When We Touch(9)

Sexy Sadie's, a local bar fashioned after an old-time saloon, caught her  eye. It was down the street. The place wasn't usually crowded on  weeknights but Thursdays were busier than Monday through Wednesday. She  watched several people come and go, was contemplating stopping there for  a drink, when her cell phone rang.

It was Kyle. She almost didn't answer. They had nothing to say to each  other. But if he was at her house, her mother, father or sister had  likely asked him to pass on a message. She had to stop thinking of him  as her ex and start thinking of him as her brother-in-law.

"Ick," she muttered but, with a sigh, hit the talk button. "What can I do for you?"

"You can answer one question," he replied.

This didn't sound like he was planning to pass on a message. "Does Noelle know you're calling me?"

He didn't answer. "Are you already with Brandon?"

"No."

"Are you really seeing him?"

She curled her fingernails into her palms. Making up a relationship that  didn't exist was pathetic. She should never have done it. Look what had  happened with Brandon as a result! Just the thought of him lying in his  bed, waiting for her, made her yearn for more than the memory of that  one kiss all those years ago.

"No!" she said, as much to herself as him.

He seemed surprised by the energy of her answer, but he was probably too  relieved to comment on the intensity behind it. "Thank God."

"Not that it should matter to you," she added, feeling more sane.

"I know, it's just … I believed you."

After the doubt Brandon had shown that anyone would be convinced they  were seeing each other, she knew she should feel vindicated. But he  obviously understood who she was better than Kyle did. Which was odd.  "Even though I've been living in Sacramento for the past four months?"  she said.

"He'd be willing to make the drive. He has a thing for you. I could sense his interest the whole time you and I were together."

Strange though it seemed, given their limited contact over the years,  she'd always had a thing for him, too. She'd just never allowed herself  to entertain the possibility of letting it go anywhere. "Jealousy's  making you blind."                       
       
           



       

"I'm not blind to anything! He likes tall blondes."

"Doesn't mean he likes all tall blondes."

"I'm telling you we almost got into a fight at Thanksgiving because of the way he kept looking at you."

Olivia hadn't noticed anything amiss, nothing beyond the usual push-pull  she felt whenever Brandon was around. He'd shown up for dinner, but  he'd stayed only long enough to eat. As far as she was concerned he'd  done nothing wrong.

"He didn't even speak to me," she said.

"He might try now."

"So you're … what? Giving me fair warning?"

"I'm letting you know that getting involved with him wouldn't be a smart move. You remember how he treated your sister-"

"I like that better than how you've treated my sister!"

"Ouch," he said but she ignored him.

"Besides, that was years ago, when he was home from college for the  summer. And she was stalking him, Kyle. She spied on him with another  woman. That would make anyone angry."

"That's not the way she tells the story. She says he was pursuing her, leading several women on at the same time."

Because she didn't want to admit the truth. He'd discover that was a common occurrence. "I believe Brandon."

"Over your own sister?"

"Yes. Absolutely. Look, I appreciate all the brotherly love, but-"

"Brotherly love?" he broke in. "Would you just … stop? Please? Do you think this is any easier for me?"

The desperation in his voice surprised her.

"I screwed up," he went on. "And now I'm paying the price. But I don't  want you to suffer any more than you already have because of my  stupidity."

Somehow his words made her even angrier than if he'd said he adored her  sister and always had. "If you're having second thoughts, I'm not the  one to talk to."

There was a long silence. Then he said, "I realize that."

"What is it you hold against Brandon, anyway?" she asked. "It can't have  anything to do with him mistreating Noelle, because you didn't like him  before he threatened her with a restraining order."

"You know how he is. He's stubborn and egotistical and … and difficult to get along with."

She wrapped her arms around herself and stared out at the town she loved  so much. Kyle had cost her even this. She'd planned to come back but  now … she felt as if she'd been cast adrift, as if Whiskey Creek was no  longer her anchor. "How does that affect me?"

"He can't commit, and as much as you're trying to pretend you're not  looking for love, I know you too well. He's not the kind of man you  need."

As if Kyle was any better! He'd set himself up with that statement. But  this time she let it go. "Have you talked to him recently?"

"I don't need to."

"Maybe you're going by dated information. Maybe he's matured and you're missing out on having a great brother."

"I'm not missing out on anything."

"You could cut him a little slack, you know. He's in your wedding party."

"For the sake of my parents."

She understood how familial obligation played a role this weekend. She  doubted she'd even be attending the wedding were it not for Nancy and  Ham. "Now you know why I'm here."

"I knew that before."

Again, the door opening and closing at Sexy Sadie's caught her eye. "I have to go."

"Wait-"

"For what, Kyle? Get some sleep. You'll need to be in top form this weekend."

He'd dared to call her, so she knew he wasn't with Noelle. Her sister  was probably in bed, getting her beauty rest. That meant she could  return to her parents'.

But Olivia couldn't go back there quite yet. Telling herself she'd have  just one drink, she drove down the street and parked in front of the  bar.





Chapter 6



Brandon's phone woke him. "Hello?" he muttered, squinting to see the time displayed on his digital alarm.

He was pretty sure it read 1:10.

"Brandon?"

Olivia. He recognized her voice immediately-although he could tell there was something wrong. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry, Brandon."

She sounded genuinely distraught. "For what, honey? It's okay that you didn't come over. I wasn't really expecting you."

"I meant for b-bothering you in the middle of the night."
                       
       
           



       
When she sniffed, he gripped the phone harder. She was crying. "That's okay, too. What's wrong?"

"Um … do you think … would it be too much trouble … I hate to ask this, but … "

"Where are you?" He was awake enough to hear that she was slurring her  words. That, together with the loud music in the background, indicated  she was at a bar. But, if so, where? In Sac? Or in Whiskey Creek?

"S-s-sexy S-s-Sadie's!" she announced, laughing. "I think I'm drunk. I  was only going to have one drink, but … I don't know what happened."

"You had more."

"Yep."

He'd assumed she left town. He'd known she'd never show up at his place. "Do you need me to come get you?"

"Would you?" She seemed infinitely relieved.

"Of course." He rolled out of bed and began to dress. "Where's your car?"

"Out front. But I don't think-I don't think I should drive, Brandon. It  wouldn't be safe. I might hurt some-somebody. I wouldn't want to hurt  anybody."

"You're not going to get behind the wheel, sweetheart."

"No, but … I shouldn't have called you. Today's the first time we ever  really talked since prom so … it's rude, right? To do that to a new  friend?"

"Is that what we are?"

"Aren't we?"

He smiled at her distress. "Of course we are."

"Okay, good. Anyway, I'd call someone else but … all my other friends belong to Kyle."

"They what?"

"They're his friends. Callie and Eve and Riley and Ted and Cheyenne … "

She seemed to lose her train of thought before she could name all the  members of the tight clique Kyle had belonged to since grade school.  Rattling them off by memory wouldn't be that easy to do sober, since  there were at least ten.

"Losing them, along with everything else, must've been hard." Her own  friends had gotten married or taken jobs elsewhere, but most of Kyle's  had remained here in Whiskey Creek and were as close as ever. A lot of  people envied the support and friendship they gave each other. He  doubted they liked her any less, but he could see why she could no  longer hang out with them.