by Ryli Jordan
Kate stopped walking for a moment and then hurried to catch up. “So they know, then,” she said. She was frowning. “Mom didn't say anything to me about it.”
“I mean, what's she going to say?” I asked cynically. “It's not like she can call you up and be like, yeah, so you and your stepbrother, you guys are allowed to keep having sex together if you want to!”
“There are more tactful ways to say it, I'm sure,” Kate said, but she was hiding a grin.
We turned into a small labyrinth in the gardens. Kate looked curiously around us, but she didn't ask where we were going like I wanted her to. Finally, I just came out with it: “The center of this part is my favorite, and no one is ever really there—probably because it's a bit confusing, but I memorized the directions a long time ago. It's the perfect spot for a midnight kiss.”
I said the last words right as we turned the corner into the center of the maze. Where Dad and Linda were already sat on the bench, curled together near the fire. I stared at them for a long moment, hoping beyond hope that they hadn't heard those last words come out of my mouth. But there was no way they wouldn't have; I hadn't been particularly quiet about them since I hadn't expected anyone to be in there.
“Like father, like son,” Dad said ironically, grinning over at me. “Are you really the person who's been in here every year for the past ten years? I never got a good look at your face because you were always making out with someone, but I guess that makes sense.” He smirked. “I was so happy to find the place empty this year.”
I could feel my ears burning and glanced over at Kate, who looked just as embarrassed as I felt. “Uh, we were just...” she stammered.
Linda gestured to the other bench, looking amused. “Alex and I talked about how this might happen, back before the wedding,” she admitted to us. “Two attractive kids in their twenties, meeting for the first time. We kind of joked about this kind of thing happening.” She sighed. “I'm not going to say I'm thrilled with it, and it will take some getting used to for everyone, but...” She shrugged. “What can you do? The heart wants what the heart wants.”
“It's nothing serious,” Kate was quick to blurt out.
“Yet,” I amended, looking down at her.
Kate gave me a surprised but pleased look. “Yet,” she agreed.
“Well, why don't the two of you have a seat, and we'll have some family time before both of you jet off to London?” Dad suggested.
When Kate and I sat down on the other bench, curled in very similar positions to our parents, it suddenly felt the most like family that I'd felt in a while. And the kiss at midnight felt like hope.
*****
THE END