The Risks We Take Duet Box Set

19. Carys

CARYS

I never knew what a bitch time could be. That it could fly by and yet drag on simultaneously. I ended up adding a design class to my summer schedule, upping my class total to three for the month of June. It’s better to get them out of the way now while I don’t have anything else going on.

San Diego University of the Arts offers two summer sessions, and the first ended yesterday. Just in time for me to pack my bags for home. The July session starts on Monday, and I’ve enrolled in two more classes for it, but I’m taking them both virtually.

Between the classes I took over winter break last year, the ones from this summer, and the ones I hope to take next winter, I should be able to knock out an entire year of school and graduate in three instead of four.

Anything to get this over faster.

I shut my suitcase and push down with all my strength so I can actually get the zipper to close around the case overstuffed with clothes. Then I grab my carry-on and purse and check my text messages.

Mom

Can’t wait to see you. Have a safe flight. Your brother is meeting you at the airport.

Aiden

That should read, your favorite brother.

Declan

Make sure you go to the right gate this time.

Aiden

That was a onetime thing.

Carys

It’s the same gate as last time.

Aiden

See? I can’t mess it up.

Nattie

I have faith you can and will, Murph.

Aiden

That hurts, Nat.

Carys

You’ll survive, big brother. See you soon, guys.

I tug my suitcase from the bed, letting it hit the floor with a loud thump. A second later, Theo pops his head through my open door.

“Hey, let me grab that.” He picks up my suitcase and carry-on, then eyes me skeptically. “Geez, CC. Did you leave any clothes in your closet?”

Emerson and Jack left a few days ago to spend a few weeks in France with their mom, leaving Theo and me alone in the house. I wasn’t sure if Em was going to go or not. She really didn’t want to leave Linc, but her mom guilted her into it. She’s good at that, according to Jack. But now, as Theo carries my stuff to the front door for me, I feel bad about leaving him here alone. He’s stopped acting like a horny jackass and turned into a good friend. I asked him once if he wanted to come home with me, but he wasn’t interested. “What are you going to do with the house to yourself this month?”

“Probably pick up a few extra shifts. Maybe try to get a few songs written.” He puts the bags down by the front door and squeezes me in a bear hug. “Have fun, CC.”

“Thanks. You too.” My phone vibrates with an incoming text, letting me know my ride is here. “See ya in a month.”

T he flight from San Diego to Philly International is supposed to take a little over five hours. But that doesn’t include the extra hour we spent taxiing on the runway before takeoff, for some unexplained reason. By the time we’re finally allowed off the plane in Philly, I smell like stale air, am exhausted, and my stomach is growling.

Never a good combination.

Hangry is a real thing.

And it’s not pretty.

I texted Aiden to let him know I’ve landed and should be out soon, and I half expected him to not be here for me when I finally step foot outside the airport exit. But there he is on the other side of the sliding doors, parked in the pick-up zone, leaning against his black Cadillac Escalade, holding my equivalent to a bouquet of roses... a paper takeout bag from Tony Luke’s.

It’s been about six months since I’ve been home, and I guess I missed him more than I knew because without thinking it through, I drop my bags and throw my arms around all six feet plus of my giant ginger of a brother and squeeze.

“Missed you too, Care Bear.” One big arm squeezes me to him, while the other—holding the heavenly goodness that only a roast pork and broccoli rabe sandwich smothered in provolone cheese can contain—hangs down by my side. “Come on, kid. Time to go home.”

He opens the passenger door for me and places the Tony Luke’s bag on my lap once I’m seated, then throws my suitcase in the back and joins me in the front seat. I might have left California at eleven this morning, but between the three-hour time difference and the long flight, the sun has already started to slip behind the horizon as he drives through the streets of Philadelphia on his way to Kroydon Hills, yammering on about everything and anything.

Football, Sabrina, her big move to Georgetown... and the football draft next year. My big brother is a big goofball who hates silence. Whoever said girls talk too much never met Aiden Murphy. I try to concentrate on everything he’s saying, truly, I do, but as the busy city streets transition to the slower pace of our lazy hometown, nostalgia takes over, and I realize how much I miss this place.

“Are you listening to me at all, Carys?”

“Umm...” I stall, grasping for a nugget of what he just said. “Of course, I am. But there’s not much you can do about the Secret Service, Aiden. You’re engaged to the daughter of the president. It’s all part of the package. And she’s moving to Georgetown at the end of the summer, so stop complaining that they’re annoying you. Soon enough, she’s going to be three hours away. And you’ll be wishing she wasn’t, and you’ll miss those agents.”

Aiden glances at me quickly before looking back at the road. “I wasn’t complaining about Sabrina. Just the suits,” he pouts.

“Yeah, well, the suits are there to keep her safe. I’m sure she doesn’t love it either, but it’s not like you didn’t know this was a possibility when you started dating.” They’ve been together for three years, and Sabrina’s dad started his campaign for the presidency about six months after they got together.

“Dude, retract the claws, kiddo.” Aiden will never see me as something more than the little kid who used to follow him and his friends around.

I lift my hands in the air and wiggle my fingers. “No claws. Just reminding you to be grateful for what you’ve got.”

He turns into Mom’s neighborhood. “I don’t know if I like you being the wise one. That’s my job.”

I cover my mouth to hide my chuckle. “Your job was to scare away the monsters when I was little, and you did it well. Maybe now you can just try seeing me as a friend.” I watch the emotions flit over his face as my words sink in, but I can’t quite make out what he’s thinking as he turns into Mom and Coach’s driveway.

“You know how Cooper always tortures Brady about dating his sister?” he finally says.

