“Eww.” Chelsea scowled at her brother’s analogy. “Bad comparison.”

“But true.” His jaw tightened. “Jared has only had one use for women since Laura died. I saw how you looked at him this morning, and I don’t want to see you hurt, Chels.”

He’d seen that look? No wonder he was issuing warnings.

“Will…” She sought the right words to tell her brother how much she loved and appreciated him, but wanted him to butt out when it came to her love life. Or lack of one, in this instance. “I’m twenty-eight years old and can decide for myself whether or not someone is worth the risk of getting hurt. Believe it or not, I’m not totally inexperienced,” she said.

“Give me a name.” Will’s teeth gritted, his fists clenched at his sides, and she believed he really would go and fight for her honor.

Chelsea laughed. She couldn’t help herself. Will’s outrage was so adorable. “You can’t go around bloodying every guy who finds me attractive.”

“Wanna bet?”

She snickered in a very unlady-like way. “Lighten up. I’d like to marry and have kids someday.”

Jared’s babies. She closed her eyes and pictured blue-eyed, black-haired imps who called her mommy. Oh, what a fantasy.

“Just so long as you don’t actually want Jared.”

Had he read her mind?

“Even discounting the little-sister factor,” he continued, “which is huge by the way, think how difficult a crash and burn between the two of you would make things at the office.”

A nervous flutter gurgled in her belly, but she refused to acknowledge the warning. She gave him a smile meant to be light, but her attempt came out as forced. “I guess it’s a good thing we’re only going out for dinner as a group of coworkers, then.”

“You’re making fun of this, but I’m serious, Chels. Jared is a good guy, but Laura’s death messed up his head. He’s not been close to anyone since.”

After ten years of carrying Jared in her heart and knowing she’d never have him, Will’s warning fell flat.

Picking up her purse, she gave her brother a bright smile. “I’m going to dinner with my new coworkers. No big deal. Coming?”

After all, there was no reason for Will to get so worked up when, other than that brief moment this morning, Jared had looked as if he’d rather have his nails ripped off than have to spend five minutes in her company.

The recall of the cold look he’d given her earlier sent shivers racing down her spine. What had happened to cause his expression to go from burning hot to freezing cold?

Then she knew.

Will must have seen Jared’s look, too, felt the sparks, and done what he’d just attempted to do with her.

Only Jared would have seen Will’s warning as a sign that Chelsea was still interested in him, that she still wanted him.

He probably really was afraid she was going to corner him and jump his bones. Great.

No wonder he’d gone from hot to cold.

AT THE restaurant, a cell phone buzzed and, after taking a call from the emergency room, Jennifer reluctantly excused herself from the group. Chelsea sat next to Will, opposite Jared, and Leslie between the two men.

She’d caught Jared looking at her several times while they’d waited for their table and after they’d been seated, but he always averted his gaze and distracted himself with conversation with Will.

Chelsea wanted to beat her head against the wall. Did he really think that after ten years she was going to doggedly pursue him? She’d barely pursued him after that wonderful week they’d met.

For ten years regrets had haunted her for allowing Jared to push her away so easily. Of course, a few weeks later the girlfriend Chelsea hadn’t known about had died. She’d tried contacting him, wanting him to know she felt his pain, that she would be there for him if he needed anything, that she’d turn eighteen in another week. She’d wanted him to know she missed him.

It had taken all her nerve to sneak into Will’s things and find Jared’s number, to dial it, and leave her message of condolence and ask him, please, to call her.

He hadn’t called and that had spoken volumes. Heartbroken at yet again being rejected by someone whose love she’d craved, she’d resolved to focus on the things in her life that she had had control of. Like her medical career.

Besides, she was no longer a teenage girl with a crush. No, the heaviness clutching at her chest wasn’t a teenage crush. But she daren’t give a name to how Jared made her feel. How he’d always made her feel.

If whatever Will said to him was why he’d gone so cold on her she had to set the record straight, to let him know that she didn’t expect anything more from him than friendship. Wanted, yes, expected, no.

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