Page 12 of Endlessly Yours (The Wilder Brothers #10)

CHAPTER SIX

RORY

I knew it was hot in Texas. That was sort of the whole thing about the state. And South Texas was hot, humid, and sticky.

And yet I knew I was all three of those things and it had nothing to do with the fact that it was summer outside of San Antonio, Texas, and everything to do with the now shirtless, so-called flag football game in front of me.

“Darling, I think you need this,” Ava said from beside me as she handed me a cup of icy water. I chugged half of it without even looking at her and forced myself to pull my gaze from the tableau in front of me.

“Do they do this often?” I asked, my voice going slightly high-pitched.

Ava’s lips twitched before she turned back to the sight in front of us.

“Not often enough.” She shook her head before cupping her hands in front of her mouth.

“Go Wyatt! That’s it, baby! Pound those guys into the ground!”

Wyatt rolled his eyes at his wife. “Babe. These are my brothers and cousins. Maybe use a different word?” he drawled, and my lips twitched.

“Yes, maybe don’t use the word pound.”

I shifted slightly on the outdoor chair that I had borrowed from somebody, my cutoffs feeling far too confining. Every time I moved, my thighs pressed together, my clit rubbing, all because of the shirtless man in front of me.

I pulled an ice cube out of the plastic glass of water and slowly began to run it over my collarbone and chest, needing to cool down.

At that moment, however, Brooks turned to me, his gaze following each movement. I swallowed hard before my tongue darted out, swiping over my lips.

I watched as a bead of sweat slid down his chest, over his pecs, down through his rock-hard abs, and the tiny trail of hair that went down below his gym shorts.

I took another gulp of water, telling myself to calm down.

Just because it was a bunch of sweaty, naked men sliding against one another while playing with balls, didn’t mean that this was my version of a nightmare.

Or a wet dream.

Why was it so hot in Texas?

Brooks gave me a look that I didn’t want to interpret before going back to the game.

“So, you want to tell me exactly what is going on between you and my brother-in-law?” Ava asked, and I drained my glass.

“Nothing. It’s just hot out here.”

“I’m pretty sure the heat went from 95 degrees to at least 200 with the look that you two shared.”

I raised a brow at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s just Brooks. And apparently it’s been a while for me since I’ve been so busy. It just got a little overheated. Plus, I’m worried that I haven’t heard from the girls in the past twenty minutes.”

I checked my phone again for a text from them or Alexis, but nothing.

I was a terrible aunt. The first chance where I’d been able to take a breath and a moment by myself, I’d run.

The girls had started school, and while things were going well, as in they weren’t talking to me about it, and their therapist was hopeful.

Yet it didn’t feel like enough. Because when the girls had been invited to spend the night with Alexis and the others as part of a party planning practice, I’d jumped at the chance.

Yet, really, I’d only done so because Alice had looked so excited, and Cameron had only rolled her eyes once. That had to count for progress.

Or perhaps I was a terrible aunt turned guardian.

Ava gave me her glass of water, taking mine from me. “Drink that. And maybe I’ll get you drunk on wine later.”

I pressed my lips together, worry once again winning out over whatever feeling I’d had while watching Brooks…

well, do anything. “Are you sure that we should be having a girls’ night?

I know that Alexis and the others said that it was okay that Cameron and Alice spent the night at their place so the girls could have a different environment for the evening, but I feel like I’m abandoning them. ”

The Wilder women had girls’ nights at least once a month.

Before everybody had started to have children, it had been more often, especially because they had all lived on the property, and they literally owned a winery.

In fact, one of Ava’s cousins-in-law was the actual winery expert and always had a vast selection of different wines for us to try.

Not to mention that Kendall was now a world-renowned chef, so there was always something yummy to eat.

Over time, the dinners had slowed down to just once a month, if they couldn’t get any more time in, but they put in the effort to make it work.

I had been invited a few times, or rather, I was invited every time that Ava went, but I didn’t always make it. Sometimes, I was on deadline, and frankly, sometimes, being on the property at the same time as Brooks was a little too much for me.

But considering I was sitting here in the heat surrounded by his family and friends and watching him play football all sweaty-like, maybe I was a lost cause.

