Consolation Prize

by Linda Kage

  “Unless he was really bad in bed. Oh my God!” Tyla set her hand on her heart. “They really do have mini peckers, don’t they?”

  “No!” I gasped. But then my face flamed hot. “I mean…” Shit. I didn’t want them to know I’d seen Colton’s junk. Except to let them label him a mini-anything down there seemed unpardonable. “No, we didn’t sleep together. I…” Dammit, here went what I hadn’t wanted them to know. “Shaun was at the party.”

  Sasha slapped her hands over her mouth. “Oh, shit.”

  “Are you okay? Did he do anything?” Tyla grasped my hands and pulled my arms wide so she could get a look at me.

  Uncomfortable about their worry, I pulled free of her and hugged myself. “No, he…” With a sigh, I started from the beginning. “Actually, it was fine. I didn’t even talk to him. I ran into Colton while you were greeting your guys. I know him through Brandt when he’s come into the bar before. And when I spotted Shaun, I might’ve had a small freak-out, so…Colton offered to drive me home. Then he decided to stick around and stay on the couch so I wouldn’t be alone.”

  “Aww, that was sweet.” Sasha clasped her hands to her chest while Tyla nodded.

  “Hell yeah, it was. Hot and nice? I’d go for that Gamble boy if I were you.”

  “I second that.”

  “You guys!” I squawked, gaping at them. I couldn’t believe they’d just given me their approval. That was a very dangerous thing where Colton was concerned because I might just take them up on it. Still, I had to at least try to resist. “He’s Brandt’s brother.”

  “So?” Tyla snorted. “That one married someone else. He lost his chance.”

  “Totally.” Sasha nodded her agreement. “Besides, Colton is hot.”

  “Yeah, but…” I shook my head. “Don’t you think it’s weird? Hopping from one sibling to the next.”

  “It’s not like you literally jumped from one of their beds to the next. You never even went on a full date with the first one. And it’s been almost a year since then, so, honey, you’re fine.”

  “But he’s a freshman,” I felt compelled to explain. “He won’t even be nineteen until June. I’ll be twenty-two before then. That’s—”

  “Four years?” Sasha laughed and waved a hand. “That’s nothing. My mom’s nine years older than my dad. And that’s never been an issue for them. It’s only an issue if you let it be one.”

  True, I decided. But it wasn’t the only thing I was making an issue of. “And my dad?” I asked quietly. “Not three minutes ago, you were freaked out about him learning I was interested in Brandt. But now you’re suggesting I go after his younger brother…who’s the same color as him?”

  Tyla lifted her hands. “We’re not saying you should marry the boy.”

  “Yeah. Just have a little harmless, temporary fun.”

  “And he looks like he’d be good for a lot of fun.”

  Yes. Yes, he was.

  Feeling defeated, I glanced back and forth between my friends and realized with dread, I wanted to do exactly what they suggested.

  I bit my lip. “You guys are going to get me into so much trouble, aren’t you?”

  They both grinned. “Only the best kind.”

  COLTON’S CHAPTER | 14

  “Where the hell were you last night?”

  I paused, half inside the back door where I was entering my house. From the other side of the kitchen, Noel arched an eyebrow as if he were pissed.

  I frowned, confused. “I texted and told you. Didn’t you get my message?” He’d been uptight lately, yeah, but he’d never cared if I’d stayed out all night before, not as long as I always checked in.

  “All you said was that you were helping a friend and might not make it home until morning.”

  “Yeah, well…that’s all I did,” I answered slowly. “And I didn’t make it home until morning, so…” About as soon as I spoke, though, I noticed the strain around his mouth and eyes. He looked beat, physically and emotionally. “Did you need me?” I hedged.

  “No,” he answered too quickly and glanced away, retreating a step before placing a protective hand on the counter next to a bedside tray that was filled with eggs and toast, orange juice and a single daisy that looked as if it’d been plucked from the backyard.

  I slid my gaze back to him. “What happened?”

