AllFreeNovel
Share Us
1
Lucas
“I said blue. Does this look blue to you?”
I wince at the irritation in my sister’s voice and study the tie again, muttering, “It looked blue when I got it.”
Unfortunately, Debra hears this and my twin, who’s getting married in three weeks, gives me a venomous look.
I immediately turn my attention to the wall as if the pattern on it holds all the answers to the world’s problems.
She sighs, and then grumbles, “It’s bad enough that Riley is dragging his feet, although it was his idea to get married in October. Now you’re trying to be a snarky little asshole.”
October, hmm? I muse. Sophie will turn six months old this weekend. And Elise will come back to work. I completely ignore the comment about me being an asshole. Instead, I look around and frown. “Where’s Grace? Isn’t this her job, all this stuff that you’re making me do?”
My sister levels me with a withering look, and asks sarcastically, “Oh, I’m sorry. Am I cutting into your time for mooning over your receptionist?”
Not having anything better to say, I shift my feet guiltily. “She’s not my receptionist, technically.”
Debra rolls her eyes and as she turns back to adjusting her wedding dress, drawling, “Yeah, that makes everything so much better.”
I choose to hold my tongue.
She glances at me from the large fitting mirror, and her tone is kinder as she asks, “Have you asked her out?”
I bristle. “Jesus, Debra, the woman just had a child.”
Debra scoffs, “I’m not the one who’s been in love with her for the past year and so. You’ve had plenty of opportunities to ask her out. Not my fault you’re a chicken.”
The sound of footsteps cuts off my retort before it can even leave my lips and a leggy brunette enters the bridal fitting room, slightly out of breath, her light blue eyes wild, as she gasps out, “Sorry. Sorry. Traffic.” Her hair is sticking out and she looks like she just rolled out of bed. Compared to my sister who shares my light brown hair and sharp blue eyes, Grace Tanner looks more exhausted.
Her slightly red nose makes me realize that when she called me last night, a cold might have been the reason for her slightly hoarse voice. “You look awful, Grace,” I say sympathetically.
“Hey! You don’t say that to my best friend.” Debra turns and studies Grace who’s in the midst of catching her breath, and says bluntly, “You do look awful. Are you dying?”
Grace just sticks up her middle finger and takes out a tissue to blow her nose, before telling me with a grateful smile, “Thanks for putting up with her until I got here.”
My sister makes an insulting sound.
I smile pleasantly. “No problem. I’ve put up with her for my whole life. What’re a few more hours?”
Ignoring Debra’s huffing, Grace says, “I swear it’s like you got all the good part of the personality in the womb.”
Debra finally has enough, and pointing to me, she growls. “You. Get out.”
Laughing, I tuck the tie she had me buy for her absentminded fiancé, into my pocket, and then walk over to kiss her cheek, telling her, “Don’t forget pizza night at my place. It’s your turn to pick the movie.”
Brightening up at this, my sister gives me a careful hug so as not to crease her dress.
I wave at Grace as I leave, my black trench coat flapping around my knees. As I leave the fancy bridal boutique, I catch a glimpse of myself in one of the many mirrors which line this place to make it seem larger than it is, and I see a tall man with sharp blue eyes, light brown hair that desperately needs a cut which is mussed up because I keep forgetting to comb it and a French beard that I’m reconsidering. My lean and muscular body is hidden under an expensive business suit that is tailor made and my sharp cheekbones that my twin is super envious of since she never inherited those, are pleasantly lifted in a smile.
I’m an attractive man, a successful corporate lawyer who is very much in demand, I have a good salary, a likable personality, and yet, I can’t seem to the get the girl I have my eye on.
Elise Smith.
The cheerful receptionist of Starr Industries with dark hair and pretty brown eyes that always seem to be smiling.
I’d been attracted to her bubbly personality when I had met her more than a year ago. And then that attraction morphed into a crush and now, I’m head over heels in love with her.
But after she found out she was expecting, she had sworn off men or something of that nature. I may have weaseled my way into her life by offering friendship but I’ve been careful never to cross that fine line between a friend or a lover, because I know it wouldn’t be well received. Whoever the father of her child was, he had done a real number on her heart.
A year had gone by since she’d gotten pregnant and she still wouldn’t disclose who the man was. But he isn’t in her life. That much I know. And he isn’t involved in her daughter’s life as well. He simply doesn’t care about either of them.
I know a lot about men like that.
My father was a man like that.
