by K. C. Crowne
“Snowed in, huh?” she asked. “Not a bad way to spend the storm. I’m here with my cat and a pint of that ice cream that’s got the hard layer of chocolate on top you have to smash through with the spoon. Gotta say, a guy would be nice too.”
“But it’s like…I can’t even relax. We’re meeting his brother tomorrow.”
“Right! And that’s a really good sign.”
“You don’t think it’s too fast?”
“There’s no such thing as too fast, babe. Things move at their own pace. And if your relationship is ready for meeting the family, then so be it! Cut right to the chase. Who knows – maybe you’ll be married in a few months.”
My stomach tightened, as if she were pushing my luck for me. “Let’s not go crazy,” I said, pacing back and forth in the guest room. “I’m mostly focused on what’s happening tomorrow.”
“Sure. And trust me – you don’t need to worry a bit. Brothers aren’t that dissimilar. If Duncan likes you, then I’m sure his brother will give you a glowing review. Just be your awesome self, and don’t sweat even for a second.”
There was still a chance of disaster, sure. But Gia’s words made me feel a hell of a lot better.
“And if he’s some stuck-up dweeb, then so be it! You don’t need everyone in the world to like you.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed. “Okay. Yeah, you’re right. It’ll be fine.”
“It’ll be fine. Hell, it’ll be more than fine. This time two days from now, it’ll all be behind you, likely with the brother’s stamp of approval.”
“Alright. Thanks a ton for talking me down, Gia. I really mean it.”
“Of course! I only ask one thing in return.”
“What’s that?”
“If his brother’s cute…”
I laughed, knowing exactly what she was thinking. “I’ll be sure to tell him about my gorgeous, brilliant, and most importantly, single friend.”
“Atta girl. Now, go get snowed in. And don’t forget I’m gonna want details!”
I laughed. “Don’t worry – you’ll get them.”
After I hung up, I stayed in the room for a few minutes longer, trying to really internalize what Gia had said. She’s right, I told myself. If Duncan liked me, there wasn’t a doubt his brother would too. And even if he didn’t, so what? I’d be myself, and that was the best I could do.
When I was calmer, I went back downstairs. Duncan was seated on the big couch in front of the giant TV, his legs propped up on the coffee table and his laptop in front of him.
“All good?” he asked.
“All’s great.” I wandered to the window and watched as the snow flurries decorated the landscape. “Damn,” I said, watching it fall. “Look at that. In an hour or so we won’t be able to leave.”
He came over to me, wrapping his arm around my waist and planting a kiss on my cheek. “Why would we want to?”
I smiled, his words sending a rush of warmth through me. We spent a little time on our work, the two of us sipping coffee and plugging away, the snow coming down in sheets outside.
After a few hours, we called it a night with work. Duncan and I put our computers away as our stomachs growled. We decided to make a little dinner, using his massive, state-of-the-art kitchen to prepare some pad Thai, the meal accompanied with a bottle of wine from his basement cellar.
With our bellies full and the snow still pouring down, we cuddled on the couch to watch some TV. He picked one of his favorite movies, An Affair to Remember, which was another pleasant surprise. The good doctor had a taste for classic romance.
However, we didn’t make it all the way to the end. The cuddling turned to kissing, the kissing turned to getting naked, and the getting naked went…well, that’s easy to guess.
He turned the TV off, and with the fire raging and the snow drifting down, we made love on the floor in front of the roaring flames, just like before. Then we went to sleep in his big bed, warm and cozy and in one another’s arms.
It was absolutely perfect.
“Alright,” he said the next morning over coffee. “I got a text from the homeowner’s association – the snow’s done and they’re clearing the roads back into town.”
“Too bad,” I said with a smile. “I wouldn’t mind being snowed in for another day…or week.”
He winked. “Same here. But hey, the winter’s still young. But I’ll see you again tonight.”
I was still nervous about it but feeling a hell of a lot better. “Sounds great.”
After breakfast, he drove me back to my apartment. The town was covered in a thick layer of snow, the roads only recently cleared. The few people out were dressed in thick, puffy jackets and heavy boots.
When we reached my apartment, Duncan hopped out of the car, opened the door on my side, and walked me to the front door. I still thought it was a little old-fashioned, but even so, I kind of dug it.
“Alright,” he said once we were at the front door. “I’ll see you tonight, gorgeous.”
Gorgeous. With a mere word he made me melt in my boots. And the kiss he followed it up with didn’t hurt matters either.
“See you then,” I said with a smile.
Another wink, and moments later he was in his car and gone. I turned and headed to my door, a smile on my face that I thought might be permanently etched there. I stopped short when I noticed flowers on the ground in front of my door.
I stepped over and picked them up and found a small note on the bouquet.
“These reminded me of you.
Andrew.”
The card was from a delivery service, answering the question of whether or not he’d been at my apartment. That was a bit of a relief, but my stomach clenched as his possible intentions popped in my mind.
Once inside, I tossed all my winter gear onto the couch and plopped down, still in a glow from the time I’d spent with Duncan. I quickly put the flowers into the garbage. I didn’t want to look at them. They were pretty, sure, but Andrew’s intentions were the last thing I wanted to think about.
