by Piper Rayne
“It’s the right thing to do,” I say in a low voice.
He rolls his eyes and turns to face the doors just in time for them to open. “Come on, we have a train to catch.”
I walk by him fully aware that he’s probably checking out my ass. I want to sway it a little, but I don’t. Will this ever get easier?
We reach the city and the rush of people and constant noise around us makes it feel like home. This is what I need. Somewhere my thoughts can be drowned out by the world.
“I think it’s two blocks down. Walk?” Ethan asks and I nod, following him.
“Miss it ever?” I ask. Ethan said he had to work on his story for the majority of the train ride, so it left me to pretend to work when I was really watching him from where he sat across from me. His strong fingers typing and pausing when he needed a moment of reflection. The way he’d glance out the window for a second before his fingers would explode into typing again. Words flow out of him so easily. Is it because he trained at school for it?
“Nah. I really like the smaller town feel of Cliffton Heights. You?”
The minute I got off the train I felt like I could breathe, but I can’t say it’s New York City that gives me the feeling. “Sometimes I miss being close to my brothers and my parents.”
“You’re close. I thought you secretly planned their demise so you could be your parents’ favorite?”
I smack him in the stomach and he cowers down.
“I forgot about that violent streak of yours for a second.” He grabs my hand and links it with his. “Just so you can’t hit me again.”
I stare at our adjoined hands. I need to stop. I should pull away, but I don’t. We continue walking down the Manhattan streets like a couple. What’s the harm if I indulge in the fantasy for a minute?
If only his hand wasn’t so warm. So welcoming. And didn’t feel so right.
Ethan is quiet the rest of the walk, never taking his hand out of mine until we reach the rotating doors in front of the radio station building, then he places his hand on the small of my back ushering me to go first.
When we’re inside the building, I wait to see if he’ll take my hand again, but he doesn’t. He walks in front of me to the security desk, telling the guard who we are and who we’re here to see. We hand over our IDs and when the security guy slides them back, Ethan snags mine.
“Blanca Anna Mancini,” he says. “Of course. You’re a Sagittarius?” he mumbles.
I grab his out of his hands. “Ethan Santiago Ryland?”
“My mom’s last name.”
“It reminds me of that game Where in the World is Carmen Santiago?” I laugh, and he plucks the plastic from my hands.
“That was Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?”
“Oh.” I cover my mouth. “Whoops.”
After going through the rest of the security steps and riding a jam-packed elevator, we wait in the small reception area to be called in.
“I didn’t mean to offend you.” I knock his knee and lean in. He’s been quiet since the Santiago thing.
“You didn’t.”
“Are you sure? I wasn’t stereotyping or anything.”
He finally puts down the magazine and looks at me. “Relax. I’m not offended.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.” He picks the magazine back up.
“So, you know astrology?” I ask.
He chuckles and the other man in the reception area peeks at us from over his magazine.
“Not exactly. My mom is a big believer in it.”
“What sign are you?”
“Aries. As my mom says, the classic Aries.”
“I used to read about it when I was younger to see if I was compatible with the guy I was into. I’m a Sagittarius so what does that mean?”
He glances like ‘are you serious’ and I nod. Again, he closes the magazine and puts it down on the table. “Of course Aries and Sagittarius are compatible.”
“We’re compatible?” My giggly schoolgirl voice needs to disappear before I start writing Blanca Ryland or Mrs. Ethan Ryland on my folders at work.
“Did you really question that?” he asks, a bit sardonically.
Our eyes lock. I love the gold flecks in his eyes that light up when he’s flirting with me. “I suppose not.”
“The problem with you being a Sagittarius is that you always get bored. You need a lot of adventure. But I come with some faults too.”
“I don’t think wanting adventure is a bad thing.”
His eyes lock with mine for a moment. “Except when you don’t accept the adventure. When you push the adventure away.”
“Mr. Ryland. Miss Mancini. We’re ready for you.”
Ethan winks and stands, grabbing his messenger bag from the floor. The other man tips back the corner of his magazine and smiles at me because he was eavesdropping.
“Blanca?” Ethan calls out and I scramble to my feet, grabbing my own bag and purse.
I meet them at the door, but my mind is anywhere but on what’s going to happen when we’re inside. I don’t even catch the guy’s name we’re following down the hall.
By the time I’m across the table from Ethan with a pair of headphones and a man and woman’s voice in my ears, I’m reminded that we’re apart because of me.
“It’s great to have you both here today. Thanks for coming in,” the male host says.
Ethan nudges my foot and I look up to see the interview is starting.
I smack on a smile. “Yeah. Hi.”
The young DJ laughs at me but says nothing. “It was Katie over here that first read the article about five things a male or female wants in the bedroom that their partner probably isn’t delivering. Now tell me, do you guys try these things out together?” Everyone in the room laughs and brings his magnetic personality up a notch.
“No. We actually make it a point not to read each other’s articles until they release.”
“So you two aren’t a couple or anything?” The guy waves his finger between us.
“No. Right, Blanca?” Ethan asks, testing me with those intense eyes.
“No. We’re not.”
