by Olivia Burke
When they arrived at the burger joint, Colt jumped ahead to open the door for her. She smiled at him in thanks, and he ignored how much he liked making her smile.
The table closest to them had a group full of teens discussing some video game. Colt paid them no mind as they waited for the hostess, until one of them looked up, eyes wide at the sight of him. The kid nudged his friend and they bent heads. They were clearly trying to decide if it was who they thought it was, and Colt grimaced.
Jill noticed the way he stiffened, following his line of sight. She patted his arm. “No worries, we’ll get it to go.”
With that, she grabbed his elbow and half-dragged him to the back of the restaurant where the to-go counter stood. Colt kept his back to the kids, who seemed disappointed but hopefully losing interest. They stopped at the counter, grabbing menus to flip through as they waited in line.
“Are you sure?” Guilt flooded through him as she perused the options. “I don’t want you to feel like you can’t leave the house just because I don’t want to get caught in some work stuff.”
She raised a brow. “‘Work stuff?’”
“Yeah, you know,” he said, shrugging, “the typical junk that comes with a career like mine. That’s all it is - work stuff. It doesn’t make it my entire life.”
She opened and closed her mouth, seeming surprised. “That’s a nice way to look at it.”
“Same as you, right?” Colt pulled the brim of his hat down a bit further and shifted so the teens couldn’t quite see his full face. “You work hard at your job, but it’s not your entire life.”
Jill hesitated and he ticked his head in question. She let out a forced chuckle. “I haven’t done a great job on the ‘life’ part lately. Hence the vacation.”
“Right,” he said.
Before he could say any more, it was their turn to order food. The server at the register took no notice of Colt at all, much to his relief, and they quickly gave their orders under her name - him with a burger with the works, Jill with a classic cheeseburger.
“And plenty of fries for both of us because I don’t like to share those,” she added, winking at Colt.
They took a seat in the corner to wait, Colt keeping his back to the crowd. A harried mother sat down in the waiting area with them, a sleeping baby cocooned against her chest and a small child by her side. He tugged at his mother’s arm, face screwing up with frustration.
“Mason, please,” she said, her tone that of someone who’d repeated herself a thousand times that day. “It’s only a few more minutes before dinner is ready and then we’ll go home.”
The kid’s eyes welled up as he teetered on the brink of emotions. Colt grimaced, hoping their food would be ready before it escalated to an all-out screaming fit. Jill, however, swooped in, striking up conversation with the toddler.
“Hi Mason, I’m Jilly,” she cooed, leaning in to speak directly to him. “How old are you?”
Instantly distracted, he shared his age (four), and his favorite animal (dogs). Before long, Jill was practically best friends with the kid, and even the mother looked happier than when she’d first sat down. Jill cooed over the baby and showed Mason a picture of her parents’ dog back home.
A server called Jill’s name, letting them know their food was ready. Jill said goodbye to the family and she and Colt went back to the corner to pick up and pay. Colt pulled out his wallet, but Jill put a hand on his arm to stop him.
“My treat, as an apology for barging in on you earlier,” she said, pulling out a card and handing it to the cashier. “And I want to pay for that woman’s order, too, the one waiting over there with her kids.”
Her kindness made Colt’s insides warm, though he must’ve worn a look of surprise on his face when she looked at him and shrugged.
“What? I’m paying it forward.”
“No, it’s … really sweet of you,” he said.
Her cheeks tinged pink as they grabbed their food. He noticed her wave goodbye to the mom and little boy on their way out. Colt waited until they were out of the restaurant and away from the crowd to speak again.
“Man, you’re great with kids,” Colt told her. “I thought for sure he was gonna lose it.”
Jill shrugged. “We have a lot of kids in our office. I’m used to mood swings.”
“It was like watching someone diffuse a bomb,” he joked, making her chuckle.
“Say, what’s your favorite animal?” She grinned up at him as they walked back through the cute neighborhood to Jack’s house.
