1. Brielle
Chapter one
Brielle
I smiled down at the sweet text from Josh or “Canada Boy”, as he had dubbed himself.
He wasn’t really Canadian; we just met there.
I was in Canada with some friends for a vacation.
His friend group spent almost the entire time with mine.
Even though it had only been a week since we met, something felt…
different. Like maybe this was the moment that my love life could finally return to normal.
Two days before I left, Josh and I were talking out by the pool, and he leaned in and kissed me softly.
It was like fireworks going off inside my body.
My heart fluttered right along with the butterflies in my stomach.
I hadn’t felt anything like that since high school.
I have shied away from every man who even remotely tried to get close to me since my ex raped me.
I was almost scared to be so hopeful. Logically, I knew this one little kiss with a random stranger wouldn't cure everything for me, but it could be the start.
When I really sat back and thought about it, I realized the only reason I was probably okay with Josh being the one who kissed me was because he and I didn’t really stand a chance of going anywhere.
Josh lived hours away from me. No guy would make an effort for someone they couldn't even see that much… right?
I knew the only person who would be able to help me sort through all these thoughts was my sister.
Aubrey and I have always been as close as sisters could be despite how different we have always been.
We never really understood why we were so different, especially physically, but we found out a few months ago that Aubrey has a different birth father.
Our parents kept that secret until she accidentally found out herself.
It made total sense once we knew, but I never would have guessed that was our reason.
Aubrey is curvy and beautiful, with striking blonde hair and blue eyes.
She literally lights up any room she enters.
I have always been secretly jealous of her.
I am the skinny sister with dark hair, small boobs, and freckles.
My eyes, though, are my favorite part of me. They are green with gold flares.
Aubrey left to look for her birth father a week after we found out.
We haven’t talked much about it since she left, but that was how I ended up in Tennessee.
Not talking to Aubrey daily, especially with how serious everything was for her, felt weird.
Not only did she have a ton going on but I also had a few things to share with her. I knew I just needed to see her.
“But what if it’s a waste of time?” I asked. I had told her everything that happened with Josh soon after I got to her dad’s house. Like I assumed, she was nothing but supportive. She seemed to be even more excited about the prospect of a new relationship for me than I was.
“I think you just need to wait it out, talk to him, see where it goes,” Aubrey said nonchalantly.
I looked at her curiously. “You just want it to work so you could live through me for once since your…whatever you have going on with Lincoln didn't work.”
“Ouch, burn,” she joked. She grabbed my hand. “I just want you to be open to it. That’s all.”
“I know.” I winced. “Sorry for the burn. You know I get mean when I feel awkward.”
She knocked my shoulder with hers. “Not a problem. You just owe me now.”
“Oh yeah?” I laughed. “How so?”
She stood. “You will figure it out.”
I knew she was kind of joking, but I wanted to do something for her anyway. I could tell how hesitant she still was about being excited to be in Tennessee, almost as if she thought I would be mad that this new family made her happy.
I wanted to do my best to fit into her time here, so I suggested we go to a bar. I never go out, but I knew she liked to. Like I said, trying.
She fell hard for her dad’s foster son, Lincoln, but I guess that was over as quickly as it started. Since he lives in Tennessee and she lives in Connecticut, I guess they didn’t even want to try to make it work.
We walked into the karaoke bar, and Aubrey’s face immediately fell as a very handsome man approached us.
“Looking good, girl,” the hot stranger said to Aubrey as he put his arm around her shoulder. With a shit-eating grin on his face, his gaze traveled to me.
I regretted not spending more time getting ready the moment he looked my way.
My long, dark hair was in a sleek ponytail because I didn’t want to do anything with it, and I didn’t bother putting on much makeup, only mascara.
I wore a crop top T-shirt that was Aubrey’s because I wanted it to be baggy, and a pair of jeans.
The hot stranger looked me up and down, then stood straight and took his arm off Aubrey. “Who’s your cute friend?”
My sister poked him in the ribs. “My baby sister.” Another poke. “So, hands off, Casanova.”
