Page 67 of Assisting My Brother’s Best Friend

"We were understandably tired. But I'm glad I could be there for you guys. My sister moved to Arizona a few years ago, so I've missed being around little kids so much. They have a magic that you can't find around adults."

Kate unbuckled her seatbelt. "They're pretty fun. That Tayden though, he'll give you a run for your money."

After we said our goodbyes, I drove home, thinking about how differently my night had gone from what I'd expected.

Taking care of those little boys with Kate had almost been like living in a different kind of reality. It was the kind of night I'd been hoping to have soon, if everything had turned out the way I’d wanted in my dating life. I was twenty-eight, almost twenty-nine. I had wanted to be married by this age. Yes, I knew I was still young and that so many people were much older before they wanted a wife and kids. But I was different. I'd wanted those things for a few years, actually. I'd just never been able to move on from a certain little sister of Aiden’s.

As I steered down the private drive to my home, my mind started formulating a plan for how to get Kate to see me differently.

For the past eighteen years, she'd only ever seen me as her older brother's best friend. It was finally time for me to stop holding back and worrying about what everyone would think. To stop being scared of what Aiden would say if he was around.

It was time for me to finally get what I wanted and live life more boldly.

Step one of my plan was to get Kate to be open to the idea of dating and falling in love again. If she wasn't ready to put herself out there, there was no way I'd convince her to go on a date with anyone, let alone me.

The next day,following step one of my plan, I sent flowers to Kate at work. The flowers would appear to be from her secret admirer. I used one of the prepaid credit cards I'd gotten at the grocery store a while back, so no one could trace it back to me, since I was supposed to be engaged, as far as everyone out in the world was concerned.

I knew it was corny, but I hoped the flowers would help brighten her day at least. I had to go into the studio to meet with Alexis before she left on her quick trip to Colorado, so I made a point to walk past Kate's desk. Front and center were a dozen roses with a card leaning against the vase.

Who are the flowers from?I practiced saying in my head. I knew my acting skills were crap, so I'd actually been practicing this conversation all morning…hoping I'd come off as nonchalant.

I cleared my throat and approached her desk. "Are those your flowers?" I asked, cringing when I realized I hadn't even said my own practiced lines. Did I even have a chance at making it through this conversation without blowing my cover?

Probably not.

I should just run away now.

"I guess so. They have my name on them anyway." Kate's grin was brilliant. "Are you surprised I got flowers?"

"Of course not. You probably always get them." Was that too obvious?

"Actually, not really," she said with a sigh.

"Who are they from?" I dared ask.

"I'm not sure," she said with a shrug. "Apparently, I have a secret admirer."

I raised my eyebrows, hoping to look surprised. "Really? I wonder who it could be."

"I have no idea." Then alarm suddenly clouded her expression. "I hope it's not someone creepy."

Oh no. Please don't go there.

"What does the card say? Does it sound creepy?"

I thought for sure the florist had it down right when she read it back to me.

Kate grabbed the card, opened it, and read, "Kate, I hope these flowers bring a smile to your face as much as you bring a smile to mine."

"That doesn't sound creepy at all," I hurried to say before her mind could twist it into anything stalker-esque. The last thing I needed was for her to have anxiety over the flowers I sent her. "Do you have any idea of who your secret admirer might be?"

She pursed her lips in a thoughtful way and glanced around the room at the various people. "Do you think someone figured out I'm not really married? I still haven't told anyone. My family and co-workers are the only people who know I work here."

Oops. I hadn't thought about that.

And the fact that she didn't seem to think it was me wasn't a very reassuring thought either.

Who did shewantthe flowers to be from?

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