Page 53 of I'd Never Date my Best Friend's Brother

“You have nothing to be worried about. It’s just our families who are going to mercilessly tease and grill us for the first ten minutes or so after we walk through the door.”

“Jamie!” I gently smack him on the shoulder. “You’re not helping.”

He chuckles as he opens the car door for me. “Well, it’s true.”

“I hope not,” I say as I slide in, and he closes the passenger door.

“If they’re anything like Sean was, we are in for a long night.” He says as the car comes to life with a purr.

“What do you mean?” My eyebrows shoot up. “Sean gave you a hard time?”

“He was merciless! Oh, and the entire town probably thinks that we’re engaged.”

“WHAT?!” My eyes get as wide as saucers, and my mouth drops open.

Jamie chuckles and turns to face me. “I think I’ll let your brother explain that story to you.”

His eyes are dancing, and I can tell he’s pressing his lips together to keep a full-blown grin from breaking out. I let my eyes run over his face as the corner of my lips lift. Then, a chuckle breaks through.

“I’m not sure I can guarantee my big brother’s safety tonight,” I joke as Jamie starts to pull away from the curb.

“I look forward to seeing the battle go down.” Jamie laughs. “One thing I’ve always enjoyed is watching the O’Connell siblings squabble.”

“That rarely happens,” I scoff, and he laughs.

“I know! Which is why it’s so much fun to watch when it does.”

We walk into Jessica’s house to Jingle Bell Rock playing and everyone singing the chorus. I can smell cinnamon and pine wafting through to the foyer. I feel Jamie’s hands at the neck of my coat as he helps me to take it off.

I feel my heart start to race as I realize that Jamie and I will be seeing our families for the first time as an official couple.

Funny how kissing him in front of the entire town didn’t make me this anxious.

He hangs up both of our coats, then comes to stand behind me and wraps his arms around me.

“Ready?” He kisses the top of my head, and I nod. “Then let’s go.”

He grabs my hand and smiles at me as we walk into the living room.

“Evie!” Jessica shouts from the table as soon as she sees me. She takes a bite of one of the many hors d'oeuvres to choose from. Also on the table is a charcuterie board, chips, and cider. “Sean tells me you’re engaged!”

“So I heard.” I laugh and shake my head as the tension in my body fades. This is my family and our closest friends. Jamie and I together isn’t a surprise to them. I turn to glare at my brother, who is sitting on the couch with my mom, getting the popcorn garland ready. “Want to tell me what that is all about?”

I watch as everyone’s gaze bounces from me, Jamie, and then to Sean.

Sean throws his head back and laughs. “Steve was pretending that he couldn’t hear what I was saying about you and Jamie being engaged at some point in the future and took it to mean you’re engaged now. I think he’s excited to get another wedding invitation.”

“What?!” Everyone except Jamie yells. If I was an outsider looking in, I might laugh at each person having the exact same expression, mouths agape and eyebrows raised.

“Sean. You didn’t.” My mother laughs as she lightly smacks my brother on the arm. “Can’t you just let them enjoy dating for a little bit?”

“Speaking of dating,” Lenny chimes in. “You are dating, aren’t you?”

I feel the warmth of Jamie’s body as he steps behind me and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me against him. I rest my hands on his arms, lean into him and nod.

“Yes, we are dating.” A smile stretches across my face.

“It’s about time,” Mark and my dad say at the same time.

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