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“Me?” She leaned forward as if to whisper. “I’m crazed with jealousy.”
Erik cracked a smile. “Yeah, get in line.”
“I hear there is one.”
“Who told you that?”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Guess.”
“Got it.” He held her gaze this time, his suddenly bold. “I like women.”
“Uh-huh.” Sandra sipped her coffee, annoyed that his macho act had given her a little thrill of response. She’d seen men playing this role so many times, she should know better. “So why Allie? What’s special about her?”
“You want to know because of how I feel or because of the way Jonas was looking at her last night?”
“What do you think?”
“Not sure.” He narrowed his eyes. “I haven’t figured you out yet.”
She snorted. “Good luck with that. Tell me about Allie.”
“She’s...” He frowned. “Different.”
“From?”
“Other women.”
“She used to be a man?”
“What?” Erik nearly choked on his coffee. “God, no.”
“How do you know?”
He was laughing now, looking much more handsome than when he’d been grumpy. His eyes were back to dancing. “Actually, you’re right. I don’t.”
“So you mean she’s different from your usual type.”
“Yeah. She’s not...” He pushed his hand through his hair, making it rise to new levels of bedhead. “She’s got this innocence about her that is really, really sexy.”
Oh, for— It was all Sandra could do to keep from making gagging noises. “Ah. You’re one of those guys.”
“What guys?”
She scoffed. “You spend your life screwing every woman you can and then insist on marrying a virgin.”
“Huh?” Erik stopped on the way to his next sip of coffee. “I’m not doing that. Am I doing that?”
“Sounds like it to me.” His dismay surprised her. Maybe no one had ever held his behavior up to him for a look. “Tell me more.”
“She’s more than just sweet and sexy, though. She’s funny and smart and sophisticated and ambitious. But also down to earth. Different from the girls I grew up with who had everything handed to them.”
“Oh, like you didn’t?”
He pointed at her accusingly. “That is not the same.”
“Because they’re women?”
His infectious grin spread. “Because I’m not trying to date myself.”
Sandra laughed. She didn’t see that coming. “Good one.”
“I had this fantasy that things would work out between us this week.” He sighed and leaned back in his chair, stretching mournfully. “But now, I don’t know. You saw how she and Jonas were looking at each other last night.”
“Hard to miss.”
“That didn’t bother you?”
“For about ten seconds. Then I got over it.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that. Jonas and I are friends, Erik.”
“Yeah?” He stared at her curiously, and then got up. “I’m getting more coffee, you want some?”
“No, thanks.”
“Jonas knows I want Allie. They might be having fun, but he won’t do anything.” He filled his cup and brought it back to the table. “He leaves Wednesday. Then Allie and I will be alone. I could still have a chance.”
“Right.” Poor delusional fool. But then Sandra had been one herself, more than once. Exhibit A: Of course her parents loved her! Though they never showed the slightest sign of it and reacted to her wanting to marry a creepy thirty-year-old at seventeen not by protecting her, but by disinheriting her. Exhibit B: Of course her husband wasn’t abusive; he never hit her! Though he turned out to be a domineering, controlling jerk who made her life hell. Exhibit C: She wasn’t really addicted to amphetamines; they just helped her get through the day...
Delusionville. Everyone lived there sometimes. Erik would be particularly susceptible as a spoiled and somewhat clueless rich kid who’d never been set straight. God knew Sandra had encountered plenty of them growing up on the gold coast of Connecticut.
She got up and went to the kitchen window to see the property in daylight. Allie and Jonas stood by the lake on the private beach, water streaming off their bodies, faces close, laughing. Sandra smiled in spite of herself. Yeah, she was crazy about Jonas. Crazy enough to want him to look that happy all the time. Happier than he ever looked when he was with her.
She’d seen his dismay last night when he got a peek at his brother’s face. She’d heard the stories over the years, how Jonas was always sacrificing himself for family and friends. Look how he’d dropped everything to come here this weekend for Erik’s sake. Look how many times he’d come to Sandra’s aid with support, with a willing ear, with words of encouragement, and a couple of times with loans she’d paid off as soon as she could.