  “Nothing.” He looked at the prepared breakfast and gulped. “Hey, can you take this back to Aspen? I gotta…I need to get the kids ready for the sitter, then get to work a little early today.”

  “Sure,” I said, but fuck. Whenever there were multiple people around to help take care of things, he always picked caring for Aspen and doled out kid duties to everyone else. Why did he want to avoid her today? I drew in a slow, worried breath. “You’re not…giving up, are you? On Aspen?”

  “What?” He sliced me a shocked glance. “No! God, no. I just…” He blew out a breath and seemed to age about ten years in that one exhale. “I think maybe she needs a break,” he quietly admitted, and he looked as if he might burst into tears, “from me.”

  I had no idea what to say to that. Noel and Aspen had always been so sure and steady together. Nothing rocked their relationship. And I’d built my foundation off them, so when they had turbulence, I felt it deep in my own bones.

  Dazed, I just nodded, and said, “Okay.” Apprehensive about what had happened to cause Noel to take a step back, I shuffled to the tray and gingerly picked it up, wondering if I was somehow causing more problems by doing this for him.

  “Wait.” He shot forward to stop me. “Here. I forgot to put this on the tray.”

  I paused and watched my brother drop a folded piece of paper by the juice cup. When I lifted my eyebrows, he shrugged without explaining.

  So I shrugged too. But as soon as I left the kitchen, turned a corner and hit the hallway, I snooped, glancing over my shoulder to make sure he hadn’t followed me before I unfolded the note and read what it had to say.

  Okay, whew, so at least he hadn’t been lying about not giving up. But damn, he must be getting desperate if he was collecting quotes for her. Aspen had told me once that he used to send her quotes every day for her collection when he was wooing her.

  He must’ve reverted back to the courtship phase, the poor bastard.

  After knocking on the doorjamb to their room with my foot to get Aspen’s attention, I strolled in, only to pause when I saw all the little folded notes, similar to the one on her tray, littering her nightstand. And suddenly my chest went tight.

  I had no idea how many quotes he’d collected for her, but it looked like dozens, maybe hundreds.

  My brother was trying to win his wife back, and he thought he was failing.

  What was worse, when Aspen looked up and saw me—not him—I swear she was a split second from bursting into tears.

  “Hey, um…where’s…” She glanced behind me, looking for him before shaking her head and forcing a pathetic smile to me. “I mean, good morning. You didn’t have to bring me anything, Colton. That’s so sweet.”

  “It’s my pleasure.” I carried the tray to her, but when she looked past me toward the doorway again, I decided to be frank as I settled everything over her lap. “I hope you don’t mind that I’m being your delivery boy this morning. I mean, I know I’m the best-looking Gamble and all, but I’m more of a little brother-slash-son to you, so yeah…this handsome mug probably doesn’t carry the same impact for you as, say, another Gamble.”

  “What?” She transferred her gaze to my face before shaking her head. “No. Oh…no, of course I don’t mind you being here, Colton. Don’t be silly. But, uh, is everything okay…with…?”

  She couldn’t even say his name, poor woman. When worry and fear crossed her features, I smiled and nodded. “Yep, Noel’s just fine. He’s getting the kiddos ready for the babysitter.”

  “Oh.” Relief crossed her face before her features fell. “They shouldn’t need a babysitter. I should be watching them.”

  For a
split second, I panicked, hoping I hadn’t started another episode. So I straightened the tray more squarely over her lap and said, “He got you a little something to eat if you’re hungry.”

  Perking to attention, she sat up and eyed her breakfast with new interest. “Noel made this?”

  I snorted. “Of course. You think I could create this kind of fancy setup?” I flicked my finger against the flower. “And look, he left you another note.”

  “Did he?” Her relief was palpable. After she snagged it and opened it to read, her shoulders fell and face relaxed.

  “Need anything else?” I asked.

  She looked up, happy tears sparkling in her eyes. At first, she shook her head no. But a second later, she said, “Oh! Wait, could you take this to him?” She snagged a pen and piece of notebook paper from her nightstand and scribbled something down before folding it a few times and extending it to me.

