Glitch (Next Level #1)(44)

Dinner goes off without another fire or even a cut finger. My margaritas are strong, but Erin swears they should be stronger since she has to put up with Glitch for the night. It’s obvious she’s teasing because they act more like best friends, not brother and sister.

Glitch and Beetle strike up a conversation about math, and Erin rolls her eyes and turns her focus solely on me. “My brother is a terrible influence.”

“Clearly.” I nod, watching how great he is with his nephew. They’re going over fractions. After a few minutes, they stop talking and turn to Erin.

“Mom. Can I now?”

Erin narrows her gaze at Beetle, then his plate, then to Glitch. “Two more bites and then yes, you may.”

Beetle stuffs his mouth with just the ends of his soft taco shell and leaves the rice, beans, and guac on his plate. “Thank youuuuu!” He shoots off from his chair. “You coming, Uncle Glitch?”

He’s torn. We can both see it. “Just for a minute,” he says after I wink at him. “But I’m here on a date, Beetle. You’re cramping my style.”

“You have no style.”

“Ouch.” Glitch frowns and clutches his heart as he stares at his nephew. “You cut to the quick, man. That hurt.”

Beetle cracks up and runs into the living room. Glitch chases him and manages to catch Beetle in a few seconds. Then he flips the boy upside down and pretends to shake his brains out of his ears. Beetle’s peeling laughter fills the house.

Erin and I burst out laughing. She holds her chest and leans forward, nearly dipping her hair in the sour cream. “Wow. How strong are these things?” She takes another sip of her margarita.

“You just complained they weren’t strong enough!” I laugh.

“I mean…” Erin takes another sip. “Mmm yeah, this is fucking yummy.”

“Language!” Glitch hollers.

Erin mouths “Fuck You” back at him silently. “It’s been a while since I’ve felt this giddy. I don’t think it’s the tequila. I think it’s the company.”

I know the feeling. “It’s wonderful to meet you. This dinner was amazing.” I get up and start collecting the dishes.

Erin places two more plates in the sink and leans against the counter. “So…” she shoots me a narrowed gaze. “When are you two getting married?”

I almost drop my glass. “Ummm.”

“Look, Glitch has never brought a girl home before. Not ever. If you aren’t the one, you wouldn’t be in my kitchen right now.”

I glance into the living room. Glitch’s back is to me. Can he hear us talking?

Erin goes on. “And he’s covered in paint. That’s not like him either.”

My stomach twists.

“He’s controlled and methodical, always. And a neat freak.”

Glitch’s voice rises from the living room. “I can hear you, Er.”

“Good!” Erin rolls her eyes at me playfully. “He’s an asshole about the way I load the dishwasher.”

“There’s a method!” he barks back. Glitch doesn’t even bother to turn around. All we see is the back of his head on the couch, and Beetle’s equally dark head of hair next to him.

Erin shouts back, “There’s gonna be a method to how I kick your ass next time you rearrange my silverware!”

Glitch flips her the bird over his shoulder and Beetle has somehow crept up behind us to snag a lime wedge. He looks up at me and smiles. “They’re always like this. You’ll get used to it.” He shoves the lime wedge in his mouth, between his front teeth and smiles at me again, with big, green lime teeth, before dashing back to the couch again.

Glitch gawks at him. “Whose side are you on, man?”

“My mom’s.”

“Traitor.” Glitch ruffles his hair, and I see they’ve pulled up Minecraft.

“He’s been bullied a lot in school,” Erin says in a soft tone. “Some kids apparently stole all his stuff in some world on there. He’s been really bummed about it.”

“Some kids are total assholes.”

“Some adults are total assholes.”

“Fair.” We clink our glasses and finish clearing the table.

Erin waves her hand over the filled sink. “Leave ‘em. I’d rather sit outside and talk.”

I follow her to the back patio. The small, fenced-in yard has a bike leaning against a tiny shed, and there’s a miniature half-pipe ramp and trampoline. “Your house is fantastic.”

“Thanks.” Erin plops into a chair. “It was our parent’s house.”

My heart sinks a little.

“Beetle’s in Glitch’s old room, which he loves. Fucker had the bigger closet when we were growing up.”

“Did he even use it for clothes?”

“Of course not.”

We both laugh. Guess something’s don’t change since his current closet is a recording studio.

Erin tilts her head. “Tell me more about you, Ara.”

“There’s not a lot to tell. I’d rather hear more about Glitch, honestly.”

“Well, I guess I’ll start at the beginning.” Erin slams her now empty margarita on the table between us. “He didn’t have many friends growing up. Got bullied a lot for his voice.”