“Elephants,” he promptly replied, and she cracked up laughing. “You?”
“Foxes. They’re so cute!”
“Figures,” he said. When she quirked an eyebrow, he snorted. “Mischievous creatures.”
Her peal of laughter echoed across the empty street as they made it back to the house. They immediately headed to the enormous kitchen table to spread out their tasty treasure. Jill rummaged through the fridge to pull out a couple of beers while he unwrapped their food.
She bit into her cheeseburger, eyes closing a little in what looked like sheer bliss. Colt took a second to admire her. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen a woman eat much more than a salad, much less a cheeseburger with a side of fries. The women he’d dated were beautiful, sure, but in Los Angeles, they were constantly aware of their appearances, in all aspects.
He realized he was staring when she blinked at him, mouth full. “What?”
“Um,” he thought fast, pointing to a corner of his mouth. “Ketchup.”
“Oh, thanks,” she said, wiping it off with a napkin. “I just assumed you’d never seen a woman eat a cheeseburger.”
Colt burst out laughing without thinking. “You aren’t far off, actually. It’s been a while.”
Jill shrugged as she stuffed a fry in her mouth. “Well, for one thing, I’m not one of those girls.”
“What girls?”
“You know, your L.A. girls who eats three pieces of lettuce and calls it dinner. I’m from the Midwest, I’m made of sturdier stuff,” she said jokingly. “Plus I went for a run this morning so it’s all about balance.”
His ears perked up. “You did? Where’d you go?”
“The greenway down by the river. It’s beautiful.”
“I’ll have to check that out tomorrow.” He savored a salty french fry. I can’t remember the last time I had them.
She didn’t look at him as she spoke. “We could go down there in the morning. I’m not going to run a ten-K or anything if you need a longer workout, but I’m up for a solid three to five.”
Colt chuckled. “Okay, I’m in.”
They discussed what time to go, settling on their plan as they finished dinner. Colt helped her clean up, patting his stomach in satisfaction. “I’m sorry we didn’t get to actually eat out. I promise, it won’t be like that the entire time you’re stuck with me.”
“It’s fine, really,” Jill said, making her way to the open living room. She sank into the cushy couch, stretching her long legs out. “I probably need to ease into my first night of vacation here, anyway. I’ll take a nice long bath tonight and maybe read a book and sleep in – I can’t wait.”
Ignoring the mental image of her preparing for a bath, Colt had to agree with her. He joined her in the living room, though kept space between them as he chose the sitting chair rather than the sofa.
“It is nice to slow things down,” he admitted. “I love quiet nights in at home, so add you and a good burger to the list and it’s just about perfect.”
Whyyy did I say that?
She shot him an indiscernible look before clearing her throat. “I don’t know how you do it. I can’t imagine having your hectic lifestyle.”
“Oh, it’s not as bad as you think,” he said. “I mean, it’s busy, yes, but a lot of it is pretty fun, you know? Besides, it’ll hopefully get easier; if I can make a name for myself in my early years, I’ll have more opportunities to be picky about projects, and find more time to relax.”
>
Her lips twisted as she considered it. “I guess that makes sense. Still, there’s something to be said for anonymity.”
She had him there, as he’d often had that same thought. But he shrugged, wanting her to understand him better all the same. “I don’t mind the chaos and travel as much as Jack does. In all honesty, I’m still a little amazed at my luck in landing the role. I mean, I was about to quit acting altogether when it dropped into my lap.”
“What?” Jill exclaimed, sitting upright to stare at him in disbelief. “I never knew that!”
“No one does,” he replied. “Well, except for Jack and Scar, and now you.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You were really going to quit?”
He nodded. “I’d actually packed up my apartment and was planning to head back to Tennessee. The plane and moving truck were booked and everything.”
“So what happened?” She sat on the edge of her seat, hanging onto his every word.
He didn’t mind; actually, he rather enjoyed having her rapt attention. He smiled as he recalled one of the greatest memories of his entire life.
