Page 15 of Enemies with My Brother's Billionaire Bestie

“I don’t think there’s anything to tell, and you can’t commit a murder just because you spend hours binge-watchingHow to Get Away with Murder,” I tease, sarcasm thick in my voice. His eyes widen, clearly thinking, “How did you know?’’

“Stop acting like everyone in town isn’t aware of how much you and my brother adore the show. Maybe Julia might have let it slip a few times.”

The horror on his face is nearly hilarious. “Maybe Julia is the person I should murder because who knows how many more secrets she has revealed.”

I’m tempted to smile again, but I hold back. Since we started this conversation, my body has grown too comfortable, making me forget that Elliot and I are supposed to be enemies. Honestly, seeing how easily he smiles, how his eyes crinkle when he laughs, and the humor that sparkles in his eyes when he’s amused, makes me want to linger here longer.

He must be feeling the same way, because he suddenly removes his apron, grabs a set of keys from the corner of the table, and starts walking in my direction.

“I’ll drop you off; it’s almost midnight, and Daniel might be worried.”

“Midnight?! I had no idea,” I reply, horrified, as we walk out the door. The air is freezing now.

Elliot's hand grabs me, guiding me to the passenger's seat. “I'm not taking any chances. I don’t want Daniel to have anything else to worry about,” he clarifies as his dog jumps into the backseat, and we drive to my house in silence.

The silence during the drive gives me the space to think. I ponder what this conversation tonight means and how the deep-seated hatred in my heart is slowly melting away, despite knowing Elliot’s capacity for cruelty. I find myself making excuses for his mistakes, and although I’d never admit it, I can finally see why Julia said he wasn’t so bad after all.

“Broken people end up breaking people as well, right?” The question is still brewing in my mind when we pull up to my house.

Unlocking the door, I get out of the car, and he follows me to the front steps. “Thank you for the ride, the meal, and for making sure I don’t catch a cold.”

“Don’t mention it. You wouldn’t have gotten wet if it wasn’t for my little rascal over there,” he says, pointing at the window where his dog lies on the car seat, dozing off.

I pinch myself to keep from smiling or doing something silly like tucking my blonde hair behind my ear. Standing this close to him makes me feel suddenly flushed, and I can’t help but wonder if I’m coming down with something—or if it’s just the effect he’s having on me.

“I should go inside,” I stutter.

“Will you be coming to the next meeting? I hope my actions have shown my repentance,” he comments, and I feign a smile.

Maybe that’s all this was from the beginning: a performance put on after my brother must have chewed him out for trying to ruin his wedding and hurting his baby sister. It’s almost laughable to think I ever believed Elliot’s kindness was genuine, especially after he acted like my presence in this town was the worst thing that could happen to him. Bless the universe for the reminder.

“We’ll see about that,” I respond stiffly, hurrying up the small steps leading to the front door when he calls out to me again.

“What is it this time? Another insult?” I groan, and I sense him wince at my words. Although I mentioned forgiving him for last time's incident, it's always best to expect the worst from Elliot.

If my words hurt his feelings or made him angry, he doesn’t show it beyond the initial wince I caught. “I was just going to say you’re wrong about me. When you say I don’t know what it’s like to love someone, you’re wrong. I have loved someone.”

The statement takes the air out of my lungs, catching me completely off guard. “Actually, I’ve loved more than one person. The first ended horribly, and the second… let’s just say I didn’t get the chance to explore those feelings deeply enough to be sure it was truly love,” he says with a smile before getting into his car and driving off, leaving me with a million questions once again.

Luckily, Daniel is asleep when I climb up the stairs, and Julia is nowhere in sight. He probably dropped her off while I was away. I still can't get Elliot's last statement out of my mind. When I crawl into bed for the night, all I can think about is:was it the first love that broke him this bad and sent him back here? What happened to the other love he didn’t explore, and is it something he still yearns for?

“Damn you, Elliot, for tormenting my curious mind,” I mutter aloud, picturing his face now laughing because he knows he’s just fed my curiosity.

As I struggle to find sleep, the inspiration I’d spent all day searching for finally hits me. After a few minutes of typing on my notepad, I stare at the words I’ve just posted on my blog.

Loving Fiercely

Poets often speak of the strength that comes with loving fiercely—the intensity and joy in knowing you’ve given your all to a love story. Yet, what they often overlook is the vulnerability that accompanies it, and how that love can take a part of you when it eventually fades away.

So, tell me: is it truly a strength to love fiercely, or is it a weakness that many of us must grapple with?

The words aren’t my typical style but blame Elliot for leaving me with so many unanswered questions. As sleep begins to overtake me, I can still see the light brown of his eyes shining as he smiled. I remember how lost I felt standing at the kitchen entrance watching him cook, the pull in my heart when he spoke, and the heat that surged when his fingers brushed against my shoulders tonight.

Someone really needs to find me a doctor to explain this. I need to know what I've caught, or maybe I already know.“You’ve caught a fever, Ollie, the Elliot love-hate syndrome.”

Chapter ten

Elliot

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