“What’s wrong?” I asked immediately.
“Nothing,” she said. “Well . . . I just noticed that Pris and Sky seem to be getting cozy.”
My brows shot up. It took every ounce of control not to look back at the two of them again.
Given that Billie and I had known each other all of her life, it was difficult to disguise my expression. I shrugged. “And?”
She narrowed her eyes on me. “And? I thought you and Pris were gonna be a thing. You’ve had eyes on her for years.”
Dammit. Why did Billie have to be so observant? “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, reaching for a stack of papers to . . . restack. Casually. Shuffling them. “Pris is a gorgeous, smart, talented woman.”
“Yep. And you’re a kind, hardworking, handsome man. Although, maybehandsomeis sort of a stretch.”
I gave her thelook. “And?”
“And? I’m not blind. I’ve also seen you looking at Sky over the last week. Every night at dinner. Every morning at breakfast. Lunch, even. I really like them, by the way. They’re very sweet.”
They were sweeter than Ma’s honey peach tea. I’d yet to spend much time with them alone, but every encounter always left me yearning for more. And dammit, Billie was right. I had been looking at them at all our meals.
I thought no one would notice.
Apparently, I was wrong.
Pris had noticed too. But I’d noticed the way she looked at them, too. . .
It made me wonder what would happen if the three of us . . .
Stop.
I cleared my throat. “Billie, since when do you get involved in other people’s business like this? You know better.”
“Well, you’re my brother.”
“Oldest brother,” I quipped.
She snorted. “Sure. And Boone is so happy with Wylie. I think we’d all like to see you happy, too.”
“Iamhappy,” I protested.
“Oh yeah? Is that why you’ve stacked those papers ten times and won’t look me in the eye?”
I looked up at her and glared. “I’m happy. And besides, falling in love with someone isn’t the only way to be happy. We can all be happy alone. Single. I get plenty of joy from everything I do.”
“Okay.” She held up her hands in mock defense. “I’m just saying, Pris deserves love too. So does Sky. Could be the perfect situation.”
Itcouldbe, but it wouldn’t be.
“Sky will be gone before we know it,” I said. “And we’ve known Pris for years. If something was gonna happen there, it probably would have happened by now, don’t you think?”
Billie shrugged. “Knowing how you drag your feet when it comes to personal matters, not really.”
“Abilene Anne,” I growled.
She batted her eyelashes. “See you at dinner,Boss.”
My ears were burning as she left me alone to stew. What was it about my siblings? Always interfering and gettin’ in business they shouldn’t be in.
Although I wasn’t any different, was I? I’d spotted how Boone and Wylie looked at each other right from the start, which was why I’d talked to Wylie. Warned him that if he did anything to hurt Boone, there’d be trouble.