“I have to say the hatred in the articles for the other one seems so genuine, I figured it was a love-hate thing. Like you’re screwing in the copy room once it’s over.”
Everyone seems to think it’s a joke and laughs. Little do they all know.
“Strictly professional.” Ethan winks at me. “In fact, I’m her best friend’s ex.”
“WHOA!” the woman chimes in. “So, you’re off-limits.”
He can’t be serious that we’re going to talk about this. Why would he bring that up?
“Why is that? I mean, I think if I wanted to date my best friend’s ex-girlfriend, it wouldn’t be a huge deal,” the male DJ says, and the woman laughs.
“You’re crazy. Yes, it would be a problem,” the woman says.
“What do you say, Ethan? I mean are guys just more chill about things like that?”
Ethan glances over to me and I wish I had any idea what he would say.
“Maybe others put their friendships in a higher regard than you do,” the woman co-host jokes.
Everyone laughs again, but I sit in silence waiting for Ethan to respond.
What would he have done if Sierra wanted to date Dylan? Would that have been okay?
“What’s the saying, bros before hoes?” Ethan says.
“Whoa now, Ethan, I was liking you before that statement.” The woman shakes her head at me, but I’m smiling because whether he agrees with my decision or not, he’s sticking up for me. On public radio.
Just as we’re about to share a moment, his head snaps forward to the DJ’s booth. “But that doesn’t pertain to us because there’s nothing between us except that we like to argue.”
“Well, watch out you two, all that aggression can turn up the heat and lead to the bedroom. Just ask Cara.”
Cara, as I now know her, throws a ball of paper at him and t
he room cracks up in laughter once more.
My phone chimes and I pull it out from under my thigh to sneak a peek.
Carm: You better get your little celebrity ass down to the Trading Post and bring your sidekick too.
Shit. My brothers must have been listening. Why did I mention it to them at all? How do you bring your crush to meet your overprotective brothers when they’re sure to give him the fifth degree? Then again, maybe this will scare Ethan off for good.
Somehow that doesn’t make me happy.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Blanca
*
“We’re going to lunch with your brothers?”
Ethan was even less excited as I was to hear about my brother’s text. He’s asked me that question twice now as though the answer would change three blocks down from the radio station.
“Yeah. Just think of them as my brothers, nothing more.”
“What does that mean?”
“You know. We’re not a thing so it shouldn’t matter what they think of you.”
“We’re not a thing only because you pushed me out of the picture.”
I stop at the streetlight and laser my eyes to his as people sigh and shuffle by us to get to their destination. “What does that mean? So you didn’t mean what you said in there?”
He shrugs. “I get the nobility of what you did, but I don’t agree with it. I did in that newsroom because I didn’t want him to pry anymore. I didn’t want us to lose face and lose our jobs when Phil finds out we’ve slept together. But if you want my honest opinion, I wouldn’t have thrown you to the curb if roles were reversed.”
I open my mouth for a second and then shut it, turning on my heels to cross the street. I step off the curb and a taxi whizzes by honking its horn.
Ethan grabs my arm, pulling me back and I fall into his chest. More like into his arms, like he’s dipping me in a romantic dance.
Our gazes lock for a brief moment. Then we’re kissing before I even know what’s happening. His hand molds to my hip and my hands get lost in his hair. His messenger bag hits my side, but I lose myself in the softness of his lips.
He’s everything and more.
It isn’t until the sound of whistling makes it into my consciousness that I’m aware we’re in the middle of the New York financial district making out like two people having an affair. Strike that. People having an affair would be more discreet.
I tear my mouth off of his, my hands rushing to my swollen lips. “Why did you do that? You can’t do that.”
I step out into the street and luckily the hand signal says I have eight more seconds before I’m a pancake in a pothole.
“Blanca,” Ethan calls out to me, but I hold up my hand.
“I told you we couldn’t.”
He takes my arm and guides me into the opening of a parking structure. “You kissed me.”
“No, I didn’t.”
If only I could remember who initiated the kiss. I don’t fully, but I’m not telling him that.
“Admit it.”
I tear my arm out of his grasp. “Admit what?”
“You like me. I like you. Sierra is keeping us apart because she’s selfish. You should be mad at her. I know how she is. You can talk to me.”
“Sierra shouldn’t expect her best friend not to date the man she’s clearly still in love with?”
“What?” He throws his hands up in the air. “She doesn’t love me. She hates me.”
“Hate and love are opposite sides of the coin, but they still meet in the middle. You probably still love her.”
He steps back, his eyes boring into mine. “Do you hear yourself?”
I cross my arms. “What?”
“You’re convincing yourself that we don’t work. We were at the start of something awesome. Something not everyone gets in life and you’re here saying I love my ex-girlfriend?”
“We have no idea what could’ve been. You didn’t even want to date me because we work together.”
He runs his hand over his forehead, shaking his head. “Was I really not clear about what I wanted?”
“Come on. We have to go eat with my brothers.”
He stays in his spot. “You know what? You go. I’m going to head to the train. I’ll catch you tomorrow.”
“They’re expecting you,” I whine because I do not want twenty questions when I show up without him.
“They need to learn to live with disappointment.”
“Ethan.”