He raised his hands in defense with a smirk. Then he let out the loudest, most resounding laugh I’ve ever heard. “Yes, Mom…I apologize…now let me buy your drinks.”
I stuck my hand out for him to shake. I wasn’t usually that bold, but I also wasn’t usually in a bar since I was only twenty and didn't drink. “My name is Brielle. Please call me Brie, and I’ll take a Coke.”
“No alcohol…I can dig it. I love a woman who knows what she wants.” He grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it. It made me flinch. Even though I hoped he didn’t notice, the eyebrow quirk told me he most definitely did.
“My name is Elijah. You can call me Eli.”
Aubrey slapped Elijah's chest with the back of her hand. “Why was I never told to call you Eli? Wait. Lincoln doesn’t even call you Eli.”
“It’s reserved for special ladies.” He raised his eyebrows.
She poked him in the ribs again. “Okay, Casanova, we get it. By the way, she’s twenty, so she’s way too young for you, and I’ll have a margarita.”
“Coming right up, ladies. Aubrey, go join everyone over there.”
He bowed as he walked away. I’m not sure if he was just being funny or if he was being chivalrous.
I nudged Aubrey’s shoulder the moment he left. “He’s definitely a player…too bad, because he’s so fucking hot.”
She laughed. “Yes, he’s very handsome, but he is way too old for you, so don’t even think about it. He’s Lincoln’s best friend, if you can even call him that. He’s in that band I was telling you about that I want to see in June.”
“Don’t worry about it. I am not dating anyone anytime soon,” I said.
“What about Josh? Thought he was a maybe?”
I grinned at her. “Shut the fuck up.” I looked back at him and his perfect ass standing at the bar. “Well, maybe I can just flirt a little,” I added. “He lives all the way out here. What’s the harm, right?”
She gave me her signature death glare, and I rolled my eyes with a smile.
We waited for Elijah to return with our drinks and told him we would sit near the stage.
He nodded without commenting. I realized quickly that Aubrey was trying to avoid Lincoln.
I almost felt bad for the poor guy. He knows he fucked up and made it very clear to me the first night we spoke that he had all intention of fixing it, but so far, no luck.
I had a feeling that things would get better, but it had to be on Aubrey’s terms, so for now, I would mind my business.
“See you around, Brie. I hope,” he said as he moved away from us.
“See ya, Eli,” I replied with a laugh.
A moment later, we were walking toward Lincoln. I knew she would cave, like I said, on her terms. When we got over there, almost everyone began asking me about Aubrey. Everyone here seemed to love her.
Elijah had moved to the seat next to me while chatting with someone else. I honestly wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t seen my sister glaring at him in my peripheral.
We had a fun night, mostly making small talk. I strangely enjoyed Eli’s company. He had this confidence about him that I hadn’t seen in many people.
“So what do you do for fun?” he asked.
I didn’t realize he was talking to me at first, so I stupidly choked on my drink while trying to swallow.
“Me?”
He nodded with a smirk.
“Oh, well, I like to read. My books take me to different worlds where I can live the lives I could only dream of.” I looked over at him, thinking he was going to be looking elsewhere, but his eyes were trained on me with his eyebrows raised like he was actually invested in what I was saying.
He had one hand leaning on the back of the chair and his fingers resting on his lower lip.
My face flushed, and I cleared my throat. “But I, uh, I mostly paint, and I am recently getting into photography. I think I just like being creative in some way.”
He looked almost impressed. “That’s deep.”
“Is it?” I asked jokingly.
“Well, the book thing. It’s pretty cool that you think of reading that way. Is there a reason you want to live in a different world? What’s wrong with this one?”
I shrugged, not knowing how to respond.
“Fair. Don’t sweat it. I’ll get the answer out of you eventually.” His cocky demeanor fell back into place.
Aubrey went to the bathroom and texted me a few minutes later that she was walking home. I tried to get her to let me drive her, but she insisted on walking. There was no way I was staying here without her, so I left. Lincoln ran after me the moment I walked out the door.
The first few minutes of the ride back to his house were quiet. I knew something had transpired between Lincoln and my sister, but I also knew she would tell me if it was something I needed to know.
