[27]
Everly squeezed the steering wheel until her fingers touched the base of her hands around it. The Saturday-night traffic was worse than normal—maybe. She actually had no idea, because she rarely went out at night. And now she was heading from one date to another.
“So not a date.” The Burger Shack was about twenty-five minutes from the station, and though Chris had suggested they drive together, Everly had quickly made an excuse, saying she needed her car, which she now desperately wanted to turn in the direction of home. At this point, she was basically a walking nerve ending in a pretty shirt. But driving her crazy, more than the nerves, was the desire to be with Chris. To see another side of him. To watch more of the fascinating interaction between him and his brother that revealed a completely new side to him. You’re going. Rule seven: Find your happy. This counts. Seeing a new side to someone you now consider a friend makes you happy. She was so good at glossing over the rest of her feelings.
“Hey, Siri,” she called. The beep sounded and waited. “Text Stacey.”
“What do you want to say to Stacey?”
“I’m heading to the Burger Shack with Chris and his brother Noah. I need you to meet me there. I don’t know why I said yes, but whatever you’re doing, come there. Please don’t be on a date.”
Everly pulled into the right lane, stopping at the light.
Siri’s cute male-accented voice responded, “Your message to Stacey says: I’m heading to the booby shake with Chris and his lover Noah. I need you to meet me there. I don’t know why I said yes, but whatever you’re doing, come there. Please, I’ll be your date.”
“Do you want to send?”
“Yes.” The light changed. “Wait, what?”
“Message sent.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“I don’t know how to respond to that.”
Forming an o with her lips, Everly breathed out a long breath and pressed the gas. “Me neither, Siri. Me neither.”
When the phone rang, she pressed Connect on the steering wheel and braced for Stacey’s response. Nothing like autocorrect to make a girl’s life worse. At least it wasn’t to Chris.
“Are you okay?” Stacey asked as Everly drove. Palm trees lined the streets in between one-level, mostly concrete homes.
“What? Yes, why?”
“Multiple reasons, but the first is because you need to be told that when you do the booby shake with a boy, you shouldn’t ask people to tag along. I mean, unless that’s your thing, but it’s not mine, so I’m going to pass on that one.”
“Shut up,” Everly growled.
“Reason two is because—and I hate to break it to you—Chris is definitely not your type if his lover’s name is Noah and if he is, in fact, his brother? Sweetie, turn the car around no matter what kind of heaven he promised you.”
“I hate you. Tell me you’re coming.”
“Already in the car. I never miss out on the booby shake.”
“Please stop,” Everly said, taking a right at the next light.
“Oh no. That’s just not going to happen. Is the brother hot? I thought, for sure, you’d be home by now.”
She gave a quick recap of her evening and then described Noah without using the word hot—though, clearly, her friend was a master decoder.
“Sexy and hot. I think I’m going to like Chris’s lover.”
“You have to stop.” The Burger Shack parking lot was crowded, and suddenly Everly’s chest felt that way, too.
“Nope. Rules of friendship state that I must mock you when you give me such straightforward reasons to do so.”
“There is no rule that says that,” Everly said, breathing through her nose.
“You haven’t seen my book.”
“You’ll be here soon?”
“Yup. Order me a chocolate-vanilla shake with Oreos and whipped cream. You’re buying.”
“Obviously.”
Chris and his brother were waiting by the door when Everly approached, feeling very overdressed for the beach-themed restaurant.
Her radar wasn’t the best, but she was pretty sure Chris’s gaze traveled up and down her body with appreciation. Either way, the thought that they might have warmed her skin more than the evening humidity. She’d chosen a pair of pale blue capris, wedge sandals, and a pale pink top that looked sheer but had a darker pink camisole underneath. She’d watched a tutorial on how to do her eyes, and after almost blinding herself with an eyeshadow brush, she was pretty pleased with the result.
“Chris was worried you were going to head home,” Noah said.
Chris shoved him, making Noah laugh. Everly’s face felt warmer than the rest of her body. “Of course not. I said I’d come.”
