“Mmm,” Thad said, because that was a sensitive subject he didn’t want to touch with a ten-foot pole.
But, to his surprise, Gavin went there. “The night we all had dinner. You—you weren’t seriously flirting with him, were you?”
“No,” Thad admitted, deciding he might as well be honest too. “I thought he was a money-grubbing gold digger, and I had some half-cocked idea that if I showed you who he really was, you’d dump his ass.”
“Instead, I stuck up for him and blamed you.” Gavin rubbed a hand along his short beard. “Fuck. I’m sorry.”
“Water under the bridge,” Thad said with a wave of his hand.
“Is it though?” His brother’s look was searching. “Can we put it behind us?”
Thad shrugged, holding his gaze. “I thought we already had, so I guess that’s up to you.”
“You forgive me then?”
“Yes. Now stop moping about it.” He nudged Gavin with his elbow. “I can’t believe you’re still this emo. It’sembarrassingat this age, honestly.”
“Hey! Fuck you!” Gavin protested but he was laughing, his shoulder jostling Thad’s because they were both too broad-shouldered to sit side-by-side on bar stools like this.
And Thad had to swallow down the sudden lump in his throat as he got all emotional about a better relationship between him and Gav.
Talk about embarrassing.
He was a little surprised when Gavin took a sip of whiskey and changed the subject. “Want to do lunch sometime this week?”
“Uhh, sure, I guess. What were you thinking?”
“I could pick up takeout, and we could eat in my office. Nothing major.”
“You meanAmeliacould pick up takeout,” he said with a laugh, referring to Gavin’s executive assistant. “And do the ordering.”
Gavin gave him a rueful smile. “Yes.”
“Why?”
Now Gavin looked confused. “Why what? Why is my assistant a saint who isn’t paid enough for everything she does to keep the organization together despite having to deal with my dumb ass?”
“That’s a mystery we’ll probably never be able to explain,” Thad joked. “But Imeantwhy do you want to do lunch?”
“Oh. I just wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Aren’t we talking now?”
Gavin rolled his eyes. “Privately.”
“Okay,” Thad agreed, half-afraid he was going to get fired or something.
Although, he didn’t really report to his brother anymore.
He reported to Finn O’Shea. Though that wasn’t really any less complicated. Because Finn would probably go along with whatever Gavin wanted when it came to Thad’s employment with the franchise.
It’s a damn good thing I’ve been picking up extra photography gigs, Thad thought with a sigh as he drained the rest of his beer. And maybe he should pick up some more.
Just to be on the safe side.
Especially if his brother ever found out he was fucking—dating—he corrected, one of his players.
Gavin had warned Thad off from the beginning and he’d gotten called out about his flirting with people in the organizationtwicelast season.
