Swipe for a Cosmo by Megan Wade
Kellen
“Your girl’s out on the floor now,” Vaughn says, bringing the till into the office and sliding it into the open safe before placing the sheet of paper with the final tally on it next to me.
“Yeah? How’s she seem?” I ask, lifting my head from the numbers I’m inputting.
He chuckles, folding his arms across his broad chest as he presses a hip against the side of the desk. “Flustered. I’d like to say Remy and I couldn’t hear the moanin’ from before, but it was kinda hard not to.”
“Then I’ll ask you to close your ears in future,” I say, smirking his way as he rolls his eyes.
“Sure, bro. I’ll get right on that.” He mimes shutting his hearing off before he shifts his weight to standing, then nods toward the doorway. “Why don’t you leave this to me? This girl is obviously important to you, so I don’t think you should keep her waiting.”
My brow lifts as I lean back in my chair and meet his gaze. “What’s happening here? I was expecting something along the lines of, ‘Slow down, Kell, you just met the girl.’ Where’s the skepticism I’m used to from you?”
Vaughn bounces a shoulder. “I guess I can see it this time—that spark you’re always talkin’ about. I mean, I’ve seen you fall hard before. But I’ve never seen you light up like this. I reckon she’s exactly who you say she is. The girl you’ve always been lookin’ for.”
A massive grin takes over my face as I rise from my chair and step closer to my brother. At thirty-six, he’s only two years younger than me, but he’s about an inch taller than me. “Thank you,” I say, slapping him on the back jovially. “That’s exactly what I think, too. She walked in here and something just…” I gesture to my chest as I try to think of a word adequate enough to describe the feeling I got when my eyes locked with hers, but there isn’t one, “happened, and now I know that I can’t stop until I have her.”
“Well, as long as I’m best man at your wedding, I don’t mind filling in so you can go win over your dream girl.”
“I promise to do the same when this feeling hits you. I know you don’t believe in love at first sight, but I guarantee you it’s real. Remember when Mama would tell us the story about how she and Dad fell for each other? She always said that they just looked at each other and knew they belonged. That’s what happened to me tonight. And it’s what will happen to you too in time. I’m sure of it.”
“OK.” Vaughn grins like he doesn’t believe me, but I know better. Eventually, he will too. “And if it’s that serious, you’d better get the hell out there before she gets bored and goes home without you. I’ve got this. Go get your girl.”
