“We were just fine. Right?” She stared up at me, giving my hand a little squeeze.
My eyes snapped between her and her brother, taking in her hopeful expression and his heated gaze. Fuck, it was awkward.
“I, uh, I should get going,” I said, slipping my hand out of Tegan’s grip. “I have an early morning at the gym tomorrow.”
“Oh, um, okay.” From the tone of her voice, she was obviously upset, but I couldn’t stand another awkward moment of whatever this was.
She passed me my jacket, wrapping her bare arms around herself. “I’ll see you around.”
I nodded. “You know where to find me.”
Her brother stood there silent as a sentry, glaring at me so intensely, it made my skin crawl.
What was with this guy?
“Have a good night,” Tegan said half-heartedly.
“You, too.” I gave her a little wave before I turned to walk away.
I heard her brother ask, “What were you doing out there?”
“That’s not really any of your business, now, is it?” Her reply was full of sass.
“You’re my sister,” he snapped. “Of course it’s my business.”
I stopped in my tracks, listening to the two of them bicker as they walked inside. One thing was for sure—even if Tegan was interested in me, her brother definitely didn’t approve.
Not that it mattered anyway. We were two people who were swept up in the moment. That was it. That’s all it would ever be.
Eight
Tegan
The overhead bell of thebakery tinkled and my eyes immediately snapped to the door.
Ever since the wedding, I’d been trapped in some Pavlovian hell, conditioned to think that each time the bell of the bakery rang, it was going to be Atlas. So far, I’d been sorely disappointed.
Just like I was right now as Brian, the owner of the Busy Bean, walked through the door.
“Hey, Brian. How are you today?” I put on my best customer service voice, forcing myself to sound more upbeat than I felt.
“I’m doing great,” he said, flashing that perfect boy-next-door smile he was known for. “Just stopping in to pick up the kolaches.” He held up a cardboard drink carrier with two Busy Bean to-go cups inside of it. “I brought you and Selene lattes.”
“Thank you. That was so sweet of you.”
“It’s the least I can do for you, since you’re special-making these for me.”
At a coffee convention in Texas, he’d fallen in love withkolaches. Apparently, they weren’t a thing in our area, so he’d recruited me to supply them for the coffee shop.
I pulled the box from the display case and slid it across the counter. “There’s cherry, apple, and cream cheese in there, but I was thinking we could try strawberry in the summer.”
“Strawberry would be great.” He stood there for a minute, awkwardly staring at me.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Uh, I was wondering—” It was obvious he was working up the courage to ask whatever it was that was on his mind. “Was that guy you were with at the wedding your boyfriend?” Poor guy blurted the last part in a single breath. It was so rushed, I almost missed it.
“No. He’s just—” I hesitated for a second. Could I call Atlas a friend? Or was he more of an acquaintance? We’d almost kissed, but I didn’t really know him. Not nearly as well as I wanted to. “He’s a friend.”
