“If I didn’t know better, I’d say your brother might be a tad jealous,” Rob says, leaning in close to my ear. Then he heads down the hallway, laughing to himself.

When I reach the top of the stairs, I glance at Dex’s door and then my own. Debating what is appropriate to do in my head for a few seconds, I decide to reach the bottom of whatever is wrong with him. Meandering the few steps, I knock lightly, but he doesn’t say anything. Then I hear his voice leaving a message for someone.

“Hey, Sam. Give me a call.” His door opens right after and he looks at me. “What’s up?” His voice filled with chills.

“Nothing. What did you do today?” I ask, still in the hallway as he remains in the doorway.

“I went to the gym,” he answers, short and curt.

“Oh, that’s good. I tried to find a job, but no luck. Then I ran into Rob—” I ramble on about my day’s activities due to the sheer uncomfortable vibe he’s putting off.

“That’s nice. Well, not the whole not finding a job. I’ll look out for you, too,” he interrupts me.

“Thanks. I just really want to …” Then I peer down the hall and back to him. “Do you mind if I come in?” I signal with my hand into his room.

He steps out of the way, with a half-hearted invite. Once I intrude into his room, I sit on his unmade bed. “I don’t want to live off of Brady or you.”

“Chrissy, we’ve been over this. It’s fine.” His exasperated annoyance clear in his words and deep release of breath.

“I know that. It’s just I guess I’m trying to tell you why I woke up this morning and snuck off to find a job.” I’m not even sure why I think he cares that he woke up without me there.

“We fell asleep on the couch. It’s not like I fucked you and poured my heart out to you or something,” he says, wheeling around to his dresser.

“Yeah … well … um … I know. It’s just you looked upset when you came home.” I bite my lip, apprehensive to what’s wrong with him.

“I’ve got a lot on my mind, Chrissy. But it’s got nothing to do with waking up this morning to an empty couch.” Dex kicks off his shoes and shrugs off his socks. His frigid tone and uncaring demeanor has me standing up, ready to flee the room.

“Okay, well, I’ll leave you be then.” I begin to depart the room.

“Wait,” Dex instructs, but before I give him my attention, Sadie’s in the doorway.

“Hey, you two. We’re going to the drive-in tonight. Want to join us?” She bounces on her toes in excitement. “Don’t worry, Dex, it’s not a chick flick.” She smirks.

“Eighties flick?” Dex inquires, still no change of inflection in his voice.

“No. It’s a guys’ movie. G.I. Joe or something with that dose of testosterone level,” she confirms, and I take sanctuary in the doorframe with Sadie.

“What about the second?” I softly ask Sadie, and she snickers.

Glancing at a disinterested Dex and back to me. “50 First Dates,” she whispers, and I smile, shaking my head.

“You know I’ll see what the second show is when we turn into the drive, right?” Dex hollers over his shoulder.

“So that means you’re going?” Sadie asks, raising her eyebrows his way.

He sharply turns around and fixes his gaze on me. “Yeah, we’ll go,” he answers for both of us, and I’m not sure if I like the fact he assumes I’ll go. But, a small of part me does like that he considers us a package deal.

“Now, get the hell out of my room so I can shower.” He throws his sweaty shirt at us, and it drops right in front of our feet. While I’m admiring his bare back, Sadie’s smiling over at me. Dex glances over his shoulder, and I jerk my vision to Sadie, who begins giggling uncontrollably.

“Going,” Sadie answers and pulls me out of the doorway, down the hall.

CHRISSY SHUTS MY door, and I berate myself for allowing my anger to show. I wish Sam had answered the phone, because I need to unleash this damn anger somehow and I was really hoping it would be by stroking instead of punching. Then Chrissy knocked on my door, and it confused me further. What the hell is happening to us? Why did I try to clip Rob when I pulled into the driveway? I need to get these feelings in check before something happens that I’ll regret. It’s been a fucking day, and already she’s occupying my mind, just like when I was fourteen.

Getting out of the shower, I shrug on my jeans and a t-shirt, debating if I should cancel this night. Maybe Chrissy is about to get the wrong idea. Hell, maybe I’m getting the wrong idea.

When I walk into the hallway, all those doubts are obliterated when Chrissy emerges out of her room in the shortest shorts I’ve ever seen, showing off one of her best features, long as hell legs.

Turning around upon hearing me shutting my door, a smile creeps across her glossy lips. “Hey, you,” she says and stops at the top of the stairs.

Walking toward her with my eyes seeing nothing but her gorgeous face, I stop right next to her. “Hey, you.” I copy her greeting.

She hesitantly takes the first step down, allowing me a great visual of her ass. “Are we all driving together?” She glances over her shoulder and then abruptly stops. “Dex?” she questions, and my eyes fly up to meet hers. She has a small smirk across her face.

“Sorry.” I apologize for devouring her body with my eyes, but she doesn’t seem to mind too much from the flirtatious smile across her face.

“Do you think we’ll drive together?”

“No way. There’s no way I’m going to be witness to Brady and Sadie spit swapping more than I have to.” I climb down the stairs to keep pace with her. “We’ll go in the truck,” I inform her.

“Sounds good,” she says. “Should we ask Rob?” she asks, enticing an urge to pin her up against the wall to claim her with my mouth. What the hell? I’ve got to stop these feelings of ownership when it comes to her.

“I’m sure he’s busy, but if you want.” I walk past her without regard, a little annoyed that she doesn’t want to just be with me.

Of course, when we enter the kitchen, there’s Rob, sitting at the table reading a manual. Then the guilt that he’s fixing Chrissy’s car and here I am jealous of her admiration to him. I put them in that position, didn’t I?

“Hi, Rob.” I swear Chrissy’s mood increases ten notches. She practically skips over to him, claiming the seat to his right.

“Hey, beautiful,” he greets her, and my footsteps stop for a brief second until Rob eyes me. In order for him not to think he’s getting a rise out of me, I keep moving. “You do know your fuel gauge wasn’t working, right?” He briefly looks at Chrissy before burying his head in the book again.

She giggles and crosses her legs toward him. Why doesn’t she just twirl her hair around her finger? “I know, I would try to keep track of the miles,” she responds.

“Did that always work?” he asks, leaning back in his chair, placing the neck of his beer bottle to his lips.

“Not always,” she giggles, sweeping her hair around the back of her neck to one side.

“I can’t imagine you’d have a hard time finding someone to pick you up, though.” Rob smirks, his eyes flash to mine and then Chrissy again.

She doesn’t respond, but just pushes him lightly on the shoulder, laughing. It’s like I’m in the middle of some first date, and I’m the third wheel. “Do you want to come to the drive-in with us?” she asks, and Rob’s line of sight turns to me. I shrug my shoulders, appearing indifferent, but his eyes laugh at my reaction.

“Nah, I gotta get your car going. Would hate for you to be stuck here,” he tells her, standing up from the table. I scoot over when he places his hand on the fridge and then staring directly at me he continues, “I mean, unless there’s another reason you’re staying.” He fixates on me while reaching in to grab a beer.