Page 64 of You Don’t Kiss Your Brother's Best Friends

“Jacob’s not coming to dinner tonight.”

Kayden looked at me in confusion for a moment. His handsome face contracted into a scowl. “What? Of course he is.”

“I assure you, he’s not,” I breathed. “In fact, he’s not coming toanydinner. Ever again.”

It took a few seconds, but he eventually got it. Kayden’s eyebrows went up in shock. His gaze moved automatically, scanning the fully stocked shelves of the pantry for answers.

“We’re fucked,” he swore. “Holy shit, we’re totally fucked.”

“Not necessarily,” I tried to reason with him.

“How are we not fucked?” he asked in hushed tones. “The second anyone gets wind of this, they’ll—”

“It’s been taken care of,” I assured him. “At least for now. Andre and I saw to it.”

“It’s only a matter of time, though,” Kayden countered. “Bishop and I have been planning this for years, getting all three Founders together at once. We have every detail worked out, right down to the minute.” He pointed outside. “And the second Jacob Foley doesn’t show up at that table…”

He stopped, his words trailing off into a thousand fragmented thoughts. I wanted to go to him, put my arms around him. Tell him that somehow, everything would still be alright.

Instead, Kayden set his hands on his hips and looked at me. Rather than frustration or disappointment, there was nothing but deep apology in his eyes.

“Josie, I’m so sorry,” he said quietly.

“For what?”

“For getting you into this,” he lamented. “For putting you in a position where you could so easily get hurt.”

He clenched, and I saw his jaw muscles flex through his beard.

“Kayden, I got myself into this,” I countered. “I was the one who came back here.”

But he only shook his head. “No, this is on us,” he sighed. “This is on me, and Bishop, and our own reckless stupidity.

I moved to hug him, heedless of who might walk in and see us together. Kayden’s whole body was stiff with tension. His shoulders and neck were so rock hard, it broke my heart.

“This definitely isn’t the vacation I anticipated,” I joked, trying to lighten the mood. “But I still wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

I felt the tension in his body ease a little, as his eyes returned to mine.

“Especially that first part,” he chuckled.

“Yes,” I sighed headily. “Especially that first part.”

He hugged me back, until a tremendous bang from outside diverted our attention. Someone had dropped something very big, and very metallic.

I jerked a thumb. “That place falls apart without you there, doesn’t it?”

But Kayden ignored me. He was too busy searching my soul with those incredible blue eyes.

“Hey,” I said, reaching to touch his face. “We’re gonna get through this. I promise.”

His expression softened, and for the time being, the lines of worry disappeared. For a brief, heartsick moment, I saw the high school football star I’d secretly crushed on. The one that, for so many long years, I could never have.

“You’re way stronger than I ever imagined,” he said softly. “Do you know that?”

“Always have been,” I smirked. “You just never noticed.”

“I’m serious,” he pressed. “Most people would’ve run full speed in the other direction.”

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