Our Star-Crossed Kiss

by Piper Rayne

  Excitement lights a fire in my belly. “I’d love to.”

  We figure out what works for both of our schedules and arrange for me to bring some of my work to her gallery in two weeks. That will be the Monday after the engagement party—which is perfect, since I want to squeeze in a few more shoots and you never know what might happen with the weather. This might be the break that gets me out of the boudoir studio.

  At five-thirty, I pull into my parents’ driveway. Evan and I walk up the path and through the back door. Everyone uses our back door because everyone is family to us. Except Mr. Erickson, I suppose.

  I grab Evan’s hand. Ever since this morning when she reminded me twice that everything about us is fake, I’ve made sure I didn’t show her any affection. And yes, I’m fully aware that I’m acting like a child who holds a finger a half an inch from his brother and says “I’m not touching him.” Immature and annoying instead of just hashing it out with her. But the thought of pouring out everything that I’m feeling and her shitting all over it makes it easier to stay in our pretend bubble and leave it at that.

  “Mom? Dad?” I call.

  “We’re already seated,” my mom calls from the dining room.

  When Evan and I walk in, they’re halfway through dinner and there are no place settings for Evan and me.

  “Didn’t you get my text that dinner was earlier?” my mom says.

  “No, I haven’t checked my phone.”

  She stands and slides by us to the kitchen. “Hello, Evan.” My mom runs her hand down her arm. “Let me fix you both a plate.”

  I step farther into the room. My brother stands to greet us, and I have to say, he does look healthier. His hair is cut, he’s clean-shaven, and he’s put on the weight he lost when he forgot there was anything else in this world but cocaine and whatever else.

  “Hey, Seth.” He rounds the table behind my dad and leans in for a hug. He’s still got two inches on me, as if even God made sure I was the younger brother in every degree. “And Evan. Congratulations, I heard the news.” Trevor moves from me to Evan.

  “It’s great to see you, Trev. You look great.” She pats him on the back, and he returns to his spot at the table.

  “We eat at four-thirty now because that helps Trevor,” my mom says, buzzing past us with plates in hand.

  “Yeah, the treatment place had us eat early and I kind of want to stay on that schedule until I get more comfortable being at home,” my brother explains.

  My mom sets down two plates and slides dishes around, making room for Evan and me.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Andrews,” Evan says.

  My mom waves away her thanks. “You and the formalities.”

  Trevor cuts up his pork chop as we sit. “So tell me, how did all this transpire?” He points his fork from Evan to me and back to Evan. His smirk reminds me of Dad’s.

  “Oh, they’ve been hiding it,” my dad says as though he still doesn’t believe we’re engaged.

  “Really? For how long?” Trevor asks.

  I shift in my seat, not wanting to lie. “A while. It’s old news now.” I shrug and cut my meat.

  “Yes, we’re having an engagement party. Trevor won’t be attending, due to his sobriety and all,” my mom says, glancing my brother’s way.

  “Understandable. Definitely.” Evan nods a little too much. “We’d never dream of putting you in that position.”

  “For sure, no,” I mumble over a green bean.

  “I can’t believe after all this time and all these years, you two are gonna get hitched. Seth, can you support her on your naked chick photos?” Trevor asks.

  My dad chuckles. Evan chokes on her food but grabs her water and swallows it down.

  “You okay?” I ask.

  She nods, wiping her mouth with her napkin.

  I don’t even answer my brother’s question.

  “Stop teasing him, Trev.” My mom covers his hand with hers and squeezes, not letting go for a while.

  “I actually got a call today from a gallery,” I say.

  “Really?” Evan’s head whips in my direction. “That’s great. You didn’t say anything on the way over.”

  I’d planned on telling her after dinner, but of course my brother makes me feel less than and I take the bait. But I nod at Evan because I’m not filling in my family on the specifics.

  “I’m so proud of you.” She kisses my cheek. It’s the first affection she’s initiated with me all day. I know I shouldn’t be counting.

