Page 76 of Stuck with my Brother's Firefighter Besties

“What look?” I asked, trying for casual, though my voice wavered just enough to give me away.

She stepped closer, leaning against the railing beside me and offering the cup. “The look of someone trying way too hard to convince themselves of something they don’t believe.”

“And what exactly am I not believing?”

Samantha arched a perfectly shaped brow, her expression all amusement and challenge. “Oh, come on, Lila. Don’t play coy with me. I saw you out there tonight.”

I groaned, tilting my head back to stare at the stars. “You’re going to have to be more specific. I danced with half the room.”

“You know what I mean.” Her tone was soft but pointed, like she wasn’t going to let me off the hook. “Jaxon. Colt. Ryan. It doesn’t take a genius to see what’s going on there.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “There’s nothing going on, Samantha.”

“Uh-huh.” She shot me a sideways glance, her lips curving into a knowing smile. “And that’s why Jaxon looked like he was ready to fight anyone who even thought about getting too close to you. Or why Colt practically undressed you with his eyes every time you so much as glanced in his direction. And Ryan? Please. The man couldn’t stop staring at you like you were the only person in the room.”

I felt my cheeks burn, the heat spreading down my neck despite the chill in the air. “You’re imagining things.”

“Am I?” Samantha asked, her voice light but her gaze sharp. She turned to face me fully, crossing her arms. “Because from where I was standing, it looked like you were enjoying every second of it.”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.

Instead, I stared down at the cup in my hands, the cider swirling slightly with each small movement. The truth was, she wasn’t wrong.

Ihadenjoyed it—the attention, the way they looked at me, the way they made me feel seen in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. But admitting that out loud felt like crossing a line I wasn’t sure I was ready for.

If I admitted that, then I would also have toreallythink about what happened between us on the ski trip.

Samantha tilted her head, studying me for a moment before her expression softened. “Look, Lila, I’m not judging you. If anything, I’m jealous. Three gorgeous men practically tripping over themselves for you? That’s the kind of problem most women would kill to have.”

“It’s not like that,” I said quietly.

“No?” she asked, her tone gentle now. “Then what is it like?”

I hesitated, my throat tightening. “It’s... complicated.”

Samantha nodded slowly, as if she understood more than I was saying. “Complicated doesn’t mean bad, you know. It just means you’ve got to figure out what you want.”

I let out a shaky laugh, the sound more bitter than I intended. “That’s the problem, isn’t it? I don’t know what I want. Or... maybe I do, and it scares the hell out of me.”

Her gaze softened even further, and she reached out, placing a hand on my arm. “Whatever it is, you’ll figure it out. And when you do, don’t let fear stop you from going after it. Life’s too short for that.”

I looked at her, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I just nodded, grateful for her kindness even if I didn’t feel like I deserved it.

Before Samantha could say anything else, the sound of uneven footsteps and muttered curses cut through the quiet night. Both of us turned toward the source, and my heart sank as I recognized the figure swaying toward us.

Nate.

His tie was askew, his shirt untucked, and his face was flushed—not from the cold, but from the alcohol radiating off him in waves. He stopped a few feet away, blinking like he was struggling to focus on us.

“Nate?” I asked cautiously, taking a step forward.

The way he was standing, shoulders slumped and jaw tight, made my stomach churn.

“Lila,” he slurred, drawing out my name like it left a bitter taste in his mouth. His bloodshot eyes flicked to Samantha, and he let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Oh, look, you’ve got an audience.”

“Nate, you’re drunk,” Samantha said gently, her earlier playfulness gone as she straightened. “Maybe you should head back inside… get some water.”

He waved her off, his movements unsteady but forceful. “I’m not talking to you. This is between me and my sister.”

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