The Best of Us by Ursula Gorman

in a vase. If Daniel didn’t want her, she’d find someone that did, no matter how much it hurt.

    What had he been thinking? First he hadn’t been able to forget that kiss he and Carly shared, then he couldn’t forget her reaction when they had gone upstairs. Now he couldn’t get the sight of Carly and Mike out of his mind. Mike had kissed her; he had actually had the nerve to kiss her.
    “ What is it to you?” Daniel mentally kicked himself. “You pretty much told her to move on and to give up any hope of us getting together.”
    “ Harm was right, I am an idiot!”
    Daniel was in his living room, or rather Carter’s, pacing back and forth. He hadn’t been able to see straight since he witnessed that kiss. He had noticed the smug look on Glynna’s face and that made him even madder. It was Thursday and he needed to think of something fast to stop Carly from going out with Mike again.
    “ Come on man! You turn her away and then expect her to just run into your arms? You are a jerk!” Daniel was still berating himself when the front door opened and Harm walked in.
    “ What’s up with you?”
    “ What?” Daniel growled. “You’re the one that just waltzed right in.”
    Harm laughed, “What woman has you all hot and bothered, brother?” Harm sat down in Carter’s recliner, picked up Daniel’s bottle of soda and downed it.
    “ Help yourself.” Daniel said without any real heat in his words. He went over and sat down hard on the couch.
    “ So, what’s up little brother?”
    “ I’m an idiot.”
    “ A subject we both agree on,” Harm smiled, “But might I ask why you’re bringing it up now?”
    “ It doesn’t matter.” Daniel rested his head on the back of the couch and closed his eyes.
    “ Does this have anything to do with a certain sexy brunette?”
    Daniel sat up and glared at his brother. “What do you know?”
    “ I know you were looking at Carly with new eyes at the ball. I know that you haven’t been yourself lately. I know that Carly and Mike have gone out a few times. I also know that you’re an idiot.”
    Daniel let his head drop down to rest on the back of the couch, closed his eyes again and uttered an expletive that had Harm laughing.
    “ I know one other thing,”
    “ What might that be Mr. Know It All?”
    “ That we are supposed to be at mom and dads for dinner and we’re going to be late.”
    Daniel uttered another word that his mom would not have approved of as he got off the couch and headed out the door with Harm right behind him.
    “ So what are you going to do about it?”
    “ What?”
    “ Come on Dan, this is your big brother, quit stonewalling and talk.”
    Daniel let out a sigh that spoke volumes. “I’ve never looked at Carly as a woman before. She has always just been Carly. It feels wrong to think about her as a woman,” after a slight pause, “but she is unquestionably a woman.”
    “ Unquestionably,” Harm echoed his brother.
    Daniel glared at him, then he just stopped. They were about to get in his car, he rested his arms on the top of the car and Harm did the same. Whatever Daniel wanted to say, Harm was ready to listen. He and Carter had been waiting for Daniel to wake up and see what he had right in front of his face, Carly. Daniel would really be an idiot if he let her get away.
    “ I kissed her.” Daniel sounded like he was confessing a horrible act.
    “’ Bout time!” Harm smiled the smile that had women swooning every time they saw it. It transformed his already handsome face into an irresistibly charming and sexy face that women couldn’t resist, well at least most women.
    “ What? ” Was Harm really saying that he approved?
    “ Carly is great. She is just about as perfect as a woman can get, plus she already knows all your faults and she is still in love with you.”
    “ Carly is not in love with me. She has a crush, that’s all. It would be wrong for me to take advantage of her.”
    Harm laughed until he was almost in tears,