Chapter 2
2
ASHER
I surreptitiously took my phone from my pocket beneath the table and glanced at the screen. Still no reply from Summer.
Worry knitted in my gut. Was she okay? She’d seemed upset when they left, and as much as I enjoy winding her up on occasion, this was different. I’d never want to see her truly hurt.
“What’s wrong?” Kylie asked.
“Nothing.” I returned my phone to my pocket. I obviously needed to work on my stealth skills.
Kylie sipped from her glass of wine, set it down, and cocked her head. “So, who was the girl?”
I frowned. “Huh?”
She arched her eyebrow, looking at me as if I was an idiot. “The one who was sitting beside us earlier. You could hardly take your eyes off her.”
Ugh. Awkward.
“It’s not what you think,” I said weakly.
She popped the last piece of fish into her mouth and held my gaze while she chewed and swallowed. “And what do I think?”
Yeah, no way in hell was I stupid enough to try to answer that. No man could ever know exactly what a woman was thinking.
“She’s my best friend’s little sister,” I explained. “She used to have a bit of a crush on me, and I was worried she might be upset by seeing me on a date.”
“Hmm.” She narrowed her eyes. “I believe you.”
I had no idea why that was such a relief. I’d told her the truth, after all.
“I don’t think she’s the only one who was bothered by someone else’s date though,” she added.
I stiffened. “I don’t know what you mean.”
That was a big fat lie.
Kylie pushed her plate away and positioned her wine glass in front of herself. “Are you sure you don’t feel something for her too?”
Damn. She had to go and say it.
“It’s not like that.” Another lie. Or, at least, a partial one.
When Summer had returned from university, properly grown up, she’d blindsided me. I honestly hadn’t expected to ever see her as anything other than Liam’s baby sister, but I’d barely run into her at all for years because her avoidance game was top notch, so by the time I did, she’d transitioned from a pretty girl into a knockout woman.
Not that I’d ever been able to tell her as much. I’d tried once, and she’d sassed and snarked until I gave up and snarked right back. Now, that was pretty much all we did with each other.
“Whatever you say,” Kylie replied, then muttered something about men that I couldn’t quite hear.
Fortunately, she didn’t want to stay for dessert, because I was in no mood to linger. I’d liked Kylie when I’d met her during a callout to the adventure company where she worked, but something about having Summer nearby had put a dampener on any potential chemistry between us.
We headed to our cars. We’d driven separately, since we’d come from different directions. As we emerged into the cool night air, the stars sparkling overhead, Kylie turned to me.
“Can I give you some advice?” she asked.
I bit my tongue so I wouldn’t say no. I owed her enough to listen after a dud of a night.
“Ask your friend’s sister on a date before you take another girl out. Work through whatever you need to work through. It’s not fair to future partners if you have that kind of emotional connection with someone else.”
I pursed my lips. “It isn’t that simple.”
There were years of history between Summer and me. I’d been like a brother to her when we were growing up, and if I got involved with her and messed it up, I’d lose my oldest and most important friendship.
Liam had made no bones about the kind of man he thought Summer needed. Someone stable, well-balanced, and uncomplicated. That wasn’t me. Not only was my work-life balance practically non-existent, but my job was unpredictable and occasionally dangerous. She deserved better.
Besides, it was jumping the gun to even assume she returned my interest. Given how she’d shot me down a while ago, there was every chance she’d moved on from her teenage crush.
It was for the best, but I still couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” Kylie said, dragging me back to the present. “You’re the one making it like that.”
“I’ll consider what you’ve said.” I wouldn’t really, but I could hardly be rude to her after that shitshow of a date.
“Good.” She patted my arm and backed away. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”
Frustration simmered in my gut as I got into my car and drove home. As soon as I was inside, I shed my clothes, pulled on a pair of cycle shorts, and headed for my exercise bike. I put my earbuds in, turned on a rock soundtrack, and cycled until sweat coated my skin and my breath came in harsh pants.
My thighs burned, but I pushed harder. Cycling like this—whether inside or on one of the many mountain bike trails that cut through the forest around Destiny Falls—was the only thing that could quiet my thoughts.
Meditation didn’t work. My mind whirred too quickly for that. Nor did journaling or tai chi or fucking yoga. I’d tried them all. Drinking might take the edge off, but I’d never given it a real go. I didn’t need another problem. At least working out my restlessness on a bike was a reasonably healthy coping mechanism.
Eventually, Cookie decided I’d had enough. She parked her fluffy bum on the ground in front of the cycle and meowed over and over until I dismounted on shaky legs and scooped her into my arms.
“You are such a little demon,” I told her, burying my face against her belly and nuzzling her.
She grabbed my head playfully, without digging her sharp claws in. I carried her to the kitchen and set her on the floor. She immediately ran to her food bowl, her tail swishing.
“Fine.” I grabbed her treats from the cupboard and poured a few into the bowl.
My phone vibrated on the kitchen counter. I checked, hoping it was Summer, but found a message from Liam instead.
Liam: How was your date?
Sighing, I dragged my hand down my face. I could hardly tell him that I was too distracted by his gorgeous sister and my impossible feelings for her to make a real connection with Kylie.
Asher: There was no chemistry.
I tamped down a flare of guilt and put the phone aside while I showered. As I dried, I stretched my legs, realizing that I should have done it sooner. Summer was messing with my mind.
By the time I checked my phone again, I’d received another two messages from Liam.
Liam: Too bad. Sorry, man.
Liam: Off to bed. Talk tomorrow.
I sent him a quick goodnight, hoping it wouldn’t wake him, and went to my own bed. Cookie must have finished her treats because she was curled on the spare pillow. I climbed in and switched off the light.
As soon as I lay on my back, she crawled onto my chest and started purring. If I wasn’t used to it, the pressure and noise would probably keep me awake, but this had become our routine ever since I’d adopted her two years ago.
I stroked her and closed my eyes. An image of Summer flashed through my mind. Not as she’d been tonight, wholesomely pretty in dark jeans and a blouse, but as she’d been the night of her graduation. The evening I’d done my best to let her down gently but firmly.
In the end, it hadn’t mattered how gentle I’d been. She’d looked devastated, with unshed tears in her eyes and her mouth twisted with the effort not to cry.
If only I’d known how much I’d come to regret my words to her that day.