by Alyssa Kress
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
"Hi, Erica. We're back!"
Erica heard Liam's voice from her position in the dining room. Her file folders regarding her new business were spread over the table, and she'd just hit the 'end' button on the phone. A big smile was on her face.
Her first client. She had an appointment to meet the woman tomorrow. Okay, this didn't make her business a full-fledged operation yet, but it was a start.
Her smile abruptly dropped. Wait a minute. What was this about 'we'? Liam had said, 'We're back.' He and Brennan had gone hiking. Was Liam bringing Brennan into the house?
No, Brennan would not intrude on her that way.
But her chest felt tight as she rose from her seat at the table and approached the opening to the front hall.
Two dusty males were pulling heavy backpacks from their shoulders. One of them was Brennan.
Looking up, he gave her a nervous smile.
Okay, she could guess what must have happened. Liam had invited him inside, and Brennan hadn't known how to refuse without giving away that he and Erica had issues.
Liam bent to put his hands on his knees and blew out a long breath. "It was a great hike, Erica. You shoulda come along."
Crossing her arms, she leaned against the jamb of the dining room opening. "And horn in on your guy time? I don't think so."
Liam turned to face Brennan. "She only does clean, girly kind of exercise."
Brennan's gaze flashed briefly toward Erica. In that moment she knew they were both remembering their rough and dirty basketball game.
Heat sparked through her.
"Anyway." Abruptly straightening, Liam picked up his backpack and spoke in a rush. "Brennan has something he wants to ask you, so I'll just take my stuff and run upstairs."
"What—?" Erica lowered her arms, but she wasn't fast enough to halt Liam, who literally ran up the stairs.
She was left alone in the hall with dusty, manly Brennan.
Awkward didn't begin to describe how she felt at being so obviously shoved together with him. But then her own awkward feeling made her angry. She needed to grab herself some pride.
Putting the idea in mind, she slowly turned from her regard of the empty stairs and raised an eyebrow at Brennan.
"Sorry about that." He winced. "I made a promise I couldn't get out of."
Normal, Erica told herself. Act normal. She maintained a determinedly neutral expression even though her heart was beating stupidly fast. "What promise?"
He ran a hand through his hair in obvious frustration. "Liam wanted me— Look, this is completely out of bounds. I know that. But Liam wants me to come to the hearing about the guardianship." Brennan closed his eyes and opened them again. "I said it was fine with me, but it would have to be okay with you."
Great. Leaving her to be the bad guy and say no. Hell, no. She didn't want Brennan at such a...an intimate family event. He didn't belong. He'd rejected her. Okay, she'd also rejected him, but only after he'd started it.
Brennan blew out a breath. "I know it makes you out to be the bad guy if you say no, so if it's not okay with you—and I completely understand if it isn't—I'll tell him I decided on my own it wasn't a good idea for me to come."
Perversely, Erica didn't feel any less irritated with Brennan for his willingness to play the heavy, after all. Of course he would do that...because he was nice. Always the nice guy.
She realized then that if she wanted to appear normal and as if she weren't still hurting from his rejection, there was only one thing she could say. "It's okay."
Brennan's eyes widened.
Privately pleased that she'd been able to surprise him, Erica lifted a nonchalant shoulder. "Sure, come along. The more the merrier. Clint'll be there, too. Anyway, it's all just a formality." Even as she said this last bit, however, Erica recalled the pinch-faced investigator who'd done the home visit. It had felt ugly and dirty to have her walk through the house and ask intrusive questions—as if this weren't the same home in which Liam had grown up for the past fifteen years. Erica would be glad when this whole thing was behind them.
"Um, thank you." Brennan looked oddly overwhelmed. "I guess you know I feel some connection to Liam even if he's going to be surrounded by family. It's because, uh..."
"Because of my dad and your relationship to him." Why pussyfoot around the fact? Brennan and her father had been buds. Alcoholic buds.
Okay, fact check. They'd met as recovering alcoholics. Erica was coming to terms with this reality about her father, his lasting recovery. The work put into the house and the yard clearly showed how diligent and responsible Richard Carmichael had become. As for Brennan, he'd obviously got past his problems, too, considering he ran two amazing sporting goods stores.
Now Brennan was giving Erica an odd look. She supposed it was the first time she'd spoken of her father without going off the deep end, emotionally.
"Right," he said carefully. "Because I became friends with your father. In part. Anyway, thank you again for letting me do what Liam asked."
Erica noted how clear he was making it that he was lending support to Liam. Only Liam.
She shrugged again. "No problem."
"Uh, can I ask, how does he seem to you?"
"Fine," Erica automatically answered. Then she had wonder if that was true. Liam usually acted fine, but underneath it all she sensed depression. She had no idea what to do about it, assuming there was anything she could do.
Brennan nodded, but he didn't make any move to leave, instead shifting weight and clenching his fists. "Look—"
Erica's brows drew down. He appeared almost...nervous. Despite herself, her heart sped up again. What could he want to say that might be so difficult? That he'd made a terrible error in calling their lovemaking a mistake? Some other, equally unlikely statement?
When Brennan finally looked up, her heart stopped altogether. The yearning in his eyes was deep and unmistakable.
What? Had she been correct in imagining he might want to retract his rejection?
The air in the little hall grew heavy. Her heart started up again, violently.
He let his breath out with a small laugh. "Nothing. What can I say? Only thank you again. I'll see you on Thursday."
Somehow, Erica managed to speak. "Yes, see you then."
With one last look at her, Brennan picked up his backpack and went out the front door.
Erica stood in the hall by herself, feeling confused and excited. She had to be wrong. Brennan could not still feel attracted to her. Then she released a breath and gave her head a brisk shake. How ridiculous to even consider the notion. Beside, she didn't care if Brennan were still attracted to her.
Of course she didn't.
