“Sorry, Donovan,” Lexi tells Asher as she walks through the mass of people toward us with Zoe barely visible in the throng. “I can call you Donovan, can’t I?” She pats his chest as she passes him. “Sam’s riding with us.”

Unamused, he asks, “And you are?”

“I’m her sister, can’t you tell?” Her smile is so saucy that Sam starts laughing.

They look nothing alike. Samantha inherited her Dad’s blonde hair, slender frame and height, but her mom’s brown eyes. Lexi looks like their mother, also a redhead, but got Jason’s green eyes.

Multiply her wild nature against Sam’s calm and it does not equal related.

“Logan did you drive?”

“I got dropped off.”

“Great, you’re coming with us!” she shouts, as if this is her night, her cast, “Alright guys, let’s do this. Zoe, hurry up. We don’t have forever.”

Their ethereal cousin pushes her way to freedom, flashing a quick and curious glance to Asher.

He’s suddenly unsure what to do—follow us out this exit or choose another one.

The rest of the cast heads toward the front entrance, probably because they want to see the marquee. The older actors who played our parents have already gone home to real-life families. They didn’t think hanging out at a loud rock ’n’ roll restaurant like The Vortex sounded like a sweet idea.

I open the side door for the Cocker girls, but my eyes are on Asher as he makes his decision. He’s staring at me like we’re Wild West shooters challenging the other to draw last.

A smirk tugs at his mouth before he turns left and joins the others to exit out the front. I would’ve been surprised if he had come this way. Could’ve made him appear a straggler, unwanted, uninvited. He likes looking good. He basked in the applause at the end of the show. Sponged that up.

I’m walking a few steps behind, thinking about the night, while Samantha hears what Lexi and Zoe thought of her performance.

When I was a kid and finally gave up the idea that sports was cooler, I committed to dancing. My parents were so excited they took me to every single show The Alliance Theater produced.

The dream to be famous was born.

But not to sign autographs.

Or swim in praise.

That’s not what thrills me.

See, fame makes more people come to the show. End of story.

I want to move people.

The more the better.

I remember sitting in the audience watching dancers who were incredible. Their talent made me feel more alive just watching it. I wasn’t alone.

There’s a reason why people pay for a ticket. Watching true talent, great art, in any form, elevates our souls.

You could be anyone, anywhere, and you see something that strikes a chord and inspires you, that single moment is transformative. You never know how it’s going to impact a life.

Lifting someone out of their lives into a heightened state of being where they feel something, that’s enough.

The more people I’m able to move, impact, inspire…that’s what fame is to me.

But Asher? Don’t think he cares about that. I’m still learning about this guy, but I get the feeling he’s in this for him.

As we pile into the Subaru, Lexi asks Sam, “Okay, now that we’ve gushed about your show, who's the stud?”

From the passenger seat Samantha gives a smile that carries zero awareness of how much she hurt me tonight. To her I’m the brother. Part of this family. Damn, is that bittersweet.

“He’s the one I was telling you about, from New York! What do you think about him? Do you think we looked good together?”

Zoe gushes, “I thought you were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen!” her sweet voice lilting and awestruck, “You were pale peach roses and tulips swaying in the breeze on a bright summer day.”

Lexi throws back a look. “You have to be so sappy? That was the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard you say.”

Zoe isn’t fazed. “You guys look beautiful together. You really did! I was just speechless. Crying! Nathan and Wyatt kept making fun of me. And neither of them had a tissue. I’m so proud of you, Sam.”

As tiny knives prick my skin all over I shift in my seat and mutter, “We can’t tell.”

Samantha reaches back and clasps Zoe’s legs, pleased with the praise. “Oh no, I should have brought some of my flowers to give to Marion!”

Lexi turns left on a red light since there aren’t any cars. “I bet she has a ton in her hospital room, Sam. You can always buy her some tomorrow. The ones that were given to you were meant for you. I don’t think she’d want hand me downs, right? She feels bad enough as it is.”

The car is quiet for a second.

Lexi glances around, realizing this is a touchy subject for such blunt honesty. “She’s going to be super happy we’re showing up.”

They talk about their family for a while, I let my eyes glaze over as I stare out the window at our quieting city. I’ve never lived anywhere else. Here I was hoping New York would be my future. I assumed Sam would be there, too, now that I’m thinking about it. But if she’s dating him, how will I feel? I won’t remain here while they rise up, either. No way.

I need to tell her how I feel.

As the car turns into the parking lot, Zoe sighs, “I know if I was lying in a hospital room while a play that I was meant to star in, was going on, I’d be crying my eyes out. Feel completely forgotten.”

Under my breath I say, “It was a really great idea, Sam.”

She turns around in her chair to peek into the backseat, locking eyes with me. My heart stops as she stares a beat before saying, “Just didn’t feel right going to the restaurant like she never existed.”

Lexi slaps the steering wheel and snorts. “Okay, let’s just get one thing straight. I was dancing with you guys when I was a kid too. I am very familiar with Marion and her selfish ego. She used to tattle on Sam and me any chance she got. I swear to God, I never got away with a single thing when we were in classes together. That little pipsqueak was watching in the shadows, stalking us, waiting for us to do something we weren’t supposed to be doing. Which was all the time, if I had my way. You know dance classes bored the shit out of me.”

“I remember.”

Waving her arm, Lexi announces, “Logan backs me up.”

“I was talking about you being bored, not about how Marion acted.”

She glances back to me, demanding, “Are you saying I’m wrong?”

With a smirk I tell her, “Wouldn’t dare.”

“Smart man.”

The car glides into a parking spot while Samantha explains, “I think she was feeling left out back then. You and I are like this.” She crosses her fingers, knuckles white. “And then we made friends with Logan. The three of us were like the Three Musketeers. Before Zoe. Now, I guess we’re four.”

“Thank you!”

Sam throws a smile back at her cousin, before continuing, “Marion found other ways to get attention.”

Zoe whispers, “That’s why outsiders are mean to our family. They wish they were a part of the circle.”

I can’t argue with that logic. I’m one of the few ever invited to their infamous BBQs. There are so many cousins that they were born with friends. And their dads, six brothers who’d take a bullet for each other, married women who get along. Why outsource love when you’ve got so much? There are some friends, but not a need for many.

I remember Hannah letting it slip once that snakes wear masks. But with their family, you never needed to worry because nobody wears one.

We jump out, shutting our doors off beat. Lexi tosses her key fob in the air, catching it and she replies to Zoe’s comment, “Well, if they weren’t such assholes, we would let them in. Duh.”

Zoe jogs up to walk beside her.

Samantha matches my pace. “Why were you going home early tonight?”

“Just tired.”

“I thought you were fantastic.”

I cut a glance to see her expression, and find it open and filled with sisterly love.

Dammit.

“Thanks Sam.” I run distracted fingers through my hair, wondering how I’m going to deal with this whole Asher situation. “How was that kiss, huh?”

She smiles on a shrug, “It took me by surprise.”

“A good surprise?”

“Yeah.”

That smile on her face! It tears me up.

I should be making her smile like that.

You can’t make someone love you.

And there is no way she would be telling me this if she did love me like I want her to.

But I love her so much I can’t be near her without wanting to gather her closer.

How do you go from friends to lovers?