“Okay, then, it’s time to hash things out,” Ben said, before swigging down some beer.
“Nothing to hash out,” he muttered. “She’s a Colarusso. Knew about my issues with them and said nothing. Probably had a good laugh, too. Oh, and she’s engaged to some guy named Gino, who I suspect was the one putting in the bids. He looked familiar. She was probably telling him about the jobs I was trying to get. She’s devious and conniving, and I’m done.”
Ben glanced around him at his brother. “Was I that stupid?”
Ethan nodded. “You were worse.”
“I think we’re done.” Gritting his teeth, he made to get up, but each man gripped one of his shoulders and held him in place.
“No. Not hardly, so stay put,” Ben said, voice firm and serious, all signs of teasing gone. “First off, she’s not engaged and hasn’t been. That was some yahoo who won’t let her alone.”
“What?” Without permission, Ryder’s insides knotted and a strong urge to beat the shit of the guy surged through him.
“And she didn’t lie about her last name. It’s Nardovino. But her family does own Colarusso Construction. It was her grandfather on her mother’s side who started the business.”
“Whatever,” he muttered. “She never told me.” She kept secrets. End of story.
Ben quirked a brow. “Did you ask?”
He jerked his head back. “What?”
“Did you ask her if she was a Colarusso?”
“Of course not.” Ryder finished his beer then squeezed the empty can in his hand. Fucking idiot.
His buddy cocked his head. “Then explain exactly how it is she lied.”
“By omission.”
Ben smirked. “That’s thin, man.”
“Real thin.” Ethan nodded.
“See through,” Ben continued, doing a great job of pissing him off, too.
Ryder opened the cooler and tossed the crushed can inside, before grabbing a new one. “This has been fun. Not,” he said. “Are you two going to come to a point soon? I need to finish drinking alone.”
Ben inhaled, then spoke. “From what I gathered from your remarks, you think Sophia used you to get the locations of the jobs you wanted to bid on so she could pass it on to some stalker that works for her family, so her family could bid lower and get the jobs. Am I right?”
“No. Yeah…Christ.” He blew out a breath. “I don’t know.” His brain hurt. When he heard it out loud, it sounded stupid. “She lied to me.”
Ethan shook his head. “No, Ryder, she just didn’t tell you everything, and it’s my guess that she was worried how you’d react.”
“Yeah, it sucks that she’s related to the family undercutting your bids, but it’s not like she did the actual bidding. And, damn, man. It’s no secret how you feel about Colarusso Construction,” Ben said. “You actually put her in a tough situation. If she told you, you’d be mad. If she didn’t tell you, you’d be mad. There was no way out for her. No answer.”
Well…hell.
He exhaled slowly, and stared into the murky abyss below his feet. It was true. Still. “Lying is never the answer. Jinan kept her family a secret too. And look what happened.” He ended up betrayed and alone.
“Ryder, listen to me.” Ben set a hand his shoulder again. “Sophia is not Jinan. She did not choose her family over you and marry another man. You need to think back. Did you ever talk to her about Colarusso…I mean by name? Because you and I discussed them, but she wasn’t there.”
He rubbed his temple, trying to dispel the dull ache. “Yeah, I mentioned them to her when…” He paused, trying to recall when he’d actually said the name to her, and…damn.It was recent. The first time that came to mind was at the theater. The day before she left. “We were finished working on a set. Cathy told me I lost the ice cream parlor bid.”
“Lost?” Ethan frowned. “Didn’t you get that bid?”
He nodded. “I originally didn’t, though. They called back the next day to offer it to…son-of-a-bitch.” His whole body stiffened as his heart dropped to his gut.
Ben grinned. “Looks like we have anahamoment.”
