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She emerges from the back seat, long, straight blonde hair flowing, curves in all the right places, wearing a black body-con dress that shows off all her assets. She looks amazing. I glance at Chase to see his reaction, but he continues to look bored. Here I was about to be jealous he’d rather have Miles’s date on his arm. Damn Mathew for making me second-guess the knockout I am too.
“Heather, this is my little sister, Twyla.” Miles motions between us. “Twyla, this is Heather.” Heather looks at Chase, and Miles nods. “And the grump is Chase.”
I take her hand while Chase grunts and tips his chin up at her as though she’s a guy.
“Good to meet you,” I say.
“Same.” She smiles and looks me over, but something about it feels almost competitive, as though she’s sizing me up. Did she not hear the sister part?
I smile wider. “Are you looking forward to tonight?”
She gives a little shrug. “We’ll see.” Then she turns her back to me and all her attention is on my brother. “Can we get inside? I’m chilly.”
He smiles and wraps his arm around her shoulders. “Of course.”
I want to tell her that if she wore a coat, she wouldn’t be so cold, but I’m sure she didn’t wear one so that she could show off her dress.
Chase starts toward the hotel entrance without saying a word, so I hurry to catch up to him. When we get inside, the four of us head to the coat check so I can check my coat, then we make our way to the ballroom entrance.
I’m always in awe of this venue. It was built in the late 1800s—I looked it up after the first time I was here—and has so much Gilded Age luxury and historic architecture I can’t imagine anyone could tear their eyes away from the art.
Outside the doors to the ballroom is an area where the football players are expected to get their pictures taken by the press. Chase makes his way in front of the backdrop for the photographers and I hang back, letting him do his thing. When he notices that I didn’t follow him over, he turns, a deep groove between his eyebrows, and holds his hand out for me. I swear this man and his caveman communication.
My stomach does a swoop like a dive-bombing plane, and I step forward. “Are you sure?” I whisper. “These will get online, and people will think we’re a thing.”
He leans down and softly says into my ear, “Are you kidding me? You’re the only thing making this remotely bearable.” Then he loops his arm through mine.
We probably look like a prom couple more than anything since I’m not leaning into him or placing my hand on his chest, but the heat from our point of contact on my arm seeps into my veins and warms my entire body.
“Can you smile for us, Chase?” one of the photographers calls.
“Take the damn picture,” Chase responds and my smile widens.
Miles and Heather are next, so we wait for them. Heather isn’t afraid to put her hands all over Miles, smiling wide for the camera. Before I actually vomit, they finish and we all file into the ballroom. Chase keeps his arm looped with mine while we make our entrance, and a small girly part of me wonders if it means anything.
Damn, this isn’t the seventh grade. Your brother asked him to take you. Remember that.
I unhook our arms when I spot Brady and Violet approaching.
Eight
Chase
Twyla unhooks her arm from mine as soon as we enter the ballroom. Of course she does.Because you’re making her uncomfortable, you idiot.
When she didn’t want to be in the picture, almost as if she felt as though she wasn’t worthy, I wanted to make it clear she was. From what Miles said, that ex of hers really did a number on her, and a woman like Twyla should never feel less than. But I should have dropped her arm right after that. I was being greedy because having her near felt so good.
I’d felt like a dick after walking away from her outside the hotel, but watching Miles’s date be dismissive of Twyla when she was trying to be nice made me grind my molars. I was going to say something if I didn’t get off that sidewalk, then I’d have Miles to deal with.
I’ve been unsure all night of what to do with my actions since this isn’t arealdate. But I need to keep my hands to myself, that much is clear. She’s Miles's little sister and just coming off a broken engagement.
Violet and Brady approach the four of us as soon as we’re through the door, and we all say our hellos. Miles introduces his date. I’m not quite sure what he sees in her. She’s way too forthcoming with the men and cold to the women.
Shortly after, Lee and Shayna join us and all the women compliment each other on their dresses.
“Guys, why don’t we go get all these lovely ladies their drinks?” Brady says.
I ask Twyla what she wants, and she asks for a glass of moscato. The rest of the guys get their marching orders, and we head over to the bar.
