“I’ll be back.” I tried to avoid Brody’s eyes, but it was impossible as I turned and made a beeline for the bathroom to collect myself. I wasn’t mad at Kinlee, it had been funny at first, but I was beyond freaked out by my reaction to meeting her brother-in-law.

Turning on the water in the sink, I realized my hands were shaking. I made quick work of taking off my glasses, splashing water on my face, and turning the water off before gripping the counter. What was happening to me? And what happened in the entryway with Brody? My heart was still beating fast, and I swear I could feel his hands on my arms. The way his gray eyes had captured mine and held them, making it feel like time stood still, was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. This was fairy-tale shit, this kind of thing didn’t happen in real life.

Except, it just had.

And the man was married.

I groaned and shakily put my glasses back on as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My blue eyes were too bright and my cheeks still too red. I looked excited. I was excited—I’d just found a man who changed everything I’d ever known. Taking a deep breath in, I held it for a few seconds before I blew it out as I realized that I’d found the one thing in life I would never be able to have. Why, after only two minutes of being near him, did that hurt so badly?

Brody

May 5, 2015

GLANCING BEHIND ME, I looked around for that Casey girl and came up empty. What the hell had just happened with her? She was beautiful, sure. Wide blue eyes, full lips that had been drawing me in, and the kind of body I’m sure a lot of women paid thousands for. But that wasn’t what got me. There was something else in those eyes, and it had taken Jace blocking her from view before I could stop looking at her. God, what was it about her? I could still feel her pressed against my chest. Now I was forcing myself to stay where I was instead of finding her to ask what had just happened.

“Man, I was surprised as shit when you called to say you were coming over, it’s been a long time. Too long.”

I smiled and took the beer from my younger brother’s hand, trying to be grateful for the distraction. “I know. It’s been kinda intense lately. Shift change at the department has really screwed with me, I’m still not used to the time changing on me, and then Olivia . . . well . . . you know how that goes.”

Jace grunted and Kinlee rubbed my arm as she passed me to go stand in Jace’s arms. “What happened now?”

“She drained our accounts again,” I mumbled. Looking around once more, I made sure no one was close enough to overhear our conversation. I took a long pull from my bottle and shrugged like it was nothing new—because with Liv, it wasn’t.

“Shit, how much this time?”

“Seven thousand on couches. I didn’t know couches could cost that much! And I only had five grand in savings before she bought it all, so you can imagine how that’s blowing over.”

“Jeez, Brody,” Kinlee said with a shake of her head. “We’ll help, how much do you need?”

I quickly swallowed my next gulp. “None, we’ll be fine. I save some money that she doesn’t know about for times like this, so the bills will all be paid. I’m not worried, I’m—God, I’m just tired of this shit, you know? And then she went and called her dad because I wasn’t happy about it, and it was after midnight. It’s just—I don’t know. Just same ol’ Liv.”

“Brody, you’re miserable. You can’t keep doing this, you don’t see Kinlee and me, you never see Mom and Dad . . . and you look like you’re dead. No offense, but my brother’s gone. She’s bringing you down, and I have no idea why you’re staying with her. I get it, divorce is bad, but there are exceptions, and Olivia is the damn exception! She’s doing this to you on purpose. She’s not struggling like you think she is. And I know you think you’re stuck, but you’re not.”

“I don’t think I’m stuck—”

“Yes, you do! And if you hadn’t married her psycho ass, you wouldn’t be stuck with her now that Tate’s—”

“Jace!” Kinlee smacked his stomach, her eyes and mouth going wide.

All the air left my lungs in a rush, and I mashed my lips together as I nodded my head in order to not lash out at him—or break down in the middle of their kitchen. I drained my beer, tipped the bottle toward my brother, and slammed it on the counter. “Thanks for the invite, Kinlee. Good seeing you guys again.” I took a few steps before grunting, “It’s Tate’s birthday, if you forgot.”

“Brody . . .” they said at the same time, but I was still stalking toward the front door.

I rounded the corner at the same time Casey hit the end of the hall, and my steps actually faltered. Her wide eyes behind those f**king adorable glasses got even wider when she saw me, and one of her hands went up to the wall as if to keep herself up. Without realizing it, I’d changed direction and taken two steps toward her before I could stop myself. What was it about her? I’d never felt anything like this before, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted the feeling to last forever or wanted to run far from it. Because no matter how addicting the feeling was quickly becoming, I knew I couldn’t keep her.

I’m married, I kept repeating to myself. To a woman like Olivia or not, I shouldn’t be thinking about another woman this way . . . and Tate—shit. I swallowed the lump in my throat and had to force my eyes shut before I could turn away from Casey and leave my brother’s house.