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“And you want me to help you?” He blinked, actually glancing around as if there was someone else I could possibly be referring to.
“Nah, I just wanted to come and catch up. Seemed like the perfect fucking opportunity to reminisce.”
“I’m just surprised you’re asking me,” he said quietly, ignoring my sarcasm like he always did.
“Trust me. You were my last resort,” I said, uncrossing my arms and taking a step toward him, lest he get the idea that I still idolized him after all these years. That ship fucking sailed and I wanted to make damn sure he knew it.
A flicker of hurt darted across his face. Good. At least he got the message loud and clear. This wasn’t a social call nor was it an invitation to walk down Memory Lane.
“I’m honored you came to me,” Alex said, glancing away before adding, “but I’m afraid I can’t help.”
“If it’s about money, I’ll pay double to get it done.”
His expression softened as his gaze returned to mine. “It’s not about the money, Aaron. You’re asking for the impossible. It’s Valentine’s Day. I put my orders in weeks ago. I don’t have the surplus that you need for this kind of a project.”
I opened my mouth to tear into him, to unleash a decade’s worth of pent-up frustration, but the sound of approaching footsteps halted me in my tracks.
Another good-looking blond sauntered out from the back, carrying two cups of coffee. He gave me a once-over as he stopped at Alex’s side, handing him one of the drinks.
“Hey, babe. Who’s this?” the guy asked, with a smile so fake you could see it from space. Or maybe it was the tan—also fake—that made him look like a douche. Typical of Alex. He thought so highly of himself he was basically dating a carbon copy. There’s no way he’d ever mingle with grungy peasants like me.
“My stepbrother,” Alex replied without missing a beat, taking the coffee.
“Ex-stepbrother,” I corrected, making sure he felt the full heat of my glare in case he missed the growl in my tone.
Alex pursed his lips, still not taking the bait. “Aaron…”
“Save it. I asked, you answered. End of conversation. I have work to do.” I stuffed all of my feelings of inadequacy back inside their messy little box and strode to the door as fast as my legs would carry me.
“See you around,” Alex called after me.
I flipped him off on my way out the door and slammed it shut behind me. Childish? Sure. But that’s exactly what the fucker said to me when he walked out of my life ten years ago and never looked back. I wasn’t going to fall for it twice.
So much for that brilliant idea.
Time to expand my search radius, I guess. I wasn’t above begging, so long as it wasn’t that asshole down the street.
2
ALEX
Valentine’s Day — 9:10 a.m.
“No love lost there, I take it?” Brad asked as the front door of the shop slammed shut, the bell overhead practically screaming in time with my racing heart.
“He didn’t handle our parents’ divorce very well,” I said with a sigh. It was the understatement of a century. Watching Aaron’s lean silhouette through the window as he darted across the street, presumably making the short walk back to Bramble Bar & Grill, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of admiration—and more than a smattering of guilt. The restaurant was his pride and joy; I was beyond happy for him, and more than just a little bit sad I hadn’t been able to tell him that.
It was the banquet center above the bar that was the money maker, though. He’d completely homed in on the vintage, rustic look people in this town loved. Apparently, they paid a pretty penny to host events there. I wouldn’t know, since I’d pretty much avoided the building like the plague since he opened for business.
Other than venturing over on the opening night and hiding amidst the crowd, I hadn’t stepped foot inside his restaurant in the two years it had been open. Thank God for online ordering and delivery—he really did have the best food in town. The midnight concoctions he used to create when we were teens had evidently paid off.
Even if he cursed the ground I walked on, I still wanted to support him in whatever way I could. God knew he needed it. He needed someone to care, even if he kept everyone at bay, spitting venom and lashing out. It’d been his trademark move since he was a kid. Guess he’d only gotten meaner the older he got. Not that I blamed him.
“What are you doing here? I didn’t think I was seeing you until later,” I said, turning my attention to Brad and trying to shove Aaron to the back of my mind.
“Well… I came to talk to you.”
“About what?”
