Page 84 of When We Were More
“I mean, he’s not wrong,” Harrison points out.
I ignore him, caught up in watching her from across the room. She’s looking around, and I hope it’s for me. My heart is screaming ‘go to her, dumbass,’ but my brain is still pissed, and it doesn’t let me go to her immediately. Though when she pulls her lower lip between her teeth, I snap out of it. She appears stressed and nervous. I’m an asshole for making her wait.
I take two steps toward her, then stop. She’s no longer alone. Fucking Jake has gotten to her first.
“Why the fuck is he here again?” I ask my brothers, even though I know the reason.
Harrison doesn’t register that it’s a rhetorical question. “Because he won the apprenticeship spot. Also, did you know he’s your babysitter’s grandson?”
“I’m aware.” My voice comes out as a growl.
He’s still talking to her. I’m growing more irritated by the second.
“You waited, man. What did you think was going to happen? A woman who looks likethat,clearly scouring the room for someone, and you stood here.”
“Shut up, Holden. I’m perfectly aware.”
As if things needed to get worse, Jake points to a table where Sally and her sister Ruthie are sitting. Matilda scans the room one more time, then nods at him. She walks toward their table, and my heart races. She’s supposed to sit with me. When Jake unnecessarily puts his hand on the small of her back, any restraint I had disappears.
“Hell no. Not happening.” I head toward their table. When I’m halfway there, the band stops playing, and I feel a tight grip on each shoulder. It stops my progress. I sense it’s one of my brothers without checking. “Let go.”
“No way.” It’s Harrison’s voice. “We’re due on stage to give the welcome speech, and even I know if you go over there all alpha male, it will only make it worse.”
Damnit, he’s right. Yet I can’t take my eyes off the table. Off her.
As if she can sense me staring, Matilda glances up and immediately locks eyes with me. Neither of us smile, but neither of us looks away either. Then Jake puts his damn arm around the back of her chair and wraps his hand around her upper arm. She turns away from me and gives him her attention, but doesn’t remove his hand. The one I’d very much like to break for touching her.
I don’t recognize myself tonight, but I also can’t stop all these emotions and thoughts.
Harrison tugs on my arm, and I turn and walk to the stage. Over the next ten minutes, Harrison, Holden, and I give opening remarks, and I force myself not to glance at Matilda during them. I need to be pleasant for this part of the evening, and I’m pretty sure if I see her with Jake again, smoke will start coming from my ears.
When everyone is seated for dinner, the empty spot next to me, the one where Matildashouldbe, taunts me. After stealing several glances at her, my emotions settle somewhat. I’ll go over and talk to her after dinner. Otherwise, I’ll be miserable the rest of the night.
I pick up my silverware to eat when one of the serving staff places a plate on the table where Matilda is supposed to be. My hope ramps up—perhaps she’s asked to be moved here—only to be deflated when Kira sits in the seat next to me.
“I’m surprised to see you sitting by yourself, Henry.” She tries too hard to make her voice sound sultry and misses the mark.
“I’m not sitting alone. If you’ve not noticed, there are six other people at the table.” I only spare her a quick glance before I turn my focus back to my meal, aiming to appear unaffected by her presence. The opposite is true. I’m majorly affected. My heart is racing, and my collar is suddenly tight.Not for the expected reasons, though.
Objectively, Kira is beautiful by many men’s standards, but that’s not what’s impacting me right now. I’m anxious that Matilda might see her sitting here and get the wrong idea. Hell, or get the right idea, and pick up on my history with Kira.
Fortunately, Holden is on the opposite side of Kira and has no problem occupying her with conversation. Harrison is on my other side, and I lean toward him.
“What is she doing here?” My voice is hushed, but there’s no hiding the annoyance in it.
“Hey, when you give Mom free rein with the guest list, what do you expect? Kira is her best friend’s daughter.”
“Fine, but switch seats with me.”
A low chuckle escapes him. “Dude, we aren’t in elementary school. I’m not switching seats because you got stuck sitting beside a girl you don’t like. Grow up. If you play, you pay. Don’t get involved with a woman connected to our family next time.”
“I wasn’tinvolved.We both agreed upon sex with no strings attached. She’s the one who wasn’t happy I stopped it.”
God, I sound like a dickhead. I pause, then down more of my whiskey. Is this how I’ll think of Matilda one day? Worse yet, is this how she’ll think of me? The thought makes my stomach tighten with discomfort.
“So, the same thing you’re doing with Tillie, then?”
Asshole. I’ve not come out and told anyone about my arrangement with Matilda, per the initial rules we set, but he figured it out on his own.
