Page 40 of Runaway Bride's Guide to Love

“You know,” I continue, “Simon watched it.”

“Good for him.”

“Don’t you want to be on an equal playing field? Make a reference that now he can’t monopolize?”

He turns back to me. “You’re going to keep going until I agree to watch it, aren’t you?”

I shrug. “I never did get to play the runaway bride card.”

He groans, but it doesn’t sound like he’s really mad, which makes my smile as big as I’ve had it since he said he’d hang with me for the week.

“Fine. But we’re getting all the movie candy I like. And ordering dinner of my choosing. I’m talking burgers and fries and not a vegetable to be found.”

Is he really tempting me with a meal that I’ve not had in years because Duncan couldn’t eat greasy foods because he’d get a stomach ache? Hell yes.

“Can we get mozzarella sticks? And onion rings? Oh! And maybe some fried pickles? With ranch, obviously.”

Emmett gives me a wink that warms my body more than the sun ever could. “You got it, Tiger.”

I can’t believe what I think I’m seeing.

Emmett is crying.

OvertheBarbiemovie.

“Hey,” I say gently, putting down my ice cream bowl so I can hand him a tissue. “You okay?”

He rips it out of my hand and dabs his eye. “That song should be illegal.”

I laugh as I push pause on the movie. “Yes, it should.”

He quickly sniffs back the stray tears and tosses the tissue on the coffee table. “You arenotgoing to tell your brother about this.”

I cross my heart with my finger. “You have my word.”

“Thanks.” He reaches for his beer and takes a long pull. I don’t mean to stare, but his jawline makes it virtually impossible. It’s perfectly defined without being too rigid and is covered by a beard that is, in my opinion, the perfect length. Not that I would know what the perfect beard length is. I’ve never dated a guy with one. Duncan tried to do No Shave November and hebarely had stubble by the end. But I have a feeling Emmett’s beard is perfect. Just long enough to feel the scratch against your skin.

Focus Stella. No staring. No fantasizing. He’s your vacation buddy. And Simon’s friend. And business partner. There can’t be anything more. Even if that beard is making you think things.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course,” I say, hoping his question isn’t about his beard.

“I’ve known Simon for more than fifteen years. How have we never met?”

“Actually, I’ve wondered this too,” I say. “But, I was still in elementary school when you guys went to college together.”

“I’m aware.”

Why did he say it all growly like that? “So yeah, the few times I went to campus was for football games, and Simon would tear himself away from his tailgate to hang with us. And by the time I was in college, he was off living his life. He’d try to be the cool older brother occasionally when he was in town for games, but that’s it.”

“That makes sense,” Emmett says. “But in the past year since we reconnected, I feel like we should’ve run into each other.”

“Were you at the New Year’s Eve gender reveal?”

He shakes his head. “No. I was invited but was told by my boss not to attend.”

“Really?” Then it hits me about the timing of the party. “Did Simon keep you away because of his idiotic lie that he was telling Charlie about the restaurant?”

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