I quickly hang up the phone and take in a deep breath. I haven’t spoken to anyone in my family in four very long years. They weren’t happy when I left to be with my ex, and they sure as hell weren’t happy when I chose him over them. In my defense, they made me choose. I was just trying to follow my heart. It was a bad choice on my end, which is why, when it ended, no one knew. I didn’t want to tell them, and I sure as hell didn’t want this to be the way my first conversation with my brother played out on the phone. Yet, here we are. I can’t dwell on it. I gotta push on. I gotta serve people.
I turn around as I exhale and say, “Hey! Would you like to try our new… Holy shit!” It all happened so quickly, and I really didn’t mean to curse in front of customers, but holy shit, it’s Chandler Moon.
Like it did when I was only eighteen and seeing him for the first time, my body starts to quiver and everything goes hot. A little sweat gathers at the small of my back, which used to happen only when I was about to hit beam. My chest gets tight because, hell, I’m not breathing. How can I when he is standing in front of me? If I thought Chandler was beautiful in college, the man standing before me now makes the boy from before seem so small and unmemorable.
He’s huge, thick with muscle in all the right places. His shoulders are massive, and with the tank he is wearing, I get to enjoy the fact that he is covered in tattoos. I want to inspect them so badly, but since I haven’t seen or talked to him in over five years, I think that might be frowned upon. His dark hair is shaved up the side but long on top. One piece falls right over his eyes, my favorite feature of his. They’re this amazing, stunning topaz color I’ve never seen on anyone else. I’ll never forget the moment I met his eyes for the first time. It was like missing a back handspring on beam and landing with the beam right between my legs.
He blew my vagina to smithereens.
But nothing ever happened. He was my brother’s best friend, and I was off-limits. Then I got back with Drew, and off I went. But none of that matters now. What the hell is he doing here?
“Chandler.”
His lips quirk a bit. “Amelia. Wow. It’s been a long time,” he says, and then he moves toward me. Across the counter, we embrace, and I swear he swallows me whole in his big arms. Lord, he smells divine. His hair is freshly washed, and I shouldn’t be sniffing him, but I am. I feel his heart beat against mine, and I’d forgotten how great he hugged. He kissed great too, but his hugs were the best. I needed a hug like this; I haven’t had one in so long. Which is probably why I’m still holding on tight longer than I should.
“So, is the holy shit better than shit, or where are we with that? I’m unsure what I want to get.”
The voice interrupts our hug, and I pull away. I try to compose myself. I didn’t expect for emotion to take over, but it’s nice to see someone familiar. Someone who doesn’t know a lick of what I’ve been through and can’t judge me. I look back up to the guy standing next to Chandler. The other guy is bigger than Chandler, if that’s possible, with dark-brown eyes and long, surfer-like blond hair. Standing next to Chandler, though, he’s so young, he looks like a baby.
I clear my throat, and my voice is still thick with emotion. “Sorry, what?”
“You said the special is holy shit. Just wondering how that is.”
I blink, a bit confused. Thankfully, Chandler comes to my rescue. “He’s an idiot. Ignore him.” His laughter is music to my ears, though I don’t think his friend thinks he’s funny. “How are you? Man, it’s been forever.”
I lean on the counter, my eyes trapped by his. “I’m alive, and it has.”
“You haven’t changed a bit. Still as gorgeous as ever.”
My cheeks warm as I wave him off. “Stop. I look a mess.”
“If this is how you look a mess, then I don’t know how I could handle you all done up.”
A small smile covers my lips. “Well, it’s good to see one thing about you hasn’t changed. You’re still a sweet-talker.”
He scoffs. “I’m still the same.”
“No, you’re huge now.”
“I put on about thirty pounds,” he laughs.
I gasp. “In muscle, I assume.”
He smiles shyly, which is so damn cute. “You know how it is.”
“Please, I lost muscle. I haven’t been in the gym in a while.”