“Come on, I’m dying here, Nate.”
“I was rather enjoying your monologue.”
She points a menacing finger in my direction. “Don’t mess with the woman who buys your morning coffee.”
“And I buy yours sometimes. How did we escalate to threats already?”
“That’s how I roll. So?”
“It’s a mix of everything you said—”
“So you did get hot and naughty when you were teenagers? And the brothers let you live? Or didn’t find out? Huh… you’re sneakier than I gave you credit for.”
“Not what I meant.”
Her shoulders sag in disappointment.
“We always had a thing for each other but didn’t act on it. Part of that was Alice’s age, and yeah, Sebastian and Logan did make it clear their sisters were off-limits. Later on, I was always traveling.”
“And the other part?”
“You know my track record with dating and relationships. I always thought it was preferable to have Alice in my life as Sebastian’s little sister, or as a friend as she grew up, rather than as an ex or not at all.”
“Sounds like someone believes relationships, in general, are doomed.”
“Not all, just mine. You think I’m not aware I keep women at arm’s length?”
Clara chuckles. “Sounds like something a woman would throw in your face.”
“I’ve heard it more than once. Can’t say I disagree.”
“Ah, ding, ding, ding. My theory about people afraid to perpetuate parents’ unhappy patterns starting to ring more true?”
I scoff, then remember being thirteen when I first searched for divorce rates online. Before, I lived in the bubble all kids do, where they think all parents will be together forever. Seeing Mom unhappy in her second marriage didn’t help. Sure, Alice’s parents, Jenna and Richard, were a pleasant surprise, but I knew that for each Bennett family out there, there were ten times more families like mine: broken, patched up, dysfunctional. But I’m man enough to own up to my choices as an adult.
“No, it doesn’t.”
Clara groans. “You’re a stubborn mule.”
“I am. But I’m meeting Alice in one hour. And I plan to ask her out.”
Chapter Eight
Alice
I’m about to head out the door for my meeting with Nate when my phone rings. As usual, I have so many random items in my bag that it takes me forever to find my phone. I really should clean it out more often. My fingers touch the hard case of the phone just as the ringing ceases. When I pull it out, I see Pippa was the one calling, and I dial right back.
“Hey, sis,” I greet her as I hurry to my car.
“What are you up to? Want to stop by the house?”
“I can’t.” Guilt gnaws at me because I haven’t seen my sister since my parents’ party. Before the kids, she and I would go out on a whim to get a drink, or eat, or just catch up. But now going out requires more planning, which usually means I go to her house. Truth be told, I prefer the new arrangements because I use any chance I get to smother those angels with kisses.
“Oh shucks. I’ll just tell you over the phone, then. Guess what words Elena said today? ‘Aunt Alice.’”
I swear my heart grows twice in size. “She did?”
“Yeah, and now Mia is giving her the evil eye because she can’t say it.”