I didn’t have time to dawdle. I had plenty of work to do, and then I’d need to start thinking about getting ready for my big evening with Duncan and his brother.
The article I was working on for Classical Monthly was about a teenage cellist, one who’d lost his parents at a young age and turned to music to cope. I spent a few hours typing, but in the middle of work an urge came over me, one that I hadn’t had in months.
I closed my computer and went over to my closet, opening it and rummaging through the clutter inside until I found what I was looking for. In the back, buried under random junk and coated with a layer of dust, was my violin case. I pulled it out, blew off the dust, and opened it on the kitchen table.
There it was – my violin, the one I’d had since I was a kid. I hadn’t played in a long while, feeling too stressed and overwhelmed and not even a little in the creative spirit.
But that moment, I was. So, I took it up, positioned it on my chin, placed the bow…and played.
The music came out effortlessly, like I hadn’t missed a day of practice, like it’d been just below the surface, waiting for me to call on it, to bring it out. I didn’t play for long – only a few minutes. But when I finished, I felt rejuvenated, like a new woman.
I put the violin back in the case and clicked the locks shut, making a silent vow not to let so much time pass between then and the next time I played.
The rest of the day flew past, and at around four I received a text from Duncan with all of the information. Seven was the meeting time, and I wanted to be ready. With Gia’s help on Facetime, I went through a few different outfits. Impressing the brother was a look I’d never had to think of before. After all, it wasn’t like Andrew had ever wanted me to meet his.
I settled on a simple, dark green, cocktail dress and black heels. Easy, no fuss.
When I was ready, I grabbed my things and headed out, driving to the cocktail lounge downtown where we were supposed to meet
. Duncan messaged me when I was on my way, letting me know he’d be waiting for me in the lobby of the hotel where the lounge was located.
His eyes lit up when he saw me, and a wave of anxiety rushed through my body.
“You look beautiful,” he said, leaning in and planting a kiss on my cheek.
“Is he here?” I asked, wringing my hands together.
“He’s at the bar. He had to take a work call, so I figured I’d give him a minute to sort it out.”
“Wow, a work call at night? Sounds like he takes after his brother.”
“He does – both major workaholics.” He looked at me, studying me for a second. “You alright?”
“Fine,” I said with a smile. “Let’s do this.”
He took my hand and led me through the gorgeous lobby towards the bar. As we approached, I could see it was as elegant as the rest of the building, full of White Pines’ wealthy elite.
“There he is,” Duncan announced, gesturing to a man seated at the bar in a sharp, business suit. His back was to us, but I could see he was on the phone in the middle of a heated conversation.
Duncan approached, placing his hand on the man’s shoulder, and when the man turned around, I nearly fainted.
Andrew looked up at me. My eyes widened, and my hands began to shake.
“Andrew,” Duncan said, smiling toward me. “I want you to meet someone very special to me. Annie”
Andrew mouth opened slightly, a disbelieving expression on his face. He hung up his phone and slipped it back into his pocket. “Annie?”
“Andrew?” I squeaked, looking at Duncan, then at Andrew. “What the hell is going on? Is this some kind of joke?”
Duncan appeared confused. “A joke? I don’t understand.”
“Duncan,” Andrew said, a firm tone in his voice. “This is Annie. My Annie.”
My coat still on, my purse slung over my shoulder, I turned on my heels and hurried out of the bar as quickly as my legs would take me. The cold outside hit me like a wall, but I didn’t care. I jumped into my car and peeled out of the parking spot, tears in my eyes.
What the hell was going on. What the hell was going on?
My phone was on the seat next to me, and it immediately began blowing up with calls from Duncan, but he was the last person I wanted to talk to.
When I was home, I silenced my phone, poured myself a big glass of wine, and dropped down onto the couch.
Duncan had been perfect, and I’d wondered what the catch might be.
Little had I known, it was a catch that threatened to tear our relationship apart.
Duncan
The evening played over and over again in my head.
“This has to be some kind of fucked-up joke,” Andrew had said, shaking his head in disbelief. “And if so, it’s not fucking funny in the slightest.”
“It’s not a joke, Andrew. Annie and I are seeing each other.”
Another disbelieving head shake. “You’re seeing each other. Isn’t that cute? And how did that happen? You just happened to meet the woman I dated for years? Out of all the women in Denver, you had to find the only one I was in love with.”
“You were in love with her?” I asked, surprised. “From what I’ve heard, you had a funny way of showing it.” I’d winced internally as soon as I said the words, knowing I’d gone too far.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Andrew asked, standing up slowly.
I’d known at that moment I had two choices – to double down or cool my heels. Of course, I’d made the wrong call.
“Andrew, the moment you found success as a lawyer, you stuck her in a drawer and totally forgot about her. Then you broke up with her like she meant nothing. Was I really supposed to believe she was off-limits?”
He opened his mouth to speak. But as if thinking better of it, closed his mouth and shook his head. “I’m not even going to get into it with you right now. Here I am, thinking I was going to have a nice evening meeting your new girlfriend and this is how it turns out. Fucking incredible. You couldn’t have at least given me a heads-up?”
