Page 23

“It’s not just a professor/student thing,” I clarify, pouring the Diet Pepsi the waitress sets down in front of me from the glass to the mug.

No one bats an eye or asks why I’m doing something so weird, and my affection for this family grows.

“He’s my advisor, and any kind of relationship is very against the rules.

And I…” I trail off, glancing over at Elliot who covers my hand with his and tips his head as if to say, I’ve got you .

I don’t know whether it’s the cozy diner on a cold winter day or the obvious closeness between Elliot and his brothers, who are all looking at me with nothing but openness and acceptance, or the solid warmth of the man sitting next to me, but I find myself wanting to open up in a way I never, ever do. I take a deep breath and leap.

“I’m kind of trying to keep a low profile. My brother is…sort of famous, I guess? Or, well known at least. He’s in tech too, and I’ve always kind of been known as his little sister wherever I went. But here…”

“You just want people to know you for you, not as the sister of someone famous or the student who dates her professor.” Jo gives me a smile and a nod like she understands completely, and whatever nerves I had left about opening up to Elliot’s family vanish.

It’s possible I’ll wake up tomorrow and freak out at the fact that I divulged so much, but somehow, I doubt it.

“Yeah, got it in one.” I sit back heavily in my chair and feel Elliot’s arm lay across the back of it, his finger stroking over my shoulder.

He’s quieter than he usually is, and he’s giving off a kind of anxious, edgy energy I’ve never felt from him before.

Something about that, and this quiet gesture, makes me want to wrap him up and keep him forever. To know all the different parts of him.

The waitress comes over with breakfast and sets plates down in front of everyone.

“Great minds think alike, Mystery Girl,” Elliot murmurs to me, nodding at my giant waffle.

I was too wrapped up in my conversation with Jo to notice what everyone ordered, but now I see that Elliot and I ordered the same thing.

I shrug, swiping my finger through the whipped cream on top of my waffle and sucking it off my finger, loving the way Elliot’s eyes track the motion, darkening just slightly. “Waffles are my favorite. Especially diner waffles.”

“Mine too. But weirdly, Noah makes the best waffles I’ve ever eaten.”

“Damn right, I do, and nothing weird about it. Come visit us, Mystery Girl, and I’ll make you the best waffles you’ve ever had.”

“No,” Elliot says, pointing at him and shifting his body closer to me.

“What?” Noah asks through a mouthful of pancakes, looking wounded. “You don’t want your girl to come visit us?”

“Oh, I do, and she will, but you don’t get to call her Mystery Girl. Only I get to call her that. You call her by her name. Find your own girl and give her a nickname.”

The possessive note in Elliot’s voice has me clenching my thighs together because honestly—so fucking hot. It’s so hot I don’t even bother clarifying that I’m not, in fact, Elliot’s girl, because as inconvenient as it may be, in this moment, I want the shit out of this man.

“I’m trying,” Noah grumbles.

“You are?” Jo asks. “Who’s the lucky girl?”

“No one,” Noah says quickly, fixing his eyes on me. “So, who’s your brother?” It’s such an obvious way to direct attention off of him that I have to laugh, even though I’m still not entirely sure I’m ready to answer that particular question.

Cooper seems to have the same thought because he digs an elbow into Noah’s side. “None of your business. You don’t get to pry into her life because you don’t want anyone asking about yours.”

“That’s not what I was doing,” Noah grumbles again, rubbing his side.

“Yes, it was,” Elliot and Jordan say together.

“Why are brothers a thing?” Noah mutters under his breath.

“They really shouldn’t be,” I say to him. “They just cause all kinds of trouble.”

“See, this is what I’m saying!” He exclaims, pointing at me. “Tell me all about your brother issues, Ames. You’re getting a front row seat to mine.”

Jordan scoffs. “You don’t have brother issues.

You have the best brothers ever. Remind me, who helped you study for your Step Three last month when you were sure you were going to fail and never get your MD?

