Turning, he shrugged. “If I find someone, then I find someone. But until then, I’d rather spend the time I have away from work waiting for you to realize you’re in love with me,” he said teasingly.

Whether he actually meant those words or not, I was glad the heaviness between us had been lifted, and I laughed as I opened the back of my car. Using the same teasing tone, I leaned forward to grab a couple of the boxes. “And what if I told you it was never going to happen? Would you stop then?”

“Ugh.” He stumbled back from the car and gripped at his chest. “You’re wounding my ego, KC.”

“Oh, I’m sure that was a big blow to it.”

“The worst.” He sighed dramatically, but shot me a wink. “I’m not sure if I can go on after that kind of dismissal.”

I laughed and pushed him away when he draped a heavy arm over my shoulders. “Toughen up, Donnelly. I need help taking these boxes in, and I doubt a firefighter turned princess is up for the job.”

“Princess, huh?”

Turning my head to look at him, I eyed him and sucked air between my teeth before mouthing, Princess.

He laughed loudly and grabbed most of the boxes. “Better watch yourself, KC, I’ll force-feed you one of the cupcakes in front of everyone.”

I gasped and shifted the boxes to one arm so I could close up and lock my SUV. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I don’t know . . . in the last three minutes you crushed what little ego I had, and then called me a princess. I think that calls for a show of you eating your cupcakes.”

Groaning, I followed him up the walkway to the house. “I hate Kinlee for telling y’all that.”

“I sure as hell don’t. It’s now my mission in life to watch you eat something sweet.”

“Not gonna happen.”

“We’ll see.” He smiled widely and laughed when I rolled my eyes. Opening the door, he stepped back to let me in first, and I wished he hadn’t.

Brody was standing just inside the living room with Jace and a few other guys I didn’t know. Since Aiden wasn’t blocking my view of him, I watched as his eyes lit up when he saw me . . . then saw all expression leave his face when he noticed the man behind me.

I heard Jace say my name and Aiden begin talking with the guys standing there, but I wasn’t able to focus on anything else as I stared at Brody. He wasn’t even looking at me anymore. His eyes were pinned to Aiden, and the jealousy there was apparent.

I knew if I stood there waiting for him to acknowledge me again, someone was bound to notice, so I straightened myself and walked into the kitchen so I could put the boxes down. Aiden was there setting the rest on the counter when I turned, and I thanked him before opening them up and putting them out on the platters Kinlee had waiting.

My head jerked up as I heard Brody’s name being called, and I watched as he walked over to someone I assumed was his mother.

Kinlee came up behind me and wrapped her arms around me. “Don’t you look hot!”

I laughed and looked back at her. “Thanks for the outfit, Lee.”

“I saw Aiden helping you inside . . .” She drifted off, her voice full of meaning.

“Nothing happened, and nothing is going to happen. I told you, he’s just not it for me.” Kinlee scoffed, but before she could say anything I jerked my head toward Jace, Brody, and the two women they were standing with. “What’s going on over there?” And why does Brody look pissed?

“Oh, that’s my mother-in-law. Every time she sees Brody, she tries to get him to leave Olivia by setting him up with someone else. I guess Julia is the poor soul she’s set her sights on this time.”

I was going to throw up. Or yank Julia away from Brody. I hadn’t decided yet. Forcing myself to unclench my jaw, I tried to sound like I didn’t care either way. “Why do you say ‘poor soul’?”

“Because every time his mom tries to set him up with someone else, the girl gets excited at the thought of being with Brody, only to be turned down. We all want Brody away from Olivia, we would love to see him with anyone else. But no matter how much he hates that woman, he’s never going to leave her.”

Throwing up. Definitely throwing up. My heart was currently residing in my stomach, and my stomach was churning. It wasn’t a good feeling, and throughout all of it I had to retain my unaffected facade.

Brody looked over at me for a few seconds, before looking back to his mom, who was animatedly talking about Julia’s successes. But in those few seconds I saw everything I was feeling reflected back at me.

Swallowing down my anger, I turned and grabbed Kinlee’s shoulder as I gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I forgot something in my car, I’ll be back. Happy birthday, Lee.”

“Do you want Aiden to help you?” she asked too loudly.

