One Week with her (Ex) Stepbrother (Eden Manor #2) by Noelle Adams Page B

her expression, his mouth twitched. “Maybe I did. A little. I wanted
it to be easy for me too.”
    “It
wasn’t really easy for Joe. He was always pretending he was half-joking when he
flirted with Vanessa. There was a good chance of her freaking out too.”
    “Maybe.
I think I had it harder, though.”
    “Fine.
You had it harder. You win.”
    They’d
gotten into town, and he pulled the truck into the parking lot. When he shifted
it into park, he reached over to brush her cheek with his knuckles. “I
definitely win.”
    She
felt a little swoony, but she managed to give him a good eye-roll and an ironic
laugh, waving as she saw Vanessa getting out of Joe’s truck. “Although Joe
definitely has a nicer truck than you.”
    This
comment got the grumbling she’d been hoping for, although Zach cheered up as
they walked over to meet their friends.
    They
went into the restaurant and order their meals, chatting about how Zach and
Missy had gotten together, about the work on Eden Manor, and about Kelly’s
crazy grandmother.
    Missy
was almost high on how happy she felt as Zach wrapped his arm around her shoulders
in the booth after they’d decided to get dessert.
    When
she noticed Joe smiling at someone across the room, she turned to see Cassandra
walking over to their table. She wore a belted, sleeveless pink dress that
would have looked prim and old-fashioned on anyone else.
    Missy
smiled as the other woman greeted them. There was no sense in feeling so
insecure around her anymore. Zach didn’t love Cassandra. He loved her.
     “Are
you two together now?” Cassandra asked, obviously seeing Zach’s arm around
Missy in the booth.
    “Yeah.”
Zach turned to smile at Missy, and she couldn’t help but smile back. “We are.”
    “I’m
so glad. I always did wonder.” Cassandra’s smile was completely sincere. She’d
never been catty or backhanded. It was just one more thing that had bothered
Missy. She hadn’t even been able to hate her properly.
    “How
long are you in town?” Joe asked. Like Missy and Zach, he’d known Cassandra in
school. “Someone said you might be moving back.”
    “Just
visiting.” Her expression changed, as if she’d thought of something unpleasant.
“I’m not sure how long. At least a week, but maybe longer.” She sighed. “I’ve
got to go talk to Silas, and I’ve been procrastinating.”
    There
was a tension in the air that followed this statement. They all knew how angry
Silas had been when his wife had left him. It was one of the things that had
turned him into the recluse he was now.
    To
break the tension, Missy murmured lightly, “Good luck with that.”
    Cassandra
smiled, still looking unusually flustered. “I’m sure it will be fine.”
    “I
saw him on Friday,” Vanessa said. “I was bringing a stained glass window from
Eden Manor that he’s going to work on. I mentioned you were in town. I hope
that’s okay.”
    “Of
course. It’s probably good he has some warning.” Cassandra’s gaze flickered
briefly. “How is he?”
    Vanessa
shrugged and looked uncomfortable. “About the same.”
    Cassandra
nodded. “Okay.” Then she straightened her shoulders and smiled again. “I can be
brave. It was great to see you all. Hopefully I’ll see you around before I
leave.”
    She
walked back to her table, where her parents were sitting, and the four of them
looked at each other for a minute.
    Then
Zach broke the silence by murmuring to Missy, “I don’t care what you say. I
could take him.”
    Missy
burst into laughter and gave Zach the response his comment deserved. Once
they’d caught on, Joe and Vanessa joined in on the teasing.
    And
Missy had the strangest sensation of watching herself—with Zach and her
friends—as if from a distance, as they laughed and ate dessert and enjoyed
being with each other.
    This
was life. Her real life. The world hadn’t left her behind, forgetting to make
things happen. Life had given her what she needed—and a lot of what she