“Yes, you do.” Mia nods emphatically.
“And you don’t think Jared is capable?” Haley asks.
I shrug. “I’m not trying to put him down. I adore him. And he’s gorgeous of course. And successful. But I don’t think he wants to settle down. And I’m not built for casual.”
“I wish Emerson were here tonight,” Haley says. “She’s so busy opening up her photo studio. But she would probably be a lot more helpful than us since she’s engaged to the other Storm twin. And since she now lives with Max and not me…” She pouts before smiling… “I won’t get to see her when I go home.”
“She’s already texted me,” I say. “I’ll see her soon, I’m sure.”
“Have you told Jared any of what you just told us?” Mia wonders.
“Not in so many words. I don’t want to ruin our friendship. I couldn’t bear to lose him as a friend.”
Jamie Beth assesses me for a moment. “And yet, you look sad.”
I look at her in surprise. Winter and Peyton are my closest friends from childhood, and they know me so well. Yet, I don’t think they’ve ever noticed that I’m actually sad about Jared. They’re too busy trying to uncover the mystery between us. But the truth is simpler than they think it is.
“I am,” I admit. “I think I’ve always been sad about what could never be.”
“I’m sorry.” Haley pats my hand. “Living together must be extra challenging.”
“It will be fine,” I say with a confidence I don’t feel.
“Let’s all go to the game tomorrow night!” Jamie Beth says. “Mia, can you score us tickets?”
Mia laughs. “Of course. You can all sit in the box with me if you want. I’d love the company. Declan will be there, but he’ll be busy chatting with the other owners too.”
“Jared invited me to come,” I say. “He’ll be thrilled if I show up. I told him I wasn’t sure I could squeeze it in this week.”
“Oh, you have to come!” Jamie puts her hands in a prayer pose. “We’ll have so much fun.”
“Okay,” I say with a laugh. “Since you’re twisting my arm and all.”
We’re busy chatting so I’m not looking around at the bar, but the hair on the back of my neck stands up at the same time that Jamie Beth whistles.
I know without turning that Jared’s here. I can feel his presence from across a room.
Jamie says in a low tone, “Whoa. Speak of the devil.”
“So much for girls’ night,” Haley mutters. “The Storm twins are about to crash our party in three, two…”
“Hey.”
Jared slides into the booth next to me. He puts his arm around me as Max nods his head at me and grins before taking the seat across from us on the other side of Mia.
The twins can change the air in a room. With their matching dark hair and wicked smiles, Jared and Max Storm are too hot for their own good. And yet, as much as they look alike physically, their temperaments are quite different.
Max is reserved where Jared is sociable. Even before he fell in love with Emerson, Max wasn’t known to date or even flirt much. Jared will flirt with anyone. I always thought if Max found the right woman, he’d have no problem settling down. Jared? Not so much.
Case in point—Jared’s phone buzzes in his pocket. He ignores it. It continues to buzz.
“Aren’t you going to look at your text?” I ask him.
“Not important,” he says.
“How do you know?” I press, knowing I’m just asking for trouble. “It could be Hunter or Liam.”
“It’s not,” Max says with a hard look at Jared. “We just talked to them on our way here.”
