“I know.” That’s all she says. She doesn’t elaborate or even look at me. In fact, she seems almost exasperated by me.
“You could leave and go hang out with Beau.” Even saying it out loud is petty, but that jealous streak in me has fixated on the way my brother flirts with her. He’s like that with everyone. But it bugs me when he does it with Summer.
Her lips press together, and she smirks down at the page. “I know.”
“So why are you sitting here with me?”
Her head tips up and her eyes move over to meet mine. Sitting side by side in the radiology waiting room doesn’t leave much space between us, especially if we’re going to talk without everyone else hearing every word we say. Her lips open for a moment, like she’s about to say something.
“That’s the gig.”
She says it, but it sounds like a lie to me, based on the way her lips were moving before she forced them into that line of bullshit.
She blinks rapidly and then stares back down at the magazine, that fake smirk firmly in place. “Plus, can’t have you hitting on all the nurses here. Wouldn’t be a good look.”
“Ah, yes, because I’m an uncontrollable animal.”
Her head tilts, and she shrugs. “There is a certain reputation.”
“Have you seen any proof of that in the past few weeks?” Her lips roll together in the most alluring way, but she doesn’t respond. “Imagine thinking someone doesn’t change or grow up at all in the course of a decade.”
Her eyes flit to the side.
“My dad, my brother, the entire WBRF fan base, it’s like they still see me as the twenty-something World Champion with no boundaries. Or in my family’s case, the unruly little boy who would do anything for attention.”
I scoff, frustration bubbling to the surface as I continue. “Here I am, a man in his thirties and no matter what I do, people treat me like I’m a child. Like I’m irresponsible. And worse, they treat me like I’m stupid. And my job is to grin and ignore it because why? Money? That’s how people want to see me? It’s exhausting. All I wanted to do was ride bulls and chase that high that made me feel something. That high that gave me control of my destiny for a full eight seconds. Like I held the room’s attention for a brief moment in time. And now I’m here bending over backwards to appease the masses because I’ve become some sort of household sex symbol or mascot for entire industries? I never asked for that kind of responsibility.”
I’m almost out of breath when I finish my verbal rampage. Summer is staring at me, rich chocolate eyes wide and cheeks slightly pink. When I breathe out, she breathes in, the surrounding air a silent cocoon in a busy hospital.
She says it so quietly, I almost miss it. “I don’t see you that way.”
My heart thuds against my ribs, and my eyes drop to her lush cherry lips. Such a simple statement has never meant quite so much.
“Summer.” A biting voice interrupts the moment, and we both fly away from each other like we’ve been caught doing something we shouldn’t be.
Summer smooths her hands down the front of her corduroy jacket. “Winter. Hi. What a pleasant surprise.” Her current smile isn’t the smug one, it’s one of forced brightness, and as I look between the two women, I put together why.
“Haven’t seen you at family dinner lately.” The other woman holds similar features to Summer, and yet, she couldn’t be more different. Porcelain skin and pale blonde hair pulled back so tight her entire face looks equally taut. Cunning, icy eyes, just like her expression.
I almost chuckle over the names. Winter all frigid and biting. Summer all warm and soft.
“We’ve been on the road.” Summer hikes a thumb at me. “Dad has me working with Rhett exclusively.”
The woman wearing the long white coat over a boxy blue dress glances over at me with a dismissive smile, and I decide to jump in, feeling protective of Summer and not loving the way her sister is talking to her.
I stand, using my height to my advantage, staying close enough that Summer’s knee brushes against my leg as I shove a hand in Winter’s direction. “Rhett Eaton, pleasure to meet you.”
She slips her hand into mine, and it’s cold too. Her grip is firm, and her eyes flit down momentarily to her sister. A look passes between them before Winter seems almost gleeful. “Doctor Winter Valentine. I’m Summer’s half-sister.” Summer winces at that designation, but it’s what her sister says next that has her all flustered. “And of course, I know who you are. Summer had your Wranglers ad plastered on her bedroom wall for years.”
My mind stutters over what she’s just spilled.
Summer clears her throat and glares at her sister, maintaining her composure beautifully despite the red splotches popping up on her cheeks, all the way down her neck and onto her chest.
Am I going to harass Summer about this later? Absolutely. I love to spar with her. It might as well be foreplay for how well she holds her own. But right now, I’m miffed. I see her older sister being intentionally cruel to her. Trying to embarrass her. It makes me plaster a vicious smile on my face while still gripping Winter’s palm in a handshake that has now gone on for too long.
I wink at her. “Sounds like you remember it quite clearly yourself, darlin’。”
Bitch.
Her lips flatten, and she yanks her hand from mine. “Maybe next family dinner you can join us. I know that would be a dream come true for Summer.” She turns her scathing gaze down at Summer and then brightly adds, “Well, I have a patient’s scans to tend to. It was a pleasure seeing you both.”
And with that, she’s gone. Same petite stature, but all harsh, slim lines—almost sprite like—as she walks away, head held high, completely unrattled.
“Oof. Ice queen much?” I breathe out before flopping back down.
It’s the small, strangled noise coming from Summer that has me turning in her direction. She’s covered her face with both hands, and I’m not entirely sure what she’s doing. But I think she might be laughing based on the way her body is vibrating.
Or crying. One of the two.
“You okay?”
“No,” she wheezes.
“Are you hiding because your sister is a grade A bitch or because I now know that I’m your teenaged spank bank fodder?”
I’m pretty sure I hear her mumble a choked, “Oh, my God.”
When she peeks out at me from between her fingers, I waggle my eyebrows. And when her only response is to groan and tip her head back against the vinyl chair back, I laugh.
“Can we please pretend that never happened?” Her palms muffle her voice.
I grin and shake my head, crossing my arms, irrationally pleased with the whole thing. “Not a fuckin’ chance, Princess.”
16
Summer
Dad: Can you come to the staff meeting this week?
Summer: Which day? What time?
Dad: Thursday at one.
Summer: Yeah, I might have to shuffle one of Rhett’s appointments that will conflict with it.
Dad: I’m sure he can manage an appointment on his own. Seems like you’ve got him on a pretty tight leash.
Summer: Again. He’s not a dog.