Page 106 of Forecheck
“I am…” I said slowly. “Who are you?”
He pushed past me into the entry of Brent’s apartment before turning to face me, gesturing to himself. “You can’t tell?”
I allowed my eyes to rake up and down his body, not in any lecherous way, but genuinely studying him.
As already noted, he was tall, about as tall as Brent, with the same deep-brown hair. He was thinner than Brent, though. Maybethinnerwasn’t the right word. More like…leaner. As if someone had taken Brent and skimmed him down a bit. This man wasn’t as broad shouldered, but he was muscular in a way that told me he exercised regularly.
It wasn’t until I met his eyes that I realized the comparisons I’d drawn between him and Brent weren’t simply surface level, and I hadn’t jumped there because Brent was the benchmark against which I’d forever stack all men up against.
“You’re his brother.”
“Nathaniel Jean, at your service.” He bent at the waist and sketched a small, sarcastic bow. Once upright again, he said, “You can call me Nate. Pleasure to finally meet you.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Came to do a wellness check on my brother at my parents’ request.”
“Wellness check?” I repeated dumbly. “He’s fine. Currently at the rink.”
“I can see that,” Nate said, eyes flicking to my bare legs, then back into the apartment. “Can I have a cup of coffee? I just got off a twelve, and I’m spent.”
“Oh, sure!” I moved into the kitchen, Nate’s shuffling footsteps following along. I poured him a mug and passed it to him. “Cream? Sugar?”
“Nah, I’m good with black,” he said, sliding onto a barstool at the island.
“Great,” I said awkwardly. “Well, I’m going to go put some pants on.”
Nate smirked. “You do that.”
My cheeks heated as I turned away from him, and his chuckle followed me all the way down the hall.
I was pulled from the memory when Lexie and Sandra sidled up beside us, and I introduced my best friend to the group. I didn’t miss the way Nate’s eyes raked Lexie’s body, nor did I miss the knowing smirk she gave him when his gaze finally landed on her face.
Lexie shook hands with Brent’s dad, gave a surprised Kenzie a side-armed hug, and continued to level Nate with herI will eat you alivesmile. If Mitch hadn’t been in the picture, I knew it wouldn’t take long for those two to end up in bed together. I fought off a full body shiver at the thought.
My best friend and my boyfriend’s brother? That sounded like the makings of a dramatic romance novel.
Then again, my best friend and my boyfriend’s best friend/teammate wasn’t too far off that mark as it was.
“How’s law school going?” Kenzie asked me, and I could see Ron’s interest piqued.
“Great! I’m in the home stretch now. I’ll take my final exams next week, graduate the week after, and take the Bar in July.”
“Ahh, I remember those days,” Ron said fondly. “Don’t miss the paperwork, though.”
“Ron practiced for about twenty-five years,” Sandra told me. “He was primarily a contract attorney.”
Brent had told me his dad was an attorney, but not what kind of law Ron had practiced. Turned out, it was exactly my own bread and butter.
“I’d love to talk shop with you one day,” I said. “I’m actually hoping to become an agent eventually. Contracts are kind of my jam.”
Ron nodded. “I would love that. I wanted Brent to be a lawyer, but his dream was always hockey.”
“He does have two degrees, though,” Sandra said. “One in business and one in finance.”
“I knew that,” I said, remembering our overnight date in Frankenmuth. “He told me his dad wanted him to have a backup plan if hockey didn’t work out.”
“Smart man, his father.” Sandra wrapped her arm around her husband’s waist and grinned up at him. Ron bent and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