He shakes his head and steps back from me again.
Enzo turns the corner, spots me and a huge smile morphs his stern face. “Blanca!”
Ethan picks up his head and a pleading look crosses his face.
“Hey… Enzo.” I hug him and when he sets me down he stares at Ethan.
“You’re the one?” When Ethan doesn’t say anything, he looks down at me. “He’s the one?”
“If by the one you mean my co-worker, then yes. This is Ethan Ryland.”
Enzo leaves my side putting his hand out to Ethan. “Nice to meet you. I’m Blanca’s older brother.”
Ethan shakes my brother’s hand and then Enzo points across the street. “We’re almost there. Come on. Dom’s treat and you have no idea how tempting it is for me not to order steak and lobster. The man is cheap.”
Ethan stays idle in the middle of the sidewalk and Enzo realizes he’s not joining us. We stop and Enzo looks to me as if to say, ‘what is wrong with him? Does he speak another language?’
“You’re not coming?” Enzo asks.
Ethan looks to me and I say nothing, letting him make the decision on his own.
“Am I missing something?” Enzo asks. “Are you two in a fight… like a dating fight?” Enzo steps away from my side and looks between us like he’s ready to lecture us on how not to sleep with someone you work with. I’d like to bring up how he met his fiancée Annie then.
“Of course he is.” Carm walks out of the parking garage, one arm already cocked out in preparation. Before I can warn Ethan, Carm’s big arm is around Ethan’s neck and they’re walking toward us. “I’ve heard about you.” Carm studies Ethan for a second.
Enzo laughs and all the pieces together fit. They set this entire thing up.
“Where’s Dom?” I ask.
“At the table of course. You know he beats us there. Probably staring at his watch because we’re late.” Enzo walks across the street.
“So tell me about yourself, Ethan. You always been a fan of office romances?” Carm continues to push Ethan along, practically in a headlock.
I mouth I’m sorry to Ethan even if I was annoyed with him a minute ago.
We walk into Trading Post and Enzo weaves through the group of stockbrokers like a bouncer in an overcrowded nightclub until we reach a big table where Dom sits with the three women who recently joined our family.
Now I know for sure this was a setup.
“Hello everyone,” I say in greeting.
I glance back to Ethan who looks like he wants to throw up, but before he has a chance to escape, Carm squeezes the back of his neck and has him slide in next to Dom.
“This is our oldest brother, Dom,” Carm says.
Dom takes his hand off his wife’s leg to hold it out for Ethan. Once the two say their hellos, the girls all rush by me to welcome Ethan. Val’s eyes are all dreamy as they shift from Ethan to me.
“Blanca, we’ve missed you,” Annie coos and I narrow my eyes.
“You just saw me Sunday.”
“You know how hard it is to talk with Mama there. Come sit.” She pats the seat on the other side of her so she can still be next to Enzo.
“We’re splitting the table up, boys and girls?” I roll my eyes and slide into the seat because I need to be far away from Ethan at the moment anyway.
“The boys want… Ouch!” Bella grabs her leg and stares at Val.
“It’s a muscle spasm. The baby is stripping me of my minerals.” Val smiles sweetly like ‘feel sorry for m
e having to carry this bowling ball around all day.’
“They do know we’re not together?” I ask my question more to Val.
“I thought when you came over…”
“Turns out Sierra isn’t cool with it, so I broke things off.”
None of them say anything, but instead, exchange looks with one another. “Girl code?” Annie asks.
“We just reconnected after all these years. She wasn’t cool about it and who knows how long it would last with him anyway,” I grumble.
They all nod their heads but don’t offer any advice. My vision shifts down to the end of the table where Ethan is already in heavy conversation with Carm. “I knew I’d heard Mancini before. You’re the billboard guy.”
“Oh great, someone else to boost Carm’s ego.” Bella laughs. “He tried to convince me to do a billboard with us in bed.”
“I told you a cute morning in bed with the newspaper, coffee and breakfast might work,” Annie adds.
“Annie, I hate to break your naive heart but that’s not what Carm had in mind.” Bella grins.
“Ew.” I stop the waitress and order myself a drink. She scans the table and then heads over to my three brothers and Ethan.
“So, how serious were he and Sierra?” Val whispers.
The guys’ attention is all on the television by the bar, their conversation shifting to football, talking fantasy leagues and how much their leagues cost.
“Over a year.” I raise my eyebrows.
“That’s a long time.” Bella bites the inside of her mouth. “But,” she reaches over and touches my hands, “you’re sacrificing your own happiness.”
I squeeze Bella’s hands for her concern. “Who knows where it would’ve gone with us. We were in the early stages.”
“I think it’s admirable.” Annie puts her arm next to us. “But he is adorable.”
“You want in?” Carm asks and my attention shifts to the other side of the table. “I think we need another to make it even and Val won’t let Ryder play.”
“I’d rather him not gamble yet,” she chimes in with a roll of her eyes.
“It’s not really gambling,” Carm says.
Dom gives Carm a look to say, ‘shut the fuck up.’ Knowing Dom, he’s already said as much as he could to try to get his stepson to play in the Fantasy Football League.