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My confidence is building as I watch her squirm under my attention. “You’re lying.”
“I am not!” Millie squeaks.
I bite my lip in order to stop the smirk.
Millie shoves me. “Jerk.”
I release my smirk and shove her back. This is better. This is the most natural we have been since I ran into her. “You ignore me, and I’m the jerk? How does that work?”
“Because,” she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, a nervous tick she’s had since we were kids. “Because it just does.”
I square my shoulders and ask again, “So, why are you avoiding me?”
Millie squirms under my gaze.
“I might have been avoiding you,” she looks at me bashfully, “a little.”
“Why?” I almost whisper.
“Because it’s you.”
Now I’m really confused. “You’re avoiding me because I’m me? How does that even make sense?”
Millie throws up her arms, “It doesn’t! And I know it doesn’t, it’s just… it’s just so complicated.”
Complicated. I’m really starting to hate that word.
“What’s complicated about tacos?” I know she isn’t talking about lunch; I know she is thinking about every single little complication that I have also considered.
“Tacos that I didn’t mention to Jonathan. Or Ben for that matter. And I know you didn’t either because I would have heard about it from one or both of them by now.”
She’s right. I haven’t said anything to anyone about us going to lunch.
“It’s none of their business with whom and when we consume tacos.” I know that isn’t the reason why neither of us have said anything, but I want her to say it. I want her to admit to feeling this connection between us.
Her old defense mechanism starts kicking in. She is getting more and more defensive and annoyed. “You might not care what they think, but you’re not the one they are going to bombard with questions and accusations. Any information in the hands of those two, no matter how innocent, will go over like a grenade in a china shop.”
“That’s quite the visual.”
She rolls her eyes.
I know the next words I say will make or break this whole situation. “Last time I checked, we were both adults. I think we can choose who we want to spend time with.”
“I know.” Her eyes are saying more than her words ever could. I know she feels this connection. I know she’s as conflicted as I am about the whole situation. I also know that if anything were to happen between us, she would get the worst of it from our brothers. Jonathan would be furious with me, but I don’t know if he would ever forgive her. Ben would make it his life mission to forever play the martyr at any family function.
I say the only thing that I can that can keep her in my life and still in the parameters of safety. “But you would still feel more comfortable if we were just friends.”
She nods. It’s not a win by any means, but at least it’s better than her avoiding me.
“I was about to head to the bar, want anything?”
“A cranberry seltzer with a twist of lime, oh, and can you please make sure they don’t put any vodka in that? Actually, would it just be easier for me to go? I tend to make orders a little complicated.”
I laugh. “That’s not complicated. I think the bartender and I can handle it.”
“My apologies. Some of us haven’t been going to functions with the Charleston elite.”
“You grew up in the same gated community and went to the same country club functions that I did.” I nudge her with my arm, partly to give her a hard time and partly because I crave that electrical current each time we touch. “Hate to break it to you, but you grew up as one of the elite.”
