“You aren’t going to make me feel bad for wanting Ivy to get another family out of this,” Chad said louder than normal.
Killian glanced our way.
Mickayla’s gaze swung to me and something about the look in her eyes told me she knew.
“Mick, is there a problem?”Ryan asked, picking up on the silent interaction between us.
Before she could look to him, I guessed, “He told you.”
She shook her head.“He told one of the brothers.I barged into the office for change not knowing they were having that kind of conversation.”
Ryan’s hand on my thigh tightened.
I leaned my shoulder into his.“It’s not a big deal.”
He stared at his sister.
“Don’t give me that look,” Mickayla said.
“Who did he tell?”Ryan asked.
“Tundra, but that hardly matters.One of your brothers isn’t going to put her in danger anymore than you are,” Mickayla said.
Ryan shook his head.“Why was he there last night?”
Killian tipped his soda glass at Ryan.“To fill in for your ass.If you’re worried he’s comin’ for your job – you should be.He’s got more experience and he’s better than you.”
Ryan narrowed his eyes at his triplet.“He’s not better than me, jackass.”
“No, he’s better than both of you combined,” Mickayla said.
“Bullshit,” Ryan and Killian said at the same time.
We all laughed at that.
A few minutes later, Kristen and I went to the bathroom before our food came out.
We were washing our hands and I noticed Kristen’s gaze on my reflection in the mirror.“This is going to sound crazy, but would it be weird if I gave Ricochet my number?”
“Yes,” Mickayla’s voice came from a closed stall.“It’s weird already just hearing this conversation.”
“I thought you stayed at the table!When did you come in here?”I asked on a laugh.
“Not thirty seconds after y’all left, all the coffee I had this morning caught up with me, so I came in right after you two.”
I dried my hands and faced Kristen.“I thought you weren’t looking for a man.”
“Neither were you, as I recall,” she said.“But Ricochet is not like his brother.He’s a one-and-done kind of guy.that seems clear.”
“Good Lord!Can you two cut a girl a break,” Mickayla cried from her stall just before the toilet flushed.
I twisted my hands out at Kristen.“You’re a free woman.”
Mickayla wandered to the sink and aimed a look at Kristen.“Woman to woman, he’s an insatiable flirt – always has been.Don’t take it to heart if he never calls.He’d hate to do something to make her or Ryan feel weird long term.”
“I’m surprised you’d tell me that,” Kristen said.
Mickayla gave her a closed-lip smile and jerked her head toward me.“I can see how tight you and her are and something makes me think she’s gonna be around for a while.Which means you’ll be around, too.I’d hate it if someone didn’t forewarn me if they knew someone might string me along.”