She held the strap of her purse with one hand and her keys in the other. They dug into her palm, but she ignored the sting. Noah opened the door and held it for them. Chris moved closer and put a hand to her back, leaning down so his breath tickled her ear.
“You don’t have to stay,” he said as they walked forward.
She turned her face when they stopped by the hostess station. “Do you want me to go?” she whispered, very aware of Noah directly behind them. Her skin felt alive and tingly. Why was she so aware of her skin when Chris was near?
“Not even a little bit, but I’m worried you’re going to snap your keys in half.”
Everly bit her bottom lip, loosened her fingers, not sure if it was sweet or just embarrassing that he noticed those little things.
“Where’s your cat?” His eyes danced with humor, and her ribs loosened by half.
“Pepper is in my purse,” she whispered back.
“Pepper?” His voice was low.
She closed her eyes, breathed through the accidental slip. When she opened them again, Chris’s gaze had heated. “I named her Pepper Potts.”
His grin blinded her. “She’s kick-ass.”
Everly smiled. “Yes, she is.”
She might not be great at the dating game, but she could feel as well as see the happiness and warmth in the way he looked at her now.
Noah leaned his head toward them, right between the two of their faces. “Just to be sure, I’m not supposed to interject here and make a comment about a cat being in your purse?”
Chris’s eyes closed and opened slowly. He stepped away from Everly and glared at his brother. “I’m going to smother you in your sleep.”
Noah chuckled and winked at Everly. “He can’t stay up later than I can, so I’m not worried. When we were younger, Wes—that’s our other brother—Ari, our sister, and I used to dip his hand in warm water when he passed out at 9:00 p.m. on the weekends.”
Everly didn’t even try to suppress the giggle. She locked eyes with Chris, attempting a pitying look. He shook his head and sighed.
“How many?” a hostess asked in an uber-cheery voice.
“Three,” Chris said loudly, making Everly choke back a laugh.
“Oh, wait. Four. I invited Stacey. I hope that’s okay,” she said. Her pulse scrambled. She shouldn’t even be here. She should have said no, and she definitely shouldn’t have invited a fourth. What if Chris thought she expected him to pay? Was this awkward for him with his brother visiting? Had she totally crashed their reunion? They invited you.
He reached out and squeezed her shoulder, his hand there and gone in the space of a breath. Normally, she tensed when people touched her without warning, but his touch had the opposite effect.
“It’s fine. Always.” Chris turned back to the hostess. “Four, please.”
She gave him a megawatt smile back, glancing at him and Noah with more than a little interest. “You’ve got it. Right this way.”
Should she wait for Stacey? Everly looked back over her shoulder, but all she saw was Noah. He must have read her mind, or maybe she had a flashing sign over her head.
“I’m sure your friend will find us,” he said, nudging her forward.
They settled at the back of the restaurant at a table i
n the corner by the patio doors. Laughter and music filled the room. Servers dressed in palm tree–covered shirts passed each other with full and empty trays, grinning and singing along to the songs. Up two steps and across the room, a small group of servers sang a very fast and complicated version of “Happy Birthday.” Everly shuddered. If there were more than nine circles of hell, being sung to, loudly, by strangers, in a public place would have a spot on her list.
“Your server will be right with you,” the hostess said, setting four menus down.
Everly worked to keep her fingers still, her eyes darting around the restaurant. Noah picked up a menu and opened it.
She felt Chris’s stare and knew she should pick up her menu, but she just needed a minute. Or five. Just breathe. You’ve been here several times, Stacey is on her way, you like being with Chris. It’ll be fun to hear some more stories about him. Right, because you need to get attached to a guy who isn’t in your final two bracket? Though Daniel is definitely not getting through to the next round, unless the final date is unbearable. Next week is the last week. It’s almost done. Owen looks better and better every minute. Safer.
When Chris’s fingers nudged hers, she jolted.
Noah glanced at them. “Be back in a minute.” He got up and left the table, heading in the direction of the restrooms.
