Page 82 of Never To Be Mine

“Different how?”

“Just watch.”

The screen lit up again, but this time Jack Montana wasn’t on it. Instead, the frame focused on me and Juno, caught when we thought we weren’t being watched. We were standing off to the side of the set. It was when we were joking around.

I watched as I handed her one of the bottles. I remembered her teasing me. The lighting was soft, far from the glare of the harsh studio lights directed on Jack Montana. It looked more natural. Less commercial, more authentic.

She laughed and shook her head before taking the bottle and gulping it down. I grinned, watching the moment I had been present for. She wiped her mouth and gave me that look I had come to love. It was all sass and spice. Her telling me to fuck off in the sexiest way possible.

And then I saw it. The way I was looking at her in that captured moment. Living that moment was one thing but seeing it through a new lens rocked my world.

I watched myself lean in slightly, completely focused on her like nothing else in that massive sound stage existed. The expression on my face was soft, almost reverent. I’d never seen myself look at anyone like that before.

I’d never felt myself look at anyone like that. I didn’t even know it was possible to look at someone like that. Fuck. That was the way Drew looked at Kensey. Callum looked at Victoria.

What the hell?

“See?” Micah said quietly beside me. “That right there.”

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the screen. Juno said something else, and I watched myself respond, saw the easy back and forth between us. We looked like two people who genuinely enjoyed being around each other. No forced chemistry, no acting for the camera. Just us.

The clip ended with both of us raising our bottles in a casual toast, still smiling at each other, the B Well logo fading in over the image.

The lights came up slowly, and I sat there trying to process what I’d just seen.

“So,” Micah said, setting his tablet aside. “Want to know what I see when I watch that last one?”

I cleared my throat, still feeling weirdly exposed. “Sure.”

“I see my brother falling for someone.” He turned in his seat to face me fully. “You’re different when you’re around her, man. You shine brighter. Like someone turned up your wattage or something.”

“That’s dramatic, even for you.”

“I’m serious.” He gestured at the screen. “I’ve filmed you before for social media stuff, watched hours of footage of you selling B Well. You’re good at it—charismatic, confident, all that. But this?” He shook his head. “This is something else entirely. You look happy. Comfortable. The best version of you.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, uncomfortable with how accurately he’d pinned down something I’d been pretending didn’t exist. “She makes me work for it. Can’t coast on charm with Juno.”

“It’s more than that.” Micah leaned forward. “Look, I’m not trying to embarrass you or make this weird. But I’ve known you my whole life, and I’ve never seen you look at anyone the way you look at her in that footage. Not once.”

I took a deep breath, that familiar panic making me feel itchy. “Yeah, well. It’s complicated.”

“Because of the business partnership?”

“That’s part of it.” I shifted in my seat, trying to articulate feelings I’d barely admitted to myself. “But also because I’m not exactly known for my stellar relationship track record. You know that. And Juno deserves better than some guy who’s going to bail the second things get difficult.”

“Maybe you hadn’t met the right person yet.”

I laughed, but it came out hollow. “That’s what she said.”

“Smart woman.” Micah grinned. “So what are you going to do about it?”

I thought about Juno in my bed. An honest-to-God adult conversation. Something I’d never really had with any other woman. The terrifying, exhilarating feeling of wanting something—someone—enough to risk getting hurt or screwing it up.

“I like her,” I admitted. “A lot. More than I probably should, given how recent all this is. And it’s different than anything I’ve felt before. Like I actually miss her when she’s not around. I think about her all the time.”

Micah’s grin widened. “Then go for it, man. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“I could hurt her. Mess up the partnership. Destroy everything I’ve been working toward with B Well.”