Jake
As I’m toweling off after my shower, someone starts banging on my front door. Instead of rushing to answer it, I finish drying off and slip on a pair of sweatpants. It’s been three hours since I spoke to Emily, so the hope that it’s her and that she’s decided to keep flirting with me, if that was what she was doing, is less than zero.
Bang. Bang. Bang. The front window rattles with each fist connection.
Kaleb stands on the porch, easily visible through the uncovered windowpanes. His fist connects again. I glare at him and contemplate sneaking out the kitchen door, leaving him standing on the front porch, acting like a lunatic.
Bang. “I know you’re in there.” His voice is muffled through the thick wood. “I see your dumb ass.”
He’d see me leave and follow me. I growl and stomp across the hardwood living room floor before yanking open the door. “What?”
“Took you long enough.” Kaleb marches inside and spins to face me as I shut the door behind him. He’s wearing his black fire department pants and a white T-shirt. His dark hair is cut shorter than the last time I saw him.
“I was in the shower.” I cross my arms over my bare chest and wait.
“What’re you doing stalking my sister?”
“I’m not stalking your sister.” I tip my head back and give him a cold stare.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned being a police officer, it’s how to keep an emotionless expression. I don’t use it much because I’d rather relate to people on a more personal level, but I can give an award-winning performance of disinterest tinged with disdain.
He flings his hands in the air. “So, she’s following you around again?”
“No, she’s not.” But if she did, I wouldn’t tell her to go away. I’m not sharing that with him. He doesn’t appear to be in the mood to consider us as a couple.
“Then why’re you two always together?”
“We’re not always together.” I unlace my arms and brace them on my hips. “I’m a police officer and she’s a paramedic. Our jobs will place us in the same circles. Just like the fire department interacts with the police and paramedics. Our jobs will always align. The other day, I was at your mother’s house before she showed up. And today, I was helping Rosemarie when Em walked around the corner to get to her car.”
There’s no need to bring up the times we’ve seen each other that he isn’t aware of. That’ll only bring attention to something that likely isn’t even there.
“What about the other night when you stopped by to see Mom again when Emily was there?” His eyes narrow into slits. “You can’t tell me you didn’t see her car in the driveway.”
Jesus. He’s a pain in the ass. Kaleb told me to stay away from his sister years ago. It made sense at the time. She was sixteen years old. But she’s an adult woman now. She can make her own decision. And if that decision is to date me, I’m sure in the fuck not going to turn her down.
The faint taste of blood fills my mouth as my teeth pierce my tongue to keep from blowing up at him. “Yes, I saw she was there, but I was doing the neighborly thing and checking on your mother who’d just gotten out of the hospital.”
“She lives two blocks away.”
“You wouldn’t stop by and see my mom if she’d gotten out of the hospital, and I wasn’t around?”
“Of course I’d stop by and see your mom.” His eyes are so narrow that the green is nearly invisible. “Fuck,” he growls and rakes a hand through his hair. “Fine. I believe you, but you need to leave my sister alone.”
“Why?” Why am I not good enough for Emily? The muscles in my jaw flex with anger as the word flies out of my mouth before I can stop it. It doesn’t matter that I was in the clear. The fact that he’s this pissed about us talking has my anger boiling over and rational thought evaporating.
Maybe I wasn’t four years ago, but I’m not that same college frat kid anymore. Besides, I’ve been his best friend since grade school. Who would be better than me? I care about her family. Her mom loves me. Her stupid ass brother has always had my back.
Until now. So, what gives?
“Dude.” He rolls his eyes. “You’re a player. You don’t commit to anyone. The only girl you’ve dated for over a month was Amanda and look at how that turned out.”
“That was not my fault. I didn’t cheat on her. She’s the one who hooked up with someone else. You can’t hold that against me.”
Not to mention, I haven’t dated anyone in three years. Not since I realized that screwing random women wasn’t going to erase the hurt from watching Emily kiss Spencer. Those feelings still haven’t gone away. They’ve always been there.
And after seeing her again, they’re flowing all over the place and nearly drowning me. I’m tired of pretending they don’t exist.
When I open my mouth to continue, he raises his hand. “I don’t want to have to pick up the pieces when you break her heart. I’d have to choose her over you.”
