Page 13 of Second Goal

“What exactly is it you did?” His voice is steady, but I can hear the restraint in it.

Eyes closed, I let out an uneven breath. “I kissed her.”

I wait for Kane’s response, expecting him to freak out. Maybe even hit me. But I’m met with silence. I open my eyes and look at him. He’s still frowning, but the anger I expect isn’t there, just concern.

“And?” he asks.

“And what?”

“You kissed her. I assume there’s anand.”

I shake my head. “Andnothing. I stopped it. And it won’t happen again.”

“Okay.” He scrubs a hand over his face.

“I’d never hurt her.”

“It’s not her I’m worried about.”

“Maybe you should be,” I say, a little too gruffly, causing Kane’s brows to raise.

Standing, I pull out my credit card and slam it on the bar, giving the bartender a tight smile when he takes it, then turning back to Kane. “You don’t have to worry about any of this. I just didn’t want to keep secrets from you. And it’s not going to happen again.”

He sighs. “It’s none of my business who you or Kiley hook up with.”

“I’m not hooking up with her.” I sign my bill, then put my credit card back in my wallet.

“I’m just saying, if you’re looking for my permission, you don’t need it. You’re both adults.”

Whatever reaction I’d been expecting, this isn’t it.

Kane chuckles. “Don’t look so surprised. Brynne predicted this months ago.”

“Predicted what? Nothing else is going to happen.”

He cocks his head, still smirking. “Okay.”

“I’m serious. It was a one-time thing.”

“Okay.”

“Stop saying that.”

He laughs. “Okay.”

I curse under my breath, not sure why I’m the one pissed off. It was supposed to be him upset. And in a way, I was kind of hoping he would be. That he’d warn me off Kiley.

It would make things easier.

Bullshit.There’s nothing easy staying away from her. But this whole thing is more complicated than just getting Kane’s approval.

“Who knows,” he says, chuckling. “Maybe one day you’ll be my brother-in-law.” I’m about to argue with him, but his phone starts ringing. “It’s Brynne. Need to take this.”

I glower at his back as he walks away, not sure how our conversation went from me confessing I kissed Kiley, to us getting hitched. But the thought makes my chest constrict. Not in a bad way. In a way that gives me an ounce of hope.

Until I remember every reason why we can’t be together.

Secrets.So many damn secrets that I can see her being crushed under the weight of them.

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