My eyebrow arches as if that’s a bad thing. I unlock my car and lean toward him to sneak another kiss. He smiles into the action and I pull away before he can lock me in. I clamber into the driver’s seat and roll the window down after I start up. When Brandon leans on the window frame, I notice for the umpteenth time that he really has gotten so handsome. I never gave him a second look when we were younger. Also, he was way out of my age range at the time and was still a boy, but now he’s a man who likely knows the effect he has on me. With his straight nose and lips that are just the right size for me to kiss the top and bottom. And eyes that stare into my soul.
He leans forward and kisses me on the tip of my nose before backing away. “Bye, Angie.”
“Bye, Brandon.”
He steps back and I put my car in gear and pull out ofthe parking garage, watching in the rearview mirror as he turns to head toward his car. I kind of want to pinch myself to see if this is a dream. Because no way did I come here for a meeting to help with his game’s marketing and end up with him.
Does that make me the winner?
9
BRANDON
My phone rings on my desk for the hundredth time today, and for the hundredth time, I hit ignore. Carter stomps to my open door and gives me a look that’s more comical than annoyed. I’ve been continuing to avoid my family's phone calls, but I still see them at Sunday dinners. It’s been hard to keep a secret from them. I am so far from ashamed of what I have budding with her, but I know that when they find out, I’m more afraid of their reaction than anything.
Carter huffs and storms in, picking up my once again ringing cell phone, and answers the call from my mom. “Hi, Mrs. Hayes. How are you?” He narrows his eyes at me as my mom talks him up, looking for my whereabouts. “I believe he just stepped into another meeting.” He nods his head and flips me the bird. “Weshouldhave lunch one day. I’ll run it by him and let him know when he gets back. Bye.” He hangs up and tosses my phone on my desk.
“I didn’t tell you to answer,” I sulk and watch as he drops into the chair in front of my desk.
“Well if you turned your phone on silent or, I don’t know,answered the phone when your family called, I wouldn’t have to. Oh, and your Mom said she misses the sound of your voice that’s not your voicemail.”
I drop my head on the back of my office chair and look up at the basic office ceiling.
“Maybe this is a sign that you shouldn’t pursue anything with her.”
I pick my head up so fast I get a crick in my neck and my hand massages the spot.
Carter smirks at my discomfort and holds his hands up in a no offense manner. “Okay, so where does that put you two now?”
“We’re taking it slow and getting to know each other.”
“Weren’t your family's best friends?” Carter asks with a furrowed forehead.
“Yeah,” I start, “but she’s?—”
“Also the same age as Malcolm?”
“Yeah. And you know he and I don’t have that sort of relationship that James and I had.”
Carter crosses an ankle over his knee and sits back. “Classic jealous younger brother.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“How slow are you planning to take it?”
“Fishing for the best man spot?” I joke.
“You know I could never take James’s spot, but yes.”
I toss a stress ball to stall and gather my thoughts. “That’s so far off. And yes, I know that you and I are at the age where people are popping out a second kid or even on their first divorce. She’s not though—at the marriage or babies part yet. But after watching what Emily went through—Idon’t know if I could put myself or my partner through that.”
“You know that was unavoidable,” he says softly and it’s not a question.
I nod my head. “I know.”
Watching my almost sister-in-law read her wedding vows at my brother’s funeral, ruined something inside me. The idea of love, of having so much of your identity tied up in someone to provide your happiness, your safety, and God forbid your security—I don’t know if I could fathom putting my loved one through that.
“Okay, enough with my dating life. How’s yours?”
