From Our First: A Promise Me Novel

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  “But she’s so happy to see her favorite uncle,” Macon said, letting her lick his chin. I followed Macon out to the backyard to let Daisy do her business. We gave her cheers and then took her back inside for water and a treat.

  “Puppy training looks to be going well.” Arden laughed, on her knees now as Daisy said hello.

  “She’s a little nippy, so be careful,” I warned.

  “Make sure you have a toy near if she starts to get chewy.” Macon handed over a key ring with a pacifier-type thing. It was one of her favorite toys, to the point that I had one upstairs and another downstairs.

  “I’m seriously in love with this baby.” Arden ran her hands through Daisy’s soft, rust-colored fur.

  “Are you going to get another one to go with your Jasper?” I asked, speaking of her white Siberian Husky.

  Arden shook her head. “No. We’re working on the whole baby thing first.”

  “And having a puppy and a baby might not be great, at least not at the same time.”

  “I have a feeling Jasper’s going to be amazing with whoever we get,” Arden began. “However, I don’t want to overwhelm him. Or us, to be honest. It’s a long process, and we’re not even trying for only a baby. We know the waitlist for that takes forever, and children in homes are waiting for us, too. We know that. So, we’re taking our time. Until then, it’s just the three of us.”

  Daisy licked Arden’s face before moving to go cuddle Cross on the floor. My siblings and I sat on the tile as Daisy moved between all of us, her tail wagging, looking excited that everybody was here for her. And now that I thought about it, my siblings could be here for her and not me. Honestly, I wouldn’t blame them. I loved my dog. I had thought about getting one for a while, and since my brother was a vet, he was the best one to go to. Daisy had been in the shelter, a little too hyperactive for the young family who had initially bought her. She had been an accident between two breeders, and I wasn’t a fan of the fact that they had tossed her to the curb.

  Macon was looking into if anything could be done, but it didn’t matter in the end. I had a new puppy who was the best thing in my life, and I had my work. And my family. What else did a guy need?

  Myra in that dress filled my mind again, and I held back a curse.

  “So, I guess we’re setting you up on another date?” Prior asked, carefully not looking at me.

  “Since the first date you sent me on was a bust, sure.”

  “Hey,” Arden said, and I winced. Arden knew exactly why dating Myra wasn’t a good idea. But she wasn’t telling anybody, and neither was I. The fact that my twin had held onto this secret for so long hurt. Not because it was her fault, but because I had forced her to lie to everybody. Myra and I needed to do something about that. But I didn’t know what problems it would solve if we finally told everybody. If anything, it might bring about more of them.

  Macon played with Daisy as he spoke. “So, Myra’s oh for two in the date department.”

  “That’s what I hear,” I said.

  “You met with Myra again?” Cross asked, seeming curious.

  I shrugged, acting like it was no big deal. Because it wasn’t. “Of course. Didn’t Macon tell you? I had to stop by her house to pick up something for Dakota. She’d recently gotten home from her date and was drinking a huge glass of wine.”

  Macon winced. “Hell. I didn’t know about the wine. Was the guy mean? Do we need to do something?”

  I shook my head. “No. I don’t think so.” I froze. “Shit. Maybe the girls should talk to her.”

  Why was I so protective? I shouldn’t be. Myra had hurt me. I didn’t need to care about her. No, that was a lie. I had loved her once. Just because we weren’t together anymore, and she me didn’t mean I wanted her to be in pain or have to deal with assholes.

  Fuck that. I wasn’t a horrible person. At least, I didn’t think so.

  “Anyway, now that you have Daisy, you have someone in your life,” Prior said, and Arden slapped his shoulder.

  “Be nice, or I’ll tell Paris that you were mean.”

  Prior’s eyes widened. “Please don’t.”

  “Afraid of the little missus?” I asked.

  “I’m totally going to tell Paris that you called her the little missus,” Prior added drily.

  I cringed. “Okay, fine. What’s said here does not go home to your other halves.”

  “I can’t promise that,” Cross said. “I’m not going to promise that at all.”

  “Fine,” I grumbled.

  I did not want to feel jealous about the fact that they all had someone to go home to. They could talk to someone who cared about what they were feeling and what they needed.

  I didn’t have that. But I did have Daisy. My girl licked my chin and then curled into a ball in my lap, promptly falling asleep.

  “She’s too cute,” Arden whispered, reaching out to run her hand over Daisy’s nose.

  “Yeah. And she’s all mine.”

  “Put her back in her octagon on her little bed. That way, she knows she has a safe place.”

  I nodded at Macon and did as he suggested before washing my hands and going back to the living room where everyone else had gone.

  “I like that you can see her area from your couch,” Cross said.

  I smiled. “I move it around depending on where I’m at. I want her to know that I’m here, but I also don’t want her to become too dependent.”

  Macon nodded. “That’s a problem for a lot of puppy owners. As soon as Mom or Dad leaves, they whine and freak out.”

  “Crate training sucks.” I sighed as I rubbed my temple.

  “Is your head okay?” Arden asked, taking my hand.

  “It’s fine. I was wearing my blue light glasses earlier, but then I took them off to go for a walk with Daisy and forgot to put them back on.”

