Page 62 of Stolen Kiss

“Sorry,” Jensen said cheerfully.

“You don’t sound sorry.” I glared at him, my heart pounding from the little freak-out I was already feeling coming on. Evelyn just saw us. She knew. Soon, everyone would know, including my dad and Ethan, and this wasn’t the way I wanted to let them know about Jensen.

“Emilia, calm down. Everything’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I hope you’ve been practicing in the gym, because my brother’s going to freak out on you.”

He let out a sigh and grabbed my shoulders, holding me still, before he bent down so that we were at eye level. “I think you’re exaggerating a bit. Besides, you’re a grown woman. You don’t need your brother’s permission to date.”

I shove his hands off. “I know I don’t need his permission to date, but my brother’s already wary of you. He’s going to think you’re taking advantage of me.”

He frowned. “Why would he think that?”

I looked away. How could I tell Jensen about my little freak-out three years ago when I realized he had changed his number? Ethan had been there to witness it. Ethan didn’t like Jensen for that reason alone, though he had been civil during the brief times they’ve seen each other.

And there was still the reason why he’d changed his number. I still didn’t know what happened three years ago to make him pull out of my life, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

“I have to go see Evelyn,” I said, instead of answering him.

This was the complication I was talking about. Nothing about loving Jensen was easy. I—

I froze.

Did I love Jensen?

“Hold on, shouldn’t we talk about this?” he asked, completely oblivious to my turmoil. I looked into his gray eyes, and time seemed to crawl to a stop.

I didn’t love Jensen.

Impossible.

I shook away the thought.

“Later,” I said, moving out the bathroom door. “I have to find Evelyn.”

I left a frowning Jensen behind and went in search of my sister. I didn’t have to look very long or very far. She was in her room, sitting on the bed and playing with one of Ensley’s stuffed toys.

I knocked on the door and waited for her to look up at me. Her eyes were soft as she took me in, then she patted the seat next to her on the bed. I quietly moved over and sat down, looking down at the stuffed purple bear in her hands.

“Their toys are everywhere,” she commented.

I didn’t say anything to that.

Evelyn took that as her cue to continue. “You think I would have been prepared for this, seeing as how I used to teach all that, but I’m still surprised that two little kids can actually accumulate so many toys in such a short amount of time.”

“It’s because you and Jace spoil them.”

“Hopefully not too much. I don’t want them to grow up feeling entitled.”

“Of course not. Not with you as their mom.”

“Thanks, Em.”

I patted her shoulder. “I think you’re a wonderful mother. And… I think Mom would have been proud of the woman you are now.”

She turned to me, her eyes swimming. I might have been my mom’s Mini Me, but Mom had been Evelyn’s best friend. “You really think so?”

I nodded. “Without a single doubt in my mind.”

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