Page 72 of I'd Never Date my Brother's Best Friend

“Not when it’s unrequited,” I snap. “Sean doesn’t love me. Look at how hard he worked to get me a boyfriend. Would someone in love with me do that? I can’t stay pining after him when he doesn’t look my way.”

“I see.” Evelyn nods. “So Sean likes to spend all of this time with you, brings you breakfast, takes you to see his parents, and in all these, you think he doesn’t have any feelings for you?”

“Your parents too,” I say disconcerted with how Evie is breaking this all down. She raises her eyebrows and stares at me. I can’t help but laugh.

I sigh. Evelyn’s question makes my heart constrict. What if she’s right? I feel butterflies take flight in my stomach at the idea Sean may be in love with me, but my brain immediately shuts it down.

“No. You’re wrong. First, our families have been friends forever and are like a second family to me. Second, he’s never mentioned anything to me. A man in love with you would tell you that he’s in love with you, right?”

Evelyn crouches before me, her hands folded on my lap. “Sean is my brother,” she says. “Trust me when I tell you that guy is into you.”

“What?”

“Sean is into you. I’m not going to sit here and tell you categorically that he’s in love with you, but I know he likes you very much, Jessica. It’s in everything he does. How he looks at you when he thinks no one is looking. The smile that he gives to just you, the glint in his eyes when he’s teasing you. Trust me when I tell you this, Jess.”

“Evelyn,” I smile. “You’ve got to stop putting ideas in my head. Okay? I’d hate to think Sean feels something for me only to end up disappointed. Please.”

She stares at me for a long moment before rising and returning to her seat. “You’ve always been bad at picking up signals from men. Even when they are ridiculously obvious and in your face, you’re oblivious to it. I can see the situation very clearly, and I know what I know.”

I roll my eyes and focus on my snack. Evelyn shakes her head. “When you and Sean sat here, arguing about your date, it was because he was crazy with jealousy.”

“What?”

“Yes.” Evelyn nods. “He was jealous. You kept talking about how Rick was the perfect gentleman and the more you said the more Sean got tense.”

I think back to the day and remember everything that was said. How he reacted. Could it be that he was genuinely jealous? He apologized to me the next day but never mentioned why he acted that way. I shake my head and finish up the rest of my milkshake.

“I’ve got to go.”

“Are you okay?” Evelyn asks, her eyes wide with concern.

“Totally fine.” I can’t stay here with Evie. It will just drag me further into the storm of delusion that’s sweeping me away. I need to get out, not swim further in. Everything Evie just said is messing with my head. The hope that I feel at the possibility of Sean having feelings for me is scary. If I let myself believe that and then he rejects me, I will be heartbroken.

I hug Evelyn and find my way outside Bake My Day, and head straight to my car. There’s nothing to do at home, but at least I won’t be listening to Evelyn tell me things that I want to believe but don’t think are true.

When I pull up to my house I realize my complete focus was on everything Evie said about Sean. So much so, I don’t remember the drive home. The unconscious mind is a scary thing.

I pull into the driveway and see Sean stepping outside of my house. My stomach drops, my palms start to sweat and my heart decides that it needs to escape my ribcage. I take a deep breath and slowly blow it out to calm myself down.

“Jessica!”

So much for getting calm. I step out of the car and plaster a smile on my face as I turn to Sean. He’s wearing shorts and a blue tee that highlights his eyes. “Hey, Sean. When did you get back?”

“About an hour ago,” he says, stopping before me. “Where did you go? I brought you breakfast.”

“Really? That was nice. I decided to stop in to visit Evelyn and ate there.”

“Okay.” My heart beats faster, which I didn’t think was possible as he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear—an action he’s been doing a lot recently. I remember Evie’s words from earlier and my legs wobble underneath me.

“Heading out?” I ask.

“I’m gonna stop by Jamie’s house for a little bit.”

“Will you be gone long?”

“Why?” He folds his arms over his chest and smiles. That smile has me melting into a puddle at his feet. “Will you miss me?”

I arch my brow and smirk. “What if I will?”

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