Sierra’s door opens and she runs her hand through her crimson-colored hair that’s sticking up in all directions. Her boxer shorts are shifted around her waist and her tight tank top is about to expose one of her breasts. Getting herself together takes no longer than a minute and she only makes it to the couch. “Why are we up so early?”
“I’m making muffins.”
“Let me guess. Chocolate chip?” She eyes me over the edge of the couch with a sarcastic smile. It’s like a knife to my heart. If she only knew I’ve fallen for her ex-boyfriend.
“No, funny girl. Blueberry. My mom’s favorite.”
“And Dylan’s second.” Sierra falls back onto the couch groaning like she’s in pain.
“I’m out,” I say.
Rian perks up. “I thought you had—”
“Nope. Gotta get to the city to see my brother and it’s a long train ride.”
“Oh, let me get dressed. Who are we seeing? Carm?” Sierra sits up and acts like she’s going to sprint to get ready. She’s so not a morning person, but she has always had a thing for Carm.
“Dom. You know the one with the wife and baby?”
She rolls her eyes and falls down to the couch cushions in defeat. “Give them my best.”
“Will do. See you two later.”
I walk out before I can be stopped again and asked more questions. Talking to Sierra and withholding the information I discovered last night feels all kinds of wrong. It’s why I hoped to sneak out before she woke up. Then I wouldn’t feel more guilty than I do.
Heading out to Cliffton Heights on a Saturday at seven in the morning is like walking onto a set of a Hallmark movie. Everyone is all smiles. People walking their dogs, grabbing newspapers, holding trays of coffees they’re bringing home for their significant others. Even the train station guy was friendly as I paid for my ticket. Who wants to work on Saturday morning.
I purposely pick the first car because Ethan appears to be a creature of habit and ours is always the last car on Sunday nights. I situate myself and stare out the window at the rolling green landscape with the hopes that somebody can give me the advice I need.
Dom opens the door to their high-rise condo, and I instantly wrap my arms around myself. I heard the rumors about Val and her hot flashes while pregnant, but it’s like the damn arctic in here.
“It’s freezing in here. You have icicles on your eyebrows.” I point at my brother, and he actually touches them to make sure he doesn’t. I hit him in the stomach as I pass him for the person I’m really here for this morning. “I’m kidding. You and Ryder need to stop giving her hell.”
I curl up beside Val, pulling a blanket over her. The baby might be under layers of skin, but even he or she has to be freezing.
“I love you, Blanc, but you gotta get away from me with that blanket. You and your brother, I swear,” Val says, squirming away from me.
“Be careful, she punched me when I tried to cuddle last night.” Dom sits in the chair across from them, propping his feet up on the table.
Val narrows her eyes at him, but he challenges her right back until they both laugh. I slide over to the other end of the couch. I have no idea what it’s like to grow a human being inside you.
“How’s the job?” Dom asks because he’s business most of the time now. At least he let me walk in and sit before hitting me with the questions.
“It’s good. I’m enjoying it.”
“Any cute boys work there?” Val asks with a smile.
“Well…”
“Oh, spill.” Val turns on the couch to face me. “I’m over Netflix. I’ve watched everything. I want some real gossip.” The pleading expression on her face has me opening up in front of my brother. Which wasn’t really my plan. I figured I’d talk a while and Dom would get bored and maybe head to the bedroom to watch a game or something.
“It’s just this guy I work with.”
“And?” Val prods.
I look to Dom and he rolls his eyes. “Office romance isn’t a good way to start, Blanc. Tell me he isn’t your boss?”
“No, it’s not that cliché.”
“But it’s a little cliché?” Val asks, and the smile on her face says she hopes I’m about to fill her gossip meter full.
I shrug. “Kind of.”
“An office romance! Are you guys pinned against one another?” Val asks, more hope and excitement in her tone.
I laugh. “No.”
“Oh! Oh! Are you his boss?” Val raises her hand as if we’re in a game show.
Dom groans and rolls his eyes again.
“Nope.” I shake my head.
“What about… is he an ex?” Val asks.
My smile falls. “Sort of?”
“Is he an ex of one of your friends?” Dom asks.
I feel my face drain of color, and I nod.
“Dom! You can’t opt out of playing and then steal the winning answer. I was playing!” Val crosses her arms over her tummy.
“Sorry,” he mumbles and raises his shoulders up and down, looking at me.
And then I bury my head in a pillow and the tears from last night start all over again.
Val slides closer to me and wraps her arm around my shoulders. “Like how close of a friend?”
“My best friend. One of my roommates,” I mumble into the pillow hoping they didn’t hear. I’m so ashamed.
“Your roommate?” I hear Dom’s feet fall to the floor.
“Relax,” Val says.
“Wait.” I look up to find Dom pacing the floor in front of us. “You work with him and he’s your roommate’s ex. How small is this Cliffton Heights place? Is there not enough dick to go around that you have to dip into your friend’s ex?”
“Dominic! That’s harsh.” Val’s hands run up and down my arms and although she tears the blanket off my lap, she does allow me to cuddle into her side like the awesome mom she already is.
“I just don’t get it. I’ve told you, Blanca. You never mess around with people at the office.”
“Well that’s the pot calling the kettle black,” Val says.
Dom narrows his eyes at her for a second and then relaxes. Obviously my brother was messing around with someone at his work before he got back together with Val.
“Tell that to Enzo,” I say out of spite.
“He’s lucky it turned out how it did. Plus, he was her boss. He could’ve been sued. He was a moron.”
“Well.” I square my shoulders at my oldest brother. “The moron is marrying the love of his life. Everyone is and the one guy I fall for ends up being Sierra’s ex-boyfriend.”
“Sierra Sanders?” Val whispers from next to me.
I nod. I’m fairly sure she and Dom are having a conversation over my head because Val’s body gets rigid.
“You haven’t talked to her in years. The office issue is the bigger problem. This is your first job in that industry. Rumors are probably already being spread about you.”
I look up again and my brother’s face is red. He’s got his cell phone in his hands, probably ready to call the Mancini brother cartel to come over and keep me in line.