Shame: A Stepbrother Romance by Emma Soule

know, I only just met him on Tuesday. And Ash, you won’t believe this,” I say and tell her about the unlikely coincidence, but I leave out anything that’s happened in bathrooms or tennis courts. I wouldn’t have told her, but I don’t want it to be a distraction for her tomorrow. She is only moderately shocked, probably because her mind is completely preoccupied with her own ordeal.
    I already regret agreeing to take Andrew with me. Even the most boring weddings make me feel sentimental and I’m not exactly stable right now. I feel like I’ve lost my ability to seem angry or indifferent or even normal around him and I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep myself from probing into his personal life. Which just brings me back to the woman he is probably still with.
    Will they kiss as they part? Will they go to his place? Does she look as fabulous naked as she is in her perfect little outfit? Okay, that last one was stupid. Of course she does. I only wish he knew nothing about that.
    “What’s wrong?” Ashleigh asks as she zips up the plastic case with her monster of a dress. “Hey, don’t be upset. I’m sure you’ll find someone soon. Maybe I can introduce you to some of Sean’s friends tomorrow. I’m sure your brother won’t mind. After you’ve had a shot off his crotch, I’m pretty sure you two are bound to become very close. Or maybe he can pimp you out to some of his buddies?”
    I let her think that’s exactly why I’m upset and it’s not like I’m picturing the brother in question going down on a girl who’s at least five categories above me.
    “Sure,” I say vaguely. It’s a terrible idea! I don’t want to be meeting any men, not to mention being “pimped out” in front of Andrew. “Just don’t let it distract you from the best day in your life.”
    Ashleigh giggles. I’m happy our little escape to the storage room has had its desired effect and she is back in her high spirits.
    “Shall we go?” Ashleigh says and drags the case over to a sorting table, hauling it on top of it, “I think no one can wait to start ripping on the little piece of trash you’ve assigned us.”
    At that moment my phone rings and a quick look tells me it’s him. Andrew. Why is he calling me? Isn’t he still at that cafe with his gorgeous date? Or maybe he’s canceling about tomorrow? I’m feeling quite low and I don’t feel like talking now. The worst of all is I completely realize how pathetic I’m being. I haven’t felt like this since high school and I thought all these intense feelings from just seeing someone’s name on the caller ID display was a thing of the past, the work of hormones I no longer produced in excessive amounts.
    “You go,” I hear myself saying, “I’ll fetch the tea.”
    “Tea?” Ashleigh’s eyebrows shoot up, “Maybe I should go home after all. I thought we were binging on donuts like usual or I wouldn’t have read the thing past the first five percent.”
    I practically push her out the door and close it behind her. My heart is thumping in my chest and my blood is racing as I press the answer button.
    “Hello?” I try to sound nonchalant.
    “Hey, sis,” Andrew says cheerfully across the line. “Just checking in about tomorrow.”
    I strain my ears to recognize any of the usual sounds in the cafe around him — the nature chill out music normally playing in the background, the chatter, the hissing and wheezing of the espresso machine. I hear nothing. Not even the dreaded chuckle of his date. Or her moaning. Stop it! Why on earth would she be moaning? I’m being irrational.
    “Where are you?” I blurt out without thinking.
    “Just kicking around at home, watching the news,” he says casually and I can’t believe he is such a good liar. I have a vague idea of where his apartment is. There is no way he’s reached it in the few short minutes we’ve been inspecting Ashleigh’s dress.
    “On silent?” I ask and wince at my words as soon as I hear them come