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“Come on, Courtney, we’re friends. I promise anything you tell me stays between us. I won’t tell my husband or anyone else in our family.” Her tone tells me she’s serious.
“He’s... perfect.” I cover my face with my hands at my confession. Jordyn sits patiently as she waits for me to stop hiding. Slowly, I lower my hands to find her watching me with a soft smile playing on her lips. “What’s that for?” I point to her smile.
“You like him.”
“Of course I like him. What’s not to like? He’s sexy, smart, funny, kind, and so many other things. He’s impossible not to like.”
She raises her hand. “I can attest to that. I married his brother. They’re all pretty amazing.”
“Right?”
“So, what are you going to do about it?”
“What am I going to do about what?”
“Court!” She laughs. “You like him. Tell him. See where this goes.”
“Oh, no.” I shake my head. “Nope. Not happening. I’m not foolish enough to believe that a man like Merrick Kincaid would be happy with a plain Jane woman like me.”
“The hell you say?”
I turn to find Ryder Kincaid, Jordyn’s husband, and Merrick’s older brother. Well, one of them standing behind me. I groan out loud. “You could have warned me,” I hiss at Jordyn.
“I didn’t know,” she hisses back. “Babe, what are you doing here?”
“We finished up the job we were on. I thought I’d come and get Finn.” He walks to his wife and kisses her lips. Then turns to me. “You.” He points an accusing finger at me. “What’s this shit I hear about my brother being too good for you?”
My shoulders slump. “You can’t fault me for speaking the truth.”
“Courtney, Merrick would be lucky to have you in his life. He is lucky,” he amends.
“Told you.” Jordyn sticks her tongue out at me, and it breaks the tension.
“I’m a realist,” I tell them. “I’m the quiet bookworm.”
“And?”
“What do I have to offer a man like Merrick?”
“What kind of man is that?” Ryder asks, crossing his arms over his chest.
Jeez, maybe this is where Merrick gets it. “He’s charming, and sexy, and a catch.”
“Okay. You’re beautiful, sweet, and a little delusional.” He gives me a pointed look. “Never put yourself down like that.”
“I can’t let myself even consider that this could be more than what it is. He’s helping me. We’re faking, and if I allow myself to want him, to let a sliver of maybe we could be filter into my mind, it will be harder on me when this is all over.”
“I understand that,” Ryder says gently. “However, there’s a difference between guarding your heart and making yourself believe you’re not good enough.”
“Must run in the family,” I mutter, making him grin.
“I’m going to say one more thing, and then I’m taking my son home to do manly things and you ladies can finish the girl talk I interrupted.”
“Fair enough.” I smile.
Ryder looks at Jordyn, and his eyes soften. “Never stop fighting for what you want.” His eyes find mine. “Fight for what you want. If it’s my little brother, don’t give up. If it’s not him, that’s fine, too, but never stop fighting.” With that, he leans in close to Jordyn. “Love you, baby. I’ll see you when you get home.” He saunters off to the back, where Finn is taking his nap.
“He’s right, you know. Ryder and I, we didn’t get to our happily ever after easily. I let my mother control me. She threatened Ryder and his family. It’s a long story, but the end result is the same. Ryder never once gave up on us. He fought for us, and now look where we are.”
