Bad Boy Rebound(29)

The kitchen and dining room was spotless. When had he cleaned up? Had the poor man even had any sleep before his morning meeting?

With my cup of coffee in hand, I went to the living room and sat down on the recliner. Thumbing through a home magazine, memories of our evening together came back in every delicious detail. At twenty-two, he was already an amazing lover. What in the world would he be like in another five to ten years? Glancing up at the dining room table, I smiled and even blushed, remembering how we’d both been watching ourselves in the mirror.

I wondered if he was thinking about it, too.

The doorbell rang.

Did I dare?

The doorbell rang again. What if it was a delivery? Or maybe it was Brax and he had forgotten his key.

I opened the door. A girl stood there, and she was stunning.

My heart fell to my toes.

The girl’s grin faded when she saw me. “Who are you?”

Her tone was snotty. “I’m Amanda,” I said, lifting my chin an inch. “Who are you?”

“I’m Heather.” Of course she was. Flawless golden tanned skin, caramel brown eyes, and silky red hair, Heather was even prettier than what I’d imagined in my mind, and her body was bikini barista perfection. Wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a skin-tight cami that showcased what I assumed to be silicone-enhanced chest, she lifted her chin a few inches before looking at me with confusion. “I’m looking for Brax.”

It took everything I possessed not to slam the door shut in her face. Why the hell had I opened it? Fuck, fuck, fuck! “He’s not home right now.”

She glanced past me into the living room. “Did he take the Harley?”

Brax’s pickup sat in the driveway next to my car. “I guess so.” I cleared my throat. “Well, I have to go…I have something in the oven.”

One perfectly sculpted brow rose. “I’m sorry, but do I know you?” she asked, obviously wanting me to ask her the same.

“No, you don’t.”

When she realized I wasn’t going to bite, she flashed a fake smile. “I’ll call him,” she snapped, her gaze shifting from me, down my body, and slowly up again. The corner of her mouth lifted the slightest bit, as though to say, ‘oh hell no, he didn’t trade me in for this bitch.’ “So…you’re Toby’s sister? Mandy, right?”

I swallowed hard. How did she know about me?



“And Brax is working on your house.”

Her tone had changed…becoming much more friendly. Did she think we had a platonic relationship? That since Brax was my brother’s best friend, that he was just my buddy, too? I was stunned she knew about him working on my house, especially since he’d made it sound like they didn’t necessarily talk. Then again, Maple Creek was a small town. “Yes, he is. He’s doing a great job, too.”

I could see the wheels turning in her mind. “Of course he is. He’s the best in the business. Your house will look amazing when it’s done. He did a small reno on my parents’ master bath, and they love it.”

I felt like I was experiencing a strange sense of déjà vu. She would be what Candace was. If this was the kind of girl Brax went for, then what the hell was he doing with me? I wasn’t the kind of girl who dressed in a bikini while serving coffee.

What the hell was I doing? I had asked for it being with Brax. Kara had warned me that he wasn’t one for commitment…so basically I was getting a big ol’ wake-up call. Yeah, thanks Universe. Just what I needed after spending an amazing night with a gorgeous man. Nothing like being brought back down to earth.

“Well, I’ll tell him that you dropped by, Heather.”

She nodded and walked away, then stopped short. “You’re not dating him, are you?”

The words were said in such a snotty way—like she could scarcely believe he would go out with me. I had never met Candace face to face. I had always imagined how that would go down if I had. A part of me wanted to pop off and ask her why that was so hard for her to believe, but instead, all I said was, “Maybe that’s a question you need to ask him.”

I saw the pain flash across her face, and for a split second I commiserated with her. I knew that feeling. Then again, I hadn’t been just a short-term girlfriend either. I’d been the fianceé, but still—pain was pain.

“I’ll do that,” she said, smirking yet again. “And just so you know—we were together last Sunday.”

Sunday. My mind raced, trying to remember what I’d been doing. I’d been with my family.

Furious that I’d let her upset my calm, I slammed the door shut.