side. His sisters talked to Brielle for a few moments, and her shoulders noticeably relaxed little by little as her laugh returned.
In that instant, he determined to try harder never to steal that beautiful sound away again.
He flipped off his green hood and tilted his head back. Eyes closed, he let the rain wash over him, along with the sweet voices. Man, he really had missed his sisters. It had been too long since they’d spent time together outside of an awkward holiday.
“Derr, catch.”
His eyes flew open as Chloe tossed her camera at his stomach. It hit his middle and slid into his hands. “Geez, I could have dropped it.”
She offered him a sassy smile. “I knew you wouldn’t. Now, be a good brother and take a picture of us, please?”
He shook his head but lifted the camera so he could see the preview image. Chloe and Trisha leaned in toward Brielle on either side of her as they stood in front of the sign, and their smiles lit up the screen. Rain droplets splashed down the image, but the three of them—already fast friends—created sunshine all their own as he clicked their picture.
Chapter 6
Quiet reigned that afternoon—mostly because Derrick holed up in his childhood room upon their return from the walk. He could hear his mom and sisters entertaining Brielle with stories, while the scent of hot molasses cookies indicated they were doing some baking along with the talking. He just needed some time to think before he joined them, but pacing around the room like a timid cyclone didn’t seem to be doing anything to settle the restlessness in his heart.
What he was going to do? He couldn’t imagine spending another night sharing an apartment with Scott. The guy had gone too far this time, and Derrick couldn’t simply pretend that he wasn’t sick of Scott’s attitude and disgusted with his actions toward Brielle. It seemed wrong to even think of it, going on as if nothing had happened. As if Brielle hadn’t fallen into his world and changed everything in the sweetest and subtlest of ways.
Yet, where else could he go? He couldn’t live at home again.
Could he?
He dug his hands through his hair and groaned. It would be just perfect . Twenty-four years old, living with his parents and working at a dead-end job. Everything he had dreamed of since he was a boy.
A knock on the door broke into his sarcastic musings. “Derrick?”
Great. His dad was home.
The door opened, and his dad entered and then shut the door behind him. “What are you doing in here while your girlfriend’s in the kitchen?”
“Being stupid. As usual.” The bed sank beneath his weight as he perched on the edge. No point in correcting his dad. It wasn’t as if he and Brielle had really determined they were dating, but he preferred to imagine they were rather than dwell on the thought of her leaving his life as quickly as she had entered it.
His dad came and sat next to him on the bed. “You know, our casa is always your casa.” Derrick rolled his eyes. His dad grinned. “That is to say, our home is always open to you. And everyone needs to have that fallback, no matter how old they are. There’s no shame in that.”
Derrick swallowed, his mouth dry and his eyes embarrassingly wet. “Then why does the thought of it make me feel like a little kid?”
Before his dad could answer, Derrick jumped to his feet and paced toward the door. “You used to think I could be anything I wanted to be.” A harsh chuckle escaped his lips. “Now look at me. And look at you. You’ve all lost faith in me.”
His dad didn’t get up. Didn’t say a word until Derrick reluctantly met his gaze. “I still believe you can be whatever you want to be—do whatever you want to do. But it’s not my life to live. You’ve gotta take steps that will get you where you want to go.”
“Dang it, Dad!” He kicked the door. “I did take those steps. My bachelor’s degree—does that ring a bell?” Resting his head on the still vibrating
In that instant, he determined to try harder never to steal that beautiful sound away again.
He flipped off his green hood and tilted his head back. Eyes closed, he let the rain wash over him, along with the sweet voices. Man, he really had missed his sisters. It had been too long since they’d spent time together outside of an awkward holiday.
“Derr, catch.”
His eyes flew open as Chloe tossed her camera at his stomach. It hit his middle and slid into his hands. “Geez, I could have dropped it.”
She offered him a sassy smile. “I knew you wouldn’t. Now, be a good brother and take a picture of us, please?”
He shook his head but lifted the camera so he could see the preview image. Chloe and Trisha leaned in toward Brielle on either side of her as they stood in front of the sign, and their smiles lit up the screen. Rain droplets splashed down the image, but the three of them—already fast friends—created sunshine all their own as he clicked their picture.
Chapter 6
Quiet reigned that afternoon—mostly because Derrick holed up in his childhood room upon their return from the walk. He could hear his mom and sisters entertaining Brielle with stories, while the scent of hot molasses cookies indicated they were doing some baking along with the talking. He just needed some time to think before he joined them, but pacing around the room like a timid cyclone didn’t seem to be doing anything to settle the restlessness in his heart.
What he was going to do? He couldn’t imagine spending another night sharing an apartment with Scott. The guy had gone too far this time, and Derrick couldn’t simply pretend that he wasn’t sick of Scott’s attitude and disgusted with his actions toward Brielle. It seemed wrong to even think of it, going on as if nothing had happened. As if Brielle hadn’t fallen into his world and changed everything in the sweetest and subtlest of ways.
Yet, where else could he go? He couldn’t live at home again.
Could he?
He dug his hands through his hair and groaned. It would be just perfect . Twenty-four years old, living with his parents and working at a dead-end job. Everything he had dreamed of since he was a boy.
A knock on the door broke into his sarcastic musings. “Derrick?”
Great. His dad was home.
The door opened, and his dad entered and then shut the door behind him. “What are you doing in here while your girlfriend’s in the kitchen?”
“Being stupid. As usual.” The bed sank beneath his weight as he perched on the edge. No point in correcting his dad. It wasn’t as if he and Brielle had really determined they were dating, but he preferred to imagine they were rather than dwell on the thought of her leaving his life as quickly as she had entered it.
His dad came and sat next to him on the bed. “You know, our casa is always your casa.” Derrick rolled his eyes. His dad grinned. “That is to say, our home is always open to you. And everyone needs to have that fallback, no matter how old they are. There’s no shame in that.”
Derrick swallowed, his mouth dry and his eyes embarrassingly wet. “Then why does the thought of it make me feel like a little kid?”
Before his dad could answer, Derrick jumped to his feet and paced toward the door. “You used to think I could be anything I wanted to be.” A harsh chuckle escaped his lips. “Now look at me. And look at you. You’ve all lost faith in me.”
His dad didn’t get up. Didn’t say a word until Derrick reluctantly met his gaze. “I still believe you can be whatever you want to be—do whatever you want to do. But it’s not my life to live. You’ve gotta take steps that will get you where you want to go.”
“Dang it, Dad!” He kicked the door. “I did take those steps. My bachelor’s degree—does that ring a bell?” Resting his head on the still vibrating
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