My sister gave me a look. “Just be careful.”
When we arrived, I nursed a whiskey and kept an eye on the door.
And then she walked in. The room seemed to still around her. Natalie was stunning in a dress that looked like it was made for her. My first thought was God, I wish I could unzip that later.
I texted her. No response, just a glance across the room, sharp and loaded, like a warning and a wanting all at once. I knew that look. She needed me. I needed her more.
And then Jason showed. Of course, he did. He slid in beside her like he belonged there, hand on her back as they moved toward the bar. My stomach twisted. I took my cue and followed Sarah to our table.
During the auction, I saw Natalie get up. She slipped away from the table like she needed air. I waited for a beat, then followed. I knew it was risky. I knew she’d be cautious, but if we could just find a moment, one moment alone, I’d take it.
There was an outdoor patio tucked behind the ballroom. I slipped out. A few minutes later she found me.We didn’t touch. Not really. But as she turned to go, her fingers brushed against mine, barely there, like she didn’t mean to, but she did.
It was nothing. It was everything.
The air between us felt charged, like the world had tilted slightly off its axis. Her dress caught in the breeze, clinging and shifting in a way that made it hard to breathe. Something about tonight made it all feel more intense. More dangerous.
And when she walked away, I knew I was done for. This wasn’t just about wanting to sleep with her anymore. I wanted to be with her. I missed her when she wasn’t near me. I had so many things I wanted to tell her, stupid inside jokes about the auction crowd, dumb thoughts that only she would get. But I couldn’t even send a text.
How long could we keep doing this?
Being the other man wasn’t a role I ever imagined for myself. The more time passed, the more I fell for Natalie. I could picture a future with her, but could she with me? She was still married. I was torn between my heart and my head. Between what was right and what I wanted.
After the gala, Sarah and I headed to The Quiet Woman for a drink. Evan, met us there. He was disappointed when I invited Sarah as my date to the gala instead of him. But the last thing I needed was to ward off his advances on other mom’s, I didn't need any more attention drawn to the married women of St. Isidore's.
In the black car service, Sarah didn’t hold back. “You’re playing with fire. I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”
“I know,” I admitted. “But I’d rather see her whenever I can than not see her at all.”
She raised a brow, surprised. “Okay. I hope it goes the way you want. I could see it tonight—how she looked at you. She lit up the second she saw you.”
The Quiet Woman had a line out the door, but Evan was already waving us in. “Hey! How was the gala?” he asked as we pulled up. “What kind of ridiculous crap were they auctioning off this year?”
“It was for the kids,” Sarah said, her voice sincere.
“For the kids,” I repeated, but I didn’t sell it nearly as well. Evan shot me a look.
“How’s Natalie?”
“Married,” I said flatly. “Let’s get a drink.”
Inside, Evan worked his magic—he always knew someone. We snagged a booth in the corner where the band was just background noise.
“Maybe you need to get on someone else to forget about her,” Evan said.
“Evan, you’re disgusting,” Sarah snapped.
“I’m just trying to help my buddy out. He’s turned into a lovesick puppy. I’ve never seen him like this.”
“That’s the problem,” Sarah said. “No one’s ever gotten to him like she has.”
“Maybe it’s the chase. You can’t have her, so you want her more.”
“It’s not that,” I cut in, tired of this little intervention. A round of drinks showed up. I took a long sip. “I don’t want to get over her,” I said quietly. “I love her.”
Evan clutched his chest dramatically. “Willy’s in love!”
We let it drop after that. Evan spotted a few women at the bar and brought them over.
