Page 3 of Meant to Be
Chapter Two
Mitch satoutside Lexie’s home, struggling to put on his game face. When he’d finally pushed away the shock and pain of seeing Sydney again, the longing had returned, and the last thing he needed was to want Sydney again.
Over the years, he’d done everything he could to forget her. But the attempts to distract himself through work or women were unsuccessful. The bitterness always remained, and it didn’t take a shrink to recognize that it kept him from forming any real attachments to women. Although a few had tried to change his mind, Sydney’s lesson was too ingrained.
So were the memories of her. Jesus, she was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her honey-blond hair, so thick and golden, just thinking about it made his fingers itch to run through it. Her eyes were that amazing hazel color that changed depending on her mood. She was stronger than he’d recalled, too. The old Sydney would have shirked and retreated at his response. But her eyes had flared with heat, and she’d stood her ground. A shiver of excitement ran through him at the memory. He cursed his traitorous heart and libido. After a couple deep breaths, Mitch grabbed the bottle of wine and got out of his truck. At the front door, he knocked but didn’t wait for an answer.
“Hello?” He cracked open the door. “You two better be decent.”
“You bet we are.” Lexie made her way up the hall to greet him.
“No more kitchen games?” He grinned as he referred to the time he’d caught Lexie and Drake nearly naked on the table.
“Well, since you don’t wait for people to answer the door, no.”
“The solution is to lock the door.”
She gave him a hug and, even though she didn’t know the day he’d had, it helped to calm him.
“I’m finishing the fixings for burgers.”
“Burgers, huh? I brought wine. I guess I should’ve brought beer.” He followed her to the kitchen.
“Now sit and tell me what’s weighing on your mind.”
He studied her, wondering how she could tell. He supposed he wasn’t as collected as he thought. “Just the usual stuff.”
She handed him a cutting board, knife, and red onion. “Liar. You can take your negative energy out on this onion. Don’t chop. Make rings.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted.
“Spill.” She sounded a bit like their mom when she was determined to get them to talk, but since he valued his life, he didn’t mention the similarity to Lexie.
He sighed. “It’s nothing.”
“I don’t know why you always think you can keep your secrets. Eventually I’ll make you tell.” She studied him. “You look like you need a drink. I’ve got bourbon.”
Bourbon sounded perfect. He nodded.
“And then you tell me what happened.”
Setting the onion slices aside, he downed the two fingers of amber liquid she gave him and waited for it to burn away the bitter residue of his reunion with Sydney. Of course, it didn’t. He knew it wouldn’t. How many shots of bourbon, whiskey, or whatever else he could get his hands on had he tried to use to numb the pain over the years?
“I saw Sydney today.”
Her initial blank stare morphed into wide-eyed shock. “Sydney, as in former fiancée Sydney?”
He nodded, not surprised it took a moment for Lexie to remember her. He’d dated Sydney for four years in college, but she’d never met Lexie and only saw his parents a couple times during their visits to campus.
“Great day.” The southern expression of surprise and dismay whooshed out on a breath as she sank into a chair next to him. “Where?”
“Apparently she’s a new doctor at the hospital.”
“No! Here?”
“I saw her when Kevin was making his daily nookie visit to Jenny.”
“Why?”
