Page 59 of Marrying His Brother

I crawl into bed, pulling the covers up to my chin, and stare at the ceiling, replaying the night over and over. I thought we were moving toward something more, but now I don’t know what to think.

Chapter 25: Andrew

It's a Saturday afternoon, and Emily and I are just leaving the Army Base Riviera. I’m behind the wheel, and as we pull out of the parking lot, I catch a glimpse of the hotel in the rearview mirror.

It’s slowly coming together, room by room.

We’re headed to Jack and Sarah’s place. They’ve got a house out in the suburbs, with a backyard big enough for cookouts.

I haven’t been there in a while, and I’m actually looking forward to it. Jack’s one of the few people who doesn’t treat me like I’m about to explode, and Sarah is family, even if she isn’t mine by blood.

As we hit the main road, Emily’s voice breaks through my thoughts. “Can we make a quick stop?” she asks, glancing at me from the passenger seat. “I want to pick up something for Jack and Sarah. A little gift.”

I’m a bit surprised. “You don’t have to do that,” I say, glancing over at her. “They’re just happy to have us over.”

“I know,” she says, her lips curving into a small smile. “But I want to. It’s just polite.”

It’s a simple gesture, but it catches me off guard, makes me feel, something. She doesn’t have to do it, but she wants to.

I try to focus on driving, but my mind drifts back to last night. It had been rough, one of the worst since we’d moved into the same house.

All I could think about was Emily in the next room, and how much I wanted to be close to her. I’d even gotten out of bed, made it all the way to her door, but then I’d stopped.

Stood there like an idiot, staring at the doorknob, giving myself a pep talk. I’d reminded myself that we needed to figure out who we were to each other, without just jumping back into bed.

We needed to get to know each other without intimacy clouding everything. So, I’d turned around and forced myself back to bed, but sleep had been elusive.

“Alright,” I say, changing lanes so I can pull off at the next exit. “Let’s make a quick stop.”

We find a small, local shop just off the main road. It’s the kind of place that sells everything from fresh flowers to gourmet jams, and as soon as we step inside, I’m hit by the warm, rich scent of freshly brewed coffee.

The place is well stocked and Emily’s eyes light up as she looks around.

I trail behind her as she selects handmade soap, a small bouquet of wildflowers, and a box of artisanal chocolates.

“Those are perfect,” I say, and I mean it. “You’ve got a good eye.”

She looks over at me and smiles. “Thanks. I just thought it’d be nice to bring something.”

We pay for the items and head back to the car.

As we get back on the road, I can’t keep my gaze from Emily. She’s watching the scenery pass by, her fingers playing absentmindedly with the ribbon on the flower bouquet. I’d give anything to know what is on her mind.

We get to Jack and Susan’s neighborhood. The houses are spaced out, each with a decent yard, the kind of place where you can actually breathe. We pull up to their place, and Jack’s already out on the porch, waving as we park.

“Good to see you two,” he calls out, grinning as we step out of the car. “It’s been too long.”

“Yeah, it has,” I say, walking over to shake his hand. “Hope we’re not too late.”

“Not at all,” Jack says, clapping me on the shoulder. “Sarah’s just getting the salads ready.”

Emily holds out the little gift bag. “We brought a few things,” she says, her voice warm, and Jack’s smile widens.

“Well, aren’t you two sweet?” Jack says, taking the bag. “Sarah’s gonna love this. Come on in, make yourselves at home.”

We follow Jack through the house, passing through the kitchen and out to the backyard, where Sarah is busy setting out a spread of salads, bread rolls, and other accompaniments on a long wooden table.

The scent of freshly cut herbs and grilled meat wafts through the air, making my stomach rumble. It feels like home, and it hits me how much I’ve missed this—just relaxing, no meetings, no renovations, just being with friends.

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