Chris leaned closer, in her space but not so far in she couldn’t breathe. “Hey. Are you okay?”
She opened her eyes wider because that totally added believability. “Yup.”
“You know you’re the worst liar ever, right?”
She added a smile. “Uh-huh.”
The look in his eyes softened, smoothing out the rough seas raging inside of her. He nudged his hand a little closer and just his pinkie finger touched her own. Sparks shot along her arm—apparently that was a real thing and not just in books—like static electricity but sharper, distracting her from breathing too fast. His pinkie covered hers like it was offering her much tinier one a hug. A two-pinkie dog pile. God, you’re a dork. Her insides went all warm and squishy, and for some ridiculous reason she could not think about, she felt like crying.
A flurry of blond hurried toward them. “Hey. Fancy meeting you two here,” Stacey said, pulling her purse off from across her chest.
Chris moved his hand and stood up, pulling the chair out for Stacey. “Glad you could join us,” he said evenly.
Clearly, his heart wasn’t blocking his throat like Everly’s. Noah came back to the table and looked down at Stacey. Her technicolor blouse looked gorgeous on her, and Everly was positive she’d interrupted a date in progress. Guilt tugged at her, but the relief of having her friend there was too palpable to pay it much attention.
Noah’s lips quirked up on one side, reminding Everly of Chris when he didn’t have his guard up. Like the other night when they’d watched television together.
“If you’re our waitress, you’re not very good at your job. But since you’re lovely and appear so happy, I’ll let it go this time,” Noah said.
Stacey tilted her head back, and the sexy smile Everly had seen more times than she could count took over her friend’s face. “Are you the brother?”
Noah put his hands in his pockets and nodded, a grave look on his face. “That’s the word on the street. If it helps, I’m the better-looking and more charming of the three.”
Chris shook his head, letting out an exasperated huff. “Jesus. Sit down, you idiot. Stacey, this is my brother Noah. Noah, Stacey.” He waved a hand between them. “Don’t hit on each other. Seriously.”
They both opened their mouths, their mutual shock comical. A laugh burst from Everly’s chest, and she slapped a hand across her mouth.
“Something funny? Maybe a text or something?” Stacey gave her a sickly sweet smile, and Everly bit her lip, trying to contain further giggles.
Noah sat beside Stacey and shook her hand. “I’ll do my best not to hit on you, but I’m fairly hungry, so I might not be responsible for my actions if we can’t order soon.”
Stacey nodded and picked up a menu. “Noted and completely understandable. I make no promises whether I’m hungry or not.”
Chris caught Everly’s eye, and they shared a smile before picking up their menus. Maybe she could handle part two of an evening she’d wanted to put behind her hours ago. With Stacey there, she could breathe easier and know that she could be on the listening end of the conversations. She could do that.
Listening and observing were her sports. She was a gold medal champion in both, which was the only excuse she had for looking at the menu without actually seeing the words. Observations: the scent of Chris’s cologne and the proximity of his hand when he set his menu down, the way his laugh was a little gruff, sort of like he’d slept on it, his affectionate smiles toward his brother even as he rolled his eyes. By the time their waitress joined them, with water and apologies, Everly still wasn’t sure what she wanted. From the menu.
[28]
The service at the restaurant was beyond slow. Normally, this put Everly on edge. She didn’t like feeling stuck, but it felt different with Chris and Stacey—one of whom she was very comfortable with and one who gave her this dual, confusing sensation of ease mixed with nerves. Noah was hilarious, and listening to Chris try to defend his actions as a younger sibling gave Everly a completely new view of him.
Noah hooked one arm around the back of his chair, casually elegant and completely at ease with himself. He finished his pint and set it down. “Our dad isn’t the most affectionate. Our mom is. She used to tell us that if you want to be really good at something, you have to practice and work hard.”
They’d finished their dinners and were waiting for their bills. The restaurant was quieter, but music still played in the background. The smell of french fries and burgers permeated the air, and Everly was sure she wouldn’t be able to eat again for days. The milkshake had been unnecessary but delicious.
