Page 13 of My Brother's Best Friends

It’s bad enough that she and Bryan lost their parents at an age when they both still very much needed their guidance.

“I got an internship at a social media company not long after I graduated,” Makayla explains. I want to reach out and touch her hair. The damp ends cling to her shoulders, and the sight is dangerously distracting. “It was great. They offered me a permanent position after about six months.”

“That’s fantastic,” Kellan says. “Sounds well deserved—exactly what I remember you being capable of.”

“I thought we were starting over as strangers,” Makayla quips.

I lean closer, and I can see the goosebumps dancing across her skin as our eyes briefly meet. “We are, but that doesn’t erase what we already know about you. If anything, it completes the picture of who you are today. So tell us about the social-media gig.”

“For a while, it was great.” She sighs. “I’m a high performer. I nailed every quarterly bonus. I helped bring millions in revenuethrough several campaigns. Hell, I loved the gig and I thought I’d be there for a while longer. The experience was incredible.”

Kellan nods slowly. “Bryan mentioned you’re between jobs now, which is why you can join us for the entire trip.”

“I had to quit.”

“Why?” I ask.

Makayla shakes her head. “Let’s just say my boss and I stopped seeing eye to eye on a few key parts of my job.” For a heartbeat I consider pushing for details—I hate the gray, distant look in her eyes. But she recovers quickly, flashing Kellan and me the brightest smile she can manage. “How about you two—actually, all three of you? How have the past few years treated the Anderson triplets, eh?”

Kellan and I exchange brief glances, and he gives me a subtle nod. He wants me to lead this part of the conversation.

I have a hard time focusing, however, because of this gorgeous woman sitting between us. My gaze keeps sliding beneath the water, tracing the lush curves of her full figure. But I want to make a good impression. I can’t remember the last time I was this beguiled by a woman.

“Well, as you already know, your brother and I got into business together,” I say. “It’s been great from day one—though we’ve had our ups and downs, hit a few snags. Every setback taught us something.”

“Some harsh lessons,” Kellan grumbles, but I shake my head at him.

I refuse to be reminded of those darker times. I’d rather focus on how we emerged stronger—and better for it. “It’s been good, Kay—made even better by this trip. It started off boring,” I confess, “until I found myself in a hot tub with a beautiful woman I haven’t seen in ages.”

“I don’t think it’s been that long,” she says with a laugh. “Maybe a decade. Has it been a decade?”

“It’s been long enough,” I say. “Last time we saw you, didn’t you have braces?”

“Oh God,” Makayla moans. “I wish I could erase every photo ever taken from that period of my life.”

“Is that a yes?” I tease.

“Yes,” she says with a sigh.

“It was all for the best,” Kellan quips. “Your smile rivals that sparkling horizon over there.”

“It still can’t beat Alex’s trunks,” she fires back, and it throws us both for a loop.

The more we talk, the more relaxed I feel—and, at the same time, the more eager I am to know her, to get closer to her, body and soul. Makayla’s presence is deliciously intense, and I intend to savor every damn sip.

“What happened at your job, Kay?” Kellan insists.

I’m not sure now is the right time to push that button.

I hold my breath while she looks at him, then at me. I half expect her to pull the plug and slip back inside. Instead, Makayla refills her glass and takes a long sip before she answers.

“I had to choose between losing my job and sleeping with my boss.” The words leave her on a single, shuddering breath. “Andyes, I filed an HR complaint—they say they’re investigating, but I’m not sure. Either way, I couldn’t stay there.”

“Wait, what?” I blurt out.

She nods slowly. “There’s a lot more to it. It didn’t happen all at once—it started with accidental touches, suggestive comments, the old ‘let’s grab drinks after work,’ and it kept escalating until my annual review.”

“What’s the name of the company?” Kellan asks.

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