“Rise and shine, lioness.” I pull back the hood on the lion onesie Michelle let Becs borrow last night, and the lump of blankets starts to move. And groan.

“Five more minutes,” she whines.

I tug off the rest of the blankets. “Not happening, sister.” I slap her on the butt and she sits upright. “How you feeling this morning?”

She takes the coffee. “Pissed. And tired.”

I hum in acknowledgment. “So, what’s the plan?”

“I don’t know. I want Notre Dame so bad. But the way Devin reacted last night…” She sighs, her shoulders sagging. “He’s going to make me choose. Him or my dream school.”

I sink down into the couch next to her, propping my elbow on the back and resting my head on it. “I think he reacted so bad because he found out instead of you telling him about it. He kinda hates being the last to know. Trust me.”

Becs nods. “Yeah, I guess that didn’t help. But, seriously, do you think my brother will ever let me get farther than arm’s reach?”

“Give him some time. Let him get used to the idea.” I don’t hide my uncertainty. Devin hates change and he’s terrified of losing the people he loves. Becs leaving is pretty much his worst nightmare. Guess I shouldn’t tell him about the grant any time soon.

“I should just go. Wake up one morning and be gone. The jerk deserves that,” Becs snaps.

I shake my head and give her a stern look. “No, he doesn’t. And you know it.”

“He’s smothering me. He’s not my dad,” she whines. I bite my tongue. Devin’s been more of a father than a brother her whole life, and now I know why.

“He’s not, but he loves you. And you’re the only real family he has.”

“For now, maybe.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That maybe if you gave him a couple babies of his own to worry about, he’d get off my case.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “My womb is not your golden parachute, BB.”

“Fine. It’d take too long to get you knocked up anyway. If I miss Freshman orientation next week, I forfeit my spot.”

Jake’s words filter back into my mind. ‘Spend too much time doing what makes everyone else happy and you’ll end up miserable.’ Devin isn’t ready to let her go yet, but it will destroy him to know he kept her from her dream.

“Then go,” I declare. “It’s just a weekend, right? And it’ll keep your options open until you can have an adult conversation with Devin.”