Page 24 of Spark of Attraction

“How do you think I feel about my brother busting into my bathroom in my house because he doesn’t approve of me having an adult relationship? To know that you’re ready to punch out your best friend because you’re trying to control what we—” she circled her finger between me and herself “—do?”

“Ell—“

“No. How dare you demand he walk away? Mal is right. By controlling him, you’re controlling me. How do you think that makes me feel about you, huh?”

“I’m trying to protect you. That’s my job as your big brother.”

She shook her head. “You have a problem with a choice I make, you talk to me. We discuss it. Calmly. Rationally. You’re welcome to make your argument, but just because I listen won’t mean I’ll agree with you. I make a decision you don’t like? Tough shit. Even if I’m wrong, I have to make my own mistakes.” Her voice cracked so I tightened my grip on her hand briefly, showing her my support. She squeezed it back and resumed. “Threatening Mal? Bullying him? Telling him that you’re only thinking of me? That you’re trying to help me better myself? That’s what Gareth used to say.”

Josh glanced at me before focusing back on his sister. “Are you sure about this, Ell? That Mal’s the one you want to jump back into the dating pool with?”

“Yes. I’m positive. In fact, why aren’t you? Mal’s been your best friend our whole lives. You know he’s a good guy. You know he would never hurt me. You knew I was interested in him back in high school, and I think you know that he was interested in me too, weren’t you? That’s why you forced him to make that stupid promise, isn’t it?”

He glanced away, not at me, nor at Ellie, then gave a tiny nod. “Brian Cawkers saw you kissing him and told me.” He swallowed hard. “You were so young, Ellie. So naive. I was looking out for you.”

“I’m only eighteen months younger than you, you big dipwad,” she said dryly. “We grew up in the same family, attended the same schools, experienced the same things. If I was naive, so were you.”

“I’m your older brother. I’m supposed to take care of you.” Josh’s voice took on a whiny nasally tone, one I hadn’t heard in years.

“Maybe when I was kid. But now I’m all grown-up and capable of making my own decisions.” She huffed out a breath. “Go home, Josh. I know you still have a lot of questions, but not tonight, okay? Call me tomorrow and we’ll arrange to have dinner or something.”

He wavered, opened his mouth a few times as if he wanted to argue more, then grumbled, “All right,” and climbed into his car.

Ellie’s chin dropped to her chest but since she was facing away from me, I couldn’t read her expression. Hopefully she didn’t feel that she needed to gather courage to face me.

When she did turn around, she lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “He means well.”

“I know.” I forced a grin to hide the emotions welling inside. “So I’m your boyfriend, huh?”

“You caught that, did you?” She wrapped her arms around me. “You said you wouldn’t see anyone else while we’re together, so yeah. You’re my boyfriend.”

“It’s a big step.” Was she ready? I didn’t want to rush her into a relationship that she might regret later.

She caught her bottom lip between her teeth as she considered it. “Not really. Josh might have made you promise to walk away back in high school but I don’t think I ever stopped being interested in you.”

“But you married Gareth.”

“You were with Natalie.”

Shit.

“Don’t look like that.” She rolled her eyes. “I told you I dated other guys before Gareth, remember?”

She laced her fingers with mine and tugged me toward her front door. “Come on, I promised you burgers. Let’s get your apron on, Burgermeister, and fire up the grill.”

ELLIE

I snuggled against Malcolm, his arm draped over my shoulder on the patio, the plates with our burgers and the salad I’d prepared on the table in front of us, the scent of the barbequed meat still filling the air. After Josh had left, conversation with Mal had been strained, me asking about what project he’d worked on today, him asking if I’d gotten any more quotes from the roofers I’d contacted. Eventually he’d loosened up and asked me how my job was going and the project I’d been working on, especially about one particularly obstreperous client I’d complained to him about two nights before. Gareth had never asked about my work. Which reminded me…

“By the way, thank you.”

Mal shook his head, his expression one of puzzlement. “For what?”

“For not stepping in between me and Josh and duking it out,” I explained. “For letting me handle him.”

“I wanted to,” he grumbled. “Especially after you fell because of him. People have died falling in their tubs.”

“I know,” I acknowledged. “Which is why I’m thanking you.”

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