Over My Brother's Dead Body, Chase Andrews(7)
Author: Piper Rayne

 

He pulls me into a hug. “You know it.”

 

When we separate, we walk down the pathway farther into the park.

 

“Talked to Mom and Dad this morning,” he says.

 

I nod. “I figured. I asked them not to tell you I was here until I had a chance to see you.”

 

“That’s what Mom said. I can’t believe you thought I’d be pissed you were coming here to live. What kind of brother do you think I am?” he asks with mock offense.

 

“The best kind.” I bump him with my elbow. “But you have your own life, and I’ve only ever been a temporary distraction here. Most guys don’t want their little sisters cramping their style long term.”

 

He laughs. “I don’t have much of a style for you to cramp.”

 

“You’re a professional football player. I’m sure you could have as much style as you wanted.”

 

He shrugs as we walk around an elderly couple holding hands. “Sure, but you know me. I’m not interested in clout-chasers. When I’m ready to settle down, I need a woman whose mind turns me on as much as her body.”

 

“They can’t be that impossible to find.” I glance at him.

 

He doesn’t answer right away, looking pensive. “Not impossible, no. But pretty damn difficult.”

 

“Well, I’m sure it’ll happen when you least expect it.”

 

“Yeah, maybe. What about you? You think you’ll start dating again soon?” He leads us toward the Shakespeare Garden.

 

“No, Miles, I’m not going to start dating soon.”

 

“Why not? You’ve already given enough of your life to that piece of shit. You need to start getting on with life without him.”

 

I attempt to stem my anger as we pass through the iron gates and the archway into the garden. “I understand what you mean, but just because Mathew proved himself to be a douchebag doesn’t mean I’m not still mourning the loss of the future I thought I’d have with him. It takes time, and I’m not ready to move on with someone else.”

 

We sit on a bench and watch a small group of older adults do tai chi.

 

“I get it, I get it.” My brother squeezes my shoulder. “I just want to see you happy again.”

 

I sigh. “I know. I’m getting there, I am. It just takes time. Being here will help give me some distance from everything that went down.”

 

He nods and looks off into the distance. “I know I can be overbearing at times—”

 

“You?” I bring my hand to my chest in dramatic fashion. “I hadn’t noticed.”

 

“Brat.” He nudges me with his elbow. “I worry about you is all. It took everything I had not to hop on a plane and beat the shit out of that bastard.”

 

I lay my head on his shoulder. “I know you do. You’ve always thought it was your job to look out for me.”

 

There was a time in my life when I needed that, and I appreciated it then. It’s not that I don’t appreciate it now, but sometimes Miles has trouble remembering I’m a grown adult who can make her own decisions.

 

“It’s my job. But I’ll try to back off a bit. Especially now that you’re not marrying that piece of shit.”

 

I pop up off his shoulder and narrow my eyes at him. “You don’t have to sound so happy about it.”

 

“Better to find out what he’s really like before you’re married rather than ten years and two kids in.”

 

I sigh. “True enough.”

 

“Listen, why don’t you come to our practice tomorrow? Shayna will be there, and sometimes Violet brings Theo.”

 

“And what about Bryce?” I know she covers a lot of the practices for the paper.

 

His jaw tics. “Yeah, she’ll probably be there too.”

 

“What’s the deal with you two anyway?” I shift to face him and study his reaction.

 

“There is no deal.” He stands from the bench. “She’s a pain in the ass and only out for number one—herself. C’mon, let’s go check out the Japanese Garden.”

 

I drop the subject because I don’t want to ruin our day. He obviously doesn’t want to talk about her. Besides, I just told him he should stop digging around in my life, so I shouldn’t dig around in his.

 

 

 

 

 

I return from the park and enter the lobby as Chase steps off the elevator.

 

Because it would be weird to pass him without saying anything, I stop when he’s within a few feet of me and smile. “Hey, Chase.”

 

He glances up from the phone in his hand and backtracks a step, his head shaking slightly. I guess he didn’t see me. “Hey, Twyla.” He shoves his phone into his back pocket.

 

“Thanks for letting me crash your party last night.”

 

“Yeah, no problem.” He shifts in place and glances toward the door.

 

“Sorry about the waterworks.” My cheeks heat with embarrassment, but somehow it feels like it would be weirder if I didn’t mention the fact that he caught me crying last night. Now that I think of it, it was actually sort of sweet that he hung around outside the bathroom to make sure I was okay.

 

“It’s not a big deal. Don’t mention it.” He says that last sentence as though if I mention it again, he’ll cause me harm. As if the mere mention of me having feelings of any kind makes him uncomfortable.

 

We stand there for a moment, not saying a word, and things become awkward fast.

 

It’s then that I realize this is the first time the two of us have ever been alone together. Though it’s no secret that Chase isn’t a big conversationalist, I’m realizing just how much he doesn’t bother with mundane chitchat.

 

“Where are you headed?” I ask cheerily, searching for anything to beat back the weird tension between us.

 

Apparently, that was not the question to ask to start a conversation because he grimaces and rubs his short facial hair with his palm. “Out.”

 

“Sorry, I wasn’t prying.” Maybe he’s off to hook up with someone or something. From what Miles says, Chase is really private about his personal life.

 

The idea of him going off to meet some other woman makes my stomach sour, but it’s none of my business.