Reagan was trying to pretend that she wasn't expecting a text at any minute, but she was failing. Luna invited her to breakfast at a local diner, and though she tried to focus on what her friend was saying, Reagan kept glancing at the phone by her elbow. There was no message. Still.

“Ray? You’re not even listening to me.”

“I’m sorry. Really.” She ignored the blank phone screen, turning it over and focusing on Luna. She’d gotten an internship and she’d been telling Reagan how the past week had gone for her. It was clear how much she enjoyed it by the way her face lit up as she talked about the kids. Davis had sent flowers for her first day, though he was smart enough to send them to her apartment at the end of the day and not to the middle school. Otherwise, Luna would have been too embarrassed by the attention to appreciate them. He knew her in some ways, it seemed.

Reagan’s mind was wandering again. Hudson promised he would send her his address on Friday night or Saturday morning, but they hadn't agreed on a time or anything. Reagan figured she had plenty of time to have breakfast and still go back to her dorm and shower and shave—again. She’d shaved the night before, but she knew she'd do it again. Her body was practically throbbing with the anticipation coursing through her veins. She was in a state of perpetual need ever since she’d let Hudson get in her pants months ago. She realized that what she'd been missing from high school boys was their general lack of knowledge and maturity. She needed a man that could match her strengths and desires, and she’d been surrounded by weak boys all along.

“I’m so happy for you, Luna. It sounds like exactly what you needed. I hope I get as lucky when I get that far.”

Luna grinned, and Reagan knew she’d said the right thing. “It was tiring, especially squeezing in classes and the last soccer game of the season, but it’s been the best week.”

“It was a great game, too,” Reagan said. She and Davis had been in the front row of the bleachers to watch Luna win the last home game.

“It feels good to be done with it, though. All the practices and strength training taking up so much time. Now I might have a minute to relax.” She laughed. “Or maybe not, now that I have an internship to keep me busy.”

“Still, it’s the type of real-world experience you need, and you’ll enjoy it.”

Luna smiled and let out a little sigh. “You’re right.”

“Oh! Grant wanted to know if you’d come home with me for Thanksgiving. I don’t know what you normally do.” Reagan sipped her coffee and watched Luna’s facial expressions as she thought it over.

“It would be nice. I don't typically go home due to the cost. I’ve never gone with Davis because I’m terrified to meet his family. I’d love to go with you, but I’ll split the cost of gas.”

Reagan bounced in her seat. “That’s awesome. I can’t wait.”

When they were done eating and there was still no text, Reagan accepted Luna’s offer to see a movie. They hadn't done anything so relaxing and normal since the beginning of school.

When they stepped out of the theater and blinked in the bright sun, Reagan waited for her phone to power back on and was pissed to not have any new messages. She should have been worried, but she wasn’t even surprised. It seemed that Hudson was just the type to freak out and renege on their plans.

“Can I hang out with you the rest of the day?” she asked Luna. “It looks like I’m completely free.”

Luna agreed, as Reagan knew she would, and they hung out at Luna’s apartment for the remainder of the afternoon. Reagan never heard a word from Hudson.

When Monday rolled around and she still hadn’t heard so much as an apology for not contacting her on Saturday or Sunday, she dressed carefully for class in her tightest jeans and a cute top. She took her coat off in the hall before she reached her lit comp class, fluffing out her long hair and making sure she looked her best. If he thought he could ignore her, she was determined to make it damn difficult for him to succeed. She turned in the work she’d completed Friday afternoon and sauntered past the table where Hudson was sitting. His head popped up as she passed, and she smiled triumphantly. She was more than happy to return the favor and pay him no attention.

She felt his eyes on her for most of the class. He tried to play it nonchalantly, but every time she glanced up from her notes she found him watching her. She kept her head down as much as possible so he wouldn't think she was the one doing the staring. She couldn't believe that she’d recently thought of him as a strong man that had his shit together. He was a scared little boy, and it was Reagan that scared him.

She breezed out of the classroom as soon as the minute hand reached the hour. She didn't stop as she passed him, just kept going to her next class.

The fall break was the perfect reason to get away and hopefully gain some clarity. Reagan picked Luna up outside her dorm and headed south. She was ecstatic to see Grant again after being away from him for the longest she could remember in her life. Having learned her lesson when she headed to college, she left earlier in the day. It was not even a three hour drive in light traffic, and only the storm had delayed her the last time. Some days she was grateful for that storm, and some days she hated its existence and what it had come to mean for her.

Reagan felt tears spring to her eyes as she pulled into the parking lot of the apartment she and Grant shared for six years. The house they grew up in was too much to maintain, not to mention there was a mountain of debt to be paid off. The lawyer that handled their parents’ estate—such as it was—sold the house and paid off what he could. Tuckahoe was a mostly upper middle-class area of Virginia, but she and Grant lived in a low-income area. It was the best her brother could do, and Reagan appreciated him all the more for providing a roof over their heads.

She left her suitcase in the car and ran across the cracked sidewalk. Grant was coming down the stairs outside their unit as she approached, and he bounded the rest of the way down to catch her mid-air as she launched herself at him.

“Grant!”

“Oh, baby girl, I missed you so much.”

Luna followed more slowly, comforted by the obvious affection between the siblings as well as the barefoot, jeans and t-shirt wearing Grant Hughes. This was the type of family she could feel at home around.

