Page 11 of Spark of Attraction

I’d already endured that once and didn’t want to go through that hell again.

CHAPTER SEVEN

ELLIE

“Everything’s fine, Josh,” I assured my brother. “Mal repaired the outlet and checked the others, too. He also gave me a list of tradespeople he recommends, and another list of people he doesn’t recommend. I’ve got a roofer coming over later this afternoon to give me a quote, and another one promised me he’ll come out tomorrow.”

Oops, maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned Malcolm by name? I still couldn’t get over the idea that my own brother had made his best friend swear to never ask me out. Or that Malcolm had agreed, or that all these years later he still worried about Josh’s reaction.

“Whatever you do, don’t take the first quote they offer. And research the companies and look at the ratings, good and bad,” my brother said.

“Josh, I’ve done my research, okay?” His obvious advice frustrated me but life with Gareth had taught to keep my tone level, unreadable.

How different would my life have been if Josh hadn’t made Malcolm swear to walk away from me? Would we have survived as a couple while I went to college? Or would we have split up, like he had with his girlfriend Natalie? Why had he split up with Natalie?

My mother, who is good friends with Malcolm’s mom Louise, had kept me in the loop about Malcolm, though I was never sure if she realized that my questions about him were not completely innocent.

“Maybe I should come over,” Josh fretted. “They might be more honest with a guy around.”

Good thing we weren’t on a video call because my eyes were rolling so hard, he wouldn’t have missed it. The worst part was admitting he was probably right. “You can’t leave the office in the middle of tax season. I know how swamped you are, and Mom wouldn’t be happy with you leaving her in the lurch.”

He hmmed in agreement. “I worry about you, Ell. I don’t want to see you taken advantage of. I’m trying to help.”

Except his help had interfered with a potential relationship with Malcolm back in high school.

“Josh?” I asked, hating the hesitation in my voice. “Why did you make Mal swear not to ask me out back in high school? Is there something wrong about him that you’ve never told me?”

A gusty sigh preceded his, “He told you about that, huh?”

“Yes. So why did you warn him away?”

“Because he was my best friend and you were my little sister. If something happened between you, if you two didn’t work out, I was afraid I’d have to choose and I’d always choose you, Ell.”

“So you interfered because you thought you might lose him as a friend if we broke up?”

“In case you don’t remember, I wasn’t exactly the most popular kid back in high school.”

No, with his then-thick glasses, curly red hair and slight belly that these days would be called a dad bod, plus Josh’s affinity for math and puzzles, he hadn’t been one of the cool kids. I hadn’t realized how much it affected him. Maybe because I hadn’t been one of the cool kids either?

“If it makes you feel any better, I had to promise to stay away from Chantel,” he said dryly.

“You don’t even like Chantel. You two were always at each other’s throats.” Still were.

“I know, but he said if he had to stay clear of my sister, I had to stay clear of his.”

I shook my head to clear it and forced myself back on track. “So he doesn’t have a bad temper or anything?”

“No, Ell. Mal’s one of the good guys. He doesn’t yell when he gets angry. He gets quieter.”

“You mean like he gives you the silent treatment?” Gareth had done that a lot and I’d grown to hate it.

“No. He gets even more patient. I don’t know how he does it, but he’s the most freaking reasonable guy under pressure I’ve met. His dad is the same, don’t you remember?”

Okay, that was good. “D’you know why he and Natalie broke up?”

A long pause. “You’d have to ask him. Are you really interested in him still?”

“Yes.” I stopped myself from blurting, I kissed him yesterday. And I liked it. Nor did I admit that I wanted to do a hell of a lot more than kiss Malcolm. Neither confession would would go over well with my brother. “I want to ask him out, but I don’t want you interfering again, okay? Promise me?”

---