“Nope. Nothing at all.” He holds up a finger. “In fact, I don’t think you said more than ‘get out’ to me since I was thirteen.”
I wince. “Only because it was girl time.”
He inclines his head. “Anyway, enough rehashing old times.”
Since I’d rather not dwell on what he used to be to me—Sydney’s irritating little brother—I drop it. It really messes with my head to think of him like that while trying not to openly lust after him. “What’s the worst crime you’ve encountered in Summerdale?”
He presses his lips together, trying for a grim expression, but his eyes are sparkling with good humor. “You don’t want to know.”
I lean forward. “Tell me.”
“I regularly caught Rainbow sunbathing in the nude at the lake. I told her she had to cover up.”
I laugh. “She was a true hippie.” Rainbow was one of the original founders of Summerdale. A group of hippies in the sixties planned it as a kind of utopia. I bought her old café when she retired to Florida last year. She used to serve green drinks and salads with alfalfa sprouts. Even so, she was very supportive of my sweeter take on things.
“Are you happy here?” he asks.
I consider that. “I love my shop and being back with Sydney and Audrey. Kayla now too. She’s a sweetheart.” Kayla is engaged to his older brother Adam.
“But…”
I wipe my mouth with a napkin and push my plate away. “No one is happy about everything.”
“Do you miss your old life in Brooklyn?”
“I miss the adventure of going out on a Saturday night with the potential to meet someone interesting.”
“Interesting means hot.”
I glance around, looking for Sydney. She must’ve went back into the kitchen or her office. “They need a brain too. I do have standards.”
“So no hot idiots for Jenna Larsen, huh?”
I laugh. “Exactly.”
“Head over to the Happy Endings bar on Saturday night. You might be surprised at who you meet.” He winks.
My face flushes. He’s coming on to me. Would it be so bad if I met up with him out of town? Yes. Because then I’d have to face him here in Summerdale, probably for years to come. And Sydney would find out.
“Or not,” he says.
“I can’t think of you that way.”
His eyes are hot on mine, his voice low and husky. “I think you already do.”
I lick my lips, and he watches the movement. Desire pools low in my belly. “I can’t. You’re a permanent fixture of a town I plan on staying in for the foreseeable future. That means potential future awkwardness if things don’t work out and, in my experience, things never work out.”
“It’s just a drink, Jenna.”
How can I explain I don’t stick with anyone without revealing my damaged history? He doesn’t know all the grisly details of my family, and I don’t want him to see me that way. Not to mention Sydney wouldn’t approve.
“Nothing personal,” I say because it really isn’t personal. I enjoyed our lunch. I just know when to cut ties—early before any real damage is done.
He studies me for a long moment.
“Looking mighty serious,” Sydney sing-songs as she approaches. She stops at our table, looking back and forth between us. “Did you figure out the car thing?”
“About to,” Eli says tightly.
Sydney salutes him and strides over to the bar.
He lifts his brows at me in question.
“Just friends, okay?”
He pulls out his wallet, tosses some bills on the table, and stands. “See ya around.” He strides toward the door before I can reply.
“I’ll be in touch!” I call after him. “With a check and paperwork.”
He lifts his hand in acknowledgment before he walks out the door.
I stare at my plate. “Thanks for lunch,” I say to no one.
Sydney plops down in his seat. “So-o-o, what’s the deal?”
I sigh. “I worked out a payment plan to pay off the damage to his car.”
“That was generous of him not to want it up front.”
“Yeah, it was.”
She pulls the bill out from her apron pocket, counts out the money he left, and pockets it. “He’s a generous tipper too. Thank you, Eli.”
“What were you teasing him about from when he was fifteen?”
She gestures me closer. “He’d kill me for saying this, but he asked me if you had a type back then. I thought he had a crush on you. It was so ridiculous to me at the time I didn’t mention it. I mean, we were seniors, and he was a lowly sophomore. Anyway, I forgot about it until just now when I saw you having lunch together. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the two of you together without me. Weird.”
“Actually, it was kinda nice,” I say softly, looking toward where he just left. “He’s—”
“Don’t even tell me you’re thinking of making a move on my baby brother,” she snaps.
My head whips back toward hers.
Her voice is fierce. “Not going to happen. I know you, Jenna, you freak at the idea of a lasting commitment, and you leave a trail of broken hearts everywhere you go. You hurt Eli, well, that’s something I could never forgive.”
I suck in air. I knew she wouldn’t like the idea, but to hear her say it like that scares the crap out of me. I can’t lose my best friend, the closest thing I have to a sister. “Okay, got it.”
She gives my arm a squeeze. “Sorry, I know I can get a little over the top about Eli. Caleb too.” She lifts her hand and curls her fingers. “The claws come out for my cubs. I’m like their second mom since our mom passed. They needed me.”
“Sure, I know. Only the best for your little bros.”
“Exactly.”
I push down the hurt that I don’t fit in that “best” category. Sydney knows my damage, and she wants her younger brothers to have only smiles and sunshine.
She continues in a conspiratorial tone. “Wyatt and I have been talking about setting Eli up with Wyatt’s sister Brooke. They’re the same age, and Brooke just wants a nice guy to settle down with.” Wyatt’s her husband, and they have a true partnership in everything.
I met Brooke at Sydney’s wedding. She’s pretty, nice, and smart. The absolute worst.
“Doesn’t she live in New Jersey?” I ask. “Long-distance relationships never work out.”
“She’s an architect. There’s buildings and houses around here.” She smiles. “Wyatt’s hoping to get all three of his sisters to settle here eventually. He got Kayla, though I think Adam had more to do with that than Wyatt. Too bad his sister Paige is too headstrong to match up with one of my brothers. She’s more like Wyatt. What’s wrong?”
I blink rapidly, willing myself to pull it together. “Nothing. Sounds like you and Wyatt are building a dynasty out here.” And I’m on the outside. It’s not like I even want a relationship. I’ll never risk that kind of pain for myself, a guy, and definitely not on poor unsuspecting kids. I’ve always known I’m better off alone, though now that I’m twenty-nine, I sometimes feel this…longing. I haven’t admitted this to anyone, but I think it might be nice to have a baby. Do the single-mom thing so a relationship wouldn’t affect my kid.