Page 6

Spotting Alex in my childhood backyard was like a fever dream. Unreal. Panic twisted tight as a noose around my neck, and my shirt collar, like earlier, suddenly felt far too tight. Simply breathing became laborious—short, panicked bursts escaping as I processed the fact that my own personal demon had reappeared. Too soon, reality set in, and my initial shock and horror evolved into bewilderment.

Roddy turned back to me with a clueless expression. “You can ask him yourself!”

Ask who what?

Alex?

It took me a second to remember I’d been in the middle of interrogating Roderick about Juniper’s mysterious family-loving brother. Seconds that had passed like lifetimes as the summer sun set, and the chaos I’d thought I’d abandoned at the airport followed me home .

I’d been intrigued before.

Roderick was expecting me to still be intrigued. And if the look on his face was any indicator, he assumed my ogling was caused by interest—not horror.

I couldn’t blame him.

That would be the more logical conclusion.

“Don’t worry, June told me you’re his type,” Roderick promised, attempting to soothe. “One sec?—”

Don’t do it.

Don’t do this to me, Roderick ? —

Before I could open my mouth, Roderick whipped his hand in a circle, tossed it back, and threw an invisible lasso toward the two siblings—like a total dork.

What transpired next was the most heinous thing I’d ever witnessed.

Namely, Roderick making these awful hand-over-hand motions. He pulled the siblings across the yard like a cowboy—and in response, instead of becoming disgusted, Juniper giggled. She hopped toward us with exaggerated wiggles, happy to play along.

The whole thing would’ve been cute if I weren’t dying of second-hand embarrassment.

Pausing halfway, Juniper downed both the beers she’d been clutching and promptly belched into the sunny afternoon air. The crowd of flannel-wearing, barbecue-devouring people that populated the yard cheered. After tossing the empty bottles, Juniper grinned and hiked up her massive, blue ball gown. Shiny black cowgirl boots poked beneath the lifted hem. With an air of importance, she continued to hop the rest of the way toward us, eating up her fiancé’s smile with a happy shimmy.

Alex was a silent shadow behind her.

He didn’t hop.

He didn’t speak.

Simply content to observe his sister with obvious fondness. His eyes even had the audacity to sparkle . This was a side to him I hadn’t seen at the airport, and I tried not to be affected by it. To be honest, I was relieved to have his focus off of me.

It didn’t take long for the siblings to reach us, or for that feeling of relief to evolve. When they arrived, pausing on the other side of the table, I sat up taller, fighting the urge to shrink and run, or crawl under the table to hide.

Please, please, please don’t mention Neil, I begged —though knowing my luck, the plea would be fruitless.

During that short walk, something…changed.

The heat in Alex’s eyes was gone.

He was…cold.

Which felt odd, considering how doggedly he’d pursued me while on the plane. It was almost like I’d imagined the whole thing. He barely looked at me, before his attention moved back to his sister. She leaned over the table, dark silken hair a wild mess as Roderick rose to smack a kiss right on her mouth.

Pulling back, Juniper grinned at the both of us.

“You must be George.” She turned her full attention to me. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

My cheeks heated, eyes flicking to Alex as my earlier worries came back full force. “Good things, I hope?”

“Oh, definitely.”

That was better than the alternative, right? That Roderick, and potentially Alex, had been talking shit about me. Though, it also didn’t mean Alex hadn’t told her about the dildo during their drive over here.

Speaking of Alex…his expression was guarded, lips pressed into a flat line. Juniper elbowed him, but he didn’t flinch, nor did he greet me.

Was this a game to him?

“Juniper, right?” I scrambled to find something to say. I was aiming for polite, but I wasn’t sure I exactly nailed it, distracted by her brother and his hot-to-cold switch-flip .

“Yessiree.” June bobbed her head.

A beat passed. No one said anything, including me. I glanced at Alex again, even more confused. Why wasn’t he reacting to seeing me? Was he not surprised? When his gaze finally met mine, his expression was still closed off.

Like there was a wall of ice between us.

“Congratulations on your pending nuptials.” The words spilled out before I could stop them, directed at June, but pointed in Alex’s direction. Roderick laughed, the sound breaking the awkward mood that’d settled.

Alex’s mouth twitched.

It was the first sign that the man on the plane hadn’t been an apparition.

“He said that to me too,” Roderick told June.

