Page 7 of We're One

Once I’m alone with my thoughts again, I’m well aware I’m at a crossroads. Should I continue to pursue this connection I have with Sia, or do I let it go? Do I simply play out the game and see where it leads? I won’t see her for at least another week unless I find a reason to meet with her sooner. The best thing I can do for now is to go out with my brother and let it all go for the weekend. Maybe I can think more clearly come Monday morning.

I change and get ready to meet Blaze at a downtown club. I’ve never been a big fan of clubs, but Blaze loves them. It’s different now as he’s head over heels in love with Courtney, so he’s not there to pick up women, but he does love the music, food, and drinks, and a club is a good place to conduct business as long as you’re in one of the VIP rooms away from the exuberantly loud noise.

More thoughts consume me on my way downtown so the drive doesn’t feel as long as it normally does. I’ve always been a thinker, but I can usually shut off my mind when I want to. That’s not happening today. I drop my vehicle off with the valet, then cut through the line and make my way to the door.

Stepping inside the dimly lit club, the pulsing beat of the music washes over me, immediately taking my stress away. This is a jazz club, so the people are dressed to the nines, and the dancing is a lot sexier in my opinion. I’ve never understood the appeal of simply grinding on your partner. Dancing should be a slow seduction, not just rubbing body parts together. I smile. I do like rubbing against a soft female body, but there’s magic in sensuality. Grinding takes that away.

I head toward the VIP area and spot a woman dancing on the floor with her hands up in her hair. Her hips sway as she flows with the jazz beat. She’s stunning from behind and a spark settles in my stomach. Relief flows through me. Sia simply surprised me today. I’m not obsessed with her. I only had to get out of the house and out of my own head. I turn from the woman and make my way past the velvet rope and up the stairs where I find Blaze with a drink in his hand, sitting at a table with a view of the dance floor below.

“About time you got here. I thought you’d weasel out of it,” he says with a laugh. Before I can sit, a waitress is at my side, taking my order. It’s nice having money. I rarely have to wait on anything or anyone.

“You’re lucky I didn’t have plans,” I tell him. Then I laugh. “Well, I did have plans, but I wanted out of them, which is why I’m here,” I admit.

“I feel gossip coming. What were you trying to get out of?”

“You love gossip more than a girl,” I tell him with a shake of my head.

“I love drama too, as long as it doesn’t involve me,” Blaze says, not at all ashamed of this.

“You’re a very strange man,” I tell him.

“And you’re stalling. What’s happening?”

I could try to avoid this longer, but I want to talk. As quickly as I was sidetracked from Sia, I’m back to thinking about her. Blaze’s eyes light up and I wonder what he’s reading on my face.

“Oh, you had that meeting with the interior designer, Sia, today, didn’t you?”

I’m shocked. I can’t remember telling him about the meeting. Of course, he was there when I opened the box so he knew it was coming, but still, for him to know the timing is odd.

“I did meet with her, then after, a date I was going on tonight showed up at the house uninvited. I wanted her gone,” I tell him, trying to sidetrack the conversation.

“I don’t care about some date you’d have forgotten by morning. I want to hear what went on with Sia. I bet she’s hot.”

I laugh. “I have no doubt you looked up her design firm.”

His grin grows even bigger. “Of course I stalked her website, but there were no pics, which was highly disappointing. Describe her to me.”

I roll my eyes. “She’s uptight and not hot at all,” I lie.

“Liar! I can see something’s already happening. You’re all flustered, and it’s not about some one-night stand showing up at the ranch.”

I’m grateful when my drink arrives. I order another immediately as I pick up the glass and drain half of it. Blaze laughs again. He’s enjoying my misery. In his defense I enjoyed it when he was miserable. Heart misery is fun to watch. None of us want the others in true pain. We do actually love each other.

I let out a sigh as I run my hand through my hair. “She’s certainly good at her job. I was impressed with her initial ideas and visions as she walked through the house. But there’s something about her that seems... familiar.”

Blaze leans back. “Of course there is. I knew Courtney and Callan knew Sasha, so I figured you’d know Sia as well. It’s funny that you didn’t immediately know her though. That’s not a good sign. Whoever is pulling the strings of this game seems to know best in the end.”

I glare at my brother. I’m not sure why this never crossed my mind before. I watched my brothers go through their journey with the women in their lives. What makes me think my journey should be any different? Maybe because I don’t want to believe fate dictates my life. I don’t like that idea at all.

“I don’t know that I know her. But I have a feeling I’ve met her before.

“Tell me more,” Blaze demands.

“It’s hard to explain,” I admit, frustration creeping into my voice. “It’s like I knew her before, like there’s a connection between us, though she certainly doesn’t like it. I don’t know. It’s consumed my thoughts from the moment I met her at the front door. I asked her, though, if we know each other, and she said no. She hesitated though, which I’m thinking is a very bad sign.”

“Then the game’s officially begun. My only suggestion for you is to go with it. The more you fight it the more frustrated you’ll become. Take it from me, if you roll with it, it will be a hell of a lot less painful.”

“Maybe I don’t want to play this damn game,” I grumble.

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