Free Blue-Eyed Soul by Fae Sutherland, Chelsea James Page A

a few feet behind him, grinning once he got a decent look at his face. "And you're Stevan."
    "My brother talks about me so much you recognize me?"
    Remey laughed and shook his head, bagging up his apples and setting them in his cart. "No. But you look very much alike." He offered his hand to shake, and Stevan took it. "Nice meeting you."
    "Same. Aleks does talk about you, though," Stevan told him, hooking his thumbs in his belt loops, and Remey pressed his lips together. He was dying to ask what Aleks had said, but he wasn't going to pry. He hoped, after yesterday, at least some of what Aleks had said was good.
    "Yeah, he was... Let's just say he wasn't thrilled with me being around at first." The paparazzi were still hanging around--they'd been waiting outside Remey's house when he'd left for the store--but he thought there were less of them than a few days ago. He sure hoped there were. The sooner they all left, the sooner that stumbling block between him and Aleks would be gone. Remey could hardly wait.
    Stevan snorted. "Don't let his 'I am king of this land and you are not welcome' routine intimidate you. Much to his disappointment, he doesn't actually own the Berkshires."
    Remey smiled. "Good to know not everyone wishes I'd crawl back to California."
    Stevan leaned his hip against the cart, shaking his head. "He might have thought so before he met you, but trust me, he doesn't anymore."
    Remey blushed, eyes hopeful. "He doesn't?"
    Stevan seemed to belatedly realize his brother might not want him spilling such tidbits and cleared his throat. "So, uh... I hear you're going to be doing a little concert thing for the festival this year?" He gave Remey a mock-annoyed look. "My wife is going to be flailing for weeks after, I hope you know. She's a huge fan."
    Remey laughed and pushed his cart out of someone's way, glancing up to meet Stevan's eyes. Geez, he was every bit as tall as Aleks and made Remey feel like an absolute midget. "I'm excited about it, too. It's for an awesome cause, plus it gives me an excuse to sing every Christmas song I can. You'll be there?"
    Stevan laughed, shaking his head. "If Jess didn't make sure I went, Aleks would. This youth center is totally his baby. He's been trying to come up with ways to get funding for it for ages. But, yeah, we'll definitely be there, along with half the town. The winter festival is a big thing here in Haven."
    "I'm looking forward to it. L.A. doesn't have stuff like it. The big events are all celebrity stuff and not for everyone else." Remey had been to his fair share of those events, and he ended up being bored out of his mind nine times out of ten. He was sure the Winter Festival would be anything but boring.
    "Our little festival is more your speed than an awards show after-party?" Stevan asked, and Remey nodded.
    "Believe me. They're always the same thing, ostentatious and crowded."
    Stevan shrugged. "I think it's a case of 'the grass is always greener,' honestly. Aleks felt the same way for the longest time growing up and once he got away and realized the big city had its own set of downfalls, he turned Haven into this mythical sort of Wonderland in his head and would stop at nothing to come back."
    Remey was so curious, but was hesitant to probe too deeply. "Do you think it'll turn back in the other direction and he'll start wishing for the city again?" If things ever went anywhere between him and Aleks, maybe some kind of bi-coastal thing... but it was way too early for those thoughts.
    "Maybe." Then Stevan grinned. "Hey, you busy tonight?"
    Remey blinked, surprised at the question. "No... why?"
    "Because I'll be a hero with my wife if I can get you over to our house for dinner. And because Aleks brings Willow over for dinner on Thursday nights."
    Remey laughed. "That's sneaky. I like it. Can I bring dessert or something? I went and dug out all my mama's pie recipes so I can practice."
    Stevan's eyes gleamed with amusement. "I did hear you and Aleks were getting