“I’ll pay you to stop talking,” Chris said, leaning back in his chair, clasping his hands over his stomach, drawing Everly’s attention.
A quick, hard flash of curiosity danced through her mind with the force of a tornado, making her wonder what he’d look like under his shirt. She choked on the last of her milkshake.
“You okay?” Stacey asked, her eyes playful.
Everly nodded, eyes watering. “Fine.”
Noah grinned at his brother. “When Chris was about six, he took his favorite stuffed bear—he slept with that thing until he was fourteen.”
Chris crumpled a napkin and tossed it at Noah. “Screw you.” He looked at Stacey, then Everly. “I absolutely did not.”
“I could be a bit off on the age. Might have been sixteen. Anyway, he takes this bear to our dad in his home office, just offers it to him. I was reading, and Wes was playing on the computer. We just liked to be around our dad, and as long as we weren’t bugging him, he didn’t mind us hanging out in there, absorbing his business sense. He looks down at Chris and says, ‘I can’t play with you right now.’”
“This is completely against the bro code.” Chris groaned, draining his soda glass. He glared at his brother, but there was no heat in it. This is what they did. It made her wonder what it would have been like to have a sibling.
“No way. This is good stuff. Keep going,” Stacey said. She was digging into the last of her milkshake, pulling out chunks of Oreo with a spoon.
“Chris tells Dad he doesn’t want to play. He tells him that he can borrow the bear to hug. My dad stops doing what he’s doing. He hates being interrupted, but he stops and says, ‘Why would I want to hug your bear?’” Noah’s grin was contagious. “Chris says, ‘Because you don’t know how to give hugs. You can practice on Bear, and I’ll tell you if you’re doing it right.’ Our dad went three shades of red. Wes and I couldn’t stop laughing.”
“Oh my goodness, that’s absolutely adorable,” Stacey said through her laughter.
Everly glanced at Chris. Despite his smile, she didn’t
think he enjoyed the story. She hated the image of him craving attention he didn’t get from his dad. Maybe because she’d been on the receiving end of having tales told about her to provide comedic relief, mostly by her parents, she could read that in his body language.
“I think it’s sweet,” she said quietly. “Did he practice?” Her dad would have. He had faults, but giving affection wasn’t one of them.
Chris ran a hand through his hair and scoffed. “No. He took the bear away and told me to go play with my brothers—who are both jackasses, so I probably went off by myself.”
A pang of sadness struck her heart. No, her dad definitely wouldn’t have taken the bear away. She wondered what other little secrets went into making Chris the man he was. Noah was more outgoing and had a different presence than his brother. Though she could see some similarities in the eyes and the nose, she found Chris more attractive in a less obvious way. Noah was all sharp cheekbones and magazine smiles. Chris was … real.
“Aw. We weren’t all bad,” Noah said, folding his arms and letting out a weary sigh.
If he’d come from New York, the flight was probably catching up with him. The day was certainly catching up with Everly.
“I’m not sure whether to be happy or sad I don’t have siblings,” Everly commented.
“You have me,” Stacey said, holding out a bite of Oreo for Everly in challenge. Everly shook her head, so Stacey shrugged. “Your sister from another mister.” She ate the Oreo and dropped her spoon, making it rattle against the glass.
Everly laughed. “True. The best part of that is when you’re too outrageous, I can make it clear we’re not actually related.”
Both of the men laughed, and Everly saw Noah exchange a glance with Chris.
“You have awesome employees.”
Stacey sat straighter, adding some sass to her expression. “Hell, yeah, he does.”
Chris sat up straighter. “The station has excellent employees all the way around, from the janitors to the producers. It’s part of what’s kept it going.”
“Can I quote you on that, Mr. Diplomacy?” Noah grinned at Stacey. “Come on, he won’t tell me any good stuff. Any drama? Good gossip? Any of you hooking up in the break room?”
Ten Rules for Faking It Page 24