“So how did you guys meet?” he asks next, but this time when I look away, I’m determined to keep my eyes away from him.
Joe jumps into the story right away. “We work together. At the coffee shop. Just off of Main. I’m the manager and she’s one of the baristas.”
“Ah, a little office romance,” he murmurs, but again it feels like cursing. “Not so chivalrous, after all.”
Embarrassed, Joe rubs the back of his neck with his hand. “Well, I know it’s not the most kosher thing. I am in a position of authority, but”—he shakes his head—“I couldn’t stop myself.”
He hums. “I bet you couldn’t.”
Asshole, asshole,asshole!
“So I broke down and asked her,” Joe continues with the story. “But of course, she said no.”
“Did she now?”
“I kept asking. To the point where I’m sure it got annoying for her. But then, two days ago, she surprisingly said yes, and here we are.”
“Two days ago, huh?” he murmurs with interest. “Well, lucky you.”
“Oh, I completely agree. And it’s not just because she’s pretty, you know? She’s just… She’s the most hardworking, independent girl I’ve ever met. She has two jobs plus her occasional catering gig, rents her own apartment, she takes care of her little sister all by herself, and especially after what happened last year?—”
“Why aren’t you at practice?” I ask abruptly, putting a stop to Joe’s story.
I know I said I’d keep aloof and that I wouldn’t get involved. But I don’t want Joe talking about my sister or anything at all that’s remotely personal to my life. Not tohim. My secret stepbrother.
If Joe thinks my interruption was weird, he’s too polite to show it. And the other guy at our table is acting like nothing is wrong anyway. Like he isn’t here, crashing my date and exacting revenge for what I did two days ago.
Like sitting back in his high-backed chair, all broad and tall, with the overhead lights bringing out the chocolate-colored strands in his gorgeously messy hair and highlighting his killer jawline, he has every right to flick his eyes over me. All arrogantly and dominatingly.
Possessively.
“Because practice is done for the day,” he says at last.
Well, duh. It’s dinnertime, so of course practice is done. But I didn’t have time to think of something better to say. I keep forging ahead though. “What about your after-practice activities?”
His eyes flash. “If by that you mean my weekly book club, we don’t meet on Tuesdays.”
He thinks he’s so funny, doesn’t he? I narrow my eyes at him. “Have you ever finished a book in your life?”
“Only the ones with a happy ending.”
“You—”
“Which is kinda why I’m here.”
My heart jumps in my chest. “What?”
He knows he’s got me. I can see it in his dark eyes. Dark and pretty andevil. I clench my fists in my lap, lest I give in to temptation and punch that look right off his face. Then, “Well, what kind of a big brother would I be if I didn’t make sure my little sister’s best friend’sdateis capable of giving her the happy ending she deserves?”
Okay, I’m hitting him. Iam. I don’t care what he does in retaliation but I’m wiping that triumphant look off his face right this second. But somehow, I curb myself once again and say, “Yes, that’s what I am. That’sallI am. Which means you don’t need to be interrogating my date like you’rereallymy big brother, and?—”
I feel Joe squeezing my hand, interrupting me. “Hey, I don’t mind. He’s just trying to look out for you.”
Look out, my ass. He’s trying to tell me that he hasn’t forgotten what I did two days ago. Seriously though, what a fucking asshole. All I did was knee him in the junk, and it wasn’t as if it was uncalled for.
But all I do is smile at Joe for being so nice and squeeze his hand back. Only for me to notice a second later thathe—the asshole—has his eyes on our joined hands at the table and his jaw is clenched. And it’s clenched so hard that a muscle is beating on his cheek. Somehow, I can feel the pulse of it on my skin, the burn of it, and I have to take my hand back and fist it in my lap.
At this point, the waitress brings our drinks and the moment breaks. Thankfully. I let Joe direct the conversation. Which mostly revolves around soccer. About practice, the upcoming season. Joe is careful about not bringing up the recent media rumors or last year’s championship game. And despite myself, I breathe a sigh of relief.
