Just One Thing (The Alexanders 6)

Curious, Bennett peered over Nick’s shoulder as he started pulling clothes out of the garment bag Bennett hadn’t even noticed. There was a shirt in a startlingly bright shade of blue, a thin sweater with an argyle design on the front and a more casual T-shirt.

“A T-shirt?”

Nick shrugged. “I wasn’t sure where you were going. I came prepared for a multitude of options. Hell, I’m glad I was able to find anything I was so shocked that you had a date.”

Bennett laughed. “It happens occasionally.”

“I bet it does. We always figured you just kept your business to yourself. Nothing wrong with that. So …” Nick took a seat on the edge of the bed and crossed his arms. “Who’s the lucky lady? Anyone I know?”

Bennett debated whether he should mention that he was taking Katie out. It didn’t seem right to make it out as a regular date when he knew Katie didn’t see it that way but New Haven was a relatively small town. People were going to see them. Those same people would likely mention it to his family. Katie didn’t seem concerned about being seen with him in public so it probably didn’t matter who he told.

Nick held up his hands. “I don’t mean to pry. Oh yeah, I heard you hired Katie. How is that going?”

“Great. She’s picking things up quickly.”

“Good, good. I’m glad you were able to help her out. She’s a nice lady and the kids love her. She’s also really pretty.” Nick glanced over at him innocently.

“You think so?” Bennett picked up the sweater and examined the pattern. He could feel the heat of Nick’s gaze on the back of his neck.

When there was no answer, he turned to find his brother regarding him knowingly.

“What?”

“Don’t give me that. You want me to believe you’re working in here with her all alone and you haven’t noticed that she’s pretty?”

“I didn’t say that I didn’t notice. Of course I noticed.”

“And?”

“There’s no ‘and’ involved. She’s my employee. We’re going out to dinner so I can learn how not to be such a weirdo.” Frustrated, he threw the sweater back on the bed. “Fuck it. I’m not going.”

Nick held out his hands. “Whoa. Slow down. I wasn’t trying to piss you off.”

“Then what are you trying to do, Nick? You have no idea what it’s like. This all comes so easily to you. You know what to wear, what to say and I’m just … ”

All at once, the fight drained out of him. Bennett sat on the edge of the bed wearily and ran a hand over his hair. What the hell was he doing? He looked at the clothes strewn over the bed and the shoes he’d pulled out of the closet, the ones that always pinched his feet.

None of this was him. He felt like a fraud trying to pretend that he could ever be what a woman like Katie needed. Because in the end, no matter what outfit his br

other dressed him up in, he was still the same tongue-tied nerd he’d always been.

“Ben, listen to me.” Nick knelt on the floor next to him, his face grave. Since he was usually such a prankster, it was all the more striking when he got serious.

“I don’t know what’s going on between you and this girl but you don’t need to be like anybody else. I’m pretty sure she’s smart enough to like you exactly the way you are. So if you don’t want to wear one of these outfits, don’t. Hell, you could probably show up in jeans and she’d be just as excited to see you.”

Bennett shook his head. “She deserves the kind of guy who knows how to show her a good time.”

“And you will. You'll give her a great time. By being yourself. She wouldn’t have agreed to this if she didn’t like you as a person. Now you just have to show her that there’s more to you than the lab coat.”

A beat later, Nick grinned. “So, Katie is the one you’re going out with. Knew I’d get it out of you.”

Bennett shook his head at his brother’s trickery. “Yes, I’m taking Katie out to dinner.” He laughed when Nick pumped his fist in the air. “Don’t celebrate yet. It’s just dinner.”

“Everything starts with just something, bro. If you’re going to dinner, I think the blue button down works best. You’re taller than me so it might be a little short but if you roll the sleeves up that won’t matter.”

Bennett took his shirt off and then shrugged into the blue one. It was a little short in the sleeves, but once he buttoned it up and rolled the sleeves, he had to admit that Nick was right. It looked pretty great. The color made his hazel eyes seem even lighter.

“Thank you, Nick. This was a big help.”