“Oh, I’m sure you want to learn all about me. Right, sis?”
I nearly gagged. “That’s okay.”
“Alexa,” Dad said sternly. “Don’t be rude. We’re family now.”
“That’s right, Alex. We’re going to be very close,” Cole added.
That smug bastard. He’d been flirting with me all afternoon, hinting at our past right in front of our parents. It was all I could do not to explode. He was such a jerk. I wanted to wipe that cocky smile off his face.
“I have an idea. Why don’t the two of you go to dinner, on me?” Cindy said.
“Perfect,” Cole said quickly. “Tomorrow?”
“I don’t know,” I stumbled, trying to think up an excuse.
“She’s free,” Dad cut in. “Right, honey?”
Everyone was staring at me, and I knew I couldn’t refuse. It would look way too suspicious, even more suspicious than I already did.
“Okay,” I said softly.
“Great. It’s settled. I’ll pick the place. We’ll hammer out the details later,” Cindy said, clapping her hands.
Great. Not only did he think I was a psycho stalker, but now I was going to have to go on a date with him? I couldn’t take any more. I stood up abruptly.
“Excuse me. I’m not feeling well,” I said.
Dad looked concerned. “Was it the food? I’ll talk to the staff.”
“No. I’m just exhausted. Excuse me.”
I turned and left the dining room, not bothering to look back.
I knew I probably looked even crazier to him storming off. I could only imagine what our parents were thinking. But if I had to sit for one more second at that table with that smug, self-centered, gorgeous asshole, I was going to scream.
I went upstairs as quickly as I could and closed my bedroom door, flopping down on the bed. I closed my eyes and breathed, slowly getting myself under control.
Cole was back. My mistake husband, my secret shame, my stepbrother. The guy that made my body feel things I never thought I could feel. He had been so charming back in paradise, but now he seemed only cocky and brash.
Part of me had wanted him to come back, not so that I could divorce him, but so that I could get to know him. Yeah, it was crazy. We only knew each other for a few days, but still. Something felt right when I was with him, like it would be easy to be myself.
Plus, he was absolutely stunning. Even his smell drove me insane, which was totally unlike me. I didn’t usually get really into a guy’s looks, but he was something else, something I couldn’t explain. And I felt it right between my legs every time he grinned at me, even when he was being an ass.
But I couldn’t let him keep thinking that I was just some crazy stalker. I grabbed my laptop and navigated to the official marriage registrar, dealing with the agonizingly slow website until finally I found it.
Our marriage license. I hadn’t looked at it in a long time, and it felt like it wasn’t real. But I knew it was since it was from a government website and was on official government letterhead with all the seals and whatever.
As I went to hit print, there was a soft knock at my door.
“Yeah?” I called out.
“It’s me.” Cole’s voice.
“No, thanks.”
The door opened and he came inside, shutting it behind him.
“You can’t just barge in here,” I said, annoyed.
“Your dad sent me to check on you.”
I sat up, frowning. “Well, I’m fine.”
“You sure? Looked like you weren’t fine at lunch.”
“Yeah, well, you’re an asshole, and I’m looking forward to when you’re out of my life.”
He laughed, coming closer. I took a sharp breath of air into my lungs as he looked around my room, clearly judging the décor. I hadn’t updated it since I was in high school, so it was embarrassingly late-2000s, but whatever.
“Cool posters,” he said.
“Thanks.”
He picked up a Nirvana CD from my dresser. “You a fan?”
“Yes. Don’t touch my stuff.”
He put it back. “Me too. Nevermind is my favorite album.”
“Mine too,” I said grudgingly.
“See, sis, we have so much in common.” He sat down on the edge of my bed.
“Stop calling me sis.”
“What should I call you then? Wife?”
“That’d be more appropriate,” I mumbled.
“Come on, Alex. You think I really believe that shit? I know you’re just trying to get back at me for fucking you and then disappearing.”
“I don’t care about that,” I snapped back. “And I’m not lying.”
“Okay, okay,” he said, holding his hands up. “That’s fine, whatever. We can at least be civil.”