Page 67 of Starcrossed Colorado

I wasn’t denying it. I swiped my beer from Grace instead.

“What about the fact that she’ll be leaving in a couple months?”

“I’d say that’s low on the list of my worries at this point. She’s barely even speaking to me.”

“You’re really upset about this.”

“Yes, I am.”

Grace tapped her fingers on the table for a few seconds. For some reason, she looked guilty. “Did Emma tell you I stopped by to have a chat with her?”

“You didwhat?”

“Elias told me she’d moved in with you. I thought that was pretty sudden. So, I went over to meet her. I basically told her not to get involved with you unless she’s serious about it.”

“Who said I’m looking for something serious?” Though as I said that, it hit a wrong chord inside me. What I felt for Emma wasn’t just casual. Otherwise, why would I be so torn up over it?

“I just don’t want you getting hurt,” Grace said. “I’m aware that Callum has been telling you to have a fling, but the woman sharing your business spaceandyour apartment might not be a good choice. I should’ve told you I spoke to her, though. For that, I’m sorry.”

Like me, my sister was cautious about taking risks. I never had to worry about Grace getting into dangerous situations or being careless with her wellbeing. That was probably why I’d felt comfortable being in the Army, stationed on the other side of the country, while she was in college.

But it wasn’t a great feeling for my little sister to be stepping in to protect me. It was supposed to be the other way around.

“I messed up with Emma all on my own,” I said. “That wasn’t your fault.”

“Yet you won’t tell me exactly how you messed up.”

“And I’m not going to.”

She sighed and adjusted her glasses. “There’s one more thing I need to say.”

“I am not going to like this, am I?”

“Is it possible you’ve been lonely for so long that you’re latching on to the first pretty, nice woman to fall in your lap?”

I looked over at Emma’s table again. Longing throbbed in my chest. Was Grace right? Was I so closed off I couldn’t even see my own motives?

“There’s so much stuff we don’t discuss in this family,” Grace said. “Like about our childhood. We all pretend like none of it matters anymore, but it does.”

“Do you remember me telling you about my best friend from the Army? Dane Knightly? He grew up with more privilegethan you or I can imagine. Mansions and nannies and boarding schools.”

“You told me about him. I seem to remember he offered to fly us all to New York one Christmas, and you didn’t take him up on it.” She poked my shoulder. I chuckled.

“That may have happened. But Dane’s childhood wasn’t happy either. We all have shit to deal with.”

“I wasn’t talking about how much money we had. I meant how Mom practically had to raise us herself, and when she died, Dad couldn’t be bothered to step up. And Grayden’s issues. We could try to find our brother. Don’t you ever wonder how he is?”

“No,” I said sharply. “Absolutely not.”

“But it might help if you and Cal and I face that stuff instead of hoping it’ll disappear. This family is worth it.Youare worth it. You’ve done so much to make Maisie the joyful, healthy little girl that she is, but you have to take care of yourself too.” She got up to hug me. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

But this conversation hadn’t made me feel any better.

After Grace left, I ordered some food. I saw Emma do the same over at her table. Every time I glanced at her, she was looking away. Maybe she hadn’t noticed I was here at all.

My potato skins arrived. I stared at the basket of food and decided I was being stupid. I had to say something. Be a man about this and apologize. What was the point of us both sitting here in this crowded brewery by ourselves?

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