulness I do not know how to deal with. “This is one of my favorite places in PEC for your information. It was on my list,” Levi adds, while my own brain is momentarily glitching.

“What list?” Sloane inquires.

“Levi has been acting as my local tour guide,” I tell her when I’m able to unglue my eyes from Levi’s cone.

She hums while looking at her brother.

We’d gotten through everything on their list: We shopped all the sales and played all the games. Sloane had even won a giant Koala stuffie at the toy store, beating every child in the running. She hadn’t let the annoyed glares from parents deter her from her goal; she needed to own the koala. I hadn’t dared to ask why, when I’d seen the crazed gleam in her gaze.

The day is coming to a happy ending.

“Sooo, can Winnie drive you back to the cottages? I have a little errand to run.”

Both Levi and I offer inquisitive brows toward Sloane.

“An errand? At ten o’clock at night?” I catch on quicker than him, and I have a front-row view to watch Levi’s expression slip into horrified territory. “Are you seriously throwing me onto Winnie’s lap to go hook-up with someone?” A wave of heat runs in my bloodstream when I imagine Levi anywhere near my lap.

“Levi. Come on, now. I’m twenty-seven. Of course I’m trading my big brother for a hook-up.” When Levi doesn’t say anything else, Sloane barges on. “I’m a woman, and I have some needs—.”

“Nope.” Levi hurriedly cuts her off. “That’s more information than I want to know about my baby sister.”

“I’ll drive Levi home,” I say to Sloane. Levi clears his throat loudly. “I’ll let Levi drive me home so you can go on your little sex errand.”

“Win, stop,” Levi whines. He rubs at his forehead to scrub the words out. Sloane and I clamp our mouths shut, but neither one of us can hold in our chuckles.

Levi sighs loudly. “Let’s get a move on, in silence.”