Page 20 of It Had To Be You

“Right, but usually not people who look like you. It goes against everything I believe in as a sister to say this, but you’ve gone through a serious glow up since the old days, Con. Any straight woman worth her salt would be able to see that.”

“Looks aren’t everything,” I argued. “Sometimes you just aren’t someone’s type and there’s nothing you can do to change that.”

“Hmm,” she said, her expression ponderous as she dug into the eggs, though not before adding an insulting amount of salt and pepper. My sister’s taste buds were something I would truly never understand. “Maybe she just can’t get over the fact that she knew you as a teen. It’s a big psychological hurdle.”

“Maybe,” I agreed, though I knew that was only a small part of it. Yvonne’s true reason for keeping me at arm’s length was down to her belief that she wasn’t the one for me. She clearly found me attractive, that much was obvious from the noises of pleasure she’d made when she had my cock in her mouth. The problem lay in getting past her issues about herself, because deep down she must’ve believed that she was lacking.

I just had no idea how to prove she could never be lacking in my eyes. In my eyes she was perfect and always had been.

6.

Yvonne

Ev and I arrived at the townhouse a little over an hour ago and already I wanted to flee. It wasn’t merely the warm welcome Conor had given me, nor the extra-long hug we shared at the front door, his warm, muscular arms encircling me. It was also that we were surrounded by family, and I constantly felt paranoid, like they could see what we’d done together written all over our faces.

Scene for scene.

Or maybe it was simply thatIcouldn’t stop thinking about it. It had been days since it happened and I was still haunted by images of his sexy, smouldering eyes, the way he’d kissed me, the taste of his tongue. I wanted nothing more than to roll around in bed with him for hours. No,days. But I had to hold strong. Getting swept up in someone like Conor would only end in heartbreak when he decided to leave me behind and move on to a younger model.

I was just leaving the room I’d be sharing with Ev when I bumped into Bethany, Conor’s younger sister. She was tall and slim, with dark, curly hair that framed her pretty face and the same golden brown eyes as her brother. It was striking how much they looked alike.

“Yvonne! It’s so good to see you,” she exclaimed, coming and giving me a hug.

I hugged her back before releasing her. “It’s good to see you, too! My goodness. The last time I saw you, you were still a girl. Where have the years gone?”

“I have no idea but you still look as gorgeous as I remember,” Bethany replied.

“Oh, that’s very kind of you,” I said, taking the compliment with as much grace as I could muster. I knew she was probably just trying to be nice.

“Come on, let’s go downstairs and catch up,” she went on, linking her arm through mine. “My mam just opened a bottle of wine, anexpensiveone. She started freaking out when I revealed how much it cost but I told her not to worry. Those perfume boys can afford it.”

She chuckled and I did, too. I let her lead me down to the spacious living room where everyone else had gathered. I didn’t spot Ev or Dylan, though from the vibes I’d been getting I suspected those two were cosying up somewhere private. Things were clearly progressing between them, no matter how hard they tried to keep it secret, and I couldn’t have been happier for them both. Ever since I discovered Dylan was living in New York my hope had been that they’d rekindle their old relationship.

Conor was also absent, but Tommy and Bridget were present, alongside Conor and Bethany’s parents, Margot and Joseph. I sat and chatted with them for a time. A little while later we ate dinner, which Dylan prepared. Conor was across the table, his eyes frequently wandering to me. There was a question in his gaze, one I didn’t feel emotionally equipped to answer. Even though days had passed I felt like I was still reeling from what happened in his office. I had no idea what came over me but no other man ever had the ability to turn me on like that, make me act in ways I didn’t even know I had in me.

After dinner we all went to the living room. Conor picked a movie to watch and my heart warmed when I saw he’d chosenWhen Harry Met Sally. He cast me a fond look, letting me know he remembered how much I used to love that movie back in the day. I’d watch it all the time, but it had been years since I’d seen it. I cast him a smile, hoping he knew I appreciated the sentiment.

Conor came and sat next to me, and I felt warmer just from his proximity.

“Thanks,” I whispered to him softly.

He briefly placed his hand on mine. “My pleasure.”

Just like always I fell into the story. It went by so quick and then my favourite scene was playing, the New Years’ Eve party where Harry finally professes his love for Sally. Frank Sinatra’s ‘It Had To Be You’ played in the background while Billy Crystal made his heart-stopping speech.

I sensed someone’s attention and found Conor’s eyes on my profile. Suddenly, I was no longer watching the movie. All my attention was on him. I wasn’t sure whether it was the emotional scene, the touching song, or simply the way Conor was regarding me, but my heart pounded like crazy, my chest full of feelings. Feelings abouthim.

“Yvonne,” he said quietly. “I—”

Before he could finish the sentence, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out, glaring at the screen. When he looked back at me, his eyes were full of apology. “This is work. I have to take it.”

“That’s okay,” I replied, watching him go.

The movie ended and Bethany came and sat next to me, making sure my wine was topped up as we talked about the good old days back home.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, nor how many glasses of wine I’d consumed, but I was certainly drunker than I planned to get. Bethany was drunk, too, a bleary gleam in her eyes as she leaned in at one point and said, “My brother has always gone out with older women. Did you know that?”

“Um, no, I didn’t,” I said, at first not getting why she was telling me this. Then the penny dropped. Bethany must’ve known that Conor was interested in me.

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