He groaned. “Still, I’m sorry. I was a hypocrite, doing exactly what they do. I respect you, Justine.” He opened his mouth and closed it.

“Go ahead.” She started the car and drove them back home.

“It’s not my place.”

She laughed. “Xavier, I can feel you humming with the need to offer advice.”

“It’s like you really know me.”

She couldn’t explain how good it had felt, knowing he’d supported her with her family. Not cowed by her father at all, he’d answered questions while having her back. That arm around her shoulders had not gone unnoticed, and the gesture had gone a long way toward making her feel encouraged.

“You know what? You had enough people telling you what to do about your work life over dinner. How about we get home and go on a walk? It’s a gorgeous night tonight. We’ll walk and talk, and you can rake me over the coals about anything you want. Just so we’re even.”

His broad smile had her pulse picking up, though Justine told herself not to ask for too much from Xavier. Bad enough he was roped into going to her sister’s wedding with her and acting like her boyfriend.

“Well, if you insist.”

They made the drive back to the apartment in no time and decided to walk away from the center of town, taking in the cute neighborhood filled with a diverse mix of homes. Apartment complexes, Craftsman-styled bungalows, Midcentury modern houses, and of course, the Fremont troll keeping watch from under the Aurora Bridge.

The waning moon offered some light, and the cloudless sky allowed the stars to sparkle overhead. The breeze smelled of honeysuckle, and as they walked, Xavier took her arm and tucked it under his. Trying not to find it all overly romantic proved impossible. Heck, she was only human.

“Ask me anything. Anything at all,” Xavier insisted.

“Such a grand gesture. You must feel totally guilty about dinner.”

He groaned. “You have no idea.”

“Fine. You asked for it.” The question she’d been wanting to ask since she’d met him came to mind. “Tell me about your relationship with your ex. You know, the one with the brother you nearly fought.”

“Ah, Christine.” He glanced down at her. “Are you sure you want to hear about her?”

“You bet.” She hugged his arm. “Come on. You said you owe me.”

“Fine, fine.” He leaned into her as they slowed their pace, caught up in the late spring night and, if she wasn’t mistaken, each other. “I first met Christine a year and a half ago at a Christmas party. Through Auggie, actually. Someone at the gym hosted a huge get-together, and I went along. We hit it off right away.”

“So she’s pretty.”

“No, she’s a beast with missing teeth and different sized feet.”

“What?” Justine blinked.

“Of course I found her attractive.”

“You don’t have to get snippy about it.”

He chuckled. “Where was this Justine when we were at your parents’?”