One Tiny Lie: A Novel by K. A. Tucker Page B

was the hospital? You met two boys?” Cupboard doors slam in the background, which tells me that Kacey’s on tidy-up duty while she talks to me. She’s a tornado when she steps in the kitchen.
    “Yup. Twins. Eric and Derek.”
    “Seriously?” I can almost hear my sister’s eye roll.
    I snort. “I know. They’re really cute.”
    “And are they . . .” She doesn’t say the words. She doesn’t have to, and my stomach clenches tightly all the same.
    I swallow. “Prognosis is good.” I don’t know that, but I say it anyway because it will make both of us feel better. The long commute home gave me a chance to decompress and evaluate. I acknowledged that the first day in a children’s hospital with sick—possibly dying—kids was bound to pull on a few heartstrings. Of course it’ll get better. I’ll probably also freak out the first time that I face a cadaver in med school. Everyone does. It’s normal. It doesn’t mean I’m not meant to be there or that I can’t hack it. By the time I arrived back at my dorm room tonight, the cloud hanging over me was all but gone. My bitterness with Stayner, though, had increased tenfold.
    Kacey sighs. “Well, that’s good.” I hear the screech of the oven drawer opening and I grin, knowing what’s coming next. Sure enough, there’s a loud slap, followed by a yelp. I’m laughing as Kacey shrieks, “Dammit, Trent!” because I know that he caught her bent over and distracted and Trent just can’t seem to stop from slapping her butt playfully every chance he gets. A few seconds later, there’s a noisy kissing sound near the phone and Kacey’s giggle.
    “Hi, Livie,” a deep male voice says.
    “Hi, Trent,” I say, smiling at the two of them and how completely enamored with each other they still are, even after three years. It’s heartwarming, knowing that two individuals with such a train wreck of a past can thrive together. Hearing it in the middle of the night is not so heartwarming. Dan has had to bang on their door more than once to tell them to keep it down. I usually can’t make eye contact with Trent the next day, which amuses Kacey to no end.
    “How’s school going?”
    “Good. Classes only started on Thursday but they’re good so far.”
    “Yeah?” There’s a short pause. “And have you made out with any other guys?”
    I gasp as I hear jostling on the other end, followed by a loud slap and Trent’s laugh moving away.
    “Sorry,” Kacey mutters.
    “How could you tell him that?” Trent has become a big brother to me. A giant man-child brother who loves to tease me almost as much as my sister does. It’s a hundred times more embarrassing when he does it. “I’m never going to hear the end of this! He’s going to tell Dan now and then they’re going to gang up on me!”
    “Relax, Livie!” Kacey’s voice cuts in. “He’s not going to say anything. Else. I had to explain why I had pictures of a guy’s ass on my phone, though, so he wouldn’t think I cheated on him.”
    “Oh,” I say, biting my lip.
    “But don’t worry. I’ll thoroughly beat him tonight for you.” She says that last part extra loud and I know it’s for Trent’s benefit. He’s probably grinning at her right now.
    “Great,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. My sister is the opposite of sexually repressed.
    “So . . .have you run into that guy? What was his name?”
    “Ashton. Yes,” I admit reluctantly.
    “And . . .how’d it go?”
    I sigh. “About as good as a lit match near a pool of gasoline.”
    “Wow.”
    I fill her in on the conversation.
    There’s a loud clatter as Kacey throws whatever she had into the sink. “What a douche bag! The next time I fly up there, I’m going to tear that guy’s balls off as promised.”
    “No you’re not. It’s fine. I’m over it. Reagan and I are going out with some friends tonight. I’m just waiting for her to get back from the bathroom and then we’re on our way.”
    “Oh, good. I knew I liked that