On Dublin Street

“Here you go.” The clerk held out two of the heavy shopper bags.

I muttered thanks and handed one to Ha

“Let me.” Ellie reached for Ha

“Oh no, you don’t.” I took her elbow. “We’re getting some food into you.”

Ellie tried to argue that she’d eat later at her mom’s Sunday di

We were chatting about the upcoming Festival when I saw Braden. We’d seen each other at the bar on Friday when he, Ellie, Adam, Je

I didn’t know if the feeling I got when he did that bothered me. But I did know I was feeling something when I saw him with her.

Braden was walking towards us, easily spotted in the crowd because of his height… and, well, his hotness. He was wearing dark blue jeans, black boots, and a dark grey long-sleeved thermal Henley that showcased his sculpted, broad-shouldered scrumptiousness.

In his hand was another hand.

It belonged to a woman I hadn’t ever seen before.

“Braden,” Ellie murmured and Ha

“Braden!” she called out and his head jerked around from smiling down at his companion to follow the voice. His smile widened when he saw Ha

As we approached each other, I suddenly wished I was anywhere but where I was. The little kick I got in my gut when I saw him with someone else was not fun. In fact, that kick was quite possibly the worst joke that had been played on me in a while.

I also wasn’t keen on the carefully polite expression on his face when he saw I was with Ellie and Ha

I glanced up at Ellie as we came to a stop only to find her glaring daggers at the woman with Braden. Bewildered and frankly astonished, I couldn’t help but hiss her name in question.

She looked down at me, her jaw clenched. “I’ll tell you later.”

“Ha

“Yeah. I got loads of books. Thanks again,” she added shyly.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” He let her go and turned to us. “Els, you’re looking pale. You okay?”

She was still glowering at him and I wanted to know what the hell I was missing. “I was feeling a bit faint. I haven’t eaten.”

“I’m taking her to get some food.” I thought I should mention that, so he didn’t think we were dragging her around when she wasn’t feeling well.

“Good,” he murmured, catching my eye. “Jocelyn, this is Vicky.”

Vicky and I looked at one another, our smiles polite. She reminded me a lot of Holly: tall, blonde, pretty and as natural as freaking Barbie. Still, she was hot.

Braden definitely had a type and I was not it. No wonder he’d stopped flirting with me. His sexual radar must have been wonky when we first met, but clearly it had been restored to order.

“Hello, Vicky,” Ellie purred unhappily.

I couldn’t help it—my eyebrows hit my hairline before I could stop them. Ellie sounded practically predatory.

I was impressed.

And definitely curious.

Braden shot his sister a quelling look. “I had my di

In other words, Vicky was at the next table and they’d hooked up. I shrugged off the unfamiliar uneasiness that came over me. My chest felt a little sore and I was feeling a little queasy. Maybe Ellie wasn’t food-deprived— maybe we’d both eaten something bad yesterday.

“Nice to see you again, Ellie,” Vicky replied sweetly. She seemed nice enough.

“Hmm.” Ellie blatantly brushed her off, rolling her eyes and then skewering them into Braden. “Are you coming to di

I watched the muscle in his jaw flex. He definitely wasn’t amused by his sister’s attitude. “Of course.” His eyes travelled back to me. “I’ll see you both there.”

“Joss can’t make it. She has stuff to do.”

He frowned at me. “It’s just a few hours. Surely you can squeeze us in?”

In response, Vicky pressed closer to Braden. “I’d love to have di

Braden gave her a somewhat patronizing pat on the hand. “Sorry, sweetheart, it’s just family.”

Three things happened at once. Ellie choked on her laughter, Vicky reared back like he’d slapped her, and I felt a panic attack coming on.

Feeling the fog closing in on me, I breathed through it and my confusion. “You know what.” I took a step back from them. “I totally forgot I said I’d drop off Jo’s tips to her at her apartment. Today. Now, actually.” I waved apologetically. “I gotta go. I’ll catch you later.”

And then I got the hell out of there as fast as I could.

***

“Why did you run?” Dr. Pritchard asked, her head tilted to the side like a curious bird.

I don’t know. “I don’t know.”

“You’ve mentioned Ellie’s brother, Braden, a number of times now. How does he fit into your life?”

I want him. “I guess he’s sort of a friend.” When she just stared at me, I shrugged. “We had an unconventional introduction.”

I told her everything.

“So you’re attracted to him?”

“I was.”

She nodded. “Back to my earlier question then. Why? Why did you run?”

Lady, if I knew that, would I be here? “I don’t know.”

“Was it because Braden was with another woman? Or because he implied you were family?”

“Both I guess.” I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming on. “I want him to stay in the box I’ve put him in.”

“The box?”

“You know, the box. It’s got a label and everything. It’s says ‘sort-of friends’. We’re sort of friends, but not really good friends. We hang out, but we don’t really know each other. I prefer it that way. I think I might have panicked at the thought that he thinks there’s more. That he’d think we were close somehow. I don’t want that.”

“Why not?”

“I just don’t.”

Seeming to sense my tone, Dr. Pritchard nodded and didn’t ask the question again. “And your feelings regarding seeing him with another woman…?”

“The only feelings I had were confusion and panic. He was with a woman he obviously has a sexual relationship and history with and he implied somehow that our friendship was deeper than what he had with her by saying what he did to her. Like I said, that’s not true. I don’t want that.”

“And that’s the only reason?”

“Yes.”

“So you don’t want a relationship with Braden? Sexual or otherwise?”

Yes. “No.”

“Let’s talk about that. We haven’t spoken about your relationship with men. You seem good at shutting people out, Joss. Has it been a while since your last relationship?”

“I’ve never been in a relationship.”

“Have you dated?”

I curled my lips as I remembered the so-called ‘wonder years’. “Do you want the sordid history? Okay, I’ll lay it out for you…”

***

“Did you get Jo her money?” Ellie asked quietly as she flopped down on the couch next to me.

I nodded, lying, and to purge my guilt I reached out for my coveted big bag of chips and offered them to her. “You want some?”