Page 42 of Reputation
She said it with more conviction than she felt.She wasn’t sure someone else would help these feelings she had for Jax.Something about them made her think they were entirely specific to him.Regardless, she had to do something because letting him be the one to release the tension building inside her was not an option.
Satisfied for the moment, Joyce sat back, changing the subject.“So, when does Eric’s flight arrive?You two are going to your parents’ this weekend, right?”
“He’s arriving tonight, actually,” Eavie said, glancing at her watch.“He’ll be here around nine if you want to hang out and say hi.”She smiled at Joyce innocently.
Shrugging one shoulder, Joyce said, “I have laundry waiting for me upstairs.I need to fold it so I can finish packing.”
“Uh-huh, sure,” Eavie remarked, shaking her head.
Of course, two hours later, she was not surprised Joyce managed to hang around until her brother’s expected arrival.She could deny it all she wanted, but Eavie knew Joyce had a weakness where Eric was concerned.It was just a matter of time before they finally gave in.Eavie determinedly ignored the irony of how the thought echoed her own problems.
A knock sounded on her door a little after nine, followed by its opening.Getting up from her stool at the kitchen island, Eavie ran over and launched herself at her twin.
“Whoa!”Eric said, catching her mid-leap.Eavie wrapped her arms and legs around him, hugging him like a koala bear on a tree.“I missed you too, sis,” he said, laughing.
Despite his joking, Eavie could tell he had, in fact, missed her too by the way he squeezed her for a second before putting her back on her feet.
“It’s been way too long since I’ve seen you,” Eavie complained, pouting at him.
Looking at her brother, so similar to her in coloring, gave Eavie a sense of calm.Born only one minute apart, they’d been inseparable for the entirety of their lives.Best friend almost didn’t encompass her relationship with her brother.Being twins had forged a connection that ran deeper, almost to a soulmate level of understanding, and despite the current physical distance between them, they had remained close.
His blond hair was a little shaggy, the ends curling around his ears.His eyes were the same blue as hers, with the only difference between them being that his jaw was more square and he was taller than she, at six foot two.
“I know, I’m sorry.Work has just been crazy, but I promise to come visit more often,” Eric said.
A noise from the kitchen caught his attention, and he looked over Eavie’s head.His smile twitched at seeing Joyce, but Eavie caught the flash of interest in his eyes.She moved from in front of him, grabbing his coat to hang in the closet.
“Hey, Joyce.I didn’t know you were going to be here tonight,” he said, all his attention now focused on her.
“Hey, handsome.I thought a hot-shot doctor deserved a welcoming committee,” Joyce responded, smiling at him in her usual sassy way.
“Well, don’t I feel honored,” Eric smirked.His eyes scanned her up and down in the chair she was perched on.“How have you been?”
“Absolutely fantastic,” she replied, batting her lashes at him.“Dominating the world of ballet, crushing hearts of men—you know, the usual.”
Eric smiled at her and said, “And humble as always, I see.”
Eavie, shaking her head at how quickly they started flirting, walked past her brother toward the kitchen.“Joyce stopped by for some impromptu drinks and pizza.Are you hungry?There’s some left, and it’s still warm,” she said, nodding toward the box on the island.“Grab a slice, and I’ll get another bottle of wine.”
Hopping down from her stool, Joyce started backing toward the door.“I should get going.I’ve got an early train to catch and haven’t finished packing yet,” she said to Eavie before turning her attention to Eric, who had come over to stand near the island.“Nice seeing you, handsome.”She gave him a wink, turning gracefully and sauntering toward the door.
“Night, doll!I’ll talk to you later,” Eavie called after her.
Eric’s gaze followed Joyce’s retreating figure until she was gone from view.Hearing the soft click of the front door closing, he turned back to face Eavie, who smirked at him from the other side of the counter.
“What?”he asked innocently.
“I have an excellent chef’s knife you could use to cut the tension in here.Want to borrow it?”she joked, looking at him with her eyebrows raised.
“Oh, do you think you’re funny?”
“As a matter of fact, I do,” she replied.Laughing, she moved toward her wine fridge and grabbed a bottle of her brother’s favorite cab sav.“I don’t understand why you haven’t asked her out.You’re clearly both into each other.”
“It’s complicated, Vie,” he said, using the nickname he’d called her since they were kids.
“How?”she asked, looking at him as she uncorked the bottle.
“My career is in Baltimore.Hers is here.And she travels.How exactly would that work?”
