Page 32 of Wild Promises

"You have a certain reputation for being a ladies' man. Nothing wrong with that."

"There must be something wrong with it because you've said I can't commit to anyone or anything, and it's a problem for my job here." I was irritated now.

Eli frowned. "That's not what I meant."

"Let's get one thing straight. I don't take women home to their place or a hotel room. If I date, I go outside of town so I don't have to deal with gossip."

Eli frowned. "Everyone says you're constantly picking women up."

I let out a breath. "It doesn't matter what I say or do; you're going to believe the rumor mill over me."

Oliver approached us. "Hey, brother, it's your turn."

When Eli walked away, Oliver asked, "What was that about? It looked intense."

I waved a hand as if it was nothing new. "Eli was just accusing me of being a man whore."

Oliver blanched.

It shouldn't have been a big deal, but I was angry. "He shouldn't listen to small-town gossip. Almost none of the rumors about me are true. I've let these rumors persist. I never cared to clear any of them up before now."

Eli returned to the table, throwing back his beer.

I felt a little light headed, but it was time to tell my brothers about our relationship. "I told Tori I liked her."

"How'd she take it?" Eli asked.

"She was surprised but admitted she'd always harbored a crush too."

Eli grinned. "I knew it. Guys can't be friends with girls. It's just not possible."

"Don't be an ass. I've always been friends with Tori, but things became different when we moved in together. Wecouldn't avoid our feelings any longer." I didn't like Eli's implication that our friendship wasn't real when it was the most important thing in the world to me. Especially since I lost it for a few years. I wouldn't take it for granted again.

Eli nodded. "That apartment is small. I could see how you'd be forced to figure things out."

I couldn't afford for Tori to find out the depth of my feelings for her. It would only freak her out and have her running in the opposite direction.

Last night, I made her uncomfortable by sitting next to her on the couch. That doesn't bode well for our fake relationship, much less the possibility of a real one.

"I'm not trying to piss you off, but you don't usually take things so seriously."

I sighed. "Isn't that the problem? I've let these rumors persist, let you think whatever you wanted about me, and now you're convinced that I'm not fit for a job. But the thing is, you don't know me at all, and it's my fault."

"If we read things wrong over the years, we're sorry," Eli said carefully.

I rolled my shoulders back, wondering if I should have kept my mouth shut. "I just wanted to tell you what was real and what wasn't."

"We appreciate that," Oliver said.

But I knew that I hadn't convinced them of anything. They needed to see a change to believe it. I wasn't so sure I could alter the town's opinion of me, but I could possibly sway my brother's.

Oliver took his turn at the pool table, leaving me and Eli alone.

"Why not clear up the rumors years ago?" Eli asked.

"It felt hopeless. I can't change people's minds." So why was I attempting to change my brothers' now?

I watched the end of their game, the nervous energy never dissipating. I wasn't sure I'd made any headway with my brothers. Maybe they were questioning everything they knew to be true, but I wasn't so sure about that. It would be difficult to remove their preconceived notions about me.

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