Just hearing his name had my heart rate increasing and my body warming. “No, he actually kinda changed the subject when I brought up him leaving so soon.”

Kinlee groaned and sat back in her seat. One hand rubbed at her temple, and she grimaced. “Poor Brody. Jace was such a dick to him when he came over. I want Brody to leave his wife just as much as the rest of his family, but really, Jace crossed a line this weekend.”

I waited to see if she’d add anything, but she just sat there worrying her bottom lip in between sips of coffee. “You really love Brody, don’t you?”

Her eyes darted over to mine, and she smiled. “I grew up next door to those boys. Brody’s like my older brother.”

“Lee, I didn’t know that.” I crossed my arms over my chest and sat back. “So you married the boy next door, huh?”

She laughed. “I did. He told me when I was five years old that he was going to marry me, and he kissed me on the playground.”

“What? How have I never heard about any of this? That is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard!”

“Not at the time it wasn’t! He was gross, and my older brothers told me all boys had cooties or something. I don’t remember, but I punched him in the nose and got sent to the principal’s office.”

I forced down the sip I’d just taken and burst out laughing. “Oh, God. That’s amazing, I’m bringing that up next time I’m over.”

Kinlee’s phone went off again, and I watched her smile grow even wider. “Aiden is asking if he can have your number.”

“What? No.”

“KC!”

“Kinlee.” I mimicked her whiny three-year-old tone.

“Why not? What was wrong with Aiden?”

“Nothing, he just—” Isn’t Brody. Brody is married . . . married, Kamryn! I thought about the way Aiden made me feel. It’d been more of a response than I’d ever had for even Charles. More than any guy, really. Why did I have to meet him on the same day I met Brody? Why did I have to meet Brody at all? Barbara’s words from our call came back to me, and I uncrossed my legs and sat straight up. “You know what? Give it to him.”

Kinlee’s jaw dropped. “What?”

“Have Jace give him my number.”

I’ve never seen Kinlee move that fast. She dropped her phone twice because she tried to pick up her phone and begin texting simultaneously. “Oh, my God, Kace! I’m so excited right now! I can’t believe you’re actually letting us give a guy your number. Does this mean you liked him? You looked like you were having a good time, but I didn’t think—” She cut off and started cracking up before showing me her phone. “Jace doesn’t believe me.”

I glanced over the screen.

HUBBY:

Aiden’s asking about KC, he wants her number

You know she won’t let you give it to him. But I’ll ask.

HUBBY:

Thx baby

HOLY SHIT SHE SAID GIVE IT TO HIM!!!!!

HUBBY:

Ha. Fuckin hilarious babe. You actually had me for a sec

I smiled and grabbed my phone.

Seriously. Give Aiden my number.

JACE:

No fucking way! I feel like a proud older brother or something. My lil KC is growin up n gon’ get her a boyfran.

Whoa buddy. I said give him my number. Let’s start there.

And stop making fun of my accent over text. Ass.

“There, all taken care of. Now will y’all stop trying to set me up with every single man you know?”

Kinlee happy-clapped and took a long sip of her drink. “As long as things work out with Aiden!”

I groaned and let my face fall into my hand.

Kamryn

May 10, 2015

“WHERE IS AIDEN taking you tomorrow?”

I stopped going through different tops and turned to look at her. “I thought you were supposed to find that out, Lee!”

“You know Jace doesn’t know these things. And besides, they’ve been busy this last shift. I haven’t talked to him much.”

“Well then, why am I here looking for an outfit if I don’t even know how to dress?”

Kinlee stopped pulling boxes of shoes out of a shipment that had been delivered and walked over to where I was standing. “Well, Aiden’s just Aiden. He’s kind of a ‘what you see is what you get’ guy. He won’t try to impress you with fancy restaurants or something just to get you to like him.” She turned quickly and pointed at me. “That doesn’t mean he won’t treat you well and show you a good time. It just means he’s not going to shell out for some crazy expensive dinner on the first date to get you to think he’s loaded.”

“Thank God.” I’d had enough of people who were loaded to last me a damn lifetime.

“So don’t be too fancy, but don’t go in yoga pants, and you should be fine.”

I made a face. “Because that really narrows it down. That’s basically your entire store and 90 percent of my wardrobe.”

“Make sure the shirt is blue, or has blue in it. Or dark gray or black! We need your eyes to pop.”

“Yes, Mom,” I mumbled and walked around more when she went back to putting the shipment away.

Aiden hadn’t wasted time, that’s for sure. By the time Kinlee and I left the coffee shop the night before, he’d already texted me to see if Jace had given him a fake number, and after talking for a while when I got home, we’d set up a date that Saturday.

“How’s this?” I held up an electric-blue see-through top.

“Perfect. I just got in these black shorts, where did they go? Anyway, they’ll look great with that and your legs.”

“Yay,” I said unenthusiastically.

“Well, don’t try to sound excited or anything.”

“I am excited.” Wasn’t I?

Broad shoulders, gray eyes, and a crooked smile filled my mind. No, I was so not excited.

THE NEXT NIGHT with Aiden was going much better than I’d thought it would. We had the same humor and had spent practically all of dinner laughing to the point where I’d started crying. But everything about the date and Aiden screamed friendship to me. Those few flashes of attraction the weekend before at the barbecue had been it for me when it came to him.

All I could see was Brody. And I hated it.

I was still barely sleeping, and the few hours I did sleep he starred in every dream. If that wasn’t enough, I spent all my waking hours going over every detail about him while simultaneously trying to get him out of my mind.

When Aiden gave me a smile and I wished for it to be crooked, I realized it obviously wasn’t working. And this wasn’t fair to Aiden.

We were walking to a little coffee shop around the corner from the restaurant when he grabbed my hand in his, and my mind instantly went to Brody.

“Aiden,” I began, pulling my hand back.

“I’m sorry. Too fast?”

I stopped walking and shut my eyes tightly before looking up at him. “No, it’s not . . . it’s just—”

Understanding and disappointment came over his face, and I wished I could give him something more. “I pushed you into this, I know,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

“I belong to someone else,” I blurted out, and no matter how impossible that seemed, the moment the words were out of my mouth I knew it was true. I belonged to a man who I didn’t know and who would never belong to me. Aiden was the kind of guy I needed—deep down I knew that, but I just wasn’t into it.

“You’re seeing someone? Jace swore you were single.”

“I am single.” His eyebrows drew together, and I shook my head. “I’m not seeing him, but right now, I belong to him. And it wouldn’t be fair to lead you on when he’s all I can think about.”

“Huh. I, uh—well, I guess I have to be thankful for that kind of honesty.” Aiden rocked back on his heels and looked around embarrassed. “Does he know?”

“What?”

“This guy. Does he know that you feel this way?”

“Oh, God, I hope not.”

Surprise and confusion flashed through his eyes before he smiled widely at me. “Then I’ll wait.”