Chapter 60

Elise hugged the skateboard to her chest, beaming. Theo had gone to so much trouble over her gift that she could forgive him, for the moment, for calling her all muscle and no brains.

Seeing how happy she was, Theo relaxed against the car. He took out his lighter and reached automatically for a cigarette. Then he glanced at Elise, paused, and put the lighter away again.

“Theo,” she said, blinking up at him, “have you thought about moving back home?”

She had asked him before, and he had said he needed time to think. She wondered if he had made up his mind.

Theo had assumed the subject was closed. He looked up at the house standing against the night sky.

He wanted to be closer to Elise so he could look after her. But the sight of that house still made him pull back, and he didn’t know what to do about it.

“Let me think a little longer.”

She was disappointed. Then an idea occurred to her. If she could get Theo and the others together and help them sort out their differences, wouldn’t the rest become easier?

“Would you come to Lakeview with us for the October break?”

Theo looked surprised. “You’re inviting me? I thought you were going with your friends.”

“The more people, the more fun. I’ll ask Julian, Adrian, and Miles too. Come with us? I hardly ever get to go away.” Her voice softened into a coaxing appeal.

Theo studied her face. He could guess what she was trying to do. After a long while, he sighed, reached out, and pinched her cheek.

“All right.”

Delighted, Elise went back inside. She visited each of her other brothers in turn and invited them, making no secret of the fact that Theo was coming too.

Miles agreed without a second thought. He didn’t care who else came as long as Elise was there; a trip with his sister was more than he could have hoped for. He promptly canceled the October plans he had already made with Dylan and their friends, hanging up mercilessly despite Dylan’s howls of protest.

Julian was less certain. “Theo’s going too?”

“Yes.”

They had barely seen each other in the past few years. Julian had promised Elise he would accept Theo, but he could already imagine how awkward the trip might be.

Elise saw the hesitation on his face. Coaxing Theo had worked so well that she tried to remember exactly how she had sounded.

She took Julian’s arm and gave it a little shake. “I want the whole family to go together. Please say yes?”

For once, Julian looked both helpless and delighted. Elise had never coaxed him like this in either of his lives. He kept his expression composed, but his eyes shone as he looked at her.

The next moment, he agreed to everything she had asked.

Adrian was just as startled when he heard Theo would be there. How had a trip with his sister turned into a trip with that guy? Had the two of them become so close that Elise had invited Theo first?

Elise repeated the approach she had used on Julian, making her voice even softer.

Adrian froze. What had he been worrying about? He couldn’t remember. His sister was asking him so sweetly; what wouldn’t he do for her? An awkward trip was nothing.

He floated back to his room. His sister had coaxed him. He was going to post about it on his friends-only feed.

With all four brothers on board, Elise finally breathed easier. In her previous life she had never known how to act cute, least of all with her brothers. She used to dispute the claim she saw online that every girl knew how. She certainly hadn’t.

Now she understood. When someone loved her enough to make her feel safe, the words seemed to come on their own. After being cherished by her brothers for so long, she had learned without realizing it.

And it worked remarkably well. Apparently, if she asked like that, they would agree to anything.

Nora and Jade were thrilled when they heard all four brothers would join the October trip. They had never seen the four together. Adrian was a top singer, and Theo was the esports star Fin. The prospect felt like meeting their idols.

Elise sent Ethan to pick them up early that morning. Lakeview was far enough away that even a private flight took two hours.

Julian, Adrian, and Miles were already there when the girls arrived. Elise stood between them. Julian was immaculate in a suit; Adrian’s silver hair and fashionable clothes suited his flawless, small face; and Miles wore an arrogant, unapproachable expression above finely shaped features.

“The Whitmore genes are unfair,” Jade whispered.

She and Nora were used to thinking of Elise as a little fairy, but the sight of her with her handsome brothers still left them envious. Each brother had a different appeal. Together, the family looked ready for a magazine cover.

The private plane was a little smaller than a commercial airliner. Neither friend had ever flown on one, and neither had Elise; all three were excited.

Elise introduced her friends properly to her brothers. They had met before, but not formally, and the brothers were especially friendly to Elise’s close friends.

“Where’s Theo?” Elise asked.

“Probably still on his way,” Julian said. “Let’s wait on board.”

The group began to climb aboard. Nora and Jade had brought enormous suitcases for their several days away, while Elise carried only a small bag.