  I almost cracked a joke about this being like grade school, and I was the messenger delivering notes back and forth between two people with crushes on each other. Was there a check yes or no box on her note?

  But yeah…with the sensitive state Aspen was in these days, I wasn’t sure if she’d take it as a joke. So I took the paper without cracking a Colton, and hell yes, I opened it as soon as I hit the hallway.

  Hers said:

  Seriously, these two were so weird. And yet, kind of sweet.

  Noel was in the living room, changed into his “Economics Teacher” clothes as he settled Lucy Olivia into a car seat carrier and instructed Beau to put his shoes on.

  When he looked up and saw me, anxiety crossed his face. But he quickly cleared it and asked, “Everything go okay?’

  “Yep.” I waited until he was finished with strapping in Lucy O and was sliding the diaper bag over his shoulder before I held out his note between two fingers. “For you.”

  He paused when he saw it. Then his gaze sought mine. “She sent it back?” The dude seriously thought she’d rejected his love note.

  I rolled my eyes. “She sent a response.”

  That surprised him. He tore the paper from my fingers and whipped it open. The relief that swept off him mirrored the same relief I’d seen on his wife moments earlier. When he looked up, the grin on his face was the biggest I’d seen in months. “Thanks.” He tucked the note into his front jeans pocket and called to Beau, telling the runt it was time to head out.

  When the door shut behind them, I blew out a breath and waited a beat, letting the entire morning soak in. Waking up to Julianna and experiencing a whole load of I-don’t-knows concerning her, then coming home to this had left me strangely morose.

  But life was going to carry on without me if I just kept standing there like a contemplative dumbass, so I turned away and headed down the hall toward my room so I could get ready for classes, which started in under an hour.

  Once I was under the full spray of the shower, I finally allowed my mind to return to Julianna again. I knew I was sending her mixed signals. But then, I was experiencing mixed emotions. Half of me still wanted to flirt with her. Half of me wanted to argue with her, half wanted me to stay bitter and rude, and half…shit. Four halves didn’t make a whole.

  I was so screwed.

  I kind of wanted to stay mad at her, and yet I kind of also wanted to not care at all because she’d made me care too much, but then I also kind of wanted to totally forgive her. All those wants and halves and thoughts went haywire in my head. But then, whenever she was right there in front of me, she was just so sassy and challenging, I started to act like I instinctively wanted to act before my brain commanded me to act another way. It was all just fucking confusing, and I was pretty much ready for it to end.

  But the more I told my brain to forget about her, the more it thought about her.

  She was a tough nut to crack. Some people might refer to her as bitchy, I guess, but I knew she wasn’t. Something Sarah had said once really cemented that fact for me. When Sarah had crashed Brandt and Julianna’s one date, she’d told me Julianna had been really cool about it. She’d been kind and understanding to Sarah while Sarah had been in crisis mode and had needed Brandt more than anyone. Julianna had even hopped into the back seat of his truck to give Sarah the front without complaint. Then she’d gone and introduced herself, very pleasantly. A bitch wouldn’t have done that, which had started my in-depth curiosity about her.

  Honestly, I think she purposely put up walls to appear tough and independent, but also to hide her true self, meaning, of course, I had to breach all these walls and find out what she was so desperately trying to guard. I bet once she let a person in—

  But then, yeah, everything between us was just wrong, so I should really stop wondering about all that. Brandt would always be right there between us, and she still fucking regretted what we had done together at the wedding, so…

  That killed it for me. At least it should have.

  And speaking of Brandt, he texted me on the way to class. Just a simple big-brother check in that said:

  I think it was our first form of communication since he’d returned from his honeymoon. I didn’t want to feel any resentment that he was the main reason I was stupidly achy-breaky hearting it these days. He didn’t have a clue what was going on. But I still wanted to get through a conversation with him as quickly as possible.

  When he sent me the middle finger emoji for my smart-ass crack, I grinned, feeling a little more settled with things between us.

  But I didn’t feel so settled where she was concerned.

