Page 87 of Hard to Score

“Me.” She gives me a cheesy grin that confirms I’ve been the topic of discussion when I haven’t been here.

“That’s the biggest load of crap I’ve ever heard.”

“Why all the secrecy?”

“It’s not secrecy, it’s just . . .” I sigh and shake my head. “This one matters, Chase.”

Her head startles. “Haven’t they all?” She chuckles.

“And that’s why the secrecy. Thank you for proving my point.”

“No. Wait,” she says as I snap my laptop closed and gather my papers. “You’re being serious.”

I take a second before I meet her eyes. “I know my love life is a joke to you guys. I get you don’t understand it. I’m more than aware that I date—a lot, that I fall in love, and then out of love—a lot. But there’s something about this guy, Chase.”

“Like what? He’s a god in the sack?”

“There is that.” I make no attempt to hide the grin that slides onto my face. “But it’s more than that.”

“Like what?”

“You wouldn’t understand. You see men as an itch to scratch. As someone to use for some stress release when you’ve decided you want to take a minute to stop conquering the world. You’re intimidated by anyone or anything because you have plans, and nothing is going to get in the way of that.”

“Thank you, Dr. Kincade. I wasn’t aware you’d gone back to school to get your degree in psychology,” she teases with an annoyed edge to it.

“It’s true. When was the last time you had a relationship? When you looked forward to talking to someone just because, and there was no ulterior motive to sleep together?”

My little sister stares blankly at me and then huffs out a breath. “Just because I’m different than you, doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.”

“Exactly,” I say with a nod.

“So what if I have a list of things I want to accomplish before I fall down the rabbit hole of love? It’s not that I don’t believe in it, it’s more that I don’t want to be sidetracked by it.”

“And I understand that and I love that about you . . . but that means you don’t have a clue how I feel when it comes to this.”

“Then explain it to me. I’m not emotionally stunted. I’m just busy—all the time—and feelings get in the way of my drive.”

I stare at Chase, at the one who wants to conquer the world, and smile softly. “He scares me. The way he makes me feel. The way he makes me want. I’m terrified that letting outsiders know about us, will ruin what we have.”

“But isn’t that the test of any good relationship? Being able to withstand the outside influences and pressures?”

Always practical, she has a point there.

A point I’m not ready to feel out yet but know we’ll have to tackle very soon.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

BREXTON

“THIS IS JUST WHAT THE doctor ordered,” Jules says, as she lifts up the glass of wine and takes a healthy sip. Her auburn hair bobs as she does a little wiggle and a smile.

“A ridiculously long honeymoon to the Mediterranean was that rough, huh?”

“No. Not because of that.” She rolls her eyes and swats at my arm. “More like I feel that the wedding consumed my every waking second for so damn long and now that it’s over, I can breathe again.”

“Well, everything went off without a hitch. It was gorgeous.” I look around the outdoor farmer’s market where we’ve taken up space at a table somewhere between a florist and an organic produce stand. People mill about from vendor to vendor on this warm evening. “And Mildred? She is incredible, and I’d like to thank you for seating me at her table.”

Jules laughs. “She’s one of a kind.”