Page 9 of Revealing Mark

She tried to suppress a smile. “Yes, you do. Honestly, you fight like a married couple.”

“Do you think anyone else noticed?” I questioned further, not sure I wanted the answer.

“I’m sure there are a few people who may suspect something but no one knows anything for sure,” she explained. “Or at least no one has said anything directly to me.”

“There’s nothing really to talk about anyway.” I shrugged dismissively.

“I’m surprised you guys haven’t gotten it on yet.” Her bold statement with a wiggle of eyebrows took me by surprise. I had never been brave enough to act on my feelings for him, I had just resigned myself to watching from afar. Never once had I even thought he might feel any attraction for me.

“Why would you think that?”

“There is chemistry there. If you look close enough you can see it. He never argues with anyone like he does with you.”

I thought about what she was saying but I couldn’t believe it.

“So, you think…you think he is attracted… to me?” I asked, feeling more confused by the moment.

She nodded with a knowing smile. I sat back, floored. She could be wrong. But what if she wasn’t? It was pretty unbelievable and difficult for me to see.

“No, I think you’re seeing something that isn’t there,” I disagreed.

She lifted a shoulder and dropped it. “We’ll see.”

I shook my head again, still unable to accept what she was telling me.

“Matt is headed in our direction,” Sophie mumbled, and I looked up to see our brother striding purposefully to us.

I scanned his features. He didn’t look mad but there was no guarantee he hadn’t found out what I had been trying so hard to hide. Was it possible he knew? I felt the childish urge to run so I wouldn’t have to face up to my actions and his lecture, but Ireminded myself I didn’t have to answer to anyone. Even if I made mistakes, I was the one who had to live with them.

“What are you two up to?” our brother asked, coming to a stop behind us.

“I was just showing Sophie some of the shots I got,” I lied.

He directed his attention at me. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“I’ll go and see if Mom needs help with anything.” Sophie vacated her seat and Matthew took her place.

“What’s up?” I asked, swallowing nervously.

He reached out and squeezed my shoulder affectionately. “You need any ice cream?”

My heart warmed and I felt a little tearful at his thoughtfulness. “I’m okay.”

Matthew had always been involved in helping Sophie and me get through our heartbreak, which involved copious amounts of ice cream.

“No choc mint?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Maybe a little,” I sighed, putting my camera on the table.

“It’s never easy,” he sympathized with a sigh.

If he knew how difficult Jack was being, he would have a fit.

“What happened?”

I looked down to my lap for a moment before shrugging. “It just didn’t work out. We wanted different things.” Jack had wanted to stay in the relationship, and I hadn’t.

“How did he take it?” He was watching me intently and I was aware my brother had the same way of observing body language that Mark did.