Page 38 of Worth the Wait

“I did.” He bumped her with his shoulder like they were old friends instead of strangers only meeting for the first time.

“You love me—admit it.” Sarina blinked up at him, clearly mesmerized by him already. It had taken her less than a minute.

“Can’t do that, New York. Only loved one girl my whole life, and we’re both looking at her,” he said, and I swore I heard Sarina squeal.

My vision blurred as he stared at me, his eyes saying all the things that his mouth hadn’t yet.

“No wonder she can’t get over you,” Sarina said, outing me within minutes of us being in Patrick’s presence. I swatted her shoulder, and she winced. “Hey.”

“It’s only fair, love,” Patrick said, using one of the nicknames he used to call me. “It’s not like I’m getting over you either.”

Sarina blew out a sound. “Please tell me you have a brother. I mean, I know you do, but do you have a single one?”

Patrick gave her a half grin, and I tried to stop him from answering, my hand reaching to cover his mouth playfully, but he easily pulled it away and answered, “I do. Matthew.”

“Does he look like you?” she asked, and my jaw dropped open slightly at what she meant by that.

“That’s what they say,” Patrick responded with a shrug.

“All the O’Grady brothers look alike. It’s a blessing and a curse,” I admitted.

Patrick took a step toward me, his body sucking all the oxygen out of the atmosphere and holding me hostage.

“But I’m the handsomest, right?”

Sarina laughed. “I’ll be the judge of that. Where can I find this Matthew?”

“Oh my God, Sarina.” I made a face that begged her to stop.

If she hooked up with Matthew, I’d never hear the end of it, and I wasn’t sure that we could both be under an O’Grady man’s spell. We’d never recover.

Patrick shot me a look before shrugging. “Probably at the saloon.”

That answer surprised me. “The saloon? Really? Why?”

The Sugar Saloon was the only bar in town, so it made sense that Matthew would hang out there if he wanted to drink and hook up, but Matthew had never been much of a drinker. He was always in training, trying to stay in the best shape possible. But now that his NHL career was over, maybe he’d turned into a lush. I guessed I wouldn’t know.

“Bella works there,” was all Patrick said.

I smacked him on the arm like old times and grabbed my stomach as I started to laugh.

“I told you!” I straightened back up and pointed in his direction. “I knew he liked her.”

There had always been something between Matthew and Bella, even when we were younger. That girl idolized him, and Matthew pretended she didn’t exist half the time, but I never bought into it. Because whenever Matthew had thought no one was watching him, he was always watching her.

“She was fifteen when he left to play hockey!” Patrick argued, but I wasn’t hearing it.

“Which was why he never hooked up with her!” I fought back. “I bet she isn’t fifteen anymore, is she?”

Patrick made a face. “She’s definitely not.”

His answer made a pang of jealousy kick through me. I had no right, but it was there anyway. I imagined that Bella had morphed into a stunner that turned all the guys’ heads, Patrick’s included.

Sarina ping-ponged back and forth as she watched us banter. “Great. Don’t you O’Grady boys know that you’re allowed to love more than one girl in your life? Or do you all get hung up on one and call it quits?”

Patrick’s eyes heated as they met mine and held on for dear life. That look pulled all the air out of my lungs, and I was pretty sure I held my breath while I waited for his answer.

“One for me.”

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