Chapter 14 Brendan
FOURTEEN
Brendan
I stand at the edge of the rink, watching pucks rocket toward our goalie in a steady rhythm.
The ice, the sound of skates, the rhythm of the drills—it usually works to keep me focused.
Instead, my mind is somewhere else, stuck on the image of Scarlett in that gown, the silky skin of her back flashing through my thoughts.
I try to think about hockey instead, but then an image comes into my mind of the first time I saw her.
I was fifteen and trying to hide. To be invisible inside my own life.
I’d found my way to a hidden pocket of beach tucked away from the rest of the shoreline and shielded by dunes, the perfect place if you’re looking for somewhere to disappear from your family.
My dad had died two years before, and my uncle’s estate was full of people that summer. I needed somewhere quiet, a place where I could think about things without anyone asking if I was okay.
Everyone was always asking if I was okay. I told them yes because that’s what they wanted to hear.
Saying I’m not okay meant I’d probably end up in therapy, talking about my feelings. And the last thing I wanted was to talk about that. All I needed was to feel, for once, like everyone else who still had both their parents.
That’s when I found this secluded spot, where it was just me and the waves.
Until the dog found me.
He was some kind of goldendoodle mix, all curly golden fur and no personal space, bounding across the sand. He was on top of me before I could move. Paws on my chest, tongue in my face, completely ignoring my need to be alone.
“Max!” a girl called. She was running toward me, out of breath, a leash dangling from her hand.
I looked up, and the sun was directly behind her head, turning her into a silhouette with a golden halo. I had to shield my eyes just to see her face.
When she stepped out of the light, I caught my first real look at her. Dark hair falling in windblown waves down her sun-kissed shoulders, a red tank top and frayed cutoff shorts.
She was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, scooping the dog up with an apologetic smile. “He doesn’t know a stranger.”
“It’s uh…okay.” In that moment, I’d forgotten how to form words.
She smiled, and something about it made my stomach flip.
“I’m Scarlett.”
“Scarlett,” I repeated. “Like the color of your shirt.” As soon as I said it, I wished I could take it back. It sounded so dumb.
She looked down at her tank top. “I guess?”
“I’m Brendan.” I left off my last name. Everyone around here knew the Marco name, and I didn’t want her looking at me differently because of it.
She waited, like she expected me to say something else. But I didn’t, because I was too busy trying to remember how to act normal in front of her.
“Well, good to meet you, Brendan.” She turned to leave, and it’s like my legs had a mind of their own. I didn’t want her to leave yet.
“Hey, Scarlett,” I called after her.
She whirled around. “What?”
I paused. “It was good to meet you too.”
She smiled again. “Well, maybe I’ll see you around Sully’s Beach sometime.”
That’s when another guy appeared. He looked about my age. “Who’s that?”
She was so pretty—I figured he was her boyfriend.
“That’s my brother,” she answered, then turned toward him. “Eli, this is Brendan.”
“You from around here?” He looked me over. “I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”
“I’m only here in the summers.”
He glanced around at the tucked-away stretch of beach. “How’d you find this place?”
“Stumbled upon it,” I told him. “I was trying to get away from my family.”
“Understood.” Eli nodded.
“Hey,” Scarlett said as she hooked her dog to the leash. “We’re headed into town to get some ice cream. You wanna come?”
I looked between them. “But you just met me.”
She shrugged. “I know. I just thought you looked bored.”
I shoved my hands in my pockets. I was bored. And for some reason, I already liked Eli and Scarlett.
“Sure, I’ll go.”
And just like that, I had two new friends.
Over ice cream, I found out our mothers already knew each other. My mom had been coming into the cafe for several summers without me, and Scarlett’s mom had been one of the friends my mom had relied on after Dad died.
After that, this stretch of beach became ours, and they continued to show up for bonfires and swimming, and any time they needed a place to get away from the world.
Eli and I became fast friends, but if I’m honest, part of me kept coming back for her. She was the first person who made me forget I was trying to be alone. She made me feel seen when I thought I wanted to be invisible.
And now I can’t unsee her. Which has always been my problem.
“What’s up with our goalie today?” Jakowski huffs as he unwraps another stick of gum.