  What’s worse, I took her to-go mug of coffee with me to school. And then I carried it around all day like some kind of lovesick sack. And the next morning…yeah, I washed it out, refilled it and carried it to class again.

  We shared philosophy at ten. I still had a gulp of coffee left in the mug when I strolled into the lecture hall a couple minutes early. I set it on the corner of my desk, then kicked back, propped my feet up, and closed my eyes, waiting.

  I hadn’t realized I’d been waiting for her until I smelled her perfume when she approached. The chair next to mine shuffled as she sat next to me.

  Suddenly, my entire body came to life, nostrils flaring to inhale her scent, ears twitching for every little movement she made, nerves crackling with some strange kind of adrenaline rush.

  Before she could speak, I said, “You’re not getting your mug back,” without even opening my eyes.

  “How did you—” Her surprised voice sizzled through me.

  “You have a very distinct smell,” I answered after she cut herself off. “And what other reason would you sit by me?”

  I opened my eyes and turned her way. She was flawless as usual, so I should’ve expected the punch of awareness I felt. I should’ve been braced for it. But nope, it had only gotten stronger since I’d seen her naked—well, mostly naked—and tasted her and touched her and seen where she slept.

  I wanted her even more than ever.

  God, I was so fucked.

  “Well…” Her brown eyes were wide with surprise as she shook her head and finally stuttered, “It is my mug.”

  I snickered and purposely picked it up to take a drink, taunting her. “Not anymore.”

  Her eyes flared with challenge as she watched me, and dammit, dammit, dammit, why did that turn me on so much? But instead of telling me off, which was what I expected, and kind of craved—wasn’t I just a diabolical, masochistic son of a bitch—she drew in a deep calming breath, and steadily responded with, “You really need to stop stealing things from me, you know.”

  “Things?” I arched my eyebrows, wondering why she’d phrased it as if I’d taken more than a cup from her.

  “Yes!” she snapped. “Things, plural. My mug. My underwear.” Her voice went hushed and she moved in closer as her teeth clenched in ire, and damn…that so did it for me. I wanted to sink my fingers into her hair, yank her forward and kiss her hard and savagely.

  “Oh yeah. Your panties.” I shrugged all nonchalan
t-like as I took another sip, even though I’d run out of coffee with the last one. “I threw those away, sorry.”

  I regretted the words as soon as I said them, especially when her mouth opened as if I’d just stabbed her in the stomach.

  Shit, I was such a bastard. I started to confess I still had them. I probably would’ve even offered to wash them and fold them and return them to her completely unharmed, along with her mug. But she narrowed her eyes and reached for her mug. “Give me my goddamn mug back!”

  Being that it was still in my hand, I merely tightened my grip and refused to let go. No matter what thought had just crossed my mind a split second ago, I couldn’t give it up. Not while she was arguing with me. Besides, I needed this mug. It was hers. Which was probably why I really needed to loosen my hold and just let it go, but that stubborn gene in me refused. I was keeping as many pieces of her as I could possibly handle.

  “No,” I muttered when she really started to yank on it and it slipped a couple inches between my fingers. Thinking quick, I leaned forward and licked the silver side. “There. I licked it. It’s mine.”

  “Oh, well, if that’s all it takes to own something…”

  Then she did the craziest thing in the entire world. She leaned in too, much like I had done, but her tongue didn’t go anywhere near the mug. It lapped its way up the back of my hand that was holding the cup.

  My mouth fell open as she jerked upright and gaped right back at me, her eyes wide with shock as if she couldn’t believe she’d just done that either.

  But holy shit, had she just claimed ownership of me?

  What was even crazier, I think it had worked. Because in that moment, she did own me. She owned me completely.

  “I…” She shook her head as if she were about to deny it, retract what she’d just done and take it all back. And I swear, if she had, I would’ve gotten up and left.

  Except she wasn’t given a chance. The professor started class and we both straightened upright in our chairs and turned to face the front of the room, moving stiffly like robots. I honestly don’t think I was the only one who sat there like a frozen statue through the whole hour. I could practically smell the tension oozing off Julianna as she experienced the same dazed reality I did.