HOW TO CATCH A BAD BOY

Chandler folded his arms over his chest and tried to stop looking at Elijah standing next to Elena in the kitchen. He was pouring her a glass of wine, laughing in a friendly way at something she said.

Emily grabbed his arm, and he pried his gaze away from the scene in the kitchen.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“She didn’t tell me.” He said.

Her eyes widened even further. “Chandler, I’m so sorry. I didn’t …” She shook her head. “This is not a big deal, I swear.”

His harsh, low laughter had her tightening her grip on his arm.

“Hey, I’m serious. The reason this is not a big deal is because I knew Elena would meet someone who was a better fit for her than Elijah. They’re basically the same person, and she needs someone who will push her when she needs to be pushed.” Her fingers tightened. “Her crush was harmless, okay? Elijah has never looked at her like that.”

His silence was starting to freak her out, but his teeth were clenched too tightly for him to try to say anything.

He chose a hell of a way to dive into the dating pool, didn’t he? With a woman, who was already too good for him, but now he had to come to terms with the fact that he’d only gotten his shot because she’d been pining for his

little brother for years. His eyes drifted back to them, a golden couple, with dark hair and big brains and kind hearts.

“Chandler,” Emily snapped. “Look at me.”

He did, and she immediately started shaking her head at what she saw.

“No, don’t you shut down on her because of this. I will tell her this is my fault, and she will forgive me.” Her voice got wobbly. “She’s my twin, and that’s how I knew, because sometimes we know things about each other that we don’t even want to know, but simply because we feel it, okay? But please, please don’t break her heart right now because of whatever weird dynamic you have with Elijah. Please.”

It was the wobble in her voice that had him pausing. My inner skeptic was roaring that Emily did this on purpose, but he didn’t think she’d be able to fake the panic stamped over her face or the emotion in her voice.

“You have five minutes to tell her before I pull her aside,” he told Emily.”Because there’s no way I can sit there, staring at them, and pretend I’m okay with what you just told me.”

“What are you two doing back here?” Elena asked. She was approaching them with a smile, but he could see the cautious curiosity.

Emily shared a panicked, begging look with him. “I’m just running my mouth, and Chandler is …”

Elena’s face started falling, and as her eyes studied him, Chandler saw her shoulders tense up. “Chandler is what?”

“I told her I’d give you five minutes,” he said flatly. “I’ll wait outside. I can’t go in there right now.”

“Chandler, wait,” Elena begged, reaching out to grab his arm. He stopped because yeah, his mind was racing, and there was no way in hell he could fake anything in front of her, but if he ripped his arm out her grasp right now … So he paused but closed his eyes.

“You’re freaking me out,” she whispered.

“Just … talk to your sister for five minutes, okay?”

“No.”

Chandler’s eyes popped open at her firm tone. Emily said her sister’s name.

Elena’s gaze never wavered from his. “I want to talk to you. Emily, can you please give us some privacy?”

“Elena, it’s my fault, I swear,” Emily said in a rush. “Please, let me-”

Elena held up her hand. “I never ask you to leave me alone, but Emily, this is a moment when I need you to go away so I can talk to Chandler.”

Emily’s eyes widened, and even Chandler was surprised at Elena’s reaction. But Emily respected her twin, nodding her head slowly.

“Shit,” he whispered. “I can’t do this in here.”

Elena let out a long exhale. “What’s going on? Talk to me.”

Chandler’s chin dropped to his chest. He was going to fuck this up, he could already tell. He wished he’d never come out of that bathroom. He wished he’d not agreed to come to dinner with her. And he wished that he knew how to do bullshit like this with a woman who already meant entirely too much to him. So much that the thought of her wanting his brother made him want to pound his stupid face in, right after he clawed his heart to try to temper this … feeling.

Staring at her, trying to figure out what he wanted to say and how and where, all he could imagine was her in that dress the day they met. She’d just moved to Vacaville, and he was sure that she’d probably come to see Elijah again. Elijah had been with Lexi, so she’d probably settled for him. Which was why as he turned and walked out the door, he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted her to follow him.

____________

The wide expanse of Chandler’s back had never looked ominous to Elena. Strong. Capable. Sexy. But never ominous.

As she gaped at it, at the sight of him walking away from her, out the door that led to the garage, it was the most terrifying thing she’d ever seen. Mainly because she was so confused, so completely and utterly lost, she didn’t know what the hell was going on. Noise exploded behind her when he exited the house, and she refused to give Emily and Daniel a backward glance because it wasn’t like she could explain anything. She jogged out of the house and yelled his name when she saw him pace between the parked cars.

“What is going on?” she begged. “You were gone for three minutes, and all of a sudden, you’re walking out on me?”

Chandler stopped pacing, his hands propped on his hips, as he stared up into the cloudless sky. Maybe it was a strange thing to notice, that the canopy above them was clear and bright, but it made her wish they were back at that cabin. There they had blankets of white and clouds and wind to shelter their little space. Suddenly, she wanted that sense of security back.