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“You sure you want to do this?” she asked in lieu of a response.
The question had him thinking she could read him a little too well for his own good, but it wasn’t a stretch to think he’d have trouble with this step. If it was easy, he wouldn’t be negotiating with her.
“Yeah,” he said. “I’m sure.” The words hurt to utter, but he’d get over it. He couldn’t begin to explain what seeing his parents’ joy had done for him. But he wouldn’t have to, because if Rue wanted to keep Boyd Von Whatever out of her hair, she needed him as much as he needed her. Once his family realized he was capable of moving on, they’d back off and let him do things his way, and with Rue leaving the city in just three weeks, he had the perfect out to this non-relationship. “I’m sure if you’re sure.”
“I think I can handle hanging out with you if it means getting Boyd off my back.”
“I’m glad it won’t be torture,” he said dryly.
“Oh, I didn’t say that.” Her gaze, intentionally or otherwise, took a slow tour south and lingered before she remembered where his face was. “It’ll be torture all right,” she said, blue eyes dancing. “The very best kind of torture, but if it means you’ll take me to the gala, you’re on.”
“Then it’s a date.” The words were harder than he expected. He forced a smile as he let himself out of her house, but it fell as soon as the door shut behind him. He stared down the street, in the direction his life had once been, and couldn’t help but wonder.
What the hell had he done?
Chapter Three
Three days later, Ethan still wasn’t sure his plan had been a good one. On paper, it made sense, but in execution, he was dealing with feelings—notably his—and he’d yet come to terms with what he’d been thinking. But for all of his second thoughts, one big point remained a beacon, and that was not being pitied for the first time since Amy’s diagnosis nearly five years ago. Still, he was using Rue, or planning to, and while she knew that and would also benefit from their arrangement, it didn’t sit well with him that he was asking her to be dishonest on his behalf. He didn’t like misleading his family, but loosely interpreted, maybe he wasn’t.
Maybe he was just helping them get over their unrelenting need to feel sorry for him.
When Rue had texted him with her phone number, he’d replied by inviting her to his apartment for a pre-planned event that just happened to be well-timed. The place was long overdue for a coat of paint, and all three of his brothers had a break in their schedule and were coming over to get the job done. He hoped they could finish it in a single afternoon. If he was going to make any strides toward convincing his family he was moving on, he needed witnesses, so it seemed like an ideal and largely impersonal way to introduce Rue to the whole crew at once.
Or so he’d thought.
The moment he saw her standing in his doorway, he knew better.
She looked fantastic. He didn’t want to notice, but he took unwelcome note of every soft, womanly curve. She wore a pair of faded, well-worn cut-offs and a pink tee that matched her lips. Her dark hair touched her shoulders, the ends flipping playfully in a way that seemed to capture every carefree thing he knew about her. Granted, the situation with Boyd had gotten to her, but she’d dealt with every other blow—from getting locked out of everything she owned to opening her home to him after her neighbor tried to drown him—with an easy smile and a light that he envied.
And he envied it still, because despite the likely overwhelming number of Chase men in his apartment, she exuded warmth and humor. And it was a good thing, because his brothers weren’t exactly known for their good behavior. Between them, very few verbal punches were ever left on the table.
“Hey,” he said, almost certain that in a single syllable, he’d completely failed at sounding casual. She gave him an encouraging smile, and he felt like a jerk. How hard did this have to be? He met new people every day on the job. He handled it. And this wasn’t any different, because despite what his heart and stomach seemed to think, this woman was effectively a business acquaintance. “Guys, this is Rue Campbell.”
