Page 1 of Yours, Finally

Chapter 1

Vi (Vee)

As a teen, thecrush on my older brother's best friend was to be expected. Having those feelings stick for more than a decade was not.

There were nights when it was particularly difficult to deny my attraction to him. Tonight was one of them. Jake stood by my side in a bespoke tuxedo; he was too tall and big to get anything off the rack. His blond-red hair was styled to perfection, his beard trimmed and shaped and glorious, and his smile came easily. Dressing well was one of his things, whether at an elegant party or at the office, and I loved to admire the results every time.

I sighed and gazed around the party hall. The Construction Cares Fundraiser Gala was a favorite charity of my family's, andthey attended every year. This time, the events room had been decorated with paintings from students of all ages, carefully showcased in tasteful, warm low light. The theme, The Art of Building Futures, promoted local artists and auctioned it to the rich people around us. I preferred to donate money directly and skip the party, but I hadn't been able to stay home for this one.

And now I had to contemplate the feelings I had for Jake, and how they rattled inside.

He laughed at something another of my brother's friends said, alongside everyone else. The expression on his face prickled in my chest. It wasn't easy to be next to him, me in my fancy dress and him looking so amazing. Treating each other as friends, and surrounded by Max and Javier, my brother Gabe, and my parents. Whatever story Max told was outrageous and hilarious, and on a normal evening I'd be held rapt by it, laughing with everyone else. There was something about the gala that night that shook the box I confined to the attic of my soul, where I held my longings and kept them away from sight.

Another sigh made it through my lips.

"Is everything okay?" Jake leaned closer to me. "You seem… off."

I pursed my lips and gazed all the way up to his blue-gray eyes. "Do you enjoy these galas?"

"Not really. I only come when Gabe bugs me extra hard about them."

"Same. I only attended because my mom really wanted me to."

I stared at her, and she smiled at me. I smiled back. She thought I could use a nice distraction; that it would help me get over the frustration my most recent break up had left me with. I adored my mom, and her heart had been in the right place, but coming to the gala had only achieved one thing. Adding a new layer to my disappointment.

My dad interlocked his fingers with hers and they walked away, likely to greet one of their friends.

I watched them stroll hand-in-hand, a twinge in my heart. A love like theirs… that was the dream.

"I promised Gabe I'd stay for an hour." Jake checked his watch. "I'm only ten minutes away from the goal."

I smiled at him. "Smart. I didn't negotiate it with anyone."

"You're welcome to copy me and negotiate it next time."

"We could even coordinate ahead of time. We'll wear them down easier if we're a team."

"Mmh, yes. It's a deal."

He gave my elbow a quick squeeze and smiled. The simple touch was enough to leave my skin tingling. It was always like that when Jake casually touched me. Even his gaze alone had the power to leave me a little breathless.

It had been like that since forever. As far as I knew, these sentiments were never reciprocated. Back when we were teens, Jake was huge; broad shouldered when all the other guys had still been lanky, and so tall that my height wasn't a problem. He barely paid attention to me and treated me the exact same way my brother did— like a cute little sister. He was kind, fun, gentle, and wholly uninterested.

So I moved on. I had boyfriends and he had girlfriends; Jake and I were friends, and life was good. Except we spent every summer together, and I saw him at every family event, and every family dinner. Whenever I slowed down enough to notice the way my heart beat around him, I was forced to admit I still had feelings for the big guy.

Years and years of orbiting each other, and no matter if he or I were seeing other people, the teenage crush I should have outgrown remained. Like a lighthouse to a boat at sea, his beam drew me in with a rhythmic, persistent call.

Even on a night like this, when I had just broken up with another undercover jerk, and Jake and I were surrounded by friends and family at a fundraiser gala, my heart wondered if things with Jake would ever go that way.

Except, if all the pieces finally fell into place for us and we ended up together, I still didn't know what everyone's response would be. It was hard to imagine trying to start something with him while my family and friends watched us in shock, or searched for signs of trouble.

Gabe joined Jake and me in our small bubble.

"Max, Javier, and I are going to go walk the room." Gabe's eyes moved between Jake and me, complete innocence there. I didn't think he'd ever suspected my feelings. "Are you joining us?"

"I'm going to get a drink," I said. "I'll join you later."

"I'll go with Vi for a refill."