Page 59 of Forbidden Dreams
I raised a brow. "You have a reason this year?"
A smile curved over his lips. "Maybe."
A thrill shot through me. "I can help you find one."
He fell in step with me. "You're not getting one for yourself?"
"The apartment is so small, and I'm not sure how I'd get it up the stairs."
He gave me a look. "You have five brothers who could help you."
"I don't want to ask them to come over this. They probably want to get home and spend time with their significant others." I was fine with not coming as high on their priority list anymore.
"I could use some help looking for a tree. Never done this before," he said easily, walking next to me.
"Did you have a tree growing up?" I asked tentatively, my heart rate picking up.
He was quiet for a few seconds, as if searching his memory. "Mom had one of those fake ones. I helped her put it up."
"That sounds like a nice memory," I said carefully.
"Yeah," he said without any emotion.
I paused at a tall tree. "Do you want a big one?"
He scuffed the dirt with his shoe. "Probably not."
I moved toward a shorter one. "What about this one?"
His nose scrunched. "Too small."
I laughed. "Don't know what you want?"
He sighed. "That's why I need your help."
I wondered if that statement referred to more than just a tree. "What if my brothers see us and think we're getting along?"
"Just snipe at me once in a while. Then they won't think anything of it. You already did that when you saw me."
I chuckled. "Maverick had to defend you."
He gave me a look. "I can handle you."
My face heated. "Is that so?"
"You gotta turn that heat into something productive," he said.
Before I could ask what he meant by that, Morgan appeared next to us. "Are you two getting along?"
I laughed. "If you call arguing over the right tree getting along."
He shook his head. "You two are like brother and sister."
Reina looped her arm through Morgan's elbow. "I'm so excited for the holiday season this year."
My heart sunk a little. She was saying that because she was in love with my brother. Everything was brighter for her this year.
I was focused on getting the job I wanted. It figured I finally found something I loved doing, and I could lose it.