“Thank you.” As she spoke to me, she turned her attention Alex’s way, frowning at where he stood beside her, a silent shadow. “We’re happy you could make it.”

I nodded, cheeks still hot.

“It’s been an eventful trip, that’s for sure.” Understatement of the century.

Alex’s mask cracked a little more.

June’s gaze was hawk-like as she observed her brother. “I feel like there’s a story there,” she teased. “A story that you didn’t tell me. Care to share with the class?”

Alex didn’t hesitate. “It wasn’t all that interesting.”

My dildo had literally hit his shoe.

He’d certainly found it interesting earlier. What the fuck was his problem? Was he trying to antagonize me? And if he was, why wasn’t he looking at me? The emotional whiplash was confusing as hell.

I forced my face to remain blank, even though an uncomfortable pit had formed in my stomach. I’d thought he was different. That he was forthright in a way Brendon never had been. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Alex was just as manipulative as Brendon.

“Then why did you say there was definitely a story?” Juniper looked confused.

“Stories can be boring,” Alex replied .

Boring?

Why did that hurt?

I didn’t care what he thought of me. At least…I hadn’t thought I did. Clearly, I’d been wrong. Because Alex calling me boring felt like an ice pick to the heart. I swallowed the bile climbing up my throat.

Was I really…a joke to him?

Fine.

This was fine.

Two could play that game.

If he wanted to act like an ice prince, so could I. There was no way I was letting him know how badly he’d dug beneath my skin. If he was making fun of me, he was about to realize how futile that effort had been.

There would be no punchline.

I would survive this.

I would escape with my reputation and what little self-confidence I had intact.

I wouldn’t forsake my mom’s pride just because Alex had hurt my feelings.

When Alex wasn’t flirting, it was almost too easy to ignore him.

Questions bubbled up inside me, but I shoved them down, turning my focus onto Alex’s sister. She was watching him the same way I had, like she was trying to figure him out.

“I was just telling George about Alex,” Roderick hedged, obviously attempting to end the unpleasant silence. He addressed me, “Didn’t you have something you wanted to ask him?”

“I did,” I shrugged.

“You did?” Alex sounded surprised. Which was fair. I had actively done my best not to participate in conversation on the plane. I certainly hadn’t asked him questions.

“I’m no longer interested in hearing the answer,” I replied to Roderick, not Alex.

Another pause .

“Why not?” Alex’s brow furrowed. He turned those clever, pale eyes on me. I shrugged again, not bothering to answer. It didn’t matter anyway. After this turn of events I was more than done with him. I rose from my seat, offering Roderick a smile.

“Congratulations again,” I said, figuring I could part ways now that this troublesome encounter had reached its natural conclusion. “It was good to see you again, Roderick.”

I should’ve known escaping wouldn’t be that easy.

Because apparently, ignoring me was fine, but the second I ignored Alex ? Yeah. He did not fucking like that. His entire focus lasered in on me, the heat of his attention palpable. I froze, stuck halfway out of my chair only to sit right back down.

“I’m confused,” Roderick said.

“We’ve met before,” I answered, meeting Alex’s gaze head-on. “Which is why I know I’m not interested.”

“You’ve met?” Roderick only sounded more perplexed. Immediately, visions of Neil’s cerulean blue surface wiggling in the middle of the air assaulted my senses.

“At the airport,” Alex explained.

Alex is going to tell them.

Oh fuck.

My entire body exploded, red-hot and itchy with fear.

“That was my fault.” Juniper wiggled in excitement like she hadn’t just confessed to a despicable crime. “I’m the one who bought the tickets. His mom and I thought, you know…all things considered, it’d be nice if they could get to know each other before they arrived.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Roderick frowned. “I’m a member of the club, too.” I barely heard his words, too focused on what Juniper had said. Suddenly…my mother’s involvement in buying my ticket made a lot more sense.

This had been an elaborate ploy to set us up.

Jesus Christ .

What a goddamn shit show.

And Alex had known.

Of course he’d fucking known.

The whole. Entire. Time.

Why hadn’t he said anything?

Another manipulation.

“That’s how you knew my name.” The words were out before I could stop them. “Not because of the backpack. Because your sister—and my family—set us up.”

I needed to calm down.

But I couldn’t.

“Correct,” Alex’s eyes flickered. He was still studying me. The longer our gazes locked, the more the ice in his eyes faded, bit by bit.