He broke the silence and put his hand out to me. “Give me your phone.”
Without looking away from the road, I said, “For what?”
“Eli wants me to give you his number,” he said with an attitude.
A flutter erupted in my stomach. “Why would he want me to have it? I don't know him.”
Lincoln chuckled. “That’s kinda the point. He clearly wants to change that.” His voice was laced with annoyance.
I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat. “You don’t sound too keen on him getting to know me. Is there a reason why?”
He thought for a second before answering. “Elijah is…Elijah is a fuckboy.” He paused and turned toward me. “And though I don't know you that well, you don’t seem like someone who cares to be messed with.”
“Then why even give it to me?”
“Well, I know what it’s like to be a fuckboy and meet someone who starts to change that.”
He looked down at his hands and back at me. I couldn’t help the small smile that formed when it clicked that he was talking about my sister.
“My phone is in the bag in front of you.”
He grabbed the bag and let me reach into it for the phone. As he typed the numbers in, he looked up at me. “Don’t let him fuck with you, okay?”
I smiled. “I won’t. Honestly, I probably won't even use it.”
Lincoln laughed again. “One can only hope.”
I didn’t respond to that since I knew he didn't mean it in a bad way, but my mind started buzzing. I still didn't understand why Elijah wanted me to have his number. When he wasn’t talking to me, he was busy chatting up some of the waitresses and other women. I honestly wouldn’t have been surprised if he forgot he had met me altogether.
I didn’t plan on using Elijah’s number, but it was the thought that counted.
I could never be with someone so…free and open.
After going through what I have, it’s hard to trust. I sometimes wondered if it would always be that way or if I might one day meet someone who could be patient enough with me.
I sat on my sister’s bed after doing some meditation and showering.
I was scrolling through my phone when I got two texts.
One was from Josh, and the other from Aubrey.
Seeing Josh’s name made those same butterflies return that I’d been trying to suppress every time I talked to him. He asked me to call him, so I did.
“Hey. How are you?” His voice was sweet and quiet. It was a pleasant change from all the boisterous personalities I always had around me.
“Hi. I’m good. How are you doing? Did you make it home okay?”
“Yeah. My brother and I flew home this morning.”
“Nice,” I said way too eagerly. Nice? Why the hell did I say that? “I mean, that’s cool. Shit. Sorry, I'm nervous.” I let out a laugh that was not attractive at all, which was totally not helping the loser vibe I was giving off.
He chuckled. “Brielle, it’s okay. This is weird, right?”
“A little. It’s been a while since I was comfortable talking to a guy. I’m sorry.”
He was quiet for a moment. The silence scared me a bit. After what felt like forever, but was probably only a few seconds, he spoke again.
“I can wait.”
“What do you mean?” I asked hesitantly.
“Well, we don’t live near each other anyway, so let’s be real here; we probably won’t be able to get close in person for a while, so I’m willing to wait and get close in other ways.”
A pit formed in my stomach. I couldn't tell if it was more fear or excitement. Maybe a little bit of both? “I can’t promise anything other than friends. As long as you are okay with that, I don’t see why that wouldn’t be okay.”
“I am more than okay with that.” He chuckled. “So, friend, what is your favorite color?”
We talked for over an hour just getting to know each other. When he asked why I was in Tennessee, I remembered Aubrey had texted me, so I put him on speaker and read it.
Aubrey
I’m staying at Lincoln’s, and no, not for that. He just wants to talk, so I am hearing him out. Please pack our stuff. We will be leaving early in the morning.
I didn’t ask her why. My sister is the kind of person who, once she has made up her mind, she won’t change it.
I talked with Josh while I packed to prolong the conversation, but it only took me fifteen minutes. “Josh, I should go and get some sleep. My sister wants to leave early tomorrow, and I need to check some emails. I am still waiting to see if I got a placement for this spring semester.”
He was quiet for a second. I thought maybe he had fallen asleep. “Brielle, I meant what I said.”
“What’s that?”
“I’ll wait.”