Page 15 of Years in the Making

“I’m not home for long.” He pulls me back in for a side hug as we make our way to the house. “I’m here for my brother’s wedding but had a free afternoon so figured I’d pop in to see your dad at the center for a bit.”

“You know this isn’t the center,” I tease as we walk into the house.

“I was wondering why it was so quiet and didn’t smell like a thousand pounds of bird shit. He sent me over for the box of mice in the garage freezer.”

“Ah.” Storage at the center is lacking so my dad keeps a lot of deliveries here until they have room. I’m just glad they got the extra freezer because the thought of opening the one in the kitchen and finding a box of dead mice is a surefire way to zap any kind of appetite.

“So who was the guy?”

“Just a friend,” I say, setting my bag down on the coffee table before flinging myself down on the couch.

“Just a friend?” he asks not so subtly.

“Yes, Johnathan, he’s just a friend. He thinks I have a boyfriend.”

He cringes. “Does he think I’m that boyfriend?”

“I have no idea, but by the way he was looking at you, maybe.” I shrug and cross my ankles on the table.

“Do youwanthim to think I’m your boyfriend?” he asks, sitting in the armchair across from me.

I glare at him. “No, I don’t want him to think you’re my boyfriend.”

“Well, then.” He sighs and leans back like he’s never going to leave. “You’d better clear the air quickly. Unless of course you really do just want him to be your friend.”

“We literally just met. I just want to get to know him right now.” And that’s the truth. Am I attracted to EG? Yes. Is he nice? Yes. Is he someone I could see dating? Also yes. But I don’t know him yet, and I like to do my research before getting into anything serious.

John’s hands go up. “Okay, okay, I was just curious. He did kind of look familiar, though.”

“He went to Wellington High, he’s two years older than me, played baseball…”

John's eyebrows go up. “You think telling me he plays baseball may help me place him?”

I laugh. John kind of looks like a jock, but I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who has less interest in sports. “He also played the violin.”

“Siblings?”

“A twin sister Zoe, and an older brother, Will.”

He claps so suddenly that I nearly jump out of my skin. “Will Fletcher? I know him. Or I know of him, anyway. Biggest player north of Toronto. If his younger brother is anything like him, watch out.” If I hadn’t actually met EG, the warning in John’s voice would make me wary.

“Don’t worry, I’m not about to jump into bed with the guy. Like I said, we’re just getting to know each other. He’s nice, John. And people aren’t their siblings.” I give him a look thatlets him know I’m not going to hold him responsible for the sins of his sister, who treated me like garbage after she found out I was becoming friends with her brother. Apparently, she thought I was gunning for her older brother when we worked together during the summers. Forget that I was only fifteen when we started working together, and he wasn’t about to break the law. Still, she hated that we were friends, and that made life around her hell. “How is dear Lori, anyway?”

“Being her nightmarish self. You’d think she was the one getting married. Bridemaidzilla? Bridesmaidzilla?” He waves off his attempts to rework Bridezilla. “Whatever, she sucks.”

“That she does. How is Oxford, smartypants?”

“It’s, it’s good.” He smiles at me and rubs his hand over his beard, which is his tell.

“Who are they?” I ask, sitting up. “Spill.”

“His name’s Nigel, and he’s in the same program.” I can’t help it and burst out laughing. “Wow, that’s exactly the reaction I was hoping for.”

“Oh my god, I’m sorry. It’s just, could you have found someone with a more English name?”

He looks less than impressed at me as he mutters. “Probably.”

“I’m sorry. Tell me more.”

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