“I was having dinner, alone, at some little sushi place - my girlfriend had just broken up with me earlier that week - and was contemplating my failed career and how much I did not want to move back home. It was a real, true-blue country song, you know?” Colt chuckled at the memory; at least now it was easy to laugh about.
“I’d eaten my last piece of sashimi – maybe my last one ever, ‘cause I don’t eat sushi in a landlocked state – when my agent called and told me the studio requested I come in for a test. Turns out it was with Jack, and the rest is history.”
“I can’t imagine how thrilled you must’ve been,” she said, a bit in awe. “I mean, to be that close to calling the whole thing off and to get that call…”
“Oh yeah, I’m pretty sure I would’ve knocked over my entire plate if I hadn’t just finished,” he said, chuckling.
She grinned. “Did you scare the entire restaurant hooting and hollering about it?”
“Actually, I got really, really quiet,” Colt said. “The server came to pick up my plate and give me my check and I specifically remember her asking if I was okay because I hadn’t moved a muscle after hanging up. I think she thought I’d gotten terrible news.”
Jill giggled, the sound not unpleasant to his ears. “Did you go out and celebrate afterwards?”
“Nah, I went home and immediately watched everything Jack had ever done, actually.”
She laughed out loud then, appearing genuinely surprised. “You’re joking! You didn’t go out and buy everyone you saw a round of drinks?”
He snorted. “Why on earth would I do that?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, aren’t you supposed to be some kind of wild man?”
“You read too many tabloids.” Colt chuckled when she blushed a little. “That’s more rumor than anything. I own a motorcycle and go on two dates with a swimsuit model and suddenly I’m a ‘bad boy.’”
“Doesn’t that bother you? The rumor mill, I mean?”
He shrugged. “Only if I let it, but it’s mostly pointless gossip, so why should I? My family, my friends, they know the real me and that’s all that matters.”
She shot him a shrewd look. “I’m not sure I buy it.”
He burst out laughing. “Why not?”
“I don’t know.” A smile played on the corners of her lips, drawing him in. “I mean, it must get to you sometimes, right? You’re this laid-back Southern dreamboat, but there’s no way it doesn’t affect you.”
“Like water off a duck’s back, darlin’,” he drawled, enjoying the pink shade that bloomed on her cheeks. And the fact she’d called him a dreamboat. She’s really cute.
WARNING, a voice in the back of his head clanged. BEST FRIEND’S SISTER quickly followed. Colt could not, under any circumstances, find Jill Bennett to be cute. Or any other synonym. Like beautiful. The voice immediately berated him again.
“I’m willing to bet that sometimes, it’s not all fun and games being you,” she continued, bringing him back into the present.
“Well, no,” he admitted. “Privacy is a hard thing to come by most days.”
“You seem like a normal guy, minus the day job.”
“Sure.” He shrugged, leaning back against the couch. “I gotta work just like you.”
“Sometimes I just want to go back to that time I was a kid and had no worries, you know?” She sighed, playing with the fringe of the pillow under her arm. “No bills, no career aspirations, just … pillow fights and pranks.”
“Pranks, huh?” Colt eyed her warily, the corners of his mouth twitching.
“Think about it,” she said, surprising him with lightning speed as she walloped him with a pillow, “when’s the last time you had a pillow fight?”
“Hey!” he protested between her giggles. He swiped a pillow off the couch and held it up for her to see. “Don’t start something you can’t finish!”
Jill shrieked, and a pillow fight ensued. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a pillow fight, or laughed so hard. She leapt from floor to seat cushion to gain more height over him, knocking her pillow against the tops of his shoulders. Eventually out of breath, their hits slowed until they were face to face, with pillows as the only thing between them.
She looked up at him mid-laugh, those blue eyes pulling him in. Colt found himself close to Jill’s face. Too close. Even as he told himself that, however, he didn’t draw away, eyes dropping to her lips instead. It would take no effort at all to close the distance and see if they were as soft as they looked. Jill remained where she was, and he couldn’t help but hope she felt the same.