  “You know better than that,” Arden chided.

  “I do. And I’ll be better. Promise.”

  “Here, this will help.” Prior handed me one of my beers.

  “Oh, thanks. So, we’re going to drink the entire six-pack?” I asked.

  “You’ve got it.” Arden took a bottle for herself.

  “Should you be drinking?”

  She flipped me off. “I’m allowed to have a beer, asshole.”

  “I worry.”

  “I worry about you, too. So much that I’m going to help in this whole blind date thing that the brothers put you up for without consulting me.”

  “We didn’t know if you would like it.”

  “I’m not sure if I do, but I want to be part of it,” she said to Cross.

  “I want to make sure Nate is as happy as the rest of us.”

  “Thank you for making me feel like a pity project,” I grumbled.

  “But you’re our pity project,” Arden said with a laugh.

  I flipped her off and then took a sip of my beer.

  “Just, whatever you do, make sure it’s not Myra again please?” I asked, doing my best not to look at Arden as I said it.

  “Why?” Macon asked.

  “I don’t know why you set us up in the first place. We’re allowed to be friends and nothing more. And it’s not like you and Dakota, where the girls set you up so you could talk out your feelings before Dakota went on a real date. Myra wants true happiness and a future and all that shit.”

  I hated the words even as I said them, but I knew they were true.

  “And she can’t have that with you?” Cross asked casually.

  Was it too nonchalant? What did he know?

  Again, I didn’t look at Arden.

  “Let’s make sure Myra and I can figure out how to be friends. I don’t mind going on another date. Eventually. Only not with her.”

  “I think you protest too much,” Prior said, taking another sip of his beer.

  “And I think I could probably still take you. I can’t take Cross or Macon, especially since Macon’s been boxing. But I can take your scrawny ass.”

  “Just
don’t break the beer bottles. If you do, I’ll be the one cleaning it up. Like always,” Arden said, and I shook my head, holding back a laugh.

  “So, you’re not taking my side? You’re my twin. You don’t think I can take him?” I asked.

  “I want no part of this. Because I think you’re all weird. But I love you.”

  “And we love you,” I said, kissing her on the top of the head.

  “Oh, thank you,” she said, snuggling into my side. “And I will help you find the perfect date. Because you deserve happiness, Nate. Although, we may have to do something about that haircut of yours.”

  I gasped as my brothers laughed. I knew she was teasing me. They all were. It’s what we did. And as they went over who might want to go on a date with me, I did my best not to think about Myra. Something that was getting harder and harder to do these days.

  I hated the idea that I couldn’t get her out of my head.

  Again.

  Chapter 5

  Nate

  * * *

  Before

  * * *

  I was late. Seriously late. But if I weren’t careful, I would end up passed out and late. Nobody wanted that.

  I cringed as I looked at the line outside of Starbucks and then glanced around the commons, wondering if there was another coffee shop near. I had been on this campus for two years, but I couldn’t think of a single place to get coffee that might not have a line.

  Could I have had coffee at my house? Absolutely.

  Could I have picked up coffee on my way here? No doubt.

  But I could not find any memory of thinking of that while on my way to campus.

  I needed caffeine. It was the only way I was going to make it through organic chemistry.

  Organic chemistry was made for people who thought they liked math and science, and then they put it all in this weird combination of things that apparently had to do with electrons. I didn’t know.

  I just needed to memorize my reactions so I could pass my test and move on to more important things.

  Like anything other than organic chemistry.

  “Damn it,” I mumbled, looking down at my phone to check the time.

  I had five minutes until class started, and if you weren’t on time, Mr. Augustine did not let you in. Oh, he might keep the doors open and didn’t nail them shut, but he made sure you got shamed for daring to walk into his class late. And he didn’t put notes online, didn’t share his slides.

  You had to read the textbook before class started, do all of the worksheets and questionnaires beforehand, and then come in to learn what you’d already pretty much taught yourself. However, it wasn’t like you could teach yourself that because everything was too complicated, and you needed him to explain it.

  In other words, it was the worst way to take an organic chemistry class. Next time, I was just going to Metro where I knew Dr. Thomas was.

  That was a good idea. I would get coffee here and then walk to my advisor to drop out of this organic chemistry class and use one of my transfer credits to take a class at Metro.

  Yes, that was brilliant.

  Only it was also stupid.

  I didn’t have time in my busy class load to change my schedule like that. I had to get organic chemistry out of the way this semester so I could move on to other things. Being an EMT wasn’t going to be easy, but I couldn’t let this class and my lack of caffeine stop me.

  Determined, I turned on my heel, knowing I’d just have to deal without the coffee. The soft body that ran into me felt like heaven, and I cursed.

  She hit the ground in front of me, and I blinked down at her, trying to make my mind catch up to what I saw.

  A beautiful woman with blond hair, wide eyes, and killer curves glared at me from the ground where she lay, the contents of her messenger bag strewn around the pavement, and her eyes, initially wide and beautiful, now narrowed into slits.

  Though still gorgeous.

  “Are you kidding me?” the girl said before scrambling to her feet. I reached down to help her up, and she slapped at my hand.

