“Hudson, gross!” Eden shouted, and I heard someone whispering something to her.

“Who’s that?”

“Riley says hi,” she continued. “Riley, get on the phone with my stupid brother and tell him to tell you where the key is.”

“Hello.” Riley’s voice was soft and I smiled involuntarily.

“Hey, egghead.” I laughed into the phone and heard her groan.

“What’s up, asshole?” she muttered, and I closed my eyes for a second to picture her face. I knew exactly what face she’d be making right now.

“I’m not telling you how to get into the liquor cabinet,” I continued and then realized that Clara was just standing there, looking at me uncomfortably. “Hey, let me call you guys back in a few minutes, okay?”

“No need,” Riley giggled, and I frowned. “Just a second, Hudson,” she said into the phone, and then I heard her laughing hysterically. “Stop it, Steve! You’re going to make me drop the phone!”

I frowned even more as I heard her laughing, and I felt a dark emotion run through me. I gripped the phone tightly as I listened to Riley flirting.

“Riley, I have to go,” I spoke into the phone with a stern voice.

“Okay. Bye.” She hung up then, and I stood there, feeling like someone had just slammed a door hard in my face.

“Everything okay?” Clara looked at me with a concerned face.

“Yeah.” I nodded slowly and gave her a weak smile. “Just my sister and her silly friends.” I shrugged. “Nothing important. Let’s go and get that drink, yeah?”

“Sounds good to me.” She grabbed my hand as we walked out and smiled up at me. “I’m so glad I met you, Hudson.”

“Me too.” I tried to mean the words as I said them, but all I could think about was Riley.

What was she doing at the party? What was she going to end up doing? What if she slept with that guy Steve? I felt my blood boiling and tried to ignore the feeling of emptiness that was slowly filling me up.

“Hold on a sec, Clara.” I pulled my phone out and called my parents, leaving a voicemail. “Mom, you and Dad need to get home as soon as you can. Eden is having a party and I’m pretty sure things are getting out of control. I suggest you go home as soon as you can before something bad happens.” I hung up and put the phone in my pocket, feeling a little better.

I knew my parents well. As soon as they got that message, they would be racing home. The party would be broken up and all the boys would be sent home. All that would be left was a girls’ sleepover. Steve—whoever he was—would be gone and Riley would be snuggled up under my roof, safe and sound. I tried not to examine my feelings too much. I was trying to protect my sister and her best friend. That was what big brothers were supposed to do.

Riley

Four Years Ago

Every summer, Eden and I would go to her parents’ beach house in Englewood, Florida, for two weeks. I would accompany her parents and Hudson, and sometimes Luke, Hudson’s best friend, would come as well. As we got older, I always worried that Hudson would stop coming, but he never did. Those summers were magical. We would swim and boat, sleep under the stars, and grill out almost every night. Eden’s parents let us do our own thing most of the time, so during those summers, we really felt like adults.

The summer I was eighteen, right before my senior year in high school, Hudson brought someone else with him. Her name was Clara, and he proudly introduced her as his girlfriend.

"This is Clara," he spoke to Eden, who stared at the beautiful brunette with wide, eager eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Clara. I'm Hudson's sister, Eden, and this is my best friend and almost-sister, Riley."

I smiled weakly at the girl who stood in front of me holding Hudson's hand.

"Hi." Her voice was as sweet as she looked, and I tried to dismiss my thoughts of jealousy.

"Riley." Hudson's voice was surprised as he looked me over. "You've grown." His eyes traveled the expanse of my body and back up to my eyes. There was an odd expression on his face, and he frowned. "I haven't seen you in a while."

Eden rolled her eyes. "Now that you're a college man, you don't have time for your two sisters."

"Riley's not my sister." His voice was harsh, and my face reddened. "I'm going to go and show Clara around now. I'll see you guys later." And with that, he turned around quickly and walked out of the room, Clara scurrying behind him.

"He's such a pain." Eden rolled her eyes at the door. "I can't believe he got a girl as beautiful as her though!"

"Why not?" I looked at her in surprise. "He's hot."

"Eww! No he's not." She pretended to puke. "He's annoying and gross. Don't you agree?" She gave me a pointed look and I nodded.

What was the point of telling her that I harbored feelings for her brother? It was just a teenage crush, and he wasn't interested. He'd never be interested in me. Especially not now that he had a beautiful girlfriend.

"He's a boy. All boys are gross," I replied as if that explained it all. I tried to ignore the pangs of jealousy and pain that twirled in my stomach. "Let's go swim." I ran into our shared room and looked for my swimming suit so that she wouldn’t ask me any more questions.

The day that changed my life started off like every other day. I woke up and went to the kitchen to get some cereal while Eden lay in bed, still snoring. I was pouring out my Frosted Flakes when Hudson walked in, bare-chested.

"Morning, Squirt." He wrinkled my hair.

"Morning, Gramps." I made a face at him and he laughed.

"What are you eating?"

"Cereal."

"Boring." It was his turn to make a face. "Want to go and get pancakes?"

"You and me?" My heart started beating fast as I stared at him with hopeful eyes.

"Yeah. I assume Eden is still in bed?"

"Of course."

"We'll call her on the way back. See if she wants anything." He grinned. "Now go and get dressed."

“What about Clara?”

He frowned. “She’s suffering from  a hangover.”

“Oh.” I bit my lip and then continued. “Is she in your room?”

“No.” He shook his head. “She’s in her room.”

“Oh, you guys aren’t sleeping together?”

“Not on this trip.” He laughed. “Mom and Dad aren’t that cool.”

“Oh, okay.” Did that mean that he and Clara had slept together before or not? I knew it was none of my business, but I really wanted to know.

“Why?” He gave me a thoughtful look, and I stared at his lips, remembering the night he had taught me to kiss.

“I was just curious.” I shrugged and turned away. “Let me go and get my clothes on.”

I ran out of the room and made my way to the bathroom so that I could brush my teeth and wash my face. After that, I ran to the bedroom I was sharing with Eden and looked through my clothes for something cute but unassuming to wear. I decided on a black tank top and a pair of white shorts, and I was just brushing my hair when Hudson poked his head into the room.

“You’re not still getting ready, are you, Riley?”

“Yes. I had to put my clothes on.”

“Come on,” he groaned as I pulled out my lip gloss. “You don’t need that.”

“I’m coming.” I rolled my eyes at him and reached for my blusher.

“Riley,” he groaned again, and I glared at him.

“Be quiet,” Eden mumbled as she rolled over in her bed.

“Are you up, Eden?” I whispered, with my heart in my mouth.

“No,” she grumbled and rolled over again.

I grinned at Hudson and hurried out of the room. I was glad that Eden was staying in bed. I hadn’t spent time alone with Hudson in years, and I was looking forward to it.