Chapter 35 #2
A brusque nod. “Alright, fair.”
Heath felt as though they were back on the original plane, but instead of a torrid flirtation, he was third wheel in an alternate universe of Othello. “What does any of this have to do with me?”
Christian cleared his throat. “We thought you’d be good for one another.”
The room exploded with exclamations of disbelief and an array of four-letter words until Olivia stepped into the center, raised her hands, and shouted, “Enough! We are all adults here. Feelings have been hurt, but you’ll get further with dialogue than screaming.”
The room filled with the silence of shifting fabric as everyone present fidgeted while collecting their thoughts. After a moment, Christian turned to him.
“Heath, you’ve been my rock over the years of dealing with my father and my growing involvement in the company. I’d thought… well, I’d hoped you might offer that same steadfast support to my brother. Someone you can count on to be there. Unlike me.”
Heath gave his head an abrupt shake, certain he’d misheard. “Are you saying that you sent me to the Virgin Islands hoping I’d hook up with your brother?”
He balked. “Well, no. Not exactly. I just suspected you’d become friends if given the opportunity. You enjoy having your buttons pushed, and he’s an asshole, albeit a charming one.”
Evan pressed his hand to his chest. “That’s possibly the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Heath coughed and Evan closed his mouth. “You couldn’t have introduced us over dinner?”
Christian smacked his lips and scratched the back of his neck. “I would, but he never returns my calls. Also, I don’t think the two of us arguing would’ve made the greatest first impression.”
Heath met Evan’s eyes and saw the pleading in their depths. “Yes, Evan has trouble with those. How did you even know I’d go? I’m hardly the grand solo adventurer.”
Christian laughed, the bastard. “I made that argument, but I suspected you might go to spite me. I also asked Andres to prod you if it came down to it.”
Heath seethed. Andres, that traitorous snake. Oh, they would be having a word. Words, actually, and most of them would be unflattering.
Evan tugged at his hair, which meant he was working through the problem. It also meant his previously neat coif was now a wild, wavy mess. Just like when they—
“This still makes no sense. You both banked on my petty, vengeful ass going on the trip and happening to meet this uptight know-it-all—”
“I beg your pardon!”
His smile. God, his smile. Heath could forgive Evan anything when he looked at him with such unrepentant mischief. “C’mon, you kind of are.”
“Better than petty and vengeful.”
“That’s why we make a good duo. I get angry, you formulate a foolproof plan…”
Christian cleared his throat, a smile hiding behind his cupped hand. “When Lucy canceled her flight, I moved you to the seat next to Evan, figuring you could get to know each other a bit before arriving.”
Heath looked at Evan, who coughed and shook his head vigorously. “We became acquainted alright, though not as intimately as you might have hoped.”
Everyone exchanged furrowed brows and frowns, their confusion amplified by Evan’s choking laughter as he quietly cussed Heath out under his breath. Damn him for being such a charming asshole.
“The problem was the resort,” Lucy admitted with a sigh. “I knew they rarely accepted solos, and their calendar was booked solid for those weeks, so we had to gamble on whether you’d decide to split the place or pack it in and come home.”
Were Heath a different person, he might have pointed out they’d done a bit of both, but that was crude and juvenile and exactly why Evan was now laughing harder. He had no doubt.
“You are a child,” Isabella whispered at Evan, though she too was chuckling.
“I didn’t realize we had such a reputation for casting people out for daring to be single.” Olivia bristled. “We have made accommodations, you know.”
Lucy’s lips pursed into a smile. “You might want to read your reviews sometime.”
Heath flapped his hands, the conversation’s lighthearted turn sending him into a spiral of disbelief. He’d almost forgotten how angry he was. “You do realize you’re all utter shits for doing this?”
Evan scooted up next to him and cast him a sidelong glance, a small smile sneaking onto his face as he purposely bumped his shoulder.
It was his lighten up nudge, and the contact sent an electric current down Heath’s spine.
The look in his eyes spread that tingle outward until every hair on his body stood on end.
“He’s right, the only reason I’m not in a rage right now is because your gamble paid off.”
Lucy looked smug and Christian relieved. Heath wanted to throw tomatoes at the both of them.
“In that we got along,” he clarified, ignoring the jagged pain in his stomach at Evan’s chastised and disappointed expression. “An actual friendship remains to be seen.”
He couldn’t let himself forget why he’d pushed Evan away in the first place. It wasn’t only his daddy issues, though they played a significant role. There was also the fear of giving his heart to someone who’d no doubt grow bored of quiet nights on the couch with Thai food and a movie.
That was his speed, old man slippers and tea, or cups of hot chocolate with marshmallows while snow blanketed the yard. Not fancy galas and private islands. Or expensive cars, designer clothes, and watches worth the equivalent of his mortgage.
The lifestyle Evan was destined to lead wasn’t what Heath wanted, and no matter how badly he wished it were otherwise, the reality was it would never work between them. He needed to remind himself of that until it stuck.
Olivia cleared her throat and approached the door. “We should get back to the evening. There are a couple of pieces in the silent auction I’ve been admiring, and I suspect I’m not alone.”
Lucy narrowed her eyes. “If it’s what I think it is, then yes, you have some competition.”
Olivia’s smile was a thing of beauty, quick and sharp. “Bring it.”