Changing Roles

I chuckled. “She was rather pissed off about my interruptions, though.”

Douglas laughed. “Yes and no. She acted annoyed, but I could see how hard she fought against calling you back and telling you where the damn pickles were.”

“Not my best moment.”

“She cares about you. More than she realizes or is willing to admit, I think. No matter what we talked about, somehow your name kept coming up. You were like a ghost the entire evening.”

“Um. Sorry?”

“Don’t be. Once we cleared the air, we had a great, friendly evening. But in the end, there was no spark for either of us,” he acknowledged. “I rather suspected it when I watched the two of you together the other day. You were so…natural with each other. So in tune with each other. As if you completed the other one.” He grinned. “And completely clueless about what the other was feeling.”

“You saw all that?”

“Yep.”

“Yet you asked her out.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Did you do that to push me?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. I was attracted to her, though. I have to be honest. Can’t blame a man for trying. She is rather spectacular. But there was no spark.”

“You didn’t kiss her?” I asked suspiciously. How could he resist?

“I didn’t even try. Neither of us wanted to. We both recognized what path we should take. Friends.” He informed me. “We hugged and agreed we’d see each other at some point—probably when you were involved. She tells me she has a friend coming to visit she wants to introduce me to. So, I think we’ve established our baseline.”

I sighed in relief. One hurdle done.

He glared at me. “But you should be telling her how you feel, Liam. Not me.”

“I know. I will. I just wanted to come here and talk.”

“Stake your claim, you mean.”

I grinned sheepishly. “Maybe.”

“Consider it done. Not that you had to convince me. I’d say your claim is safe. But you need to tell her—and soon.”

He was right.

But first I had to talk to Everett.Everett didn’t seem happy to see me. Once I followed him into the kitchen and saw Cassidy, my PR advisor, sitting there, wearing what had to be one of his T-shirts, I understood why.

Bloody hell, when had this started?

Everett sighed and sat, pulling Cassidy onto his lap. “About four months ago, Liam.”

Bollocks. When had I started mumbling all my thoughts out loud?

“Sorry,” I muttered. “I didn’t know.”

Everett grinned. “We keep it under wraps, Liam. And you’re easy to fool. Now, what is so important you have to show up at my door this early on a Sunday? From the sound of your inebriated mutterings last night, I expected you to still be asleep.”

“I, ah, had some important errands.”

“Out buying pickles, were you?” He started to laugh, and Cassidy joined him. I had to grin at his goading. His next statement wiped the grin off my face. “My sister isn’t happy with you right now, by the way. I told her you ratted her out.”

Bugger.

Cassidy chuckled. “He’s teasing, Liam. She’s fine. She knows you were rather out of it.”

I sighed in relief. I really didn’t need her mad at me today. Especially today.

“Liam?” Everett prompted. “Why are you here? No offense, but I have other things I’d rather be doing than waiting for you to speak, if you know what I mean.” He grinned as he tightened his arm around Cassidy.

Oh God. That was too much to handle with my brain already on overdrive.

TMI.

I cleared my throat. Might as well get straight to the point. Maybe with Cassidy on his lap, I could have a head start if he decided not to take this well.

“I’m in love with your sister.”

His expression didn’t change. Cassidy didn’t look surprised either. But she got up and dropped a kiss on his cheek, leaving the room with a small smile at me. Everett’s eyes followed her. Then he turned his attention back to me.

“And?” he asked, reclining back in his chair a bit.

I frowned at him. “Shelby. I’m in love with Shelby.”

“I’m aware of my sister’s name, Liam. I’m glad you finally realized it. It certainly took you long enough.”

I gaped at him. “You knew?”

He snorted. “Liam, you’re the tightest son of a bitch I’ve ever met. My sister brings you a damn burger and shake, and you drop a hundred grand in her account? And fight with her to make her keep it? You only did that because of your feelings for her. She’s the only person who brings out that crazy generosity in you. And the way you are together? How close you are with each other? A blind man on a fast horse could see it.”

“I’m not that tight,” I muttered even as I mused over his words, ignoring his teasing. Just because I didn’t drop large sums of cash around every day or hire tons of extra people I didn’t think I needed, didn’t mean I was cheap. I was simply thrifty.