And who kept you fed and did your damn laundry so all you had to worry about was passing your test? ”

“Fuck, fine. You’re all the best and I’m nothing without you.”

“That’s more like it.” Jordan smirks and goes back to his breakfast.

“But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to know who Amelia’s famous brother is. I am who I am, and who I am is nosy as fuck.” Noah gives me a panty-melting smile, and it’s so contagious I can’t help but smile back.

“You don’t have to,” Elliot says, quiet enough so only I can hear. Elliot’s brothers start arguing about something or other, so I take a second to turn to Elliot. He’s looking at me intently, but there’s a tightness around his eyes.

“Are you okay?” I ask, just as quietly.

He nods quickly. Too quickly. “I’m okay.” He pauses then, seeming to reconsider. “That’s a lie, actually, and I promised I would never lie to you. I’m not totally okay.” He exhales deeply, almost like he’s shedding a weight just by admitting he’s not okay.

I lay a hand over his, where it’s gripping the side of his chair. I don’t know what’s going on with him, but my protective instincts are roaring. “What do you need?”

The relief in his eyes at my question has my heart clenching. “Honestly, just to be a little quiet. Then, when this breakfast is over, to go home.”

I glance at his running clothes and realize he ran here so he probably doesn’t have his car.

“I’ll drive you home. Do you want to leave now?

” Being in the center of attention makes me itchy, but for this man, I would get up and dance naked on the table if he needed to get out of here unnoticed.

I think it’s possible I would do anything for him.

Realizing this is both a relief and a revelation.

He shakes his head. “I’m good to hang. But I’ll take the ride. I’ll take whatever time I can get with you.”

I smile, squeezing his hand. “You got it. Leave the rest to me.”

I turn to the rest of the table where the conversation seems to have devolved into some argument about the relative importance of oral surgeons over other kinds of surgeons. I clear my throat and prepare to throw myself in front of Elliot so he can have the quiet he needs.

“My brother is Gabe Sullivan.”

Silence.

Complete and utter silence.

Despite whatever is bothering him, Elliot bumps his shoulder with mine, and I hear him snicker. The sound is music.

Jordan speaks first. “Gabe Sullivan?”

I nod. “Yep.”

“Like, my friend Gabe Sullivan? Inventor of the most famous phone in the world, married to Molly, currently living life as a stay-at-home dad in Pittsburgh while he runs a women in STEM foundation on the side?”

“The very same one.”

“Holy shit,” Jo breathes. “You’re Amelia Sullivan. I’ve heard Gabe talk about you.”

“Wait, you know Gabe too?” I ask.

She nods. “Of course. My older sister, Hallie, is Molly’s best friend. And her husband Ben is Jordan’s.”

I laugh a little because I met Hallie and Ben and the rest of their friends at Molly and Gabe’s wedding and, like, what are the chances?

Also, I probably should have put all this together myself, but I’ve been a little distracted by my extremely hot and very irresistible professor, and I probably should be resisting but really just don’t feel like it.

“Okay, well, turns out we really are a tangled web.” Elliot’s words from the diner the day we reconnected come back to me, and I realize how true they are.

Almost like we were meant to be right here, right now.

I find I don’t hate the idea of that at all.

“Listen,” I say, looking at Jordan and Jo.

“For…reasons, Gabe doesn’t know I’m back in school.

There’s actually a lot he doesn’t know about me.

I know it’s a big ask, but could you maybe not mention it if you talk to him? Sorry if that’s kind of weird.”

Jo shakes her head, covering my hand with hers. “It’s not weird. Of course we won’t say anything. You’re Elliot’s, so you’re ours too.”

“Thank you,” I say quietly, emotion tightening my chest at this easy acceptance, and I think Elliot feels it too because he lays a hand on my leg under the table, squeezing gently, and he doesn’t let go.

And when Jo just smiles and says, “We’ve got you,” I realize it’s been a long time since I’ve felt like I belonged anywhere, but I would really, really like to belong right here.