  “Thanks.”

  “It is great, Seth,” my mom says.

  “So they’ll hang the naked pictures on a wall for people to buy? Maybe you should snap a picture of me.” Trevor grins.

  Evan stiffens next to me.

  “No one wants to buy a picture of a six-foot-four guy with a three-inch dick,” I say and give him a serene smile.

  “Seth!” my mom scolds.

  My dad shoots me a dirty look.

  “Oh, we both know I have the bigger dick in this house,” Trevor goads.

  “Boys. Evan is here,” my mom chastises.

  “Too bad you ended up with the wrong brother, Evan. You could be with the better brother right now.”

  I slide my chair back and my dad’s chair flies out too, his hand on my chest. Evan grips my arm.

  “We are not doing this!” my mom cries. “It’s just one dinner.”

  “He started it,” I say, pointing at Trevor’s smug face.

  “Your brother has been through enough these past months. Can you just sit and have a nice dinner?” my mom pleads.

  “Whatever.” I step back with my arms up, and my dad’s hand lowers. “I’m going for a walk.”

  I stomp out the front door and down the stoop to the sidewalk. I’d rather leave, but my mom will call me until we make up. Maybe if I just cool off, I can go back in there and finish the dinner.

  Evan opens the door, still sliding her arm into her coat, she jogs down to catch up to me. “Seth.”

  I shove my hands in my pockets and wait for her to catch up. All I want to do right now is leave Cliffton Heights.

  “Come here.” She rises on her tiptoes and wraps her arms around my neck, plastering her body to mine. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea you and Trevor didn’t have a good relationship. Is he always like that?”

  I wrap my arms around her and a calmness soaks in all my anger until I feel much better. “He’s my brother. He’ll always be my brother.”

  It’s hard for an outsider to understand. I know why Trevor prods me on the naked women photography and wants to compare dick sizes in front of Evan. It’s the same reason he used cocaine. His self-esteem, or lack of it. He’s been like that since I went to college and decided to major in photography. He thought that if I was going to desert the family business, I should at least be a lawyer or a doctor. He resents me because he took over the family business.

  “You wouldn’t understand,” I grumble.

  “I understand he’s an asshole.”

  I nod for us to walk, and she falls in line with me. “It’s like you and Elsie. Can you tell me you don’t resent her even a little? That she can go to college and get a degree and do what she wants with her life while you’re stuck at The Bagel Place?”

  She says nothing, so I know she gets it.

  “Still, he shouldn’t act like that,” she says in a quiet voice.

  I shrug. I would resent him too if the tables were turned. “He’s been involved in the business for over a decade. As soon as he couldn’t handle it and I had to step up a bit, I manipulated a scheme involving a fake engagement. What does that say about me?”

  She slides her arm through mine and lays her head on my upper arm. “I’m sorry. And if it makes you feel any better, I know I got the right brother.”

  I look down and she’s fluttering her eyelashes at me. “At least for three more weeks, right?”

  She doesn’t laugh. She stops fluttering her eyelashes and just looks at me. This is the perfect time to
tell her I want more, that I want what we have to be real. Three weeks is going to fly by and I’m not ready to end what we started.

  But instead I smile and turn us around so we’re headed back to the house, ignoring the twisting in my gut that says I should tell her how I feel.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Evan

  * * *

  All I can think of is Seth’s hands on me last night. The way his fingers glided over my skin sent shivers erupting along their path. The best thing about working here for so long is that most of my work is mindless and gives me a lot of time to think about being in Seth’s bed. It took extra strength to slide away from the warmth of his body this morning.

  I’m still annoyed with Trevor’s behavior and the fact that Seth has to deal with his bullshit so as not to send Trevor over into using again. The entire family walks on pins and needles for Trevor. Then again, I’ve never known an addict either. Maybe when you love one, you’ll do anything to try to keep them free of any triggers.

  The door chime rings, and I wipe my hands, peeking out to the front. Nick Klein and another man in a suit walk up to the counter. I wash my hands and step out from the back.

