AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Aspen.” I nod, setting the plates on the table. “She did.”
“And how was she?”
“Really nice, actually.”
“Well, that’s good. I told you that you had nothing to worry about.”
“She’s very pretty too,” I continue, taking silverware and napkins to the table next. “Like really pretty. And her husband...” I make a low noise in the back of my throat. “And don’t even get me started on his brother.”
“Do I want to know how you know all this?” A smile she’s trying to hide tugs at the corner of her mouth. “About the husband and brother, that is.”
“Well, I’ve only seen pictures of the husband, but his brother...” The memory of his face, so close to mine I may have forgotten how to breathe for a moment, comes rushing to the surface, and with it, a wave of something else. Something I refuse to let myself even begin to entertain.
“He’sthatgood-looking?” She reads my expression perfectly.
“Painfully so.” I let myself admit because honestly, if I can’t talk to Yiya about this stuff, who can I talk to?
I basically fell off the face of the earth when my mom got sick, and in addition to ending my relationship with Blake, I severely neglected what few friendships I had. Then I moved to the different side of the country without telling any of them, and well, I haven’t gone out of my way to make new friends since I’ve been here. So yeah, Yiya is what I’ve got.
“You like him...” It’s not a question.
“I don’t even know him. He’s good-looking, Yiya, that’s it.”
“So wait, why was the brother of the husband at your office anyway?”
“Because apparently, he’s best friends with his brother’s wife. Which is a little weird if you ask me. I can’t wrap my head around what that dynamic must be like.” I shake my head.
“You know, your uncle Nick and your mother were very good friends before he and I ever met.” She feels the need to remind me.
“I know, Yiya. You and Mom have told me the story a million times. Mom and Nick were besties, and then he met you, and boom, game over.”
“Well, that’s not entirely how it happened.” She laughs, adding freshly cooked pasta to the sauce in front of her. “So he stopped by to see her?” She urges me to continue.
“To take her to lunch. He said he knew she’d be worrying about the kids and he wanted to distract her.”
“That seems oddly sweet.”
“It does,” I admit.
“Did you speak to him?”
“I ran into him. Quite literally rammed into his chest. Spilled my purse all over the floor and everything. It was... Well, it was typical Kaia.” I snort. “He helped me clean it up, though. And he was so good about it. Infuriatingly charming, that one.”
“Sounds like he made quite the impression.”
“Stop right there, Yiya.” I tug open the refrigerator and pull out a carton of milk. My aunt insists we drink milk with every meal, citing that it’s good for your bones and digestion, though I’m not sure I agree with the second part. Those who are sensitive to lactose might see it differently.
“What?” She gives me that innocent look of hers. The one that saysI have no idea what you’re talking aboutin her best Southern accent. Not that she has an accent or anything, considering she and my mother were born and raised in Maryland. But for some reason, when she looks at me that way, I hear, or rather see, a Southern accent.
“You know what. I already told you I’m not interested in dating anyone. Not after everything with Blake and Mom and just all of it. Besides, if you saw this man, you’d know he is way out of my league. And I mean, so far out of my league that we’re not even playing the same game.”
“If you think that, then you need to take a closer look in the mirror.”
“Yiya.” I audibly groan, pouring milk into the two glasses on the counter in front of me.
“I’m serious, Kaia. You obviously have no idea how beautiful you are. Any man would be lucky to have you.”
“I wouldn’t go that far. I’ve got an ex-fiancé who might disagree with you on that. I dragged that man face down through the mud, only to turn around and abandon him. I’m guessing right about now he doesn’t feel all that lucky that he had me.”
