I coughed, my pulse quickening as I cleared the rock lodged in my throat. “I should go.”
“Nope.” He blocked me again, just as Fiona waltzed into the kitchen, completely oblivious to the emotional battlefield she’d just walked into.
“Did Bummy try to eat your food?” she asked, hands on her hips, mock stern. “I saved it for my best friend.”
I felt Brooks stiffen next to me. His expression shifted, eyes flicking to Fiona in realization.
“This is your friend?” he asked, but his smirk was for me. “Interesting.”
No, no, no. I knew that look. It meant he’d do something I wouldn’t like.
“Yup,” Fiona said. “Michelle’s my girl. You met the new guy? Is he bothering you? I can tell Gid to kick him out.”
“He is,” I gritted out, glaring at Brooks. “Tried stealing my food.”
Fiona gasped, her large eyes widening. “Brooks, don’t mess with Michelle’s snacks. That’s like the first rule you should know about her.”
“I know,” he said, but his eyes never left mine. And damn it, there was too much knowing, too much heat in that gaze.
He was going to give us away.
I needed a distraction. Fast. “Obviously, because he sees what a mess I am,” I said lightly, forcing a chuckle. But Brooks’s grin only widened.
Before he could fire back, I turned to Fiona. Emergency escape plan: wedding talk.
“How’s the party?” I asked, too brightly. “How many days until the wedding?”
Fiona narrowed her eyes, sensing the dodge, but let it go. “Two weeks. You know that.”
And then, the bomb I should have seen coming.
“Speaking of,” she said casually, but there was an edge to her voice. “It’s the last time I’ll ask, but are you sure you don’t want a plus-one? My sisters are bringing one.”
I opened my mouth—no, absolutely not, I barely had time to breathe, let alone date, and—a crash echoed from the foyer. Fiona cursed and took off, leaving me alone with Brooks. Again.
I turned, ready to escape behind her before he could say anything else, but he just stood there, arms crossed, watching me.
Then, slowly, a smug smile curved his lips.
“You don’t want her knowing about us,” he murmured, tilting his head. “Fascinating. I wonder why.”
I scowled. “Shut up, Brooks.”
Fiona came barreling back in a second later, completely unaware she’d just saved my life.
“Brigs knocked over a vase,” she announced, shaking her head. “Dumbass.”
Brooks laughed—genuine, warm. But then he turned to Fiona, his smirk turning downright dangerous.
“Funny you should ask about a plus-one,” he said smoothly. “Michelle just asked me to go with her.”
My heart stopped.
“Wait, what?” Fiona’s eyes lit up like a damn firework show. “That’s a great idea! You’re new, and Michelle is?—”
“Single as hell,” Brooks supplied, using my own words from two years ago against me like he’d just won a game I didn’t know we were playing. I hated and loved that look.
I clenched my jaw. “Thanks for that. Yeah, I’m so selfless.”