  “Evan,” Nick says and rounds the counter, pulling me into a hug before he kisses my cheek.

  Okay then.

  “This is Cliff Daniels. He owns Daniels Foods.”

  I shake the hand of the man who’s wearing a cowboy hat, slacks, and cowboy boots.

  “So we need an everything bagel with plain cream cheese. Then if you could do a sampling of different cream cheese flavors with plain bagels, that’d be great.” Nick smiles.

  “Sure. Give me a minute.”

  I’m not in the back for more than a second before Nick joins me.

  “Evan, this is huge. I’m sorry I didn’t explain more, but Cliff likes to surprise people so that the items are authentic. He wanted to come by himself and be a secret shopper, but I convinced him to meet you and try your product in an official capacity.”

  “Why is he here?” I ask, obviously the last one on the train here.

  He laughs. “To see if he wants to invest in your product. Maybe produce the cream cheese to sell to grocers. Could you imagine The Bagel Place cream cheese in grocery store fridges across America?” He puts his hands in the air and stretches them out as though it would be in lights on Broadway or something.

  I have to admit the idea is exciting. “I didn’t think that’s what was happening today. I thought we had to wait for the show.”

  He shakes his head. “You’ll still do the show, but if he likes what you have to offer, we need to get your parents in on this ASAP. This could free you of this place.”

  His smile says he’s way more excited than me about the possibility.

  “Okay, let me get the stuff together.”

  Nick puts his arm around my shoulders and tugs me into his chest. “I’m so damn excited. This is huge. I hope that is extra special.” He points at the tub of cream cheese that I prepared this morning.

  It was made while I was thinking about Seth, so it could be our worst batch ever since I was thinking more about his dick than the ratio of the ingredients.

  “I’ll be right out.” I smile and hope Nick leaves because I’m a little freaked out right now.

  I didn’t know what to expect today because all Nick said was that he wanted me to meet someone. I wasn’t sure if it was someone from the show, someone he was trying to set me up with, or what, but I never could have guessed that it would be this. I grab my freshest everything bagel, cut it in half, and slather on the cream cheese in an effort to make up for our bagels.

  Once it’s all done, I carry it on a tray to the front. “Here you go, Mr. Daniels.”

  “Please, call me Cliff.” His cowboy hat sits on the bench next to him, showing off a head of salt-and-pepper hair.

  “I’ll be right out with the other items. Can I get you anything, Nick?”

  “No, I’m good. Thank you, Evan.”

  I head back to prepare the tray of assorted cream cheeses. After being distracted by two more customers and a few pick-up orders—Nick stopped them to ask for glowing recommendations about us—I have everything ready.

  “Here’s the tray. I marked each flavor for you.” I set it down in front of them.

  Mr. Daniels, or Cowboy Cliff as I could refer to him, peers over the tray, picking up a piece of plain bagel and deciding where to dip. Not wanting to overstep, I return to the backroom to continue making the bagels for today.

  Fifteen minutes later, Nick walks into the back. “We’re going to head out. He’s super excited about this. He really wants to try Andrews Bagel Company as well, so we’ll be in touch.”

  I smile and say my goodbyes even though I’m thinking that that’s weird. Seth told me they hadn’t reached out to him. Could he have been lying to me? He’s good at lying. But then I remember his expression of betrayal when I told him about Nick calling me, so I shake my head of that thought.

  Just like every other day, I make the bagels and dream of a life where I can stay in Seth’s arms in the morning.

  That Saturday, we’re less than one week away from the engagement party and I haven’t had to do much except buy a dress. Since Seth wanted to get more pictures of New York City and it’s a beautiful day, I came with him to dress shop while my parents work at the store.

  “Our parents are spending so much money on this party. Don’t you feel bad?” I ask, gazing out the window of the train and seeing that we’re almost in Manhattan.

