26. Miles
26
Miles
I place my phone face down on the desk and let my head fall into my hands, my fingers digging into my temples as I scrub at my face. Even though I’ve made an appointment with a lawyer in the next town over to try to keep things under wraps, it’s still hard to believe I got myself into this mess in the first place.
Not only am I way behind on all my book keeping duties here at work, but I actually let myself contemplate having sex with Veronica Prescott last night. There’s even a small part of me that still wants to say it’s fine—she is my wife, after all, and it wouldn’t have to mean anything. But I can’t do that. I have to be smart about this, even if my dick keeps trying to convince me otherwise.
It took a second shower last night to get my body under control, even if it ended with me fucking my hand to rid myself not just of the tension, but the temptation as well. Too bad it didn’t work, since it was her face in my mind that I ultimately came to.
I just need to stay strong. Eventually, she’ll move out, and our marriage will be annulled, but the tension between us will still linger. With my sister back in Evergreen for good, there’s no avoiding the fact that Veronica and I will run into each other more often than not. We’re just one big mistake waiting to happen, and I refuse to let us walk into yet another one.
“Knock, knock,” a voice I know all too well calls out, as they rap a few times on my office door.
“Come in,” I yell to Blair as she opens the door and makes herself comfortable, setting her bag on my desk, and sits in the chair directly across from me.
“I brought lunch,” she says, holding up a white paper bag before also setting it down between us.
I raise an eyebrow. “Why do I feel like this is going to cost me something?”
She lets out a soft gasp, covering her heart with her palm. “Miles! Why would you ever think that?” She plays along, doing her best to look offended, though a smile peeks through. “Can’t a girl just bring her big brother lunch without any expectations?”
“With a normal sister, yes, but I know you. So, what’s up? What do you need now?” I ask, reaching forward to pull out the sandwich she must have picked up from Simon’s Deli.
At least she knows me well enough to know my order , I think to myself as I carefully unwrap my Italian sandwich.
“Okay, so you know how I just purchased the old building on Main Street?” she asks, and I nod for her to continue.
Most of our reunion after arriving home had centered around the trip and the whirlwind events that led to our wedding. But Veronica and I did our best to steer the conversation back to Blair and Ford. That’s when they officially announced they were together—and Blair shared even more exciting news. She’d been working with Mary-Beth, the town’s realtor, to purchase the old model train store and turn it into her very own photography studio.
“I’ve officially gotten the keys and the green light to get started, and could really use some extra hands. Any chance you’d be willing to be one of them?” she asks, linking her fingers pleadingly and holding them under her chin.
“And by ‘helping hand,’ what exactly would that entail?” I ask before lifting the sandwich to my lips and taking a bite. Obviously, I’ll help her with whatever is needed, but I want to know exactly what I'm getting myself into before I formally agree.
“Well, I’m not sure if you’ve seen the place recently, but the inside is pretty gross and filled with tons of old shelves and tables. So, first, I’ll probably need your and Ford’s help to get all that moved out.”
I try to resist rolling my eyes, knowing exactly what comes with working with Ford, but I keep my mouth shut as she goes on.
“And then after that, I plan to do some painting, but Ronnie has already agreed to help with that side of things…” She casually waves her hand.
“So, what you’re saying is that you need me for all the dirty work, and you and Vee get to do all the fun, easy stuff?”
She smiles, subtly lifting one shoulder. “Maybe a little, and Vee, huh?” she asks, making note, for the second time, of the nickname I’ve come up with for her best friend.
“Yeah, and what about it?” I ask, doing my best not to make a big deal out of it as I shove another bite of sandwich into my mouth.
“I don’t know, I guess I just find it sort of interesting that you have your own little nickname for her, that’s all,” she states, lifting a brow in my direction as she crosses one leg over the other.
“I know what you’re doing,” I say, speaking through a mouthful of sandwich. “And there’s nothing to read into here. It’s just a nickname—nothing more, nothing less.”
“I don’t know. You’ve known Ronnie for as long as I have, and it’s always felt like you refused to follow the rest of the crowd and call her Ronnie. But now, after spending less than two weeks with her, you have your own little nickname. It’s just a little suspicious, is all I’m saying, especially when you came home married to her to top it all off.”
“And don’t forget that it was a drunken mistake, and that I’ve already called a lawyer and have plans set in motion for us to get this thing taken care of. Believe me, there’s nothing weird or nefarious going on here.”
She tosses her hands up, palms facing me. “Hey, you’re the one making this into a big deal.”
“Don’t even,” I say, letting the rest of my uneaten sub fall onto the wrapping. “Don’t act like I’m the only one making things weird.”
“Okay, fine. I may be making things a little weird, but can you really blame me? You’ve hated my best friend for as long as I can remember, and now all of the sudden the two of you are besties, with her living in your apartment. And let’s not forget that she’s now your wife. You have to admit, that’s pretty fucking weird, Miles.”
I let out a small chuckle, because, honestly, she has a point.
“Okay, yes. I never liked her all that much—” I start, but she interrupts.
“Oh, it was more than just you not liking her. You made that crystal clear,” she says, her eyes narrowing, not about to let me off the hook on this one.
“Okay, fine. I more than disliked her, but I can admit that maybe I was wrong and she’s actually not as bad as I thought,” I confess, even if it stings a little.
“Normally, I’d be ecstatic to hear that, but I’m going to be honest, I’m kind of worried.”
My brows furrow. “Why?”
She rolls her eyes. “Because she’s my best friend and you’re my brother. I’m pretty sure that makes me legally obligated to kick either of your asses if either of you hurts the other, and I’m not looking to do that.”
I laugh once more. “Okay, I can promise you she’s not going to be breaking my heart.”
“And what about you breaking hers?” she challenges, tilting her head to the side.
“I’m pretty sure, to do that, she’d have to be into me like that, and I can assure you, nothing like that is going on,” I lie, because last night was proof that maybe things are a little more complicated than I care to admit.
She doesn’t believe me either, as her head falls forward. “I know you like to think that I’m blind and that I’m still nothing more than your silly and na?ve little sister, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I can see that something’s changed, and that something is going on between the two of you. I know you two better than I know the back of my own hand, and at this point, it’s pretty fucking obvious.”
A sigh escapes my lips as I shake my head and look away. “Look, Blair,” I offer, daring a glance back in her direction. “Yes, I may now somewhat enjoy her company, and I get that I misjudged her before, and that’s on me. But I need you to understand something: nothing is going to happen between us. You’re my top priority; always have been. I would never risk our relationship—or yours with her—over something that I know could never truly work. Veronica’s important to you, and, somehow, she’s also become important to me, too. Hurting either of you isn’t an option. Trust me on that, okay?”
Her lips form a straight line as she lets my words settle before she finally nods. “Okay, good. I believe you.”
“Thank you. Now tell me more about what all I’m expected to do to help get your business going,” I say, more than ready to change the subject—and thankfully, she seems just as ready and willing.
For now, and more than ever, I’d rather focus on the fact that my sister is finally settling down in our little hometown. It’s a much-needed and welcome distraction, one my brain so desperately needs. I’d do just about anything—and I mean anything—to keep the thoughts of Veronica at bay. The more I think about her, the harder it gets to remind myself that she’s someone I can never have, especially after this talk with Blair.