“Where’s your luggage?” they asked.

“It was sent ahead.” A maid had packed her usual clothes the day before, including outfits, shoes, socks, and bags, and sent everything on to Lakeview.

Nora and Jade exchanged a look. Was this how rich people traveled?

Inside, soft carpet covered the floor and spacious, luxurious seats filled the cabin. A flight attendant brought dessert and coffee as soon as they boarded. The dessert was made to Elise’s taste, the kind she most often ate at home.

The seats were all individual ones. One friend sat across the aisle from Elise, and the other settled in front of her. Both kept looking around excitedly.

Julian glanced at Daniel beside him. “Is everything ready?”

“The luggage was sent ahead. The maids will put it away in the closets, and the house has been cleaned. The chef is preparing food, so there’ll be a fresh meal ready when you land.”

“Good work.”

Elise had never traveled with her brothers before and didn’t know what it would be like. But Julian was always so thorough. With him along, she wouldn’t have to worry about the arrangements; she could simply enjoy herself.

Nora and Jade had overheard every word. Luggage sent ahead, rooms arranged, a chef already preparing a meal for their arrival? Traveling with a wealthy family was even more extravagant than they had imagined.

Theo arrived a little later. As he entered, he stopped. Julian, Adrian, and Miles looked up, and their eyes met his without any of them changing expression.

Several silent seconds passed. Just as the awkwardness was growing unbearable, Theo gave them a slight nod in greeting.

Nora and Jade were even more excited now. Both were Fin fans.

After takeoff, Nora changed seats and settled behind Elise. “You can see the sun from this side!” She raised her phone to take a picture.

Her move left the seat nearest Elise empty. Miles reacted first, grabbing his bag and getting up, only for Adrian to block him with an arm.

Miles frowned. “There are a few problems I don’t understand. I need to ask Elise, and it’ll be easier if I’m closer.”

Of course he wanted to sit near her on their trip. He hated losing to his brothers and wanted to be Elise’s favorite, so he meant to make the most of every chance to spend time with her.

“Problems? We’re on vacation,” Adrian said. “You should leave schoolwork behind. Why bring up something she’d rather forget?” He smiled at Elise. “She hasn’t heard my new song yet. I’m sure she’ll love it. Don’t spoil her mood with homework.”

Elise’s mouth twitched. She had hoped they might behave themselves on the trip. Apparently that had been too optimistic.

The argument caught both friends’ attention. Jade wondered why anyone would fight over a seat. A startling possibility occurred to her: were they competing for Elise’s affection?

Nora hesitated. Had moving been a mistake? The seat had barely been empty a few minutes before the brothers started fighting over it.

Adrian and Miles went back and forth without either giving way. At last Elise intervened.

“Miles, I’ll show you how to do the problem after we land. Adrian, I don’t want to listen to music right now. Maybe later. Both of you, please go back to your seats.”

Their disappointment was plain. Julian glanced at them, stood up, and took the seat they had been disputing.

“If you keep making noise, get out,” he said mildly.

Adrian stared at him. They had fought over that seat for ages. How could Julian simply take it?

“Why do you get to sit there? We were here first.”

Miles’s face darkened. “Being the oldest doesn’t make you so special.”

“It’s simple.” Julian didn’t even look up. “This is my plane.”

He could sit wherever he pleased.

Adrian and Miles fell silent. The plane did belong to him. They went back to their seats, simmering, each considering buying a private plane of his own.

Only when they settled down did Elise relax. Why did spending time with her brothers so often feel like looking after children? They hadn’t even reached Lakeview, and she was already tired. She began to wonder whether inviting all of them had been a mistake.

Theo had taken a seat alone at the very back when he boarded. He had put in his earbuds immediately, shutting himself off from everyone else.

Elise went over and sat beside him. She tapped his shoulder, and he opened the eyes he had closed to rest.

“Did you have to ask your team for time off?” she asked quietly.

He looked lonely back there. She didn’t want his isolation to deepen the distance between him and the others, so she had come to keep him company.

As Theo opened his eyes, he noticed the people at the front looking their way. They quickly turned back when he caught them. He had overheard some of the competition for Elise’s attention, and amusement touched his mouth.

“Yeah, I asked for a few days. Training’s fairly light right now. We’re mostly preparing for the European tournament at the end of the year.”

“A European tournament? Against foreign teams?”

“Yeah.”