“How’s Brooke doing?” Aubrey asked. “How’s her ankle?”
What? “Weren’t you over there yesterday?” There weren’t a lot of secrets on Main Street. Besides, Aubrey told me a few days ago that she was helping Brooke’s twins with their outfits for the dance.
Aubrey shrugged. “Oh. Yeah.”
“You’re being weird,” I said.
Sebastian returned, and Aubrey didn’t say anything.
“Aubrey?” I prodded.
“Nothing. I’m fine. Nothing.”
Sebastian looked between us. “Did I interrupt? Do you want me to come back?”
“Would you?” Aubrey’s voice was instantly playful.
I wasn’t in the mood for, well, abrupt mood shifts. “Don’t go.” I grabbed Sebastian’s arm. “I can talk about how much I want you while you’re here.”
“You couldn’t handle me.” Sebastian tugged away and went back to work.
I snorted. “Okay. Keep telling yourself that.”
He sighed heavily and gazed at some point in the distance. “I have to.” His tone was wistful. “It’s the only way I can sleep in my big, lonely bed at night.”
“Oh. Is Rachel out of commission again?” Aubrey asked sweetly.
Sebastian’s pout was exaggerated. “I had to special order a puncture kit, becauseEvie doesn’t carry them.” He raised his voice at the end of his statement.
“What?” Evie looked up from across the room. “If I don’t carry it, you don’t need it. Don’t blame me because you poked one too many holes in your blow-up doll.”
A glance around the room showed I wasn’t the only one shocked she had the perfect response on hand.
“How did you know what they were talking about?” Adam asked.
“I’m psychic.” Evie tossed out casually. “Or smart. Or a good guesser. Take your pick.”
God, I loved this block.
We went back to work, Evie’s router creating too much noise for much conversation. When Adam called for another set of hands to hang the next section of trim, Sebastian joined them.
Aubrey and I moved further away, out of everyone else’s view, to move more furniture.
“You and Brooke… Have things changed between you?” Aubrey’s soft question startled me.
Why? Did she say something?I shook the thought aside. “Nope. We’re still good friends.”
“You’re sure.”
“You’ve already asked her. What did she say?” I couldn’t help it. I needed to know.
“Same thing.”
I felt the answer like a stone in my chest, but what else was Brooke supposed to say? “See? Just friends.”
“So what if you had a friend who wanted to be more?” Aubrey asked.
I stopped pushing the vanity I was moving. Would I go for it if Brooke wanted more? The thought didn’t sit well with me. That meant admitting… No. It hurt too much to touch memories of families I almost had and then lost. “I don’t know.”