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ONE
Skylar
“Why don’t you just ride with my brother?” My fiancé’s baritone voice echoes through the phone. The distracting click of my heels against the marble floor almost drowns out our conversation. I halt my steps to make sure I heard him correctly.
“Elliot… I’m fine to make the trip alone,” I exhale. “Plus, I’m sure Everett doesn't want to be stuck in a car with me for an entire day.”
I know he doesn’t.
“Babe, don’t make this difficult,” he sighs. “It’s a twelve-hour trip. I’m already going to be in Denver for work, and I don’t want you driving that far alone. You’ve spent so much time making decorations for the wedding, and Everett has to haul the arbor he built. You both can’t fly with everything you’re bringing, so why not just ride together?” He pushes.
Because he’s the gasoline to my fire. A ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
Elliot has no idea what he’s asking me to do. We’re all heading to Denver next week to attend his cousin’s wedding, and it’s quickly becoming my worst nightmare. Spending twelve hours alone in a car with his older brother is a terrible idea. I made a promise to myself years ago that I would put as much distance between me and Everett as humanly possible.
On second thought… I am marrying into the Thompson family in less than six months. I know I can’t avoid Everett for the rest of my life. Maybe it would be best to finally address the elephant in the room and get over the awkward rift between us.
“I’ll think about it,” I sigh, tucking a strand of loose chestnut curls behind my ear.
“Thank you, love. I’ll call Everett and let him know you’re down to carpool,” he rushes out.
“No! I said I would thi—”
“Love you, babe. Gotta run to a meeting!” Elliot interjects before abruptly hanging up the call.
“Ughhh!” I groan, rolling my eyes and dramatically plopping down in my office chair.
I rest my head against the back of my leather chair, staring out the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Working in the nicest office in Dallas, Texas definitely has its perks. From where I sit on the twentieth floor, you can see the competing high-rise buildings at eye level, the famous Reunion Tower, American Airlines Center, and the winding Trinity River.
I grew up in a small town a couple of hours outside of Dallas and always dreamed of living in a big city for as long as I can remember. Little Skylar would be jumping up and down in excitement if she saw where she was now. Making a life for herself in the heart of Downtown Dallas.
“Damn. Did your interview gothatbad?” Gabriel asks, using his pointer finger to push his round, hipster glasses up his narrow nose.
Anyone who isn’t a recruiter and heard Gabe’s question would probably think I just got out of a job interview for myself, but it’s actually the opposite. We are the people selecting and interviewing hundreds of candidates who hope to work for the largest financial institution in the state of Texas.
Gabriel and I are two of the many recruiters on the Ace Financial Talent Acquisition team. It’s our job to interview and hire the most qualified candidates for the bank. Gabe sits in a cubicle less than six feet away from mine and quickly became my best friend within weeks of me joining the team.
“No,” I huff out a deep breath. “The interview actually went really well. I think I’m going to push the candidate forward to meet with the hiring manager.Thank God, because this position has been a bitch to fill,” I add.
He arches a brow.
“What is it then? You look like your dog just got run over,” Gabe says, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest.
“I don’t have a dog,” I remind him, narrowing my eyes.
“I know, but if you did, I imagine this is how you would look if it got run over,” he adds, lifting his brows.
“Youreallyhave a way with words,” I joke, fidgeting with a pen on my desk.
“What’s going on, Sky?” He asks again in a much softer tone.
“Remember how I told you I was making signs and decorations for Elliot’s cousin? Her wedding is in Colorado?”
“Yeah, how could I forget?” He nods. “You’ve been talking about it for months.”
“Well, the wedding is next week and since Elliot will already be in Denver for work, he’s trying to coax me into making the trip with his brother,” I reply in a tone that’sfarfrom enthusiastic.
“Uh… Am I missing something? Why would you ride with his brother in the first place?” He asks, his brows pinched together in confusion.
