Anti-Stepbrother(98)

“Honey?” Sheila asked. “You there?”

I coughed, clearing my thoughts. “I am.” And because Caden had left the door open, I moved so my back rested against the bed. Tugging the sheet down and draping it over me, I asked, “What’s going on?”

“I need a favor.”

“Oh?” I frowned.

The shower turned on in the bathroom, and images of me joining him flooded my mind.

“I just got off the phone with Kevin. I was hoping you could check in on him, make sure he’s okay.”

Mention of my stepbrother pulled me out of my shower stupor. “What?”

“We had a bad fight. It’s about his father, but he seemed more upset than normal. Could you go ‘round to the fraternity house? See if he’s okay or not? He said you guys have been hanging out more.”

“He did?”

“He said you and your friends were helping him with something. I’m so happy, by the way. I know the two of you hadn’t bonded, but I hoped things would be different when you went to the same college. Thank you, Summer. It means so much to me.”

I held back a sigh. I loved Sheila. She’d been great to me, but something about this phone call grated on my nerves.

“I’ll go see him in a few.”

“Again, thank you so much, Summer. I also wanted to apologize for the last weekend we were there. Your father and I just had to square a few things away. We should’ve had some of that conversation much earlier, but it’s all good now. I wanted to let you know that. Your father and I are quite good now.”

I was struck by that. A month ago, I might’ve been concerned. I might’ve wondered how everything really was between them, or how Kevin was doing with whatever was going on with his father. But I wasn’t. Not anymore.

I straightened up, the back of my head pressing into the mattress. What did that mean? Was that a bad thing? Was I becoming selfish?

I should be worried about them…right?

“Okay, honey. I’m going to let you go. Thank you again for checking on Kevin, and please give me a call tomorrow. Let me know if everything’s all right.”

“Yeah.”

“Talk to you later. I’ll give your father your love.”

“Oh, yeah. Okay. Thanks for that.”

I hadn’t even considered sending that message, and as she hung up, my insides were swimming.

I was staring at the phone in my lap when Caden came back from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his hips.

“You okay?” He gestured to the phone. “Who was that?”

“My stepmom. I have to check on Kevin. She said he might be upset about something.”

Caden rolled his eyes and turned toward his closet. “God forbid Matthews is mad about something.” He pulled on briefs and jeans, turning back. “Why is that your problem?”

I tried not to let his chest distract me. “I guess it’s a sibling thing? Would you check on Marcus if he were upset?”

“Marcus is my real brother, and he isn’t a scumbag trying to get in my pants.”

Touché. “You know what I mean.”

He tilted his head and lifted a shoulder. “Guess it depends on who was asking me, and how pissed he seemed. Marcus wouldn’t want me to check on him. We don’t have that kind of relationship.”

“Colton?”

“Colton’s different. Colton doesn’t ask for anything, so I’d go in a second with him.”

“Are you saying I shouldn’t check on him?”

“I’m saying…” He sat on the bed right next to me. I rested my head back, gazing up at him, and his eyes softened as he looked down at me. His hand brushed my hair from my forehead. “It’s your family. You can do whatever you’d like, but I don’t trust the asshole.”

I grinned up at him. “You think he’d make a move?”

“In a heartbeat.”

My grin fell away. “Are you serious?”

“He broke up with Maggie to be with you.”

“No, he didn’t. He’s trying to change. He’s trying not to be like that any more.”

I sat up and turned around to face him. I tucked the sheet more firmly under my arms to cover me. The rest pooled in my lap, the sides falling to the floor to cover my legs.

“He wants you.” Caden watched me steadily. “Trust me. Guys know.” He leveled me with a hard look. “Are you sure you don’t still have feelings for him?”

That stopped me. “I thought you didn’t think I had feelings for him? You said that before.”

“Yeah, but that was before I fell in love with you.” He stood up, grabbing his shirt. Then he walked out, pulling it on.