“I’m worried about Rae. I think she’s doing more partying than studying and she won’t tell me her grades. I don’t think Mom is even checking in with her and it’s bothering her more than she lets on. I’m pretty sure the last few times we talked she was three sheets to the wind.”
Damn. He’d had a feeling from how quickly she always rushed off the phone with him that she might be getting the full freshman experience at college. “Okay, I’ll talk to her.”
Claire Ann bit her lip. “Yeah, that’s the thing. I don’t think either of us will make much difference because we’re just nagging older siblings. And Trace, you trying to tell her to take it easy on the partying is like—”
“The pot calling the kettle black. I get it.”
“Like it or not, she looks you up online every now and then. So, um, I was kind of wondering if you could ask Kylie to talk to her. Just maybe get her to say a few things about how much your drinking hurt her and how important it is to stay focused and reach your goals. That kind of thing.”
Trace gave her an exaggerated nod. “Sure. I’ll interrupt her and her cheating piece of shit boyfriend’s next make-out session and ask if she wouldn’t mind giving my little sister a pep talk. No problem.”
“Her boyfriend cheats on her?” His sister’s eyes filled with surprise.
Trace lowered his. He hadn’t meant to blurt Kylie’s business out like that.
“If Kylie Ryans can’t even find a decent man, what hope is there for the rest of us?” she muttered under her breath. As soon as she realized what she’d said, her head snapped up and she reached across the table to touch his arm. “Crap. I didn’t mean it like that. You are a decent man. You’re more than a decent man. I just meant—”
“It’s fine. I know what you meant. I’m not going to start crying in my coffee over here. Even though it does taste like motor oil.”
She laughed and then glanced down at the contents of his cup. “Ugh, that’s because you don’t know how to doctor it up. Cream and sugar, little brother. It works wonders.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ve always preferred everything straight up.” Liquor, coffee, pain. He managed to force his face into an expression of nonchalance for his sister’s benefit. “So what was the other thing? The one that makes you happy?”
Her eyes clouded over briefly and he wondered if she wasn’t going to tell him after all. But then the hint of a smile playing on her lips spread into a huge grin.
“I met someone, Trace. Someone I care about. A lot. And he cares about me, too.”
Trace arched a brow. In his entire life, his sister had never been one to date much. She’d been so busy with him and Rae while they were growing up that she’d never had much time for boyfriends. A small part of him wondered sometimes if she preferred women. Which he would’ve been fine with. He truly did want her to be happy. She deserved it more than anyone he knew.
“That so? Well, when do I get to meet him?”
He might have imagined it, but it looked like she’d cringed.
“Um, so I wanted to talk to you about that. He travels a lot for work and he’s kind of a little bit older than me. I’m really hoping you won’t be weird about it.”
“How much older?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Remind me. How old was Kylie when you two met?”
Trace snorted. “Touché, big sister. But I’ll have you know, she was a legal adult.”
“As am I, little brother. And try to keep in mind, I’m the one in this family who makes levelheaded decisions. And you know I’d never do anything to hurt—”
Whatever else she was about to add was interrupted by Trace’s phone vibrating on the table between them.
“It’s Pauly,” Trace said, glancing at the screen.
“What?” His sister’s voice raised a few octaves and her eyes were wide with what looked like panic.
“Calling me,” he answered slowly, eyeing her warily as he stood and grabbed his phone. “Probably to tell me to get my ass back to the park for rehearsal. Listen, tell your guy I want to meet him as soon as possible. Bring Rae to the show tonight and I’ll see if I can get Kylie to talk to her. It’ll all be fine.”
With a kiss on the top of her head, he walked out the door.
KYLIE FINISHED her soundcheck and scanned the area backstage for Trace. She didn’t see him anywhere.
A few crew members were radioing on walkie-talkies and requesting his presence as well. She’d hoped they’d have a few minutes to talk so she could tell him the truth and apologize for the night before. The possibility that Steven being in her room the night before might have sent Trace straight to a bottle had her on edge.