“Miles?” I ask, leaning my elbows on the wall, keeping an eye on the goalie. “He’s blocked the last nine out of ten shots.”
“Well, he still missed one,” Jakowski points out with his usual, glass-half-empty perspective.
Logan Piper, our up-and-coming right winger, skates toward the goalie like he could practice this drill in his sleep.
“Come on, quit messing around,” Jakowski mutters, like a father who’s annoyed by his kids.
“No, let Logan take his time. This is good mental prep for Miles.”
If there’s one thing the military taught me, it’s learning to deal with pressure.
Miles Morgan has the skills; what he doesn’t have is the confidence.
Logan prepares for the shot before snapping the puck over Miles’ right shoulder.
The goalie is a beat too late, but it doesn’t matter—the puck blasts past him as a perfect bottle rocket, exploding Miles’ water bottle in a spray across the top of the net.
Jakowski shakes his head. “See, what’d I tell you? Waste of time.”
I look at Logan’s smug grin as he high-fives Leo and realize that shot was planned.
“That’s where you and I disagree.” I turn toward Jakowski. “Nothing is wasted in practice.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out, expecting something from Carmen about the welcome dinner on Sunday which will kick off our weeklong wedding extravaganza at Rafael’s place.
I’m already worried about it. When I asked Scarlett to be my wedding date, I never expected it to be more than a chance to keep Laila away while keeping my family happy.
But now it’s become a complicated arrangement where I’m breaking my own “friends only” rule while trying to keep my promise to her about the vendor contract.
At least there’s one good thing about the next week: I’m getting her out of that disaster of a living situation.
When I check the message, I’m surprised to see it’s from Scarlett.
Scarlett
Hey, are you free tonight?
I glance over to make sure Jakowski isn’t watching, then type back:
Brendan
Yeah. What’s up?
Scarlett
Want to do dinner?
Dinner, as in a date?
Scarlett’s never asked me out before. And since we’re about to spend a week together, I’m surprised she’d want to hang out now for fun.
Maybe she thinks we should discuss our fictional dating history before the wedding festivities begin, since my relatives are already pressuring us for the full story. That would be smart, actually. But it’s not why I want to see her tonight.
Ever since that moment at the boutique, I can’t stop thinking about her—can’t stop replaying the image of her in that dress, remembering how her skin felt under my fingertips—even though she was never mine in the first place.
Against my better judgment, I type back a quick yes.
As I pull into her driveway, I grab the flowers I bought and take a deep breath.
When I passed the florist on my way here, I knew the pink roses would make her smile, and that seemed like reason enough to buy them.
I don’t even care about the tuba practice next door or the funky stairwell smell.
A few hours with her is exactly what I need after a long day of dealing with Jakowski.
Scarlett opens the door before I can knock, and for a moment I can’t get a word out because she looks incredible in her pale-yellow sundress with tiny straps, with her brown hair hanging in soft waves around her shoulders. She smiles, and for a second I think it’s because she’s happy to see me.
But then she grabs my arm and pulls me inside with a quiet, “I need to talk to you.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No.” She shakes her head quickly, like she’s hiding something.
I set the flowers on her table by the door, noticing the scent of garlic in the air and the kitchen table set for three. “Who’s joining Eli for dinner?”
Scarlett fidgets, then crinkles her nose. “That’s what I need to tell you…”
I turn to face her. “Tell me what?”
“We are.”
“What?”
Scarlett’s face crumples with guilt. “Listen, I know I should’ve warned you, but I was afraid you wouldn’t come.”
That’s when I realize this was never a date.
I take her elbow and lead her back out into the stairwell so we can have privacy.
I shut the door behind us. “You thought having me over for dinner with your brother was a good idea? He won’t even—” I pause, reading Scarlett’s guilty expression again. “Wait…is this your attempt to get Eli and me to talk?”
“Of course not!” she insists.
I give her a pointed look. “Scarlett.”
She cringes. “Okay, maybe it was,” she admits. “I just thought if I could get you two in the same room, you could work things out, talk about old times, remember how much fun you used to have.”
“Fun?” I shake my head. “I don’t think you understand, Scarlett. Eli doesn’t want to have fun with me.”
“Why not?”
