Page 13 of Twins For My Bestie's Brother

“No, no, oh my God, Jackson.” She covers her face with her hands. “Get the image out of my mind, God.”

Her seeming disgust is definitely helpful at getting rid of any horniness. I didn’t know the idea of sleeping with me was so upsetting to her.

“No, I meant like, you know we just got close. Maybe we just talked and talked and talked and realized at some point we could be more than friends.”

“I could treat you better than he ever could,” I offer.

She snaps her fingers. “Exactly!”

Thankfully, she doesn’t realize it’s an admission. “Okay, I like that idea.”

“And then, I mean, we’ve known each other almost thirty years, like it just made sense. And we’ve spent every day together since,” Lily goes on.

“And yet this is the first time you’re joining me on my morning hike?” I taunt.

Lily grabs my arm, tucking her head against my shoulder.

I flush again. All over.

“There are people coming toward us,” she whispers.

Ah. Wishful thinking that this was of her own volition. I look down the path and see some of the morning regulars, Harriet and Betty, a pair of old-timers and best friends. They walk past me every morning with their light weights in hand and sweatbands on their foreheads. “Morning, ladies,” I call out.

“Look at you two!” Harriet cries out. “I told you they’d be adorable together.”

Lily squeezes my arm tighter.

“I never said they wouldn’t be, Harry!” Betty chides. “It’s good to see you two kids in the flesh. I mean, when we heard—”

The two ladies continue hustling toward us without any sign of stopping.

“About time!” Harriet says, her white hair flopping in the wind. “That’s what we said. It’s about darn time.”

“About time? I just got back!” Lily exclaims.

Betty holds up a hand. “We’ve been around a long time, Lily Bolton! We just get a feeling for these sorts of things!”

The women breeze past us, forcing us to look over our shoulders at them. “Have fun! But not too much!” Harriet adds.

Lily and I watch them go until they disappear around the bend. We both start to turn our faces forward again but stop when we realize we’ve both looked over our inside shoulders, the ones pressed tougher. Meaning now our faces are only a few inches apart. I could lean down and kiss her if it wouldn’t cause her to jump out of her skin.

Lily’s the one who breaks eye contact first with an awkward laugh. “Well, at least they’re buying it.”

“More than, it looks like.”

Lily releases my arm and takes a few steps ahead of me. “Race you to the point!” She takes off, her Chacos snapping against her heels.

“Hey, not fair! I wasn’t ready!”

“I need a head start, track star!”

I take off after her. I could easily pass her up, just for the reason my legs are longer. But once I catch up, I jog in time next to her, letting her edge ahead from time to time.

“You’re letting me win!” she cries out breathlessly.

I grin. “Oh, you want me to beat you?” I pull ahead of her until I’m far enough ahead that I can turn around and jog backward and still have her struggling to catch up.

“Show off!” She’s not mad. She’s laughing.

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