Brother’s Best Friends Are My Mates novel Chapter 190

Matt

I found her on the porch, curled under a blanket like a cozy little woodland creature, mug in hand, book in lap. Honestly? Not fair how good she looked doing absolutely nothing.

“Hey,” I said, leaning on the railing and trying to sound casual. Which meant I sounded like I was overthinking breathing. She glanced up, smiling. “Hey. Why do you look like you’re about to give a presentation in front of the school board?” “Because I’m brave,” I muttered. “And because I came to ask if you wanted to go for a walk. In the forest.”

Her smile widened. “A walk?”

“Yeah. Just us. Trees. Quiet. No one is trying to set the microwave on fire.”

She sat up, already pulling off the blanket. “Of course I’ll go. I love when you get all woodsy and mysterious.” “I am always woodsy and mysterious.”

“You spilled coffee on your shirt this morning and said, ‘The mug betrayed me.'” “It did.”

She stood, and I thought that was that-until we heard it. Crunch.

A very loud, very obvious crunch from behind the screen door. I blinked slowly. “Rain.”

The door creaked open like he thought that would make him less suspicious.

“Hely,” he said, holding a granola bar and a half-eaten banana like they were props in his failed one-man play. “Fancy seeing you two here.”

“You live here,” I said. “You don’t ‘see’ anyone. You eavesdrop.” “I was… stretching,” he said.

“In the dark?”

“It’s nighttime. That’s when stretching happens.” “In Croes?”

“They’re my nighttime stretching shoes.”

Lia leaned against the railing, amused. “You’re holding a banana like a weapon.” He looked down. “Oh. That1s just for potassium defense.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Rain, go.”

He looked at me, then at Lia, narrowing his eyes. “Wait. Are you two going on some secret date walk?” “No,” I said.

“Yes,” Lia said at the same time.

Rain gasped. “I knew it. You’re going to propose in the woods with a ring made of moss, aren’t you?” “What-no. What kind of cryptid Pussycat fantasy do you think I’m planning?”

Rain pointed at me accusingly. “The tree-walk kind. The kind where you make her a flower crown and whisper poems to squirrels.”

Lia grinned. “Okay, now I kind of want that.”

I gave her a look “You want me to serenade squirrels?” “I mean, I’ve seen weirder things in this house.”

Rain chimed in again, mouth full of granola. “Like the time Jesse thought the toaster was broken and it turned out he forgot to plug it in?”

“Goodbye, Rain,” I said, stepping aside and gesturing dramatically. “This is us walking away. From you.”

He started backing down the stairs. “Fine, fine! But if you two get eaten by forest spirits, don’t come crawling back saying I didn’t warn you!”

“If we get eaten, we physically can’t come crawling back,” Lia called after him. “Semantics!” he shouted, disappearing into the house.

I turned to her and exhaled. “How do we live with him?”

Lia laced her fingers through mine. “He grows on you. Like mold. Or moss. Like your future engagement ring, apparently.” “You want a moss ring now, don’t you?”

She smirked. “Only if it comes with a squirrel serenade.” I groaned. “You’re all chaos.”

“You love it.”

“I do,” I admitted. “Come on. Let’s get out of here before he starts following us with binoculars.” “Too late,” she said, pointing toward the upstairs window.

Rain was pressed against it, waving with two thumbs up and the biggest grin imaginable. “I hate everything,” I muttered.

“You love everything,” Lia said, tugging me toward the trees. “You just pretend you don’t.”

…Okay. Fair.

But Rain was getting locked out of the kitchen for a week.

As we started down the path, the porch light behind us clicked off. I hoped that was a good sign. Maybe Rain had decided to retreat and reflect on his life choices.

Nope.

We weren’t even twenty feet into the woods when my phone buzzed.

Lia peered at me. “If that’s a squirrel asking about the serenade, I’m impressed.”

I checked the screen. “It’s a text from Rain. It says: ‘Beware the moss ring.” It holds ancient power. Also, we’re out of cereal.” She snorted. “Honestly, he’s on brand.”

I slid the phone into my pocket. “I’m ignoring him.” “You say that every time.”

“And it never works.”

She bumped her shoulder against mine. “So, are we walking somewhere, or are we just giving Rain a false sense of security before we circle back and scare him with a flashlight under our chins?”

“Tempting,” I said. “But I was thinking we could follow the old trail down to the stream. Fireflies like to show off down there this time of night.”

Lia lit up. “A scenic detour with bonus glowing bugs? Lead the way, Mr. Woodsy.”

I tried not to smile. Failed. “You know, when I imagined asking you on a moonlit walk, I didn’t picture it involving commentary from a banana-wielding gremlin.”

“Adds charm.”

“You are far too calm about the chaos.”

“I’m full of surprises,” I said, nudging her lightly. “Prove it.”

I leaned closer. “Okay. Fact one: I once ate an entire bag of marshmallows because I thought they’d go stale.” She laughed. “That’s not romantic.”

“Wait for fact two: I didn’t regret it.” “You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously charming.”

She rolled her eyes, but her smile was all soft. “Yeah. You kind of are.”

We sat like that for a minute, not saying anything. Just listening. The night, the crickets, the breeze, all filling in the spaces. Then-

Snap.

We both froze.

Another twig broke somewhere behind us.

Lia whispered, “If Rain followed us out here dressed as a forest spirit, I’m going to let him into the stream.” I stood slowly, scanning the trees. “He wouldn’t.”

She stood, too. “He would. And he’d have a monologue prepared.” A rustle came from the bushes.

We braced.

Then-

A raccoon shuffled out, dragging what looked suspiciously like Rain’s abandoned granola bar wrapper. We both relaxed.

Lia exhaled. “False alarm. Small trash thief.” I nodded. “Same difference.”

She leaned into me. “Come on. Let’s head back before I start getting ideas about training a raccoon to help us spy on Rain.”

“I’m not sure that’s not the best idea you’ve ever had.”

“Oh, I’ve got better.”

“Like what?”

She smiled. “Wait ’till you see what I ordered online yesterday. It’s squirrel-sized armor.” I blinked. “I… what?”

“You’re going to need a battalion for your forest serenade.”

“…I take back everything I said about you being the sane one in this house.” She looped her hand through mine. “Too late. You’re stuck with me.”

And as we walked back, raccoon rustling behind us and fireflies dancing overhead, I realized I wouldn’t change a thing. Not the curses. Not chaos. Not even Rain.

Well. Maybe I’d hide his Croes.