A hand lands on my thigh, and I stiffen, looking down. He runs his palm up and down my thigh. “I’m really sorry about Sky and her husband. Her kids seem great. Callie told me that?—”
“Yeah.” I’m not ready to hear anyone else say it out loud just yet.
“That’s what I meant earlier with the tough gig thing.”
I feel my lips tip and quickly press them back down. “I got that. Looks like we both have some uphill battles this year.”
His head falls back, and his hand drops from my thigh as he stares at the sky. “I’m not sure ours are evenly matched on importance.” He swivels his head, his dark eyes finding mine, and for a second, I forget how to breathe. “But if I had to bet on anyone, it would be you.”
I swallow to coat the dryness of my throat. The last thing I should feel in this moment is desire. “I should go. The kids…” My chair screeches along the deck, tipping over behind me.
He grabs my hand, his calloused palms warming mine. “Leighton?—”
The back door opens, and my head turns as fast as my heart rate skyrockets. Callie’s eyes dart between us, then zero in on our joined hands.
I slip my hand out of his slowly as if I can convince her she was seeing things. “Hey, are the kids okay?”
She steps out onto the deck. “Hayes, you’re doing a piss-poor job.”
He stands and shoves his hands in his pockets. “I’m on a break.” He winks at me, and my treacherous stomach somersaults.
Remember, you make bad decisions when you’re around him.
“And you told me to help Leighton through today. I’m helping, aren’t I?” He raises his eyebrows.
It’s really unfair for someone to be so damn beautiful.
“He brought me a Twix,” I say, and Callie’s forehead wrinkles. My cheeks heat. I sound pathetic. “Excuse me.”
I slide past Callie, stepping back into the house, but I overhear her say, “Hold up, big brother. You have some explaining to do.”
Chapter
Three
Hayes
* * *
The door shuts as Callie walks over to stand in front of me and lean against the deck railing. She scared Leighton off, which is the typical outcome ever since that kiss we shared.
My sister crosses her arms, giving me that same expression she does when she tries to maneuver a birth order role reversal, as if she’s the big sister and I’m the little brother. I fall back into the chair, knowing this won’t be a quick conversation.
“Whatcha doing?” She’s not asking if I’m enjoying the nice spring day. No, she’s always had her antenna up when it comes to Leighton and me.
Not that I think Callie has any idea that back in college, I may or may not have kissed her best friend. I assume Leighton never told her, otherwise I would’ve heard about it.
“You summoned me here.” I feel the need to remind her, even if there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.
“To distract the guests, not swindle alone time with my best friend.”
Flirting with Leighton has long been a favorite pastime. But ever since she ran that night, I’ve tried to be polite and keep my distance. But this, what’s just been thrown in her lap is some serious shit, and I want her to know I’m in her corner. My sister doesn’t need to know any of this though. “You’re paranoid.”
“Am I?”
If I answer, I’ll tell her the same thing I always do—that I don’t want Leighton. There’s truth in that statement but more lies than truth. Leighton being Callie’s best friend would cause a lot of problems if I actively went after her. I’m not sure how my sister would take it. She wasn’t a fan back in high school when her friends wanted to spend more time with me than her. The two of them are like sisters, and I would never want to cause trouble between them. So even though I do want Leighton, I’ll try to keep myself on a tight leash.
“If you ask me, she’s one of four people in that house who need a distraction. Not the bleach blonde trapezing around the room as though she’s in a ‘Be the Next Martha Stewart’ competition.”
