Page 70 of The Spring in My Heart

He got me.

“I wasn’t touching up my makeup.” I was putting makeup on. There’s a difference.

Chase smiles at me. “I’m not mad.”

“No?”

He shakes his head. “Coach is a good guy. I like him. So does Cam. But I worry because he’s a friend, and you’re my sister. I know Ollie—the dad, the coach, the friend. I don’t know how he treats the women he dates. And you’re a good girl, Lux. If it doesn’t work out, I don’t want you running back to Captain Dickhead.”

He means Mateo.

It makes me smile because it’s sweet that he worries. “Thanks, Chase, but I’m not dating Oliver. We’ve never even had that conversation. We’re just?—”

“Oh, God. Don’t tell me.”

I shoot him the dirtiest look I can muster and turn to the fridge. “We’re not doing that either, dummy.”

“Good.” The relief in his voice is unmistakable. “If you do go into anything, you both need to be sure. You have too many people in common.”

It’s the same thing I’ve been telling myself since the day I met him. Since we met in the garden, and he smiled like we were naked, and he was about to throw me on top of the bouquet we were working on.

“I know that. I don’t want Bron or Ayla hurt over this. Plus, again, we are not there.”

He shrugs. “You like him, and he likes you. It’s only a matter of time.”

“I can’t talk to you about this.”

His face twists. “Why not?”

“You’re my brother.”

“And? You gave me advice once, and I let you. I didn’t even hold it against you that it was shitty advice that almost got me canned by Lauren.”

I close the fridge door and begin to assemble his sandwich. “My advice was great. You were probably not smart enough to execute it.”

“I’m not smart enough to execute it? I’m married to her now.”

He is. No one can take that from him.

“Anyway, like I said, you don’t have to worry about anything.”

“I have a lot to worry about, but it’s fine. You’re a big girl, and you can make your own decisions, but just tread carefully. You know Coach has Ayla. The kid is number one, and we all know how needy you are.”

What the fuck.

The slice of ham lands square on his face, and he looks as stupid as he deserves. He peels it off his face and begins eating it.

“It’s the truth. You always want people to pay attention to you.”

“I hate you.”

He shakes his head. “You do not. You’re making me food. I just want to make sure you are okay. You’ve been dating Mateo way too long. I don’t ever want anyone to treat you like he did, and I don’t ever want you to take that from anyone again.”

My chest squeezes. No matter how many times I call him my idiot brother, it’s never far from my mind how I can count on him. How he’s saved me before. How I can always run to him with anything.

“Thanks, Chase.”

“I know I tease you a lot, but you’re the whole package. You’re smart, beautiful, and a good girl. Don’t settle, and don’t let anyone treat you less than that. But if you want to have fun, you can go ahead. Just don’t ever talk about it to me or mention you’re doing the nasty around me. And lock your fucking doors.”

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