I scratch my fingers through my hair. “You’re mistaken. I don’t… I’m not…”
“Don’t look so shocked. It’s better you accept it now. There’s no point fighting it. I know from experience. I wasted so much time denying my feelings for Harper. Love will always get you.”
I clear the lump in my throat. “What makes you think I’m in love?”
“You can’t keep your eyes off her. You’ve changed your whole life for her. The thought of her with Darren is driving you nuts. The past three days you should be at work, yet you rush from the office to get home early.” He counts the reasons on his fingers. “Oh, and you’re glowing.”
What the fuck?“I’m notglowing.”
“Like a lightbulb,” Finn teases.
“Fuck you. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”I’m not in love with Penny. Love isn’t an option.
“I know exactly what I’m talking about. So does Hayden. We’ve been through it. We recognize the signs.”
Hayden nods in agreement.
“You know I’m helping her. That’s all,” I say.
Hayden and Finn both wear dubious expressions.
“You’re reading too much into things.” I try to convince them.
Hayden leans on his golf club. “Are you saying you don’t have any feelings for Penny?”
“Nothing more than friendship.” My gut twists into a tight knot like something is trying to tell me I’m lying.
“So, when she moves out and eventually finds another guy you’ll be okay with that?” Hayden looks at me intently.
At the thought of another man’s hands on her, heat boils my blood. The wordsshe’s minericochet through my mind.
Finn points his golf club at me. “By the thunderous look on your face, I’d say the thought makes you want to punch a hole in something.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket with a text. Knocking Finn’s club away from me, I step away to read it.
I’m on my way back to the apartment. I’ll tell you all about what happened when I get home. Penny
That’s it? That’s all she has to say? I’ve been waiting anxiously, and she can’t give me something? She said we’ll talk when she gets back. There’s probably too much to say over a text.
I’m out with my brothers. I’ll leave now.
Before I hitsend, Finn snatches the phone from my hand. “What the fuck? Give that back!” I demand.
“I knew it!” Finn exclaims as he looks at the screen. “You’re hurrying home to be with her.”
I try to grab the phone, but Finn holds it out of reach. “So? You rush home to be with Harper all the time.”
“Yeah, because she’s mywifeand Iloveher.” A huge, shit-eating grin spreads across Finn’s face. “What’s your excuse?”
I’m tempted to pluck a club from the bag and whack him over the head with it. “Give me back my phone.”
His fingers fly over the screen as he types something.What the hell?I propel forward only to be pulled back by Hayden. When Finn is done, he tosses the phone to me. Hayden lets me go in time to catch it.
“I changed your message to tell Penny you’ll see her in an hour or so,” Finn says unapologetically.
“You had no right to do that,” I fume.
Finn rolls his eyes. “Relax. It won’t kill you to spend a little time apart.”
