I sighed and looked at him."She's still messed up over that fire.She had a hard time coming inside a few weeks ago when the place still looked wrecked and smelled like smoke."
"And now?"
"She did better today, but there're no reminders.It's down to the studs.Her upstairs apartment is another story entirely.She was sleeping when the fire broke out.I don't think you just get over that and move back in like nothing happened."She'd even mentioned that she didn't want to go upstairs.
"It will be like a new place when we're done with it."
"We'll see how she is."
"Are you offering her a place to stay permanently?"
I paused, not realizing that's how he took my comment."How would that work?Tom stays with me on leave."
"Just checking."
"I appreciate your help.But maybe you could talk less."
Cooper punched me in the arm, but I just laughed.This was the relationship with Cooper and my brothers that I enjoyed.We didn't take things too seriously, or at least we hadn't until we started our businesses.Then my brothers started pairing off one by one.
"We're the last single Sterlings," I said as we worked.
"I'm not a Sterling."
"You kind of are," I said absentmindedly."And if you're not, that means I'm the last guy standing, and that's not good."I didn't want the pressure, and at the same time, I didn't want everyone focused on me."Can you do me a favor and not tell my brothers about this?"
"You don't think Aspen will?"
"I hope not.I need more time to figure this thing out."
"You know your mom will be thrilled."
"She wants us to be settled, but Tom's my friend.There's no way he'd be okay with what's going on between us."
"You either need to step away or step up.You can't stay in this limbo for long.It's not fair to anyone."
I let out a breath."You're probably right."
He shook his head."I'm just glad I'm not in your position.Never date a friend's sister."
"It isn't like I intended for this to happen.I rescued her from the fire and then offered her a place to stay.I was protecting her like I promised Tom."
"Is that the only reason?Or did you see something else there?"
"That's what I've been wondering.Did I harbor a secret crush on her all these years?Or is it something that developed after the fire?Some kind of white-knight-in-shining-armor syndrome?"
"I don't think it matters how you started.But is she the girl you can see yourself with long-term?Or is it just a hookup."
"I don't even like using that word around Reina.She's so much more."
Joe came into the front room."You two gossip like old men, or are you actually going to do some work?"
"I'm here to work."I bumped shoulders with Cooper."I don't know about this guy."
He dropped the wire and moved toward the door."I got better things to do."
I laughed as he walked out.Cooper was a good friend.This wasn't something I wanted to talk to my brothers about.They wouldn't understand.They'd say I crossed a line and needed to get back over it before Tom found out.But I needed time to think about what I really wanted.
Chapter19