“And you couldn’t have led with that?” I knew my voice was strained, but I couldn’t make it stop. “I literally asked you. There was a perfect opportunity to tell the truth—and you lied to my face.”

Calm down, George.

Calm —

“It was more fun that way,” Alex grinned, proving that he was a total dick.

“This is fun for you?” Vibrating with rage, it took everything I had not to start yelling. I could tell I was getting louder, loud enough we’d definitely attracted attention—but I couldn’t seem to stop. He was cracking my perfect persona. Snapping it right down the middle so that everyone here could see the mushy, broken man beneath.

And I knew he was doing it.

But I couldn’t stop myself from responding.

Couldn’t stop the fissure from growing as my wrath burned hotter.

Goddammit, I really should’ve walked away—but now I couldn’t. Not when Alex was smirking . Smirking like he thought creeping beneath my skin and outright lying to me was funny. It wasn’t funny. None of this was .

“Definitely fun, yes.” Alex’s smile grew brighter. He leaned in to mock whisper across the horrible Christmas bauble-themed tablecloth at me. “You’re a very fun man, Georgie.”

Aware we had an audience, but unable to stop myself, I retorted. “Well, you’re a fucking dick.”

Roddy gasped.

Juniper gasped.

The crowd gasped.

Everyone else stopped talking. What’d been a small group paying attention became the whole fucking party. Roderick’s family. My family. Alex and Juniper’s. Adults and children alike. Most notably, my mother—apple fritter halfway to her mouth as her attention moved from the woman she’d been chatting with over to us.

The weight of their perception made me feel small and miserable.

Instead of backing off, Alex pushed again.

“A fucking dick?” Alex mused. “Huh. I’ll defer to you. Seeing as you’re more familiar with those than I am.”

There was no way anyone else would understand the innuendo.

But I did.

I snapped.

Suddenly, the table between us became a massive problem. It was the only reason I wasn’t currently strangling him. Fuck it. The thing was older than I was anyway.

I’d buy Mom a new one if it broke.

Exploding out of my seat, I launched across the table at Alex. Roderick was too shocked to try and stop me. By the time I was on solid ground again—the table miraculously still standing—my chest was heaving.

Crack, crack, my “golden boy persona” splintered even more. The crowd was eerily silent, making the sound of each great, angry gulp of air that whooshed into my lungs impossibly loud. Alex was a few inches taller than me, but that didn’t prevent me from glaring down my nose at him as I stepped into his personal space. I could taste the mint on his breath.

The smug bastard leaned closer, entirely unfazed by my fury. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was egging me on. That’s certainly what it felt like he was doing. Like he was inciting my wrath on purpose—offended by my feigned disinterest, even though he was the one that was blowing hot and cold for no fucking reason.

“Is that Versace ?” Alex’s voice was husky.

“W-what?” The question was so out of pocket it nearly shocked me out of my rage.

“Your cologne, Georgie. Keep up. Is that Versace? ”

“No,” I snapped. Of course it was Versace .

“ Liar ,” Alex’s minty breath fanned hot against my lips in an annoyingly sultry way. He shifted imperceptibly till his toes bumped mine, making himself at home in my personal bubble—like he had every right to do so.

Alex’s eyes were prettier up close, and that thought only made me more bitter. How dare he be so…so smug —and so attractive, at the same time. I wanted to wipe the smile off his face.

When he looked at me like that, his dark lashes fluttering with each blink—his lips curled up, dimples flashing—it felt like the rest of the world disappeared entirely. Our audience was gone. There was only him, and me, and the electricity between us.

His eyes said, pay attention to me.

They said, I need it.

Hands moving before I could stop them, my fists clenched in the front of Alex’s t-shirt. Soft, slightly sweaty fabric brushed against my palms as I yanked Alex an inch closer—close enough our noses bumped. His pupils dilated, nearly swallowing the icy blue.

“ George —” Roderick tried to interrupt, but he might as well have not been there at all .

“Alex started it,” June replied, looking inappropriately excited about Alex’s reaction to me. “Let them finish.”

This was out of character for me. In all my life, I’d never gotten physical like this—even when I was at my most upset. I could see why he was concerned.

But there was simply something about Alex that pushed all my buttons.

And he did it on purpose.

Like he was a kid in an elevator, jabbing every last one just to see them light up.

