Page 31 of Never Kiss Your Brother's Best Friend

"Of course," I murmur, and watch her walk away.

I turn and focus on Buddy. He seems to be having the time of his life, making new friends at every stop. I'm thankful for the distraction, but as I walk along, I can't stop thinking about the way she looked at me just a moment ago.

I’m starting to worry about how hard it will be to resist her if we continue to spend so much time together.

But that's not even the biggest issue.

What I'm most concerned about is that I’ve stopped thinking how Peter will feel if something happens between us. She's worth whatever comes, even if it's a punch in the nose.

It's like a fog is lifting, and I'm seeing things differently now.

There’s a lighthouse beacon trying to warn me that I’m headed for trouble, particularly by crashing into a rock named Peter. But I’m sailing right toward it anyway.

Chapter thirteen

EMMA

Back at the clinic, we put our notes on the businesses who agreed to contribute into a spreadsheet. We've already been promised quite a few high-ticket items. I let out a sigh of relief. The generosity is overwhelming. Sterling and I exchange proud glances.

It’s amazing how much of an impact we've made in just one day.

"Look at this," Sterling says, picking up the printout. "People really believe in what we're doing."

I smile, the weight of the day lifting off my shoulders. "Yeah, we are. It's incredible. I knew this town had heart. Today just proved it."

As we make some plans to pick up the promised donations later, I can't help but notice how Sterling looks at me. I didn’t really notice until so many people teased him today, but now I can see it.

He has a way of capturing my attention too, and right now, his gaze is so intense that it's almost hard for me to breathe.

But that’s nothing compared to how he looked at me right before my brother called and interrupted what should've been the most romantic moment of my life. One I’ve been hoping for as far back as I can remember.

For a minute, the whole world stopped, and I swear, it was just the two of us.

But all too soon, reality came crashing back. My brother's voice broke the spell, and all because he wanted to know the secret ingredient in mom’s famous lasagna.

It was an innocent enough question, but the timing was awful. The magic was gone.

Maybe Peter has some superpower sense that alerts him any time his sister gets too close to his best friend. Honestly, it wouldn't shock me at this point.

"Great work today," Sterling says, says, bringing me back to the present. His voice sounds filled with genuine admiration.

"You too, Dr. Grumpy," I tease, and he rolls his eyes playfully.

With the work done, Sterling suggests we celebrate our success with some takeout and a movie. We head to the small breakroom, and he pulls out his laptop to browse through the options. The atmosphere is light and relaxed, a stark contrast to the intensity of the day.

As we scroll through the movie choices, Sterling's eyes light up when he comes across one. "Hey, check this out," he says, pointing to the screen. "This one reminds me of you."

I glance at the title and see a romantic comedy. "Really? How so?"

He grins, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well, the main character is smart, creative, and has this amazing ability to charm everyone around her. Sound familiar?"

My heart skips a beat at his words, and I'm momentarily speechless. My brain short-circuits, and all I manage out is, "I-I mean, it's not completely accurate."

Sterling lets out a laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, it is. The protagonist is pretty much your clone. Plus, she's adorable."

"Adorable, huh? Well, she's in high school, so that makes her pretty much a kid," I joke.

"Okay, so it's a younger version of you. But you were just like this girl in high school. That's why I had such a crush on you."

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