“What do I do?” I ask, at a complete loss.
“Nothing to do. If Patty hired her, then I guess she works here. And if she didn’t, perhaps we should find out why she’s here.” He steps past me, heading in her direction, giving me no choice but to follow after him or risk giving away how desperately I want to turn and walk the other way.
“London Voss, as I live and breathe.” Alec holds out his arms as he reaches her. I watch as she stands, squares her shoulders in that way she does when she’s trying to fake a confidence she doesn’t possess, and plasters on a smile that anyone but me might mistake as genuine.
I have just enough time to take in her slender frame dressed in black slacks and a button-down cream-colored blouse before my brother has her in his arms, hugging her like a long-lost friend that he’s been waiting for years to return. And while yes, they were friends once upon a time, I wasn’t the only one she abandoned. Then again, Alec doesn’t know how to hold a grudge, especially against a beautiful woman. And make no mistake, she is beautiful. The kind of beauty that steals your breath. The kind you want to capture in a painting or portrait so that you can keep it forever. Time hasn’t lessened that but rather enhanced it.
“Hi, Alec.” She laughs lightly when he lifts her off her feet, and damn if that sound doesn’t do something to me.
How many times did I replay that sound in my head, trying to convince myself that she was still here, still right in front of me, stillmine.
“Damn, woman, it’s been too long.” He sets her to her feet just as I reach the entrance to the office. Tugging the door open,I purposely don’t look at her as I stomp my way inside, leaving my brother and the woman who shattered my teenage heart into a trillion pieces standing just a few feet from the front of the building.
“Ignore him.” I hear Alec say through the open window. “He’s happy to see you.”
“Sure he is.”
I close my eyes, drinking in the sound of her voice. A voice I haven’t heard in seven years and yet still remember in perfect detail.
“As much as I would love to assume that you’re here simply because you missed me, I’m going to go out on a limb and say Patty sent you?” Alec asks.
“She didn’t tell you guys I was coming?”
“Oh, she told us you were coming; she just didn’t tell us whoyouwere.” I can hear the smile that’s no doubt plastered on his face.
“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”
“Nonsense. Though I do have to ask, whyareyou here? Back in Wren Cove, I mean.”
“Surely my father has told you by now.”
“Not sure if you know this, but I don’t think Randy is my biggest fan. Penn, on the other hand, treats him like a son.”
“Then Penn must have told you.” Hearing my name on her lips is like taking a poison dagger to the chest. I feel my insides begin to boil.
I see the slight shake of my brother’s head from my vantage point.
“You are not a topic they discuss often. But now that we’re on the subject...”
“Perhaps we should save the catching up for another time. I’d hate to be late to work on my first day.”
“I don’t mean to be rude, but do you really think workinghereis the best idea?” I can hear the apology in Alec’s voice, which stirs something unsettling in my stomach.
“Do you truly believe I’d be here if I had any other option?” That dagger in my chest—yeah, she just twisted it.
I wish I could say I didn’t care. That what she says or does no longer holds any power over me, but if that were true, I wouldn’t have run in here like a cowardly child afraid to face her.
“Fair enough.” Alec rocks back on his heels. “You look good, LV. Real good.”
“You don’t look too shabby yourself. Last time I saw you, you were still in that awkward teenage phase. Look at you now.”
I move slightly to the left just in time to see her reach up and touch his face.
“I see you still can’t grow proper facial hair, though.” She drops her hand with a smile.
“London Voss, you wound me!” Alec flattens his palm to his chest.
“Somehow, I doubt that.” She snorts, looking toward the building. I take a step back, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of seeing me lurking in the window. “Should we maybe go inside?”