  “No, we already know you copped a feel. That’s enough.”

  Given I had done no such thing, I blinked at her. Others whispered around us, and I winced.

  “I didn’t. At least I don’t think so. I’m sorry. Here, let me help you pick that up.”

  She slapped my hand again, and I winced.

  “No need to hit me.”

  “You’ve done enough of that for both of us, haven’t you?” she said before stuffing all of her things into her bag. “It’s going to take me forever to organize this the way I want it.” She rolled her shoulders back and sighed. “Thanks for that.”

  “I’m seriously sorry.”

  “Sure, you are.”

  Then she sauntered off, and I couldn’t help but watch how her ass moved as she walked away.

  “Damn, I’d like a piece of that,” the guy beside me said, and I frowned.

  “Hey, be nice.”

  “You’re the one checking out her ass and copping a feel.”

  “I didn’t,” I said, my cheeks reddening.

  “Whatever you say. Just be careful, women these days don’t like it when you look up their skirts and shit. The female movement and whatever.”

  The guy, who had to be at least twenty-five, rolled his eyes, pushed his hair back from his face, and walked away, hacky sack in hand. Were hacky sacks even popular anymore? What did it matter? It was Colorado. He was likely stoned, and hacky sacks were probably the thing he was best at.

  And now I was going to be seriously late. And I still didn’t have caffeine. But I did have the image and feel of a woman with curves that would haunt my memory for ages to come.

  I ignored the taunting jeers from my fellow classmates, my professor, and my TA as I finally made my way to class and was forced to sit up front. That’s where all the late students were placed.

  I pulled out my notebook and took copious notes, hoping to hell I’d be able to understand them later.

  Damn, I needed a fucking cup of coffee.

  And I needed to get that girl out of my head. I hadn’t even asked her name. Sure, I might know what she felt like up against me now, but that didn’t matter. I would never see her again. And that was fine with me.

  As soon as class ended, I piled my things into my bag, waved off a friend, and practically ran to the coffee place.

  Thankfully, I was somehow first in line. We were between breaks, and the organic chemistry class went a little longer than others. I got a venti triple shot macchiato and nearly chugged it, ignoring the burn on my tongue.

  I turned the corner and cursed as the coffee slopped over the rim of my cup onto my shirt, and I nearly ran into someone.

  Again.

  I looked down at the girl and let out a laugh. “Oh, you.”

  She looked up at me and tilted her head. “You. You need to watch where you’re going.”

  “Maybe. However, fancy meeting you here again.”

  “Really? That’s the line you’re going with? Fancy meeting you here?”

  “We’ve run into each other twice in one day. It has to mean something.”

  “It means that we have a similar class schedule on the north side of campus, and both of us needed caffeine.”

  I looked down at her empty hands. “I don’t see any caffeine.”

  “I’ve been trying to get some all day and haven’t been able to. But thank you for that.”

  “Here, let me buy you a cup. I could probably use a second one.”

  She studied my face. “We better hurry or we’re going to end up at the end of a long line.”

  “You’re not going to say no?” I asked with a laugh.

  “I want coffee. You’re offering to pay. I’m fine with that. As long as you realize that this doesn’t mean I’m going to sleep with you.”

  I nearly choked. “Oh, uh… I didn’t, uh… You know, never mind.”

  “I take it you’re not an English maj
or?” she asked, and I nearly sniped back before I saw the laughter in her eyes.

  “Drama, actually. I want to be an actor.” I made sure I said, actor in a snotty, fake British accent, and her eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she laughed.

  “I’m sorry, I had a really hard economics test today, and I hated it. Why do I need to know economics?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know, other than it’s a general requirement, probably because it helps make the world go ‘round.”

  “Maybe. And if I want to own my own business someday, I guess I need to know it.”

  I studied her face, wanting to know more. “So, you’re a business major?”

  “No. I’m an economics major,” she said, and I nearly tripped again.

  “And you hate it?”

  “I’m a freshman. Apparently, when you’re seventeen and not allowed to fill out your forms without your mom and dad signing them, you don’t get to pick your major.”

  I ignored the sad twinge that she was only seventeen. Down, boy. “Oh, well, I guess you’re super smart for getting in early.”

  She shook her head. “I’m eighteen now. I have a summer birthday. That means I get screwed out of some things. But I’m an adult now, and I’m taking the classes that I want. Even if my parents decided to move to this state to be near me for the semester.”

  My eyes widened at that. “Your parents were able to move here for a semester? From where?”

  “California. I know, I know. They’re super overprotective and always in my business. It’s probably why I haven’t ever had a serious boyfriend.” Her eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed. It made her look really pretty.

  “What is your name, by the way? I’m Nate. Nathan. But I go by Nate.”

  “I like both. I might just have to call you Nathan. At least, you know, if I ever see you again.” She laughed. “I’m Myra. Sorry. I’m not good at this whole human interaction thing. Or maybe I used to be and then moving out here where the air is really thin made me realize that I had no idea what I was doing.”

  I laughed, and we went to the front of the line. I let her order and got a second macchiato for myself. I would be jittery as hell by the end of the day, but I didn’t mind.