My mouth opens, then closes. There are promises I’ve kept longer than some friendships have lasted—and this is one of them.
“Because things are different now,” I tell her, folding my arms. “We’re different people.”
“How?” she challenges. “You used to be best friends. Now you barely acknowledge each other.”
“He doesn’t want me dating his sister, for one.”
She rolls her eyes. “He doesn’t get a vote in who I date.”
That is probably true, but it doesn’t change his feelings about me. He will always be the protective, older brother.
“It’s complicated, Scarlett.”
“Why can’t you resolve it tonight?” She seems frustrated that I’m not willing to try. “I even made his favorite pasta.”
“So you’re bribing him?”
“It’s not bribery.” She crosses her arms. “It’s sisterly love.”
“Scarlett, one dinner with him won’t change anything.” I pause, realizing something. “Wait. He does know I’m coming, right?”
She looks away. “Well…no.”
“Scarlett.”
“It was the only way! Besides, if this fixes things, it’ll be worth it.”
I let out a sigh. “It’s still wrong.”
“No different than what we’re doing with your family.”
My jaw flexes. “You know what?” I throw my hands in the air. “Maybe I should just leave.” When I try to brush past her, she grabs my arm.
“You can’t leave, Brendan. We need to prove to him we’re together. He’s the one who doubts it.”
I slowly turn back. “How do you know that?”
She releases my arm. “He hinted at it the other night, said he thought it was interesting that you don’t take me on regular dates or just hang out like a normal couple.”
Which was exactly what I was hoping tonight would be—an evening with Scarlett, alone. So far, the only time we’ve spent together has been in front of other people. And strangely enough, Eli is the only one who’s brought that up.
“Why would I want to hang out here, with a tuba soloist and a potential drug dealer?” I say with a straight face.
“Because you want to prove something to my brother.” She takes a step toward me. “That you’re in love with me.”
She has no idea how close to the truth she is.
I exhale. Eli is literally the last person I want to spend this evening with. But if he exposes our charade before the wedding, it won’t only upset my family—it’ll destroy Scarlett’s chance at the vendor contract.
“At least stay for dinner? Please?” Her dark eyes plead with me.
“Give me one good reason.”
“I’m doing the same favor for you. Your entire family thinks I’m dating you. It kills me to imagine how they’ll look at me after the wedding.”
When I asked her to do this, I never stopped to think about what it would cost her when it was over.
She gazes up at me through her dark lashes. “And even if I can’t fix things between you and Eli, it would mean everything to me if we went into this wedding at least knowing you two don’t hate each other.”
“I’ll do it,” I mutter.
Her eyebrows rise slowly. “You’ll really stay?”
“I can’t promise that we’ll end up as friends,” I grumble, turning to the door. “So let’s get this over with before I change my mind.”
“Brendan—” she says, grabbing my jacket sleeve, “thank you.”
When we step back inside, she picks up the bouquet on the table. “What are these for?”
“They’re for you.” I shove my hands in my pockets, remembering the reason I bought them. I feel slightly ridiculous, understanding now that it had never been a date, but a setup for Eli and me.
She takes the blush-pink roses and buries her nose in them. “I love these! Pink roses are my favorite.”
“I know. That’s why I bought them.”
Her brow knits. “You remembered I like roses?”
I shrug. “You mentioned it once. I used to steal them from my mother’s flower arrangements for you, remember?”
“I didn’t know you took them from your mother.”
“I figured she had so many flowers, she wouldn’t miss a few. And you’d appreciate them more.”
She stares at me, inhaling the scent again. “But what’s the occasion?”
It feels absurd admitting this now. “I thought…we were going on a date.”
She frowns. “A date? I asked you to dinner.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
She pauses, her face registering what I just confessed.
I look at the floor, my ears hot. Why would I think she was asking me out? This isn’t even a real relationship. I need to get that through my head before I do something I can’t take back.
Eli comes around the corner and stops when he sees me. “What are you doing here?”
Scarlett steps toward him. “Brendan came for dinner.”
“Dinner?” Eli’s brow furrows, like he’d rather starve than sit down at the table with me.
Scarlett looks between us, trying to break the tension. “Isn’t this going to be fun?”
When I don’t respond, Eli says it for me. “Yeah. Real fun.”