QUOTE : You said she works at an ice-cream shop around here, right?” He made a big show of wiping the sweat off his brow. “Come to think of it, a nice double cone would really hit the spot in this heat.”<br /><br />Zach’s expression was one of pure teenage mortification. “Yeah, because that’s exactly what will help my inability to talk to her—my older brother watching and critiquing all my moves.”<br /><br />“I thought we’d already established that you don’t have any moves.”<br /><br />“Now that’s funny. Picking on someone half your age. Hey, here’s an idea: I’ll introduce you to Paige as soon as I meet this so-called smart, witty, and hot woman you’re supposedly seeing. Sounds a lot like one of those made-up girlfriends who live in Niagara Falls.”<br /><br />“She’s real. I’m seeing her tonight, in fact.” They hadn’t decided their specific plans yet, but Brooke had texted him last night, asking if he was free.<br /><br />“Wow. You actually, like, beamed when you said that.”<br /><br />“Get out of here,” Cade scoffed. “I did not.”<br /><br />“What’s her name?”<br /><br />Cade opened his mouth to answer, then paused.<br /><br />Zach grinned. “Worried you can’t say it without beaming again?”<br /><br />Ridiculous. “Her name is Brooke.” He deliberately maintained a straight face<br /><br />Zach made a big show of studying him, presumably looking for any sign of this alleged “beaming.” He stepped closer and then, with a comically scrutinizing face, slowly looked at one side of Cade’s face, and then the other.<br /><br />Cade never cracked once.<br /><br />Finally, Zach gave up. “Dude, I’m impressed. You need to show me that trick.