  “They wanted to do it, and since our dads already think we’re faking our engagement, I say it’s a lesson for them. Plus, they’re using the Porterhouse and I know Linda is giving them a deal since we’re having it on a Friday.”

  He has a point. And we’re doing buffet and there’s no dancing, but still…

  “Do you want me to go shop and I’ll call you when I’m done?” I ask.

  “I thought I could join you in the fitting room,” he says, his hand on my thigh.

  Thankfully, things are back to normal with us. For a few days, Seth was acting really weird.

  “Maybe you should be surprised when you see me.”

  “Or I could help you try on the dresses in case you need someone to zip you up,” he says with a grin. “I should have the final say.” He chuckles.

  The train stops, and we leave the station hand in hand.

  “How about one stop to get pictures, dress shopping, then some more pictures?”

  “Sure.” I’ve never seen Seth work at his actual passion, so I’m excited to see him in action.

  We head to Teardrop Park, and as I sit on a rock, Seth’s camera is faced up toward the buildings around us, never down. I watch him change lenses, fiddle with the shutter, and test areas, double-checking the picture then capturing another one. I can only imagine how wonderful they must be.

  I can’t believe our time is coming to an end and he’s said nothing about continuing our relationship. I can’t help but test the waters. “Do you think we should continue the relationship a little longer so that our parents don’t question our motives?”

  He sets his camera down and changes the lens. Glancing in my direction, he smirks. “Not ready to kick me to the curb yet, huh? I knew you’d have a hard time letting me go.”

  I lean back on my arms, letting the sun warm my face. The park is practically bare since the cold weather has arrived. A few kids bundled in big coats with hats and mittens on run around, but there aren’t nearly as many people as there are during the warmer months.

  “What can I say? I like to punish myself.”

  He takes a few pictures before he breaks the distance, leaning over me until his lips are almost touching mine. “Deal.”

  My heart feels buoyant. I’m happy that’s out of the way since the thought of this ending was looming over me like a dark cloud before a thunderstorm. “Just like that, huh? I’m thinking maybe you don’t want to kick me to the curb yet.”

/>   “What can I say? You’ve got a great set of—” He motions to my breasts since there are kids around, and I pick up a small pebble and throw it at him. He laughs. “It’s a compliment.”

  I’ve figured out when Seth is joking, even though more times than not, it’s always a joke coming out of his mouth. But at first, I would’ve taken that comment to mean he only wants me around for sex. And even if he might think that’s what he means, I know he doesn’t. It’s in his constant glances to gauge my reaction after he says something that’s supposed to come off as casual. He checks my facial expressions because he wants to know what I’m thinking.

  “I know.” I turn my head back toward the sky. “Did you make up with Trevor?”

  “Not really. Mom made him apologize and I apologized back. It’s the same as always. Nothing new.”

  “That sucks. I’m sorry.”

  “Stop apologizing for my relationship with my brother. It’s not your fault.” He sits on the rock with me, cracking his neck. He knocks his knee to mine. “Thanks for coming with me.”

  “You’re welcome.” I knock my knee to his. “I enjoy seeing you so focused. It’s kind of hot.”

  “Hot like at the studio a few weeks ago?” His hand slides up my thigh.

  I place my hand over his. “Hot like we’re in public though I wish we weren’t. Speaking of, I haven’t seen any of those photos yet.” I raise my eyebrows.

  He chuckles. “They’re in good hands. Promise. I just haven’t had a ton of time to edit all of them.”

  “Edit? As in correcting?”

  He lays his forehead to mine. “As in touch-ups. Lighting and shit. Don’t worry, you look delicious in them. I’ve beaten off to one already. It’s taking me a little longer because they get me all hot and bothered.”

  I giggle and push him back with my hand on his chest. He grabs my hand and pulls me to my feet. I jump off the rock and allow him to lead me wherever he wants. As we walk through the city, Seth stops us every once in a while and takes a picture.

  We find me a dress that costs way too much for a fake engagement party. Seth does sneak into the dressing room once before the saleswoman knocks on the door.