Page 52 of That One Night
“I’m only older than you by five minutes.” Pres narrowed his eyes.
Marley shrugged. “Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
Hendrix shook his head at his brothers. They had their own bond. It was impossible for them not to. And yeah, sometimes he felt a little excluded, despite their attempts to make him feel a part of it. It wasn’t something they did on purpose, he knew that.
But he couldn’t exchange a glance with Pres and know exactly how he felt like Marley could. Or wince in real pain when his twin was in an accident the way Marley had that time Pres had fallen from a roof.
Maybe that’s why he felt so lost for so long. Looking for something that he could never have. When your only frame of reference growing up was that your brothers had the kind of bond that could never be broken, you either sought out the kind of intimacy that could give you that or you avoided it.
And Hendrix had avoided it like a professional. Causing his mom even more heartache.
“So what’s your excuse?” Marley asked, looking at Hendrix. “You’re not even putting up a fight today.”
“He’s too busy thinking about a woman,” Pres murmured.
Hendrix rolled his eyes. They hadn’t stopped joshing him about driving Emery to meet up with Sabrina and her friends since he’d walked through the door to the pool room. Even though it would have been super weird for them to be traveling from their houses opposite each other toexactly the same placeand home again without sharing a ride.
“Get out of here.” He shook his head, mostly at his lame riposte.
“Whatever happened to there being nothing between you two?” Pres asked. “First you’re taking her to Jack’s place, then you’re driving her here.”
“We’re friends.” And that was it. Because there was nothing going on between them. Not even if every damn day his heart beat faster whenever he saw her from across the road.
“And she’s engaged,” Marley pointed out. And for some reason that made Hendrix’s jaw tighten.
“So where’s her fiancé?” Pres asked. “How the hell is he letting her out of his sight for this long if everything between them is a-fucking-okay?”
That thought had occurred to Hendrix before. And then he’d pushed it away like it was poison.
“Doesn’t he live and work in Charleston?” Marley murmured.
“It’s not that far away. Would you leave Kate for that long?” Pres asked his brother. “Because if Cass was living and working somewhere and I was somewhere else you can be damn sure I’d be driving to see her every weekend, no matter how far away she was.”
“You drove to New York after all,” Marley murmured. Hendrix grinned, because he remembered that particular episode. It was in the early days of Pres and Cassie’s relationship. His brother had this guilt about it, because his first wife – and the mother of his daughter – had died three years earlier, and Cassie was his kid’s dance teacher.
He’d tried so hard not to fall for her, but the chemistry between them was instant. It still hadn’t stopped Pres from behaving like an idiot, though, and insisting Cass take an opportunity in New York when she was offered it.
And then he’d realized what a fool he was to let her go, so he’d bundled his daughter, Delilah, in his car and driven the hundreds of miles to Manhattan so he could declare his love for Cassie.
Hendrix let out a long breath. In so many ways it had been easier for his brother. Yes, he had to overcome his own demons, but they were both single. They were so obviously in love with each other.
Whereas Emery Reed was engaged – and presumably in love with – another man. This infatuation, if that’s what you wanted to call it, with her was all on his side.
Even if sometimes it felt like it wasn’t.
And wasn’t that the most dangerous thought?
“There’s definitely something weird between them,” Pres agreed.
“Can we get on with playing a game, please?” Hendrix replied, shaking his head. “If I wanted an in-depth discussion on my love life, I’d have gone to see Mom.”
Pres had the good grace to snicker.
“Have you talked to her?” Marley asked Hendrix.
“Mom? No.”
“I mean Emery. Have you asked her why that asshole hasn’t visited her since she’s been back in town?”