I force my face to stay neutral at the mention of Cooper, hard as it may be. “Yeah... what’s your point?”

Aiden turns the car off and twists to look at me. “There’s something about protecting your sister that’s ingrained in us at birth. And it’s worse for me because you’re my baby sister, not my twin.”

“I’m not a baby, Aiden. I’m three years younger than you, and you and Sabrina were already living together by the time you were my age. And I’m not sure how we even started talking about this.” I grip the bag of food tightly, ready to make a quick escape, but he stops me with a hand on my arm.

“I know you’re not a kid anymore, Carys.” He swallows. “Fuck, you’ve been on your own for a year. I get it. But old habits die hard, and it’s weird as hell for me to hear you be the voice of reason.” Aiden cringes. “Just promise you’ll never talk to me about sex, and I’ll promise to try to treat you like an adult instead of a kid. Okay?”

He offers me his hand, and I stare at it like a snake I’m expecting to attack.

Is he for real?

I didn’t have to fight for this.

I wasn’t even the one to bring it up. He did that all on his own.

Instead of shaking his hands, I lean over the center console and circle my arms around his beefy neck. “I love you, Aiden James.”

“Love you too, Carys Catrina.”

W hen I walk into the beautiful brick house, the high-pitched squeal of my little brother matches the cadence of his chubby feet pounding against the hardwood floors. His body takes him faster than he can stop, and he flings himself across the room at me.

“Care Bear, you’re home.”

I drop my bags and squat down to catch him. “Callen, be careful.” I pick him up, and he wraps his arms and legs around me like a koala bear. I press my lips to his floppy black hair that still has that sweet baby smell and inhale deeply. “I missed you so much, Cal.”

Mom follows Callen into the room and throws her arms around us both, kissing my cheek. “Oh honey, I’ve missed you.”

“Me too, Mom.” There’s something about being hugged by your mom... it just makes everything better. I close my eyes for a minute and soak her in until Callen starts to wiggle in my arms. I look up and find Coach watching us from across the room with a warm smile. “Hey, Coach.”

“Good to have you home, kiddo.” He joins our little group hug and tries to tug Callen free. “Come on, Cal. It’s time for bed.”

Chubby legs hold me tighter as he begs, “No, Daddy. I want Carys to read me a story.”

I run my hands over his silky, soft hair. “One story, then bed. Okay, big guy?”

“ Ferdinand ,” he squeals.

“That’s my favorite too,” Aiden adds. It actually is his favorite, always has been.

“Come with us, Murphy.” Callen has obviously been spending too much time around the guys, if he’s calling Aiden by our last name now, like they do.

Mom’s hands sit on her hips as she tries to force a stern face to hide her smile. “Callen Joseph, what have I told you?”

Callen’s head whips around to Mom. “Always say please.” Then he smiles up at our big brother. “Please, Murphy.”

Aiden chuckles, and Mom pinches his ear. “Ow, shit.” He tugs Callen away from me and sits him on his hip. “I think Mom means you’re not supposed to call me Murphy, little man.”

“But Dad calls you Murphy. So do Declan, Nattie, and Cooper.” The kid’s not wrong.

Mom clears her throat. “Time for bed, sweet boy.” She kisses his and Aiden’s cheeks, then cups my face. “I’m so glad you’re home, Carys.”

“Me too, Mom.” Me too.

Standing here, surrounded by the people I love, I realize how much I missed this.

H ours later, after Aiden’s gone home and Mom and Coach have gone to bed, I pull out my phone and text Cooper.

Carys

Hey. I’m back in Kroydon Hills. And Callen was already talking about you. I told you they wouldn’t forget you.

Cooper

Hey baby. Wanna FT?

Carys

Sure.

We’ve tried to FaceTime a few times since he’s been gone and have been filling in where we can with texts, but I want to see him in person. A minute later, the screen changes to an incoming call. I swipe to answer and am greeted by Cooper’s handsome face with damp hair and a towel around his neck. A swarm of butterflies takes flight in my stomach just from looking at him.

“God, it’s good to see you, Carys.” That seriously sexy tone of his makes me practically purr. “How was your flight?”

I move a pillow behind my back and lean against the white-iron headboard. Relaxed. “The flight was long, but it wasn’t bad. Aiden met me with Tony Luke’s when I got in the car, so that made it better. Are you still planning on surprising everyone this weekend?”

“So far, so good. I should get there sometime Saturday, but I’ve got to get back here late Sunday night.”

I wish I could reach through the screen and just touch him, to remind myself he’s real. “I can’t wait to see you,” I whisper the words, scared to jinx us.

Nervous something will happen and he won’t make it home.

Petrified something will go wrong and someone will find out about us.

But I’m willing to take the risk.

“You sure you don’t want to tell everyone about us?” I guess he’s worried about the same thing.

We need to figure out what this is before we talk to them.

Cooper doesn’t love the idea, but he’s agreed to wait for now.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Maybe we’ll be able to sneak away.” I smile coyly. “Are you going to stay with Mom and Coach?”

“You’re gonna get me in so much trouble, Miss Murphy.” There’s no malice in his words. Just a twinkle in those baby blues, promising all sorts of things we’ve yet to discuss.

“Only if you’re lucky, Coop.”

Coop reaches over and turns off the light, leaving him bathed in darkness and the light of his phone. “Sing something for me, Carys.”

I do the same thing and turn off my lights, crawling back into bed, then sing my take on one of my favorite songs, “Kiss Me,” by Ed Sheeran. I bring it up a few octaves and sing it lighter than the original. Coop closes his eyes, and I wonder if this is love?

The two of us lying here in separate time zones.

Wishing we were together, but making it work however we can.

Will it always be this way?