Shame—due to our audience and the scene I was causing—made my throat feel tight all over again. Squeezing, squeezing, as each labored breath puffed against Alex’s lips. I did my best not to be unfairly affected by how very hot Alex’s body ran—or the way his expensive scent made my cock perk up.

He’d pushed me to my breaking point, but oddly enough, he didn’t back down. Even though he knew first-hand that I was the kind of man who followed through with my threats.

My nostrils flared.

“Guys, seriously?” Roderick once again played peacemaker. I refused to look away from Alex. Not for a single fucking second. “Alex was teasing. Right, Alex?”

“ Right ,” Alex agreed, his black gaze caught on mine. “I was teasing , Georgie,” he purred, pink tongue flickering out to wet his lips. “Listen to Roddy. Be sensible. There’s no need to get physical .”

Despite his words, he sounded pleased. Cold turned hot. His apathy was gone. Was this another trick? Confusing. He was so fucking confusing .

Judging by the hungry look in his eyes, Alex wanted to get far more physical with me than this. That thought sent another fizzle of electricity zapping between us.

“Right!” Roderick agreed, bless his heart, not recognizing the innuendo.

“You’re so adorable when you’re mad,” Alex whispered, quiet enough only I heard. “You know that right? Makes me crazy. ”

Which one was I? Boring, or adorable?

Christ.

My head had begun to hurt, the weight of the crowd’s attention burning-burning-burning.

Alex’s body was solid against mine. Sweat beaded at the edge of his collar, glistening at his temples, making his dark hair stick to his forehead. He’d been damp at the airport too, because of the rain. This was better, somehow.

Pressed tightly to Alex’s deliciously full, muscular chest, it was impossible to think about anything other than sex. One push and our cocks would align, for god’s sake. Alex looked like the kind of man who liked to get rough. Who liked to shove and bite and fuck. Who wasn’t afraid to take what he wanted.

Alex wasn’t frightened of my anger, or the crowd’s opinions.

And no matter how hard I pushed, and snapped, and hissed—he didn’t cow. I knew, realistically, at the moment he was being an asshole. But…for the sake of being fair, I was the one who’d stabbed him earlier. I also knew that all I’d done since we’d met was bite his head off—even after he’d been kind enough not to mention the dildo incident.

We were both acting ugly.

So why…did fighting with Alex feel good?

Because there was no denying that it did.

I’d never been like this with anyone else. I’d always been reserved, eager to please—a peacemaker, like Roderick. A people pleaser. A perfectionist. Docile and fake—so terrified of losing the affection I craved that I’d do anything to keep it, even compromise myself.

But not with Alex, apparently.

With Alex, I spoke my mind.

Even when it shattered my image.

“ Alex ,” Juniper sighed, exhausted. “Enough.”

That was it.

Two words .

Alex laughed.

And god, it was a pretty laugh.

Loud and unrepentant.

A riotous, wicked thing that immediately cooled my boiling rage to a simmer. My anger dissipated. I was struck by the beauty of the wrinkles by his eyes as he tossed his head toward the fluffy white clouds above.

Man, God really did have favorites.

When Alex’s guffaws softened into a honeyed chuckle, I had no choice but to concede defeat.

The tension between us was gone. It was impossible to stay angry when he was looking at me like that. Like he didn’t realize how awfully he’d just fucked me over.

Our tiny group of voyeurs settled. Juniper shook her head in amusement. I wasn’t sure what the look she leveled our way meant, or that I wanted to know.

“Well, that was uncomfortable,” Roderick said, obviously as relieved as the rest of us that no fight was going to break out.

“I can practically taste the chemistry,” Juniper cackled, and then to herself added, “Damn, I’m good.”

“Jesus Christ, June,” Roderick snorted, though he didn’t disagree.

The crowd was still watching, though luckily for me, they began to disperse. Without my anger as fuel, I had no choice but to acknowledge the mistake I’d just made. There was no denying that I’d just shattered my “perfect son” persona. The one thing I’d fucking wanted desperately to protect. My carefully constructed reputation ripped to shreds.

Regret.

That’s what this was.

“I like you, Georgie,” Alex told me, awe laced inside his tone. His voice was as quiet as it’d been when he’d called me adorable. Like these words were mine, and mine alone. There was a hint of surprise there too—surprise I didn’t understand .

Confusing. He was so fucking confusing.

“Well, I don’t like you,” I hissed in reply.

