Saved by the Crush's Brother - Maggie Dallen Page 0,19

could practically see him debating whether he wanted to ask more questions or not.

The answer was not. He shifted his focus to me. “What did you do last night, Cris?”

I tensed. My dad was the only one who ever called me Cris and I suspected it was because he knew my mom couldn’t stand it. If I wanted him to be called Cris I would have named him Christopher.

I was pretty sure all three of us were thinking of that oft-quoted line right now but no one but me looked uncomfortable, so then again...maybe not.

Alex loved our mom, that much I knew, but he didn’t seem to give her a second thought when he wasn’t staying at her place during one of the scheduled holidays or weekends when we were in her custody.

Now that I was over eighteen I could—and did—stay with her whenever I wanted. I’d planned on going to her place this week during my school’s break but it was my mom who convinced me to come here to stay. Much as she openly despised my dad, I knew it was killing her that he and I were always at odds.

And besides, the decision that lay in front of me had everything to do with him, as she liked to point out.

My college tuition came from Dad and he was the one who pulled all the strings.

Like always.

“I stayed in,” I said to my dad now, ignoring Alex’s stare.

“Yeah?” Alex said, his tone taunting. “You just...stayed in, huh?”

My father frowned as he looked between us, probably just waiting to see if he’d need to play referee between the two of us.

“Yup, just stayed in.” I met Alex’s stare evenly. “And helped Alex’s health class partner with the assignment that Alex slacked off on.”

Alex’s smirk turned to fury in the blink of an eye as he shoved his chair back. “I didn’t slack on anything, that girl said she’d handle it.” His face was screwed up in confusion and anger, like he honestly still didn’t get it. “She said she’s used to babysitting and that it would be easy.”

I crossed my arms. “And when she called and texted asking for help...that still didn’t clue you in, huh?”

Some of his anger faded and I caught a flicker of guilt. Or, more likely, the unpleasant knowledge that I was right and he’d been called out. “Whatever, she’s not gonna be angry.”

He sounded so sure of himself it made me want to shove his face into his cereal bowl.

But was I pissed because he was so freakin’ smug or because...he might be right?

I had a flash of big blue eyes filled with complete and total uncertainty when I’d asked her if she still had a thing for Alex.

I hope not.

I ran a hand through my hair. Not exactly words to rejoice over, but not a total hopeless cause either.

And then there was that kiss.

I felt like the wind got knocked out of me at the mere thought of that kiss.

That moment had been perfect. The most perfect moment of my life, that I could recall. Like, for the first time in my life, all the pieces of the puzzle had clicked together for a moment that was just...right.

I’d kissed plenty of girls, but nothing had prepared me for that. Her kiss was soft and genuine and pure sweetness, just like the girl herself.

Alex was glaring at me now.

Alex, who Avery might very well still like, even after he’d treated her like dirt these last few days.

That was an unpleasant thought I didn’t have time for. I was supposed to go back to school on Wednesday and I still hadn’t had the conversation I’d come here to have.

“When do you head back?” my dad asked.

“What he means is, how long do we have to put up with you moping around this house like you’re stuck in a prison?” Alex added.

I narrowed my eyes at my brother. In my eyes, this place was exactly that. A prison. A gilded prison, perhaps, with the jacuzzi and the pool and the nice car...but still a prison because I had no freedom. My dad controlled everything as long as you were under his roof—or going to school on his dime—but apparently I was the only son who minded.

“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about,” I started.

Alex’s sharp laugh cut me off. “You flunked out,” he said. “I knew it.”

“Don’t be an idiot,” I muttered as my dad said Alex’s name with a warning tone.

“Sure,