“Knox Toberman.” I stand up and shake both their hands. The dude looks beefy like maybe he played a sport in his prime, and the woman is a petite brunette who looks shockinglyfamiliar.
“That’s it.” Forest shoots me with his finger. “Foxy Knoxy here will be showing you aroundnextweek.”
“That’s great!” the girl bubbles with excitement. “I’d better get back to work.” She winks my way. “I’m super excited to get startedwiththis!”
She takes off, and thankfully so doesForest.
“She works here.” Ryder ticks his head toward the bar, and suddenly it’s clear why I was vaguely associating her with nachos. “You look familiar.” Ryder winces as heinspectsme.
“You might know Rex, my older brother. He’s the quarterback for theMustangs.”
“Ah, that must be it.” He points to the seat before me andInod.
“By all means.” We take a seat and he makes light chitchat about college life, the team, and he straightens for asecond.
“Wait a minute. I just figured out where I know you from. Right here at the bar. You were getting a burrito bath while making out with some chick. That’s where I know you.” He wags a congratulatory finger at me. “So, what’s thebackstory?”
Laney drops a basket of chips and salsa by the table and we diverightin.
I tell Ryder about Janelle, about the brutal way I was exposed to her cheating ways. I give a quick rundown on how Harper and I ended up in that lip-lock sans the dirty details of ourarrangement.
“That’s brutal.” He drops his chip and leans back into his chair, stunned as if someone just shothisdog.
“It was brutal. I’m glad it’s behind me.” Is it behind me? In a strange way, it feels likeitis.
“And what about Janelle?” He tips his head. “Does any part of you wish you were stilltogether?”
“No,” I spit it out quickly like venom. “She’s in the rearview mirror and I’m not looking back. I want no part of thatinsanity.”
“What about that kiss you and Harper shared?” He leans in as if this just gets better, and in a way it does. “Do you think there’s somethingthere?”
I think on it a moment. “I don’t know.” I’d better not pour my broken heart over the table. The dude is just being nice. He didn’t sign up for a psychiatry session. “No, we’re just friends.” Ryder may as well be my boss. I’m pretty sure drawing a line in the sand is a good idea. “Harper’s actually my partner at the realty center. She’ll be helping us find you a new home come next week. This whole thing we got going is just a ploy to get back at our exes. We really can’t stand one another.” Okay, so I may have taken ittoofar.
Ryder scans me as if looking for traces of bullshit. “I hear you.” He gets up and gives my hand a firm shake. “I’ll see you tomorrowafternoon.”
“Will do.” I watch as he takes off, and that question he tossed out comes storming to the forefront of mybrain.
Is there something between Harper and me? Couldtherebe?
Before I can give it any serious thought, Rush comes in with someone unfamiliar, along with Eli holding uptherear.
“What’s up, dude?” Rush slaps me five as the three of them take a seat. “This is Seth, my soon-to-be brother in-law, or something like that. My brother and his sister areengaged.”
“Nice. The more family the merrier.” I mean that. I actually appreciate mystepsiblings.
Laney comes by and we put in our orders. While Eli and Seth talk basketball, Rush takes the opportunity to lean in. “So, what’s up with you and Shelton?” he whispers for myearsonly.
“Nothing’sup.”
Rush leans back with that preppy swagger of his. He’s donned his signature polo, his best jeans, and I can tell he didn’t just come to the Black Bear to hang out with the boys. Rush has serious game when it comes to the girls and he’s not in it to lose. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who’s bedded more chicks than Rushford Knight and not had their pecker fall off. He’s essentially every father’s and brother’s worstnightmare.
“I don’t believe you. Want to know why?” He pulls out his phone and there I am in bed, shirtless with a very hot as fuck Harper Shelton exuding lust for thecamera.
“It’s allashow.”
“A damnconvincingshow.”
A crowd comes in behind him, Lucky and Lawson, Ava and Grant, and they pull up seats at thetable.