“Yeah?” Alex dipped his head again, eyes dancing. Our noses brushed, reminding me of how close we were to kissing. Immediately, I released his shirt. As though burned, I took a step back and put some much-needed distance between us.

Before he could manipulate me into tarnishing my reputation even more, I stalked off to lick my wounds in private.

This time, when I ran away, I played it cool. I should’ve done that earlier—before the fight. I had no idea why I hadn’t. I wished I could turn back time, but that wish was futile.

My body would not stop tingling.

Calm down.

Having a lovely laugh doesn’t make up for how infuriating he is. He’s messing with you. He doesn’t actually like you. Don’t let him win.

That was the conclusion I came to.

If I had to deal with him for another second, I was going to explode again. Once was bad enough. I could still feel my mother’s eyes on me—the frown on her lips causing shame to burn white-hot through my body.

So, yeah.

Avoiding Alex, despite everyone else’s meddling, was my new mission in life. How hard could it be, really? We’d be off to Hocking Hills tomorrow. And I could spend the week leading up to the wedding in the woods with my family. That’d been the plan to begin with. It wasn’t as though anything was changing because he’d be there too.

I piled up a plate of potluck delicacies and retreated to the sandbox near the porch. Sitting below where Dad and Joe were grilling, the scent of charred meat wafted through the air as I settled beside the only person who hadn’t paid attention to my earlier outburst.

Mavis.

My darling, lovely, slightly-older-than-toddler-age niece.

“Unca George,” Mavis greeted me from behind her sandcastle with her huge brown eyes. For the first time since I’d left for the airport that morning, I finally relaxed.

“Hi.”

“Why is your face red?” she asked. “You look weird.” I waved a hand at myself, fanning the heat from my cheeks as I shrugged.

“It’s summer.”

“Okay.” She gave me a dubious look. “ My face doesn’t do that.”

“Then you’re lucky,” I replied, tucking into my food with gusto.

The unnamed cousin-kid with a bat peeled across the yard toward us with a squeal. His bat was held high as he paused by our quiet nook, before moving on. Kid was going so fast he was going to hurt himself. He’d looked at me like he expected me to jump up and yell at him. And once again, shame coursed like acid in my veins.

The pickle on my plate was another reminder of what a disappointment I was. Mom had bought these for me. She’d been so excited for me to come home. So excited to show me off to her friends…and I’d…

Christ, she was probably so embarrassed.

I felt horrible that I’d let her down. I’d cracked the facade I tried so fucking hard to protect, and everyone here had seen.

“ I like pickles,” Mavis interrupted my spiral of self-importance. She was obviously eyeing my plate. Taking the hint, I offered her my pickle. I didn’t have much of an appetite anyway, even if they were my favorite.

“Thanks.” Her chubby little fist was covered in sand. She accepted my humble offering and brought it close to her face. As soon as it had passed inspection, she took a thoughtful bite .

“Good, right?”

“Good.” Her words were muffled around her mouthful, but she did grace me with a tiny-toothed grin that made my heart throb. Snorting, I did my best to hide my responding smile behind my hand, lest she see it and think I was laughing at her—even though I was.

After thoroughly wiping the remaining pickle juice off my fingers, I grabbed my sandwich. Not a burger—for obvious reasons. Simple cold cuts on white bread. Mom always provided it, because she knew better than anyone how heinous Dad’s hamburgers could be.

I was lucky they’d had napkins at all.

Mom tended to forget that.

Across the yard, she was chatting with Roderick. I shrank behind Mavis, using her as a shield in the hopes that no one would look at me. I hated this—feeling small. And I was so fucking pissed at Alex, because he’d proven to be just as much of a dick as Brendon was.

Turning my attention back to my niece, and my sandwich, I tried to ignore the fact I had no idea where Alex had ended up. It was difficult, but I managed. Mostly. Wayward worries plagued me—my food like sand on my tongue.

Mavis was surprisingly excellent company—very distracting.

She thought my suit was “good”.

She let me know when my face wasn’t “ugly” anymore.

She asked if I liked building castles.

All while pilfering half the food on my plate. Which was impressive . She was a tiny, precious garbage disposal with one pigtail loose. For nearly an hour, I licked my wounds in private, ignoring any and all adults, deliberately hiding as far away from the crowd as I could. Eventually, my food started to taste like food again, and the pit in my stomach disappeared.

Which, of course, was when Alex found me again.