Page 22 of I'd Never Date my Best Friend's Brother

“Meetings with your manager and Jess’ publisher out of the blue?! Come on! Did you really think she wouldn’t find that suspicious?”

He chuckles. “I guess Jessica and I could’ve tried to get more creative.”

“Yeah, that would’ve helped just a bit.” I roll my eyes, the smile still lingering on my face. “But overall, it wasn’t bad. She still has her guard up, but there are moments I can feel she’s letting it down.”

“Does she know you know what’s happening?”

“I’m not sure.” It’s a good question. Honestly, I’m not sure it would make a difference to her if I did know. Just the fact that it’s happening has her annoyed.

“She knows I’m not opposed to it.” I smirk, finally answering, and then change the subject. “Jacob is excited to have the great Sean O’Connell planning an event at his location. He intends to make sure that everything is perfect.”

“I have no doubt,” Sean responds. “How are you really? Are you okay?”

“I’m just worried.” I run my hand through my hair and blow out a big breath. “What if I’ve ruined everything, and your sister never forgives me?”

“Then you move on.” Sean’s easy words are not what I expect to hear, and my heart falls to my stomach. “But we’re only in the second act, dude, so there isn’t any need to panic yet.”

My lips lift at the corners with Sean’s movie analogy, and I take another deep breath. He’s right; I just got back home. And considering the conversation we had before I left was that we were over, things could be much worse.

I know she’s torn and confused about me being home and expressing feelings. Who wouldn’t be? I can see her fighting her feelings for me in every interaction we have together. I can’t blame her for not wanting to get hurt again.

I know the feeling; it’s why I left like I did.

The truth is I’m scared too. But this time, I am more afraid of losing her forever. It feels like I’m hanging over a cliff with no safety net to catch me. However, I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t put myself out there like this. I’ll take falling over quitting any day. Ending things with Evie was the most idiotic thing I’ve ever done.

If things don’t work out this time, it won’t be because I let anyone doubt that the woman for me is Evelyn O’Connell.

“Thanks, Sean. I’ll talk to you later.”

I hang up the phone, and my stomach swirls. If Evie doesn’t take me back, I may be looking for work that keeps me permanently out of Willow Falls. But I refuse to think about that right now.

Evie can be mad or scared. It’s my job to make sure she knows exactly how much I regret leaving her like I did. That means acting like someone I’ve never acted like before.

This means being the man Evie has always deserved. A man who can be open with his feelings; be vulnerable. And that terrifies me, but not as much as losing her does.

Evie is worth doing whatever it takes.

Chapter 13

Evie

“You and my brother aren’t cute.” I try to convey my annoyance at Jessica and Sean’s meddling in my love life, but all I can think about is Jamie and how he looked at me right before he closed my car door. My body is still buzzing.

There’s something different about him, but I can’t put my finger on what it is. For the first time, I don’t feel like I’m the one leading things—he’s the one picking the roads we’re on. And it’s throwing me for a loop.

Jamie is the opposite of Jessica. Jessica is a bull in a china shop with loud opinions that she makes sure everyone knows. Jamie is more of a go-with-the-flow type of person, always present but quietly so. Even with Sean, Jamie is usually just an accessory.

Not in a bad way, just quiet, if that makes sense.

But now I feel a bit more like he’s the bull and I’m the china shop. I shake my head; that doesn’t make any sense.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. My publisher called a last-minute meeting.” Her voice doesn’t hold the conviction of someone who feels bad for blowing me off and forcing me to spend alone time with her brother. Who she knows I’m mad at.

“Riiiight. Just like Sean’s manager needed him at the same exact time. Got it. Just promise me that you won’t do that to me again.”

“Well, since I didn’t do anything on purpose, I can’t promise it won’t happen again.” I roll my eyes so hard I’m surprised I don’t hurt myself.

“So tell me how it went! What did Jacob say?” So we’re changing the topic now, I guess. I can go with that. I know what she and Sean are doing, and she knows I know. There's not much else to say about it at the moment.

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