“I thought about it,” I’d said. “Trying to figure out the best way to tell you. And this is what I decided.”
“You decided the best thing to do would be to drop it in my lap like this? Fucking great. And what about her? Was she in on this too?”
I shook my head. “No, she had no idea. I’m pretty sure she’s just as pissed at me as you are.”
He was steamed – no doubt about it. He didn’t say another word to me. Instead, he’d turned to the bartender, ordered a shot of whiskey, and threw it back the moment it was placed it front of him. Then he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, shaking his head as he turned toward me.
“This is some underhanded shit,” he accused. “Can’t believe my own brother would do me dirty like this.”
“It was a tough situation,” I said. “But you have to believe me when I say it was hard, Andrew. She’s not just some woman I’m having a fling with. She really means something to me.”
He snorted. “And that’s supposed to make this better?” He waved his hand through the air. “Whatever. I’ve got enough on my plate right now, and this is the last thing I want to deal with.”
He blew past me and out of the bar. Once alone, I’d taken a seat, ordered a beer, and started thinking about the whole thing. And the thinking had gone on into the next day in my office.
I didn’t have time for it. I had several meetings, calls to make, doctors to hire. And that was all on top of my normal duties as an MD.
I’d done what I had in hopes of bypassing all of this, getting the drama over as quickly as possible so we could call move on. But the more I considered my decision, the more it seemed like I’d done the opposite.
The look on Annie’s face when she’d realized who my brother was stuck with me. She was shocked and betrayed and confused. No wonder she’d decided the only thing to do was to get the hell out of there.
She hadn’t answered any of my calls or texts. It’d been silly to think she’d be receptive to anything I had to say last night. But we still needed to talk. And it had to happen soon.
I sighed, thinking about the fact that Annie didn’t know the really important bit of information that I’d held back, that I’d known they were a couple, that I hadn’t been as surprised as they’d been.
And I hoped she’d never find out.
But the more time I spent with her, the more certain I was that she was the one, plain and simple. I could only hope the strings attached wouldn’t undo us both.
Busying myself with work, five o’clock rolled around sooner than I’d expected. I needed to talk with Annie, which wasn’t going to be easy.
After stopping by the local florist to grab a bouquet, I swallowed my nerves and headed to her place. There was a good chance she’d ignore me, that she’d decided it was too much to deal with, that I’d put her in a position that was too uncomfortable.
But I had to take that chance.
When I arrived, I stepped out, flowers in hand, and walked to her door. After a deep breath, I pressed the button for her apartment without getting an answer. I pressed it again.
Nothing.
I deserve this, I thought. I’ll be lucky if she ever talks to me again.
“Hello?” her voice cut through the quiet of the evening.
“Annie. Is that you?”
“What do you want?” Her tone was sharp.
“I want to talk to you about what happened last night.”
“I bet you do. And what makes you think I want to hear about it?”
“Because… because I didn’t know. I had no idea who my brother was to you. And I’ve been kicking myself ever since it all went down. Please, just give me the chance to apologize in person.”
Silence followed. Then, after several moments, the lock clicked open. Relief washed over me. I opened the door and hurried up the stairs, giving her door a knock when I arrived.
A crack
appeared, but Annie wasn’t there. She’d simply opened the door and expected me to come inside. I pushed the door open and entered. Annie was seated at her kitchen table, her eyes on her laptop in front of her. She didn’t even glance up as I entered.
“Hey, I—” I didn’t finish the sentence. She held up her hand as if I’d rudely interrupted the work she was doing.
“Give me a sec.” She kept on typing, her eyes locked onto the screen. It was clear what she was doing – Annie was making me wait, making me sweat. I deserved it.
I caught sight of an instrument case on her coffee table. For lack of anything to do after putting the flowers in a nearby empty vase, I stepped over to the case and opened it. Inside was a violin.
“Don’t touch that,” she said, her tone quick and direct. “It’s expensive. I don’t want you being careless and breaking something valuable.”
The double-meaning of her words weren’t lost on me.
After a short time, she finished what she was typing, closed her computer, and finally turned her attention to me. “Alright,” she said, running her hand through her hair and letting out a sigh. “What’s up?”
“Like the flowers?” I asked.
She glanced at them. “They’re nice. Thanks. Anyway…” She twisted her hand in the air in a get on with it gesture.
“Last night,” I said. “That…I didn’t know.”
Confusion flitted across her face. “Oh, you didn’t know that your brother happened to be the man I moved here to get away from? Just a small detail you hadn’t noticed along the way?”
“I didn’t know. Annie, I’d never do anything to hurt you like that.”
I was lying, trying to be vague. But it was impossible. I had two choices, to tell her the truth and ruin everything, or to look her in the eye and tell her a lie.
It was an easy choice – there was no way I was going to lose her. As much as I hated hiding the truth, I simply wasn’t going to let her go.
“How did you not know?” she asked. “He’s your brother.”
“You know that he and I don’t exactly have a normal relationship. He’s my brother, sure, but I’ve only recently met him. I was given up for adoption, remember. And it’s only recently that we’ve come back into one another’s lives.”