Before he could give it any more thought, Colt’s phone rang, interrupting their moment. He grimaced at Jack’s name across the screen, pulling away from Jill so fast, she nearly toppled over.
“Hey,” he said a bit breathlessly.
“Hey man,” Jack said cheerfully on the other end. “How are you and my sister getting along?”
“Oh, uh, you know, fine,” Colt managed to spit out. “You know, it’s like Jill’s my pseudo-sister.”
He couldn’t help that paranoid feeling that Jack knew what had almost just happened. What did just happen? He didn’t like Jill like that–couldn’t like Jill like that.
“Hey, I’m just glad she’s got someone looking out for her while she’s alone on vacation,” Jack said appreciatively.
He filled him in on the honeymoon so far and they chatted for a few more minutes about work. Jack had spoken with the “General Justice” series’ director earlier that day, unable to avoid him even while on honeymoon. He was vague about the details, but Colt could barely pay attention. Once he could escape the conversation, he turned back to the living room, wondering what Jill’s reaction would be to their near-kiss.
He came back to an empty room–Jill had disappeared. Colt found himself disappointed, but also slightly relieved. He headed down to his part of the house, intent to stay down there the rest of the evening.
Maybe the rest of this trip, if I’m going to avoid kissing my best friend’s sister.
Pseudo-sister. The phrase made Jill want to smack a hand against her forehead every time she thought about Colt. He’d made it perfectly clear that whatever happened between them during the wedding weekend wasn’t to be repeated.
The way he’d practically dropped her when her brother called said everything she needed to know, never mind his clarifying her as “like a sister.” Colt wasn’t about to break ground rule number one anytime soon, and to be honest, as much as she wanted him to, she knew it was better they didn’t. No matter how much she might’ve crushed on Colt, she respected her brother, and knew he wouldn’t approve of his two worlds colliding that way.
So, she’d have to distract herself. Easier said than done with him living right below me.
As if she’d conjured him from thought, Colt burst into the living room, fu
lly dressed for their agreed-upon run that morning. She ignored the flutter in her belly at the sight of him, instead making small talk about the weather and neighborhood as they walked down to the nearby greenway.
Colt bounced on the balls of his feet at their entrance, shaking out his limbs. Jill stretched for a minute, a little shot of adrenaline already coursing in her veins. They took off, keeping it at an easy pace, and continued on without a lot of conversation.
Jill appreciated his concentration; she didn’t think she could run and talk to him at the same time, not wanting to trip over herself when she got caught staring at his profile. Each little glance she gave him showed him fully focused, though it seemed this was an easy enough run for both of them.
Jill loved to run, and had been excited for this beautiful greenway that snaked through Crystal Springs; it connected so many neighborhoods, and the community kept every bit of it so clean and inviting. The pathway winded through parks and alongside the river, providing gorgeous scenery on their journey. Even Colt remarked on the leaves turning colors in their fall glory, and a heron perched on a river rock, hunting for its breakfast.
They paused a little after three miles to get a drink from the park water fountain. Colt adjusted his head, stretching his arms high above his head with a satisfied smile.
“This is awesome. I can see why Jack loves it so much.”
“Me too.” Jill wiped her brow, still feeling that itch to push herself. She was somewhere other than her everyday routine, after all, and besides, maybe it’d take her mind off the kiss for a few minutes. If she were alone, she’d add a couple more miles or try a few sprints, but with Colt here beside her, she couldn’t help herself – her competitive streak always won out.
She grinned at him. “Wanna race?”
His eyebrows shot up, a smile crossing his own face, as if he knew a secret. He thinks he can beat me. The thought only spurred her more into wanting to beat him in a foot race.
“What are the terms?” he asked, stretching his calves.
Jill tapped her mouth in thought, reminding herself to keep it casual. “How about loser cooks dinner tonight?”