As soon as the door opens, I push the flowers into Ezra’s chest, finally taking a much-needed breath. God, I barely see his figure behind the bouquet as I push inside the house.
“Take this, what kind of a gentleman are you, Ezra?” I tease him as I grab onto his forearm to remove my suffocating sandals. “It’s more hairy than normal.” My eyes squint at the observation.
Only I realize that it’s not my brother after all. I suck in a sharp breath when my eyes connect with the emerald ones, staring at me with a tilted head, the barest of a twitch to his lips. My body heats up, flushing with embarrassment.
He puts the large bouquet on the entrance table and deadpans, “I’ll be sure to shave my arms next time we meet if they inconvenience you.”
My eyes widen, my fingers twisting a curly hair, as I try to cover up. “Oh no…it’s not you…I thought it was Ezra. You don’t have to…”
Regardless of my efforts, I spectacularly fail, as is evident by the way Noah’s lips curve upwards, just for a moment, and his eyes sparkle inamusement.
I rarely see him, and whenever I do, he’s always brooding and scowling in a corner. So, seeing him almost smile feels good for a change, and so I let myself smile too. But then I quickly remember that I’m supposed to be mad at him; consequently, the smile falls, and my shoulders stiffen.
Noah must sense the change because he opens his mouth to say something, taking a step forward. But Ezra cuts him off as he comes to greet me.
“Glad you’re here, kiddo,” he says as he nearly cuts off my air supply with his hug. His eyes fall on the flowers when he pulls back. “Aww, are these for me?” he looks at me with puppy eyes and a cute smile that does not suit his face.
I swat his hand away when he reaches for it. “It’s for Kaeli.” His smile turns even bigger if that’s possible.
“That’s even better!” he chirps. “She’ll love it.”
He’s off for her before I can even say a word. “What a simp,” I remark at his retreating figure with a chortle.
“He sure is,” Noah quietly muses, reminding me of his presence.
I swivel my head back to him, and he straightens. I cock my eyebrow at him.
He gets the hints when he says, “Your Ezra—” he shakes his head, clearly flustered, seeing me not fawn over him or give him the sweet side of Andie as usual. “Your brother, Ezra, invited me for brunch this morning.”
“I see.” I nod my head.
“I don’t want to intrude. I can leave if you want,” he offers earnestly, pointing his thumb at the door.
Even though I’m angry at him, I don’t want to feel unwelcome after being invited. “You don’t have to do that.”
With that, I leave him in the foyer and make my way into the living room to find Kaeli setting the plates on the dining table as Ezra spreads the batter for the pancake on the pan in their open kitchen.
The thoughts of Noah settle down when Kaeli looks at me with a beaming smile, leaving the cutlery and rushing to hug me. My own lips lift into a grin, so happy at seeing her safe. The scare she gave us a couple of months ago still terrifies us. Getting kidnapped and nearly killed does that.
I squish her and soak in the true warmth of friendship. My changing body has also led to changes in my relationships. And I found a friend and confidant in Kaeli as much as she did in me. We both needed each other. I’m sure we would’ve found each other regardless of her relationship with Ezra.
“Thank you for the beautiful flowers, Andie. I love them,” she murmurs close to my ear.
I pull back, my hands still on her waist, “I know.”
She nudges me to sit. “Come, today your brother will be serving us,” she teases him, giving me a conspirational grin.
“I’ll gladly serve you our entire lives, my lady,” he yells at the top of his lungs, wiggling his eyebrows at Kaeli. She and I look at each other and burst into laughter, settling down into the chairs.
Noah finally emerges in the living room. The second his eyes catch mine as he pulls up a chair opposite me, I turn my gaze to Ezra. It’s as if he can read me, “I hope you don’t mind, I invited Noah for brunch today, Andie,” he says, pointing the spatula in his hand at the man in question.
Do I mind?Absolutely!
I wasn’t expecting to see him. Not in the near future anyway. I realize that coming face-to-face with Noah will be inevitable. Heismy brother’s best friend after all. But what I didn’t realize is that I’d have to see him so soon after making a fool of myself in front of him.
But will I tell Ezra?Absolutely not!
I’d never expect Ezra to choose between his sister and a friend. I can’t blame Noah for choosing his friendship over me either. He shouldn’t risk something so important for me.