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“Good.”
My stomach twinged, thinking back to Nick’s warning. This must’ve been what he’d been talking about. Chances were, Weston was underplaying just how big of a dick Miles had been. But if Elise was willing to forgive him, it wasn’t on me to hold a grudge on her behalf.
Miles threw his arm around Elise’s shoulders, drawing a growl from Weston, which made me laugh. He shot a dark gaze in my direction.
“That doesn’t bother you?”
“No. I come from a tight as hell family. Someone’s always touching up on someone else. That’s what that looks like to me. Family.”
He peered at the two of them again and nodded. “Family. You’re right. That’s what they are.”
I chuckled at his tight jaw. “It still bothers you.”
“I have a solid possessive streak I struggle to deal with,” he muttered.
“I bet Miles knows that, doesn’t he? Might he be egging you on?”
Weston’s jaw rippled. “He might be. Kid was born to antagonize me.”
“That’s what little bothers are for.”
“Little bothers?” He huffed a laugh. “Sounds about right.”
“I have one of my own. Right now, he’s going through a sullen teen phase, but he spent his first thirteen years laughing at me whenever he could.”
Weston hummed, looking ahead on the path then turning to check behind us. Had Weston not been so alert, I might not have believed the mountain lion story. They hadn’t been pulling my leg.
“By the way,” Weston started.
“Yeah?”
“I noticed you’re not wearing anything Andes.”
“Oh.” I ran my hands over my no-name cargos, suddenly self-conscious. This man had freaking invented the filler for his company’s coats, and they made so much more. We’d been receiving Andes’ catalogs for a few years, and I never failed to drool over the gear. That price tag, though? “No, I’m not.”
“Do you own anything Andes?”
“I have an old winter coat in my closet.” Purchased for a song at Goodwill. Not that I would tell him that.
“Hmmm.” He tucked his shaggy hair behind his ear. “Forgive me for using you as market research, but may I ask why? You seem like an avid hiker and lover of the outdoors.”
“I am, but Andes is beyond my budget. I buy dupes—oh, I probably shouldn’t say that.”
He let out a short, dry chuckle. “It’s fine. I won't have you arrested.” He hummed again. “I think our prices are fair for what we offer, but it’s always bothered me that we’re not more accessible.”
We volleyed ideas back and forth about accessibility and luxury brands. Once Weston got on the topic of his company, he became another person. More like Miles, enthusiastic and practically bouncing on his toes.
I decided I might like Weston Aldrich. I definitely liked his fiancée, Elise.
When we reached the parking lot, Elise and I hugged, and Weston gave my shoulder a pat before he tugged Elise to his side. Miles mimicked his brother, gripping my hip possessively.
I would have liked it if it were real.
Miles walked me to my car and backed me into my door. “Play along. They haven’t left yet. If you were my girl for real, I’d be making out with you right now.”
I pressed my hand to his chest. “I’m not making out with you.”
“I didn’t expect you would.” He dipped down, shoving his face in my neck like he had at the beginning of the day. Only now, I had been outside for hours and done a decent amount of sweating. When Miles inhaled, I cringed.