Again, though, it wasn’t as if my brain could make this work. Everything was already too much when it came to my life. Yes, having him hold me and telling me that I could do this and that I wasn’t alone was nice, but in the end, that couldn’t mean anything.

Brooks wanted nothing to do with me or hadn’t before this, and we had been circling each other for far too long to even think about what it could mean.

So no, I wasn’t going to let myself want more.

Especially because Alice and Cameron had to be my first priority.

And Cameron hated me, so it wasn’t as if I was gaining any headway there.

“You know that the girls wanted to spend the night and have a girl-time sleepover. Alice is a little spider monkey that will cling to anyone in our family because she’s so adorable, and I know she needs that touch.

Cameron?” Ava shrugged before she leaned down and pulled out a soda from the cooler at her feet. “Cameron will come around.”

“You say that, and yet I don’t quite believe it. She hates me.”

“She doesn’t. She’s just hurting.” Ava paused before flipping the tab on the can. “She’s grieving, but are you?”

I frowned as I stared at my friend. “Of course I am. But the girls are more important.”

“They are important, but so are you. You need to take care of yourself.” And she gave a pointed look towards the men on the field, and I glared at her.

“Taking care of myself does not mean letting one of them help me with it.”

“Well, since most of them are married, I don’t think it’s just one of them.”

“Ava.”

“What about Callum? He’s been giving you looks. And I saw the way that you two hit it off last time he was here.”

I turned and looked at Callum Ashford, the man that I had indeed clicked with quite well when he had first come to visit his new niece over a year ago.

However, it hadn’t been that type of clicking.

Instead, he had just been easy to talk to.

Maybe there could have been a spark, but my heart had been going in a different direction, even though I had yelled at it for doing so.

And from the way that Callum pointedly didn’t talk about a certain someone in his life, I had a feeling so did his.

Yet, every time he looked at me, he winked or brushed my hair from my face or gently ran his finger down my upper arm.

However, I knew he was just screwing with Brooks.

But why?

“I don’t have time to think about men. Or anything like that.

And I am grieving, Ava. My sister’s gone, and I hate it.

But I have to focus on the girls. Who I’ve abandoned today so they can hang out with people who aren’t me.

And because everybody thought I could use a break.

” I ran my hands over my face. “I have no idea what I’m doing with my nieces.

Every single day I feel like I’m learning something new and just trying not to fail. ”

Ava reached out and gripped my hand. “You’re not failing. You’re in a situation that doesn’t have any answers. You are so strong, my friend. And I hate the fact that you’re going through this. But you’re not alone. We’re all here. You know that, right?”

Tears pricked my eyes, and I swallowed hard, leaning over to rest my head on Ava’s shoulder. “I know. And I know I could never imagine what my life would be without you. Thanks for everything.”

“Now, drink this other glass of water, and go stare at some half-naked men. Because we don’t need to be melancholy right now. We could be melancholy later and in perpetuality.”

My lips twitched, but I knew she was right. It was time to focus on the quiet moments because nothing truly felt quiet or sane anymore.

I quickly drank another sip of my water before standing up with the others and cheering on the game in front of me.

While it was technically flag football, some of the guys slammed into each other for fun.

I did my best to keep my gaze off of Brooks, however, because the more I stared at him, the more I was afraid others would notice.

Because nothing good could come from me wanting Brooks.

He clearly didn’t want me, and I didn’t have time to want him.

And that was the same thing, right?

Or, at least, close enough.

Callum came over after a moment and lifted his chin at me. “Hey. Having fun?”

I looked down and studied him, my gaze traveling over his very nice set of abs and the way that he looked like he could have been molded from clay or something much harder, but yet, there was no zing. It wasn’t like it was with Brooks. And that was a problem.

“I’m just glad you guys aren’t hurting each other. Though, you do look a little hot.” He raised a brow at that, and I rolled my eyes before handing him a water. “Go have fun out there. Don’t break anything.”

“No promises, baby girl,” he called out, and my cheeks blushed as a few people I didn’t know wolf-whistled at that.

“Baby girl?” Ava mouthed.

“Shush,” I whispered.

“I have so many questions right now,” Aurora whispered as she came to my other side. “Like, when did that start?”

I bumped my hip against hers. “It’s not. He’s just screwing with me.”