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“I’m not,” I say, and we laugh.
“Do you really think you can lie to me?”
“No, you’re right. Maybe there’s still something there. You could call it a tiny flicker, but it’s not a big deal. I’m not going to let it show.”
My window is open, meaning I can hear Dad’s voice from the backyard, raised in a happy greeting.
“Brian, I’m so glad you could make it.”
Immediately, I’m on my feet, rushing to the window. I’m surprised I don’t fly right out of it with how fast I’m moving, my obsession driving me. Gripping the windowsill, I stare at Brian, standing side-on to see almost all of him.
I can see his messy silver hair on the wild side, as if he’s letting it grow because he had to keep it short in the Marines. His T-shirt hugs his muscled body, broad chest, hard abs, and both arms covered in tattoos.
The way he stands, more than anything, has my heart thudding and my thoughts dancing ahead to crazy scenarios. His posture is straight and confident, but not in a bullying way—not like my old boss, Keith. Brian stands like a man who doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone, which is the truth—five combat deployments, plenty of medals, and plenty of reasons for his future wife to be proud. I have to accept that it won’t be me. Another woman will finally get him to settle down.
When I turn, Kelly’s looking at me with a tinge of sadness in her eyes, as if she can hear the thoughts rattling around my mind.
“Okay,” I say, throwing my hands up. “Maybe I’m not completely over him.”
“You’re an adult now,” Kelly replies. “Who knows? Maybe—”
“No,” I cut in. “Don’t say that, please. There’s no maybe for us. He’s dad’s best friend. He’s twice my age. He’s about ten leagues above me.”
“I get your point on the other stuff,” Kelly says, “but never say that. You’re beautiful, Evie. Any man would be lucky to have you.”
Sometimes, I can believe this and take pride in my appearance and natural curves, but other times, like when I imagine what type of woman Brian would want, it’s impossible.
“We should head down there,” Kelly says.
I close my eyes, almost shivering. “I don’t know if I can see him in person.”
“You’ll have to do more than see him soon,” Kelly replies, standing and taking my shoulders in her hands. “Come on. We’re ripping off the Band-Aid. Bestie’s orders.”
CHAPTER
THREE
Brian
“Thank you so much for coming,” Janine says, handing me a beer.
I take the bottle and nod in gratitude. Janine wears a flowing summer dress, and her hair is light brown, like her daughter’s. When she wraps her arm around Roger’s waist, I see the love in her eyes, and I hunger for it—the same love aimed at me, only coming from her daughter… from my Evie.
“The other guests will arrive soon,” Roger says, “but I thought it’d be nice to get you here early and give you a chance to meet your soon-to-be new employee.”
I smile tightly. At least, that’s what I hope I do. It feels more like I’m a beast baring its teeth.
“Are your ears burning?” Janine calls over to the house, laughing.
I don’t turn, don’t look, not just yet. I give myself a moment to try and tame this hunger. I can’t think about last night when my hand stroked obsessively up and down my length, my mind filled with the image of Evie. She was on her back, her big breasts bouncing for me as I drove between her…
Fuck. No. Stop.
“Evie, you remember Uncle Brian, don’t you?” Janine says.
Uncle Brian… as if I needed a reminder of how wrong this is.
“It’s only been a few years,” Evie says, walking over beside a woman with dyed hair, but my eyes lock on Evie.
She’s wearing a checkered shirt and black pants, nothing special, nothing that implies she’s gone out of her way to highlight her beauty, but that’s the exact effect it has, the pants hugging her curvy legs tightly. Her hair is braided, like in the photo, and I wonder if that’s her go-to look. Then, I remember. I know it’s her go-to look. She had the same braid when she was a girl, but she’s not a kid anymore.
“Hi, Brian,” she says. “This is my friend, Kelly.”
“Hello. Nice to see you again.”
“No uncle?” Roger says.
He laughs because, for him, it’s all a big joke. There’s no reason for him to read too much into the fact she hasn’t called me uncle, but I can’t stop myself from speculating that it’s because she doesn’t want to associate me with a family member, even on a casual, nickname basis.
She sees me as I see her. A lover, a life partner, the whole goddamn point.
Evie shrugs, not answering.
“Kids, aye?” Roger jokes.
“She’s not a kid,” I say, and then I wish I hadn’t.
