Free #Selfie (Hashtag Series Book 4) by Cambria Hebert Page A

Rimmel’s shoulder and started walking. “Cool. We’ll see you guys at the gate.”
    Rimmel didn’t say anything as I led her away and to the closest coffee shop. Of course there was a line. After a few minutes of standing there in silence, I felt my little sis staring.
    “What?” I asked.
    “What’s wrong with you?”
    I glanced at her and smirked. “Nothing. I’m perfect.”
    “And I’m Victoria Secret’s next swimsuit model.”
    I groaned. “No brother wants that image in his head, Rim.”
    “You’re acting strange. What’s up?”
    “Strange how?” I hedged. Why was it she always knew when something was going on? I blamed all the damn books she read all the time. Girl was too smart for her own good.
    Rome was never gonna get away with nothing for the rest of his life.
    “Braeden,” she warned.
    I smiled. I liked when she tried to act all tough and intimidating. The line moved up and we went with it.
    “You want one of those girly drinks?” I asked, looking at the menu. The guy in front of us snickered and glanced over his shoulder at us.
    “Sure.” Her voice was syrupy sweet. “Just get me the one you always drink.”
    I glowered at her and the man’s muffled laughter floated back to us.
    She seemed rather proud of herself at that comment, so proud it took her mind off my interrogation, and I wasn’t about to remind her. Yet the second I ordered—regular lattes with sugar for me and Rome and some vanilla macchiato thing for her, with a drizzle of chocolate and caramel—and we moved over to wait for our order, she put her hands on her hips and glared.
    “Well?”
    “It’s nothing. My mom just sounded a little off when she called.”
    She dropped her arms and her face softened. “Oh, is she okay?”
    I tugged on a stray piece of hair that had come out of the huge mess piled on her head. “Yeah, she’s cool. I just think she’s lonely. I’ve been gone a while.”
    “I don’t think I really thanked you for coming to Florida when Romeo called. For being there for me like you were.”
    “BBFL,” I said.
    She smiled. “You’re the best big brother anyone could have.”
    The barista called out my name, and Rimmel went over, grabbed the coffee, and handed it to me. When the other two were set down, she grabbed them up and we headed toward the gate.
    She sipped her coffee, and after a few minutes of us dodging rushing people, she said, “Want me to come with you to see her? Romeo, too? We can all visit her, maybe make her feel less lonely.”
    If Romeo was gonna settle down with a woman and commit to being a one-woman guy, then he’d made a damn good choice. Rimmel was probably the most selfless person I knew.
    “I’m sure she’d like that,” I replied. “But I think I’ll just stop by first, make sure everything is cool.”
    “Maybe we can have dinner with her this week?” she asked hopefully.
    “Sure, that sounds good.”
    Rim had only met my mom a handful of times, but Mom knew how much my little sis meant to me. And Rimmel seemed to just slip right into my life, like she’d always been there. It was like because she cared about me, then she cared about everything I cared about, too.
    The seats around our gate were full; it appeared the flight back to Maryland was going to be totally packed. However, even in all the people, my eyes found Ivy. She was sitting with Missy and Trent over by the window.
    I was glad to be going back to Alpha U, back to my normal schedule and dorm where she wouldn’t be around all the time.
    “Hey,” Rimmel said, stepping in front of me as we drew closer. I stopped walking and focused on her. “You know you can talk to me anytime, right? Little sisters make really good listeners.”
    I half smiled. “Yeah, thanks.”
    She seemed a little unsure about her openness, a little shy about letting me know she cared. “I mean, I know you have Romeo, and he’d be the one you would go to—”
    “Rim.” I cut her off and dropped the bags beside us.