“Hey, let me go so I can introduce you to my friend.”

Grant was taller than Reagan by a wide margin, and her words were muffled in his shirt. Still, he ruffled her hair as he released her and stood next to her as he faced the red-haired girl.

“Luna, this is my brother, Grant. Grant, this is my friend, Luna.”

“Hey. Do you hug, or . . .”

Luna smiled. “Sure.”

They tentatively hugged one another, Grant pulling away and shuffling his feet as he looked over at Reagan. “Is your stuff in the car?”

They all went back to Reagan’s car to get the girls’ things. Grant insisted on carrying all of it as he led them up the stairs and inside. Luna felt at home the minute she stepped inside and saw the sagging couch and beige carpet. It smelled heavenly, and Luna said so as Reagan hung up her coat and Grant stepped into the kitchen

“Oh, Grant’s a great cook. It smells like his famous chili.”

Grant shot her a grin as he came back into the living room. “And it’s ready whenever you are, sweetheart.”

“Let me show Luna my room and we’ll be right out.”

Grant kissed her on the head as she passed him to the hallway. She’d not only missed him, she’d missed the comfort of their home. It was familiar, it was cozy, and there was nobody to avoid. She hoped Luna would feel welcome for the next four days.

“Here’s my room. Put your stuff wherever, I’m not picky. Trust me, the only reason the room is clean is because I was leaving and I didn’t want Grant to have to clean it for me.”

Luna laughed. “You’re a slob.”

“Yep, and not ashamed of it. I’ll try to keep it tidy for your sake like I do at the dorm.”

They smirked at each other for a second before dropping their things on Reagan’s bed and going to the kitchen where they found Grant ladling chili into bowls.

“Hey. What do you want to drink?” he asked them.

“Milk, if you made it three-alarm.”

He chuckled. “Naw, only two-alarm. Didn't know how spicy Luna would want it.”

“Then whatever soda you have is fine.”

“Coming up.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Reagan said in a lowered voice to Luna. “He doesn't normally serve me, he’s just happy I’m home and wants you to feel special.”

“I’m good with self-serve,” Luna responded.

“Here you go.” Grant heard his sister, and he smiled to himself. He did miss her, and he wanted to make a good impression on her friend.

They sat in silence for a few minutes as they ate. Luna was impressed at how good the chili was; despite Reagan’s claims, Luna had gone on the assumption that she was talking up her brother. Turned out he was a good cook.

“How’s school treating you, Ray?” Grant finally asked.

She swallowed and tried to find a diplomatic answer. “Much better with Luna and Davis to bail me out of my terrible dorm situation.”

“Davis? He your boyfriend?” Grant glared a laser-focused hole in Reagan’s head, but she just laughed.

“Nope, he’s Luna’s complication, not mine.”

Luna blushed and Reagan laughed some more. Grant relaxed. His sister had mentioned friends, more specifically, Luna, but never mentioned a boyfriend. He had a combination of hopes for her, like staying safe but being happy.

“No boys for you?”

“No boys,” she promised. Hudson was a grown man, after all. Not that he acted like it half the time.

“I’ve been friends with Davis for a few years. He’s a good guy, so you don’t have to worry about Reagan. One or the other of us is always looking out for her.”

“Why aren’t you dating him if he’s a good guy?” Grant asked casually.

Luna hummed. “It’s complicated.” It was probably a cop-out, but it was an easy answer to fall back on.

“Okay, I won’t touch that one. I’m just grateful my sister has people that care about her while she’s away from home.”

“Jeez, Grant, dial down the big brother routine.” Reagan rolled her eyes as she ate. It was not the first time they’d had such a discussion.

“Hey, I practically raised you.” He pointed his spoon at her. “I can’t help it if it feels like you’re half my sister and half my daughter.”

“As long as you don’t expect me to call you daddy because then things would get weird.”

Grant boomed out a loud laugh and threw his napkin at her smirking face. “Absolutely not.”

“Good.”

It was after lunch that Luna and Reagan were in the bedroom talking. “Please don’t tell your brother I said this, and for the love of God, don’t tell Davis, but Grant is hot.”

Reagan groaned. “Not you, too! All of my high school friends said the same thing.”

“Well, he is. Don’t worry, I’m not harboring any feelings for him. Those are still all tangled up with Davis.” Luna flopped onto the bed.

“He’s always had women hitting on him, but he turned them all down before I left. I hope he’s getting some action now that he’s alone.”

“It’s the tattoos. Or maybe it’s the beard.” Luna sat up. “It’s the muscles, and the way he dotes on you, and the deep voice with the accent.” Luna shivered. If she didn’t have a complicated love/hate relationship already, she’d be interested in the older Hughes sibling.

“Gross.”

Luna laughed. “I don't blame you for not seeing it. You’re not supposed to find your brother attractive.”

Reagan sighed. “Objectively, I know he has all the right qualities a woman would want. I want him to be happy, same as he wants for me. I just don’t want to think too hard about him and some woman scratching each other’s itch.”

“No, I don’t imagine you do. Hopefully, he’s found somebody. He’ll probably grill you about every boy you’ve met since going to school.”

Reagan sighed. That was exactly what she was afraid of, and she didn’t want to lie to her brother. “Well, there’s nothing to tell. No boys have shown any interest in me.”

“They will. Just wait.”

Reagan didn’t say it, but the last thing she wanted was more trouble with boys—or men.