He chuckles. “Sweet. You’ll go?”

“Yeah. If it’s okay with Colt,” I add.

“It is. I called him before I called you. He wasn’t in the best mood. But he said he didn’t care. So we’re good there.”

The fact that Colt doesn’t care if I go on a date with his brother stings more than it should. But I correct myself, this isn’t a date. We’re going as friends, that’s all.

The next week passes by quickly, but without an explanation or an apology from Colt about Bria interrupting us. He just pretends it didn’t happen, and he’s even more withdrawn. Each day that passes without him opening up, I lose a little more faith in us. And it doesn’t help that each day Reis sends me sweet and funny texts that let me know he’s thinking of me.

Desperate to know what’s going on between me and Colt, I seek out Britt in the cafeteria on Friday afternoon. But looks like I’ll have to wait, she’s on the phone. When she spots me, her eyes widen and she muffles her hand over the phone. I get the sense she’s talking about something she doesn’t want me to hear. My heart clenches. She’s probably on the phone with Bria. Does she know something I don’t? Why is she looking at me with sympathy in her eyes? Oh God, I need to get out of here.

I do the only thing I can do. I log into my computer, punching in the string of commands that will allow me access to Colt’s email account.

I pull a deep breath into my lungs. There aren’t any messages from Bria, just a few work-related things and a status report form Vera of happenings at the school.

I go to the folder for sent items. There’s an email exchange between him and Bria from yesterday.

I read over the note she wrote to him first.

TO: Colt Palmer

FROM: Bria Simonson

SUBJECT: The dynamic duo of London

When are you going to tell her? You’re the world’s suckiest boyfriend. Not that I’m complaining about that.

TO: Bria Simonson

FROM: Colt Palmer

SUBJECT: RE: The dynamic duo of London

I just need a little more time. I know you want this all solved and figured out to so we can move on. Just hang in there with me.

Oh God. Is he going to breakup with me? What other explanation can there be? Her note implies that he’s being a bad boyfriend and has something to tell me, and his note assures her that he’ll solve it soon so they can move on.

Later MJ finds me in bed. “You skipped last period?” she says, shaking my shoulder to wake me.

“I think Colt’s breaking up with me,” I groan and roll over.

She doesn’t speak, but her eyes convey everything. She’s nursed girls back from Colt’s heartbreak before. She warned me about this from the beginning. At least she doesn’t say I told you so. She sits down beside me on the bed.

I open the email and show her.

She reads over it slowly, then lets out a string of curse words in every language she knows, possibly even throwing in a few made up ones. “I’ll admit it doesn’t sound good, but you don’t know what that could be referring to.” she says finally.

“I think it’s pretty damn clear MJ. No matter what might have gone on between him and Bria, I can’t trust him. It’s just a matter of time before he screws up. I can’t go to that dance tonight, MJ. I feel like lying in bed and eating a pint of ice cream.”

She pats my back. “I know. But you can’t stand up Reis. You wouldn’t do that to him.”

I nod. She’s right.

I force myself out of bed and into the shower. The warm water soothes my heartache just a bit, and I go through the motions of getting ready.

Colt

I sit at the bar nursing my pint. The one good thing about being in London – the drinking age. I need a reprieve. Between dealing with Taylor ignoring me, Bria’s mood swings, and managing Geoffrey’s unyielding demands on this never ending case, things have been intense.

I glance at my phone. Still no word from Taylor despite numerous texts and emails asking her to call me back. We really need to talk, but for some reason, she seems reluctant, and hasn’t been answering her phone.

I realize it’s Homecoming night and dial up Reis instead. “Hey man. You ready for the dance tonight?”

“Yeah. I just got Taylor’s corsage out of the fridge, she’ll be here soon.”

“You didn’t pick her up?”

“I know. I wanted to, trust me. But you know how she is. She insisted that was a stupid idea, and I could do little more than nod my head and obey. She’s staying the night here though, sleeping in your old room.”

“Cool. How’s Mrs. Lee?”

“A nervous wreck, waiting in the foyer with her camera ready and poised on the door. But hey, listen we’re dancing around this and we need to talk about what you’re doing to Taylor.”

Now I’m getting shit from my little brother too? Damn, this is not my day. “Just worry about yourself, Reis.”

“You’re fucking with Taylor’s emotions and we both know it. Come clean with her,” he says.

“You don’t know shit about my relationship with Taylor.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I’m there when she’s sad because you’ve done something stupid. I’m the one who’s there for her when she’s drunk and sick. And I’m the one she comes to when she wants to laugh. I’ve been the one comforting her when she runs into one of your ex’s.”

Fuck. I hate this. I hate that I’m not there for her. “Don’t get any ideas with me away. She’s not yours.”

“We’ll see. You’re not here for her.”

“I’ll be back eventually, don’t be a dumbass, Reis,” I growl.

He’s quiet for a second. “Why do you have to have this girl? You’ll fuck anything that moves.”

His assessment of me would have been true a few months ago, but Taylor’s changed that. It sucks to know that’s what he still thinks of me though. Some big brother I turned out to be. What if Taylor is better off with him? Someone her own age, who doesn’t have a shaky past, who isn’t running an international corporation, someone who can take her to regular stuff – like high school dances. Reis can give her things I can’t. “If that’s what she decides she wants, I’ll step away, but until then, no fucking way.” I won’t just hand her over to him.

“You can’t have it both ways, Colt You’re not here.”

Maybe it is selfish of me to try and keep her. If she really is interested in Reis, though it will kill me, I’ll walk away. “Treat her right tonight.”

“I always do,” he says, ending the call.

Taylor

I pull into the circular driveway of Reis and Colt’s massive house and hobble up the brick walkway in my too high heels, tugging at the hem of the tiny silver dress MJ lent me. My curves fill it out in ways MJ said Reis would approve of, but I felt overexposed.

I reach the door and before I can knock, it’s pulled open by a tiny Asian woman smiling at me. “Hello,” I say.

“My dear, come inside, come inside.” She grips my hands and pulls me in. She’s standing there, still holding onto me, grinning from ear to ear while she studies me.

“Mrs. Lee?” I guess.

She nods vigorously.

Reis rounds the corner, chuckling at us. “Mrs. Lee, give her a break.” Once she steps back, his eyes travel from mine down the length of my body, down my legs and stop at my open toed heels. His mouth drops open. “Damn, Shrimp. You look sexy.”

Mrs. Lee nudges him in the side, and he starts chuckling again. He crosses the room, lifting me in a full embrace until my feet leave the floor.

Mrs. Lee poses us together in various positions, clicking away with her camera repeatedly. After we’ve posed for photos in front of the fireplace and in the backyard, Reis slips a beautiful corsage of purple flowers on my wrist and ties it in place with a silver ribbon that matches my dress. Then we’re on our way.

I steal glances at him once we’re inside the Jeep. He looks good in his suit. His shoulders fill out the black suit jacket and crisp white dress shirt. It’s simple and classic. And with his silver tie, we sort of match.