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“What happened to your brother?” I interject.
Evan checks our surroundings. “He was hanging around the wrong crowd while he lived in New York, but he’s back on track and getting the help he needs.”
I press my hand over my heart. “That’s good to hear.”
Julian pauses his death-stare contest to spare me an unreadable look, only to break eye contact first. “Is he adjusting to his new job all right?”
“Yes. Thank you for helping him get back on his feet. It was hard for him to find a job again with a record, and you were the first company willing to give him a chance.”
“I’m glad I could help.” Julian closes the gap between us until I’m not sure where my body ends and his begins.
I take a small step forward, which Julian matches with one of his own. When I raise my foot to stomp on his again, Julian clamps his hand around my hip, stopping me.
The heat of his palm singes my skin. Evan’s eyes bounce from Julian to me before landing back on the mercurial man behind me.
“Well, Dahlia, it was nice catching up with you, but I should probably head out. Got an early morning tomorrow.”
“No problem. Nice seeing you.” I tamp down my annoyance with a smile.
Julian tenses behind me. Evan doesn’t spare me another glance as he disappears into the crowd.
I escape Julian’s hold and turn toward him. “What the hell was that about?”
Julian ignores me as he drains the rest of his whiskey.
“I asked you a question.” I poke at his chest.
“He’s not your type.”
“And how would you know that?” I blurt out.
“I just know.”
“Feel free to share, since clearly I don’t.” Julian being so acutely aware of my needs rubs me the wrong way.
Julian’s nose scrunches with distaste. “He’s too nice.”
“I’m sure that seems like a negative trait to you, but to the rest of us, nice is good. Actually, it’s the freaking bare minimum.”
His eyes flicker over my face for an extra beat. While Evan’s perusal didn’t even make me blink twice, Julian’s has my body temperature spiking.
“You’d get bored within a month.”
“How would you know? You’ve never been in a relationship.”
“That might be true, but I knowyou.”
My lungs stall. “Oh, is that right?”
He remains quiet as he raises his empty glass toward the bartender. I’m not sure what makes me bolder—the annoyance pumping through my system or my insatiable need to peek behind the curtain of Julian’s mind.
“Maybe I need a man like Evan,” I say. “Someone kind and caring and willing to treat me well.”
“That’s fine, but you also want someone to challenge you, and Evan—the town’s biggest people-pleaser—isn’t it.”
Shock is quickly replaced by horror.
Oh God.Did Julian and I screw each other up so badly that we can’t find happiness with others because we’re always looking for a fight?
