34 Keep Your Distance! (1/2)

There aren't many instances that the celebrity billionaire could recall that he was caught off guard like this moment. In his twenty-eight years of trekking the earth, experiencing ups and downs, and meeting boring and interesting people alike, he still found it fascinating that he could still feel anything more.

In fact, this was a world record. The same person managed to surprise the life out of him twice.

Kurtis could feel his mind go numb. The street lights and handful of cars passing by faded into the background. The only thing he could really make out was the faint lyrics of the song playing on the radio.

'I don't know how this whole business started/Of you thinkin' that I have been untrue/But if you think that we'd be better parted/It's gonna hurt me, but I'll break away from you/Well, just give me the sign and I will be gone, yeah…'

The familiar melody of the classic song drifted untimely into the scene.

[Wasn't this song like four decades old? Of all the times, why was it playing now?]

Both listeners in the car reached for the button to switch the song, coincidentally chancing a skim on each other's hand. As fast as that brief contact was, Kurtis retracted his hand as if he just touched something formidable.

Not offended by his uncalled for reaction, Lyra continued to run through the radio stations for a more lighthearted tune. When she finally did decide on a channel, she turned back to check on her speechless brother-in-law.

His green eyes befell hers in slight hesitation before looking away again to gather his thoughts.

When he opened his mouth to say something, he ended up closing it and falling back silently onto his seat. Lyra lifted an eyebrow in worry.

[Was I too blunt?]

”You okay?”

Kurtis nodded with a smile, but then dropped it mid-way.

”Lyra…” his voice trailed. ”You…me…oh lord…”

Kurtis ran his hands through his hair as he was sorting out whatever was on his mind. Lyra just waited patiently. Of course she didn't expect him to take it so stressfully, but she did anticipate giving him some time for him to process.

After all, he just found out that his wife's younger sister had feelings for him. Things could get messy if he didn't handle it correctly.

But when a generous fifteen second down-time turned into a torturous minute, Lyra grew impatient.

[Was he not the ultimate playboy before he got married? Shouldn't this be a common thing when girls confess their feelings to him?]

Due to a lack of prompt response on his end, she decided that it was time to deliver the rest of her message.

”Kurtis, I respect that you're married to my sister. I'm telling you this now because I want to set our boundaries straight.”

The brother-in-law glanced at Lyra and nodded, shifting his body so that it was facing her. He could manage to at least concentrate on the rest of what she had to say.

”I know that it is in your character to be kind and it may be wrong of me to ask you to change. But can you maybe just make that exception for me?” Lyra pressed her hands together. ”You've always meant well, but I have repeatedly taken your intentions the wrong way. In the short time that I've been back, you're doing it again. I've never had a brother-in-law before and I wouldn't dream of another, but I don't think in-laws are usually this friendly with each other. I already tried to imagine that you're like Dev Andrews who was like a brother to me, but it's a little hard considering everything that we've been through. So to save me the headache, can you possibly try to care for me a little less?”