“Wait, is this like the time I went out with my brother’s best friend because I was in denial about being so into the guy I wasn’t supposed to be into?”
I swallow hard again. “Remind me, was that before or after your hands-free project?” I add my most charming smile at the end.
“We both know I was already knocked up by then. And don’t think you’re distracting me from drawing all kinds of inappropriate conclusions about you and Claire.”
I cringe. “Let’s just say this situation keeps getting stranger by the second.”
“Does that mean you’ve been working on a secret project of your own in ag class?” Her eyes sparkle with excitement.
“Ah, I think you’ve lost me now,” I fib in another poor attempt to create a diversion.
She gasps. “Oh my gosh, does Daisy even know her work bestie’s been fitting your pipes?”
I choke and mumble something incoherent, but I’m afraid my train of thought derailed the moment Loren referred to Claire as my sister’sbestie.
“Look at you, Doctor Athanasius,” she continues, shimmying her shoulders, “I wasn’t sure you had it in you, but maybe youarea bad boy.”
My face feels like it’s on fire now. The song finally comes to an end, and I mutter a polite thank you before darting off to the men’s room to splash cold water on my cheeks.
I’m so busy searching the room for Claire as soon as I emerge that I bump someone’s shoulder.
“Oh, sorry, ma’am,” I say once I hear heels clicking against the floor. I reach out to offer a hand, but she manages to steady herself without my help. And I suck in a sharp breath when her hazel eyes meet mine.
“Um, hi,” Claire says hesitantly as her posture straightens. She smooths a hand over her hair and adjusts the waistline of her fitted jumpsuit. It’s far more modest than that purple cocktail dress, the lines of which have been burned into my memory. But I suppose that dress hadn’t survived the night in one piece, much like me.
“Hi,” I return, dragging my gaze away from her body. “It’s good to see you.”
“Is it?” she asks, her voice full of doubt.
I shove my hands in my pockets to keep myself from reaching out again. “Yeah. Unexpected, but good.”
She shrugs. “Wasn’t sure you’d remember me. That Benadryl buzz of yours was pretty strong.”
“Not strong enough to forget you, Claire,” I murmur. “I’m more surprised you remembered me.”
“I don’t get aroundthatmuch,” she says with a sardonic smile. “Plus, I was sort of expecting you to be here after recognizing you in my favorite work friend’s family photos a couple weeks back.”
My stomach bottoms out once she makes it clear she could have found me but didn’t want to. “Maybe that’s why I looked so familiar to you, then.”
“I figured it contributed to that inexplicable trust on some subconscious level, at least.”
“So you and Daisy taught together for a while?” I continue, trying to move past the ache in my chest.
“I was her mentor, actually,” she explains, lifting a shoulder. “I got to show her the ropes.”
Well, that makes two of us.
I clear my throat. “Then I suppose I owe you my gratitude for taking her under your wing.”
“Your sister’s a doll. You can’t help but love her.”
“Yeah, she’s the best.”
“And there are, what, nine of y’all?” Her eyes graze the crowd where some of my siblings and their families are gathered. I nod, my cheeks heating again as some of them take notice of our interaction.
“Growing up with so many brothers and sisters must have been amazing,” Claire continues.
“It’s certainly made life interesting,” I say.
