Platonic friendship. If I wanted her in my life, and I did, I’d have to settle for platonic friendship.
The waiter came up to the table, clearing Mom’s empty drink away. I almost ordered a mojito for Sadie, her usual drink, but decided that would probably raise some questions about our familiarity. Instead, I ordered another Old Fashioned sipping on the remainder in my glass and leaned back in my chair to wait. But I’d hardly settled before I picked up on the familiar ring of Sadie’s laugh. It sent a thrill ofanticipation down my spine, and I was looking up with a lopsided grin on my face before I even realized it was there.
Strolling across the bar at the front of the group, she demanded my attention. Her hair was pulled back in some swoopy up-thing at the back of her head with wispy strands soft around her face. Whatever she’d done with her makeup was subtle, but her eyes were practically shining, and her lips were plump and soft pink. The skin on her shoulders was sun-kissed and bare. A strapless floral pattern dress cascaded to the floor and ruched across her breasts.
It was going to be a struggle not to stare at her all fucking night.
The smile slipped off my face when I noticed the man laughing next to her was my cousin Derrik. Whether it was the fact that we were two competitive boys born months apart in a society that thrived on comparison, or the Universe needing to humble us, Derrik was my foil in nearly every way. Growing up, we were neck and neck in academics, sports, and extracurriculars. I did slightly better than him in each of these places, but hedominatedme in every social arena. Where I was anxious and grumpy, he was carefree and easy.
I’d become a lawyer. He’d become a pediatrician—from what I’d heard, he was very good at it.
I didn’t hate him. I didn’t think he hated me. But we hadn’t grown out of the undertone of competition between us.
And I hated the gleam of interest in his eyes when he smiled down at Sadie.
I clenched my fist then stretched my fingers twice before I could stop myself. Breathing out a long breath, I lounged in my chair as if I was completely unbothered while under the table my left leg bounced.
“Gene!” he called widening his arms for a greeting hug.
Standing, I returned his hug with one hand, holding my drink in my other hand. If I appreciated that I was slightly taller than him, I wasn’t going to resent myself for that.
“How have you been?” he asked. “I don’t think I’ve seen you since the family Christmas.”
“That’s sounds right. I’m good,” I answered him distractedly as I held my empty seat out for Sadie. There were only three chairs at the table, Mike had already ensured that June got the one Mom had vacated a few minutes ago and Derrik was moving toward the one closest to the window.
Sadie gave me a smile that looked almost sad and shook her head, but I lifted an eyebrow. “I need to stand anyway.”
“Oh, you need to?”
“I do.”
“Is it a medical condition?”
“Yeah, I have an allergy to chairs, but it’s just minor.”
She fixed me with the full force of her smile, warming me from the inside out. Sliding into the tall seat, she adjusted her dress.
“Thank you,” she mumbled down to her lap.
“You’re welcome.”
Mike gave my shoulder a squeeze, and I nodded a hello to June. The waiter came back to the table with my fresh drink and took everyone else’s order.
As soon as Sadie ordered a mojito, I regretted not already getting her one. I did know her, and as she fell into easy conversation with Derrik, I didn’t care if it raised questions about how well I knew her. It was proof that our time together had happened. And even if I couldn’t remember exactly how it ended, at least right now, I knew her well enough to convince her to take my seat and what drink she liked tostart off with, and that someday when I didn’t know those things it would hurt.
The truth of my feelings for Sadie were too clear for me to ignore. They loomed in my peripheral vision. It was a comfort and torture that she didn’t feel the same way about me.
Chapter 11
Jamison
“Dancing was so fun today,” Sadie said, her voice bright and excited. For the breath of a moment, she beamed up at me. I shoved my hands in my pockets to keep from brushing a lock of hair from her cheek.
“Gene, you danced?” Derrik narrowed his eyes at me as if he was trying to fit a new puzzle piece into place.
I shrugged. “Yeah.”
“Really well, actually,” she insisted, and I had to school my face to keep the pride building inside of me from showing. “He’s like a professional—”
