If there’s one thing that can throw me into an instant panic attack, it’s thoughts of college. I can’t wrap my head around a version of my life different from the exact way it’s been these last seventeen years—school year in Michigan, summers in Florida. What will happen when I have summer jobs and internships I actually want? I can’t give up my family in Florida, and my family in Michigan will expect so much from me... I have no clue how I’m going to keep the perfect balance, and the stress of it makes my stomach churn.
“Ahem.” Dani interrupts Dad’s melancholy and my full-blown panic attack, gesturing to the cape she’s holding in front of Duke’s face. When she whisks it away, we gasp.
“Hell, you’re actually a good-lookin’ dude under all that shaggy fur, son,” Dad says around a laugh.
Duke rubs the bare back of his neck and shakes his head from side to side like he’s testing the new, lighter weight. It’s amazing what a good haircut can do. My older brother went from harried nerd to polished and confident adult in fifteen minutes. He cleans his glasses and shrugs at his reflection, but there’s no way he’s not happy with what’s staring back. Even my clueless brother has to realize what a vast improvement Dani has made.
“I guess Dani’s not a total hack,” he says begrudgingly, yelping when she tosses the broom at him, hard.
“You are literally an artist.” I run to get the spray cleaner and help Duke. “Duke looks like one of those guys who tries to lure you into buying lotion at the mall.”
“That is not a compliment, Dell.” Duke runs a hand over his short hair. “They are the most annoying people in the world. Worse than door-to-door knife salesmen. Worse than CrossFit fanatics...no, vegan CrossFit fanatics.”
“Maybe, but they have great hair.” I head to the chair when Dani intercepts.
“No, ma’am.” Dani takes the bottle of cleaner out of my hand. “Duke is happy to clean up by himself while I cut your hair.” Duke rolls his eyes as he sweeps his own shorn curls into a pile, and Dani gives him an approving nod, then turns her attention to our father. “Dad, don’t you need to head to the shop?”
“Yeah, I probably better.” Dad rubs a hand down his face. “I don’t even want to look at the inventory sets, but I need to just swallow that damn frog.”
“I’m sure Jude won’t mind helping.” Dani clips a cape around my neck with sure fingers, but I don’t miss the worried frown reflected in the mirror, no matter how hard she tries to hide it from Dad. “And I’m more than happy to take a look at the books.”
“Absolutely not.” Dad’s usually mellow voice is a little sharp, but my sister doesn’t flinch. “You’ve got enough on your plate running your own business and keeping your own house. You don’t need to be worrying about your old man, sweetie. I can handle it.”
“Okay.” Dani doesn’t press, but she gives Dad a long stare. “But the offer stands. You need me, say the word, and I’m there.”
Dad kisses her, then me, then claps Duke on the shoulder. “Mind helping your old man get some boxes unpacked when you’re through here? This year’s summer help has been real disappointing. I’ve never had so many kids quit with no explanation.”
“They probably don’t want to work under Commandant Zeigler,” Duke breathes, and I snicker.
“Hey, now, c’mon. I know Jude can be a little intense, but he’s been a real help around the place,” Dad says.
“He’s definitely worse than any vegan CrossFit fanatic. Oh my God, he probably is a vegan CrossFit fanatic. Even if he isn’t, he’s still the worst.” My declaration is ruined when I accidentally suck in a strand of stray hair Dani’s combed forward and have to gag it back out. “He acts like he’s eighteen going on eighty. He’s super condescending, thinks he knows everything... Last summer he told me that he loves Excel. Who in their right mind loves Excel?”
“He’s told me the same thing. Damn, he’s such a nerd...and that’s a real burn coming from a nerd like me,” Duke chimes in.
Dad looks at Duke the way he often does—like Duke is a foreign movie without subtitles he’s trying his best to understand. Though Duke and my father could be clones looks-wise, they’re about as different as two blood-related people can be in every other respect. It’s like Duke is Sid Vicious’s version of “My Way” and Dad is Frank Sinatra’s... Same song, totally different vibe.
“You know, Dell, I think Jude rubs you raw because you kinda like him.” Dad winks at my gasp of disgust. “He’s a good-lookin’ kid, good head on his shoulders. And I’ve seen him make eyes at you for the last two summers you’ve been down, at least. I think he just might have a thing for you.”
“No! Ew. Absolutely not.” As soon as I say it, I realize I doth protest too much. “I mean, Jude is okay. I don’t hate him, obviously. How can you hate the human equivalent of a warm egg-salad sandwich?” Duke snickers at my Jepsen-girls inside joke, and I love the tiny way my two lives connect in that second. “But he definitely does not and never will have a thing for me. Unless bossing around the boss’s daughter is his thing. Then, yes, he has a serious thing for me, and his thing caused me many, many hours of recounts on stock last summer. My nightmares are still filled with tiny rubber squids.”
“Didn’t you two do those restocks together? Alone?” Dani asks in a traitorously suggestive tone.
“Are you seriously siding with Dad on this?” I yelp, but Dani just paints the bleach on my hair, not bothering to hide her smile.
“Call me when you need a pickup.” Duke puts his hands in front of his chest, prayer-style, and mouths Save me, please.
“We’ll probably be about two hours.” Dani waves them out with her hand. “Shoo. You boys have work to do, and Dell and I want to gab. Bye!”
“Jude has no interest in me that way.” I wait until I hear Dad’s Jeep start up to announce this, but I want to set the record straight as quickly as possible.
“You are very wrong,” Dani says breezily as she mixes the dye and sits on the granite counter with that dopey grin on her face. “He’s had a crush on you for a while.”
It sucks that I’m trapped in this chair with product on my head, staring at my own face blushing in the mirror. “Jude is into work. Work is his crush.”
“Jude is into Belo’s because, yes, he has a good work ethic, which is admirable—but he also loves Dad. And he definitely amps up his hours when you’re around.” Dani raises her eyebrows suggestively.
“Dani, he amps up his hours because it’s summer, so he has no school, and it’s our busy season.” I glare at her, but her smile only widens. “It has nothing to do with me at all. Plus, I have a boyfriend. Kind of.”