Over the Edge (Bridge #3)(21)

“It’s a nonprofit. If I’m out for any length of time, it’s going to take a toll on the organization. I took on a lot of responsibility when I accepted the job, and obviously there’s been a lot to manage in recent months.”

He shook his head. “Never met a woman so damn committed to work.”

Vanessa rolled her eyes. “We had a four-month engagement. I think you can be a little patient.”

My mother had vetoed just about every wedding plan they’d suggested and subsequently sucked the romance out of the entire planning process. Deciding that one Bridge wedding in a year was enough, they’d opted for something quick and simple. Darren had whisked Vanessa off to Spain for a romantic, albeit unexpected, elopement followed by an incredible reception in New York that even my mother couldn’t complain about.

Maya rubbed her hand over her belly. “Well, hurry up. Baby Bridge is going to need a cousin.”

“Noted,” Darren said.

The conversation moved to less touchy topics, from the rapidly progressing renovation to fresh stories from Darren’s calls on the fire department. After an hour, I was full, slightly buzzed from the wine, and ready for my bed.

Maya stood up with her dish, but Cameron rose quickly, taking it from her. “I’ve got it. You go sit and relax.”

She smiled, and he bent to give her a peck on the lips.

“Love you,” she whispered.

One by one, everyone started moving to clean up, but Cameron exiled everyone to the living room. I cleared my plate and went to join them, when he called my name.

I circled back. Cam was leaning against the counter, arms crossed, with a dishtowel slung over his shoulder. We shared many of the same features, the dark hair and blue eyes, but he was nearly twice my size. Tall and padded with muscle from years of dedicated hours at the gym. If I didn’t know him so well, I’d be frightened of him, from his size alone. Especially now when greeted with his stony expression.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

“You tell me. What’s really going on with Will Donovan? Should I be concerned?”

I hesitated a second. “Concerned about what?”

His nostrils flared slightly. “I don’t know, Olivia. Maybe you sleeping with our investor?”

Blood rushed to my cheeks. I wasn’t in the habit of talking relationships or sharing any of the dirty details of my personal life with my brothers. I’d be content if they just assumed I was a virgin for the rest of my life, and I guessed they probably would be content with that lie too.

“Do you think you might be jumping to conclusions a little bit?”

He whipped the towel off his shoulders and began wiping down the counter. “I wasn’t born yesterday. And the way Maya keeps prying, seems like she’s got the right idea too.”

“Why is this anyone’s business?”

He paused to level another hard stare my way. “Because it is business, Liv. You shouldn’t be complicating it with personal shit like this. Whatever you’ve got going on with him, I don’t like it.”

My embarrassment quickly morphed into indignation. “I hate to burst your bubble, Cam, but whatever I have ‘going on’ with Will is really none of your concern. Kindly butt out.”

He leaned in a fraction. “As long as we have a working relationship with him, I think it is my concern. I don’t want you getting involved with him.”

I brought my hands to my hips and worked my jaw. He could be so pigheaded sometimes. I silently prayed that my nephew showed up soon so both he and Maya would get off my case. I was having a hard enough time figuring out what the hell was going on with Will without the added complications.

“You don’t want me getting involved because he’s an investor. Is that your only reason?”

“He’s mixed up in things that you don’t need to be dealing with.”

“Is this about his dad? Will has nothing to do with that.”

He scowled. “How do you know? You believe everything people tell you now?”

I was the one to lean in this time. “Oh, so his money’s green enough to fund our project, but because his dad’s in trouble, I can’t have anything to do with him? I mean seriously, Cam, do you just make these rules up as you go?”

“He’s not good for you.”

“Who is?” My voice had dropped to a whisper. “Was Maya good enough for you? Was Vanessa good enough for Darren? What do you think Mom would say? No one’s ever going to be good enough, and you know it.”

“We’re not going down that road again, I swear to Christ, Liv.”

I held up a hand, silencing him. “I love Maya, okay? I pushed her away and I judged her when I should have given her a chance. I was stupid because I didn’t understand that your happiness was at stake.”

He was silent for the first time.

“I don’t know if this thing with Will is going anywhere, but I can’t deal with you guys hovering. I need to be my own person. I need to make mistakes and figure things out as I go. I don’t want to be led around by the nose anymore. That’s why I came here, remember? For a chance to start over and be me, not the person everyone else wants me to be.”

He drew his hand over his face and sighed. “I’m never going to stop being your big brother, Liv. All my instincts tell me this is wrong.”