I cringed and turned to see both Aiden and Brody looking at me. Aiden’s expression was expectant, while Brody’s was livid.

“No, I’m fine. It’s just my purse.” I waved Aiden and Kinlee off and tried not to look at Brody again as I turned and walked quickly across the kitchen, through the dark dining room, and to the entryway. As soon as I was outside I let out an angry huff and balled my hands into fists before pressing them against my churning stomach.

Putting a hand to the passenger side of my car for a couple minutes, I held myself up and dropped my head as I took deep breaths in and out. As if it wasn’t enough what Brody and I were already doing . . . what we were already going through . . . now I had to watch his mom try to push other women on him?

My biggest worry for tonight had been keeping myself away from him when he would be so close to me. It hadn’t occurred to me that I’d be silently fighting for him.

Straightening up, I mentally shook myself and opened the door to grab my purse sitting on the floorboard before shutting the door and locking my car again. I couldn’t let this rule my night. Tonight was about Kinlee. Letting my situation with Brody get in the way of her birthday wasn’t fair to her.

As soon as I walked back into the house a warm hand clamped down on my wrist and pulled me into the darkened dining room. His full lips pressed against mine, and for a few seconds I let myself get lost in that kiss. But then I remembered where we were, and who was with us.

“What are you doing?” I hissed when I broke off the kiss.

“Why did you come with Donnelly?”

“Are you kidding me, Brody? He pulled in behind me and helped me in. Nothing more.”

His eyes roamed my face for a few seconds. “Jace said Aiden—”

“I don’t care what Jace said!” I cut him off. “Why didn’t you tell me your mother is trying to set you up with other women? Why didn’t you warn me that would be happening tonight?”

Brody sighed and pressed his body closer to mine. “I don’t know, I wasn’t thinking about it. To be honest, all I could think about was that Aiden would be here tonight and my sister-in-law and brother want you with him.”

“Well, it looks like we’re even tonight then. You don’t like that they want me with him, and I don’t like that I have to watch your mom push another girl on you.”

Despite my anger, he smirked and brushed back some of my bangs. “Who knows? Maybe one day she’ll push you on me.”

Putting my hands on his chest, I tried to shove him away, but he didn’t move. “That’s not funny, Brody, and you know it,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Kam, it was a joke.”

“I don’t want to be this person. I don’t want to be seen as the girl who breaks up a marriage, you know that. So don’t make light of something that you know is killing me.”

“Babe. You’re not breaking up a marriage. You’re making me feel alive for the first time in years. I’m sorry for joking, but if we can’t joke about it, it’s going to keep driving us crazy and put more strain on our relationship until we can be together.”

I cleared my throat and shook my head as a sad smile pulled at my lips. “There is nothing about us, or our situation, that can possibly be found funny.”

“Kamryn,” he whispered. “I—”

“I need to get back to Kinlee,” I said suddenly, and this time when I pushed, he let me go and stumbled back.

I didn’t want to hash out everything with Brody right now. If we did, I would undoubtedly end up crying, and that would raise questions. I needed to focus on my best friend. Yes . . . I needed to focus on her and for a few hours try to forget about the pain, heartache, jealousy, and guilt that were slowly unfurling in my stomach—even with Brody here.


Brody

June 15, 2015

AFTER SHUTTING AND locking the front door, I trudged into the kitchen and dropped the box of cupcakes on the island. Tonight had been a disaster. I’d been so on edge watching Kamryn and Aiden, ready to rip him away from her if he touched her, that I’d been shaking for the better part of the night. But whenever Kamryn’s eyes would meet mine, the adrenaline would quickly fade from my body and a deep ache would fill my chest as those blue eyes reminded me how much I’d fucked up earlier.

I hated that she’d seen my mom try to set me up with Julia, a girl I’d grown up with. I hated that I’d made it worse by joking about it. I hated that the woman I loved had to go through so much pain because of me. And I hated that I still hadn’t told her I loved her.

We both knew. If we weren’t in love with each other, we wouldn’t be doing what we were doing. We showed it in touches, kisses, and looks. But realizing I hadn’t told her as she walked away from me tonight had made it nearly impossible to go the next three hours without grabbing her and telling her in front of everyone.