Page 19 of I'd Never Date my Best Friend's Brother

But what if I do that and he leaves again?

I was devastated when he left, and my heart had just started to mend when he came home. I need to keep up my guard around him, but I have to find a way to live with him in my life.

I give my hat one last adjustment and close the visor. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a car pulling in next to me, and I turn to see Jamie’s handsome profile. My heart leaps, and I put a hand over my chest as if that will somehow prevent it from bursting through my ribcage. He looks toward me, and a crooked smile crosses his lips as his gaze meets mine.

I quickly turn away, my stomach swooping. I take another deep breath and very slowly blow it out.

My phone vibrates and I look to see a text from Jessica.

Jessica: Something came up at the last minute with my publisher, and I need to head into a meeting with her. You can handle this for me, right?

I roll my eyes. Yeah, right, she has a meeting.

Jessica: You’re the best! Thank you!

My best friend may think she’s being subtle, but I know exactly what she’s doing, and I’m not happy about it. Ever since Sean’s call with Jamie in my office, she and Sean have been playing this little matchmaking game. Needless to say, I am not thrilled.

If I wasn’t the maid of honor for her wedding, I may have taken a hiatus from my friend and ignored her. I know she would’ve hunted me down, but I like the idea.

I close the car door behind me and look up to see Jamie staring at his phone.

“Don’t tell me.” He looks up suddenly at my voice, his eyes wide. “Sean can’t make it, he has a call with his manager.”

The smile that creases his lips tells me that’s exactly what happened. “How did you know that?”

“Jessica sent me a text a few minutes ago with the same message.” I shake my head and walk over to him. “You know what they’re doing, right?”

“Would it be so bad if that’s what they were up to?” He asks, his voice quiet as his eyes roam over my face. My body temperature rises at the softness in his eyes, and for a split second, I let my guard down and let my love for this man consume me.

His gaze falls to mine, and my breath catches at the adoration I see pouring from them. His crooked smile has my heart off to the races. I’m going to have to find out exactly where it ran to later because right now, I couldn’t move my feet if I tried.

“You look beautiful.” He takes a step toward me, and for a second, I panic, wondering if he’s going to kiss me, but more so because I want him to. Instead, he puts his arm out toward the ice rink. “Shall we?”

I do the only thing I can do at the moment and nod. When I don’t step forward, he turns back to me. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I say in a high-pitched voice. I clear my throat and try again. “I’m fine.”

His smile brightens, and my heart, which apparently found its way back into my chest, stutters. I take a step forward and feel Jamie walking beside me. I have never been so aware of someone standing next to me as I am at this moment. I try to make myself relax but my stiff body isn’t listening to my brain.

I glance over at the man next to me. This Jamie Stewart is not the person I remember. In fact, I am not sure that I’ve ever seen this version of Jamie. This version has an intensity to him that I haven’t encountered, and that intensity is all focused on me.

Actually, that’s not true. I have seen this version briefly, but it always had to do with his job. Jamie has a passion for work and loves what he does. He’s also one of the best in his field.

My stomach swoops and swirls at the same time as I realize that I’ve become a hacker who Jamie needs to track. There is no one better than him at uncovering the clues left behind to lead him to his target.

With Jessica and Sean’s help, I’m a sitting duck.

How will I avoid getting myself ensnared in his web?

But the questions that terrify me most are those I can’t shake from my entire being.

What if I want him to catch me?

And what would happen if I let him?

When we get to the ice rink, Jacob, the owner, is waiting for us with his hand outstretched.

“Hi, Jacob. Thank you for meeting up with us.”

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