Page 41 of The Tryst

I blink in surprise and my stomach drops, because his tone sets me on edge. “What about?”

His eyes dart off to the side, then back to me. “Well… um… I’m thinking about asking Holland out on a date.” I stare at him slack-jawed, unable to believe I’m hearing this. He looks embarrassed, unsure of himself. “I wanted to know what you thought. You’re my best friend, bro, and I implicitly trust your advice.”

I feel a surge of panic but try to hide it. “What brought this on?”

“Just happy to have her back, I guess.” Wade rubs his neck, his sheepish expression deepening. “We had so much fun Saturday, and she’s single. I’m single. Figured it couldn’t hurt to ask her out.”

It could fucking destroy everything.

I probe gently. “Do you have feelings for her again?”

Wade shrugs, looking uncertain. “I don’t know. Maybe. I just can’t help but wonder what would have happened if she hadn’t left all those years ago. I never even got the chance to tell her how I felt back then, and well… maybe her being back is a sign that I should take a chance.”

No, no, no. Her being back ismysign that we’re supposed to be together.

I’m perilously close to losing my shit. My mind races, history repeating itself. I can’t let this get away from me again.

I keep my voice steady. “Wade, she’s been through a lot lately. She’s planning to go back to Zurich. Maybe now’s not the best time.”

“But maybe she won’t go back. You heard her.” He’s referencing our camping trip when, after we were several beers into the night, she hypothesized what it would be like to return to Shelbyville permanently. While it was mostly a buzz talking, I can’t deny I didn’t latch onto the hope that she was serious.

But I can’t let him think that. I can’t let him have hope the way I did the last time. I have to protect my interests, so I take a really cheap shot. “If you want my honest take, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Holland’s like a sister to us, and I don’t think she’ll ever see you as more than a brother.”

“Really?” he asks, looking a little crestfallen, but my comments hit the mark, because I can see the doubt settle in and take root.

I nod. “I think the excitement of her coming home might be confusing things, but little bro… I don’t see that going anywhere.”

He looks thoughtful, then nods. “You’re right. Probably a bad idea. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Thinking the same thing I’m thinking… that Holland is amazing and so very easy to love.

“Definitely a bad idea. Besides, you’re the one who doesn’t want to settle down.”

“You’re right,” he says, this time sounding sure of himself. “Stupid idea. Thanks for being my sounding board.”

Relief floods through me, but guilt follows closely behind. “Anytime. Have a safe trip, okay?”

Wade claps me on the shoulder. “Always. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.”

I watch him go, my mind spinning. While I have him talked out of any silly aspirations that he could have something with my woman, I’m still a little disturbed over the whole thing. It dredges up all the horrible memories of how I lost Holland the first time because my little brother got all up in his feelings and I didn’t want to hurt him. God, I hope this was just a whim for him and he wasn’t serious, because I know this time around, I’m not about to step aside.

I head out of the barn and find Holland walking around in a two-point. I scale the fence rather than take the gate and walk directly toward her. I don’t know what she sees on my face, but she brings her horse to a halt, lowering back down into the saddle.

“What’s wrong?” she asks as I reach her.

“Wade just told me he was thinking about asking you out.”

“What?” she exclaims so loudly, her horse skitters sideways before she brings him to a halt.

I nod at her, grim-faced and perturbed.

“What did you say?” she asks hesitantly.

“I discouraged him,” I admit. “Told him it was a bad idea, that you were like a little sister and that you would probably only ever look at him like a brother.”

“That’s accurate,” she says, but I can see her bracing for bad news. Holland has been transported back in time, same as me, and she’s expecting me to drop the other shoe.

“I dissuaded him because I’m not about to move aside,” I say sternly, my hand gripping her ankle and squeezing for reassurance. “You’re mine and he’s not getting in the way of that.”

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