“I recommend falling in love, Blue,” Leah said. “You think that could be on the cards for you and Jay?”
The silence that followed was absolute. Every head in the room turned.
“Real subtle, guys,” Leah muttered.
“Jay’s one of the good guys,” Nina said.
Blue hesitated. “Did he ever talk to any of you about his childhood?”
She didn’t ask to be nosy. She needed to understand what made that man tick, and while she knew his parents had been terrible to him, Blue wanted to know more. She was also still mulling over what to do about his half sister.
“Dan told me Jay’s not big on sharing things that are going on in his life, or about his childhood,” Leah said.
“Which has to be hard if you’re a Duke, seeing as they share everything,” Bradford added.
JD acknowledged that statement by raising his coffee mug.
“I tell you one thing,” Birdie added. “I think Jay’s past was hell, but I also see him watching the Duke siblings all together sometimes. There’s a longing in his eyes.”
Blue agreed, but she said nothing about Hazel. It wasn’t her story to tell.
“What do you think Jay actually does?” Phoebe asked.
Blue had been wondering that too.
“I think he’s a spy,” Nina said.
“Stripper?” Cill asked.
“Nah. Jay would never do that. Dan, however? I bet he could be coerced,” Nina said.
“No one is coercing my man into taking off his clothes but me,” Leah added. “I know Jay does something with national security, from what Dan told me.”
“I doubt we will ever really know. But if anyone has a shot at discovering that, it’s Blue,” Nina said.
“Nope. He’s pretty secretive about his work, and mainly does it from his office outside,” Blue said.
“What the hell is that noise?” Birdie frowned.
They all went still. Then the music swelled through the open doorway.
“Oh no,” Phoebe groaned. “My frosted tips.”
Laughing, they all headed outside. Blue, with her sheet wrapped tight around her like a toga. She hoped it didn’t fall off, but then who in Lyntacky would be shocked if it did? Most of the locals were unshockable.
The topic of Jay Haddon was shelved, and no new information was gained.
One secret she would not be sharing with anyone was about his half sister. He could disclose that if and when he wanted to. She hoped that would be soon.
When they stepped outside, Blue spotted Dan and the Duke brothers across the street.
“Why are they in running gear? None of them like running,” she said. “You told me training for the Lynpicks nearly killed them.”
“Apparently they’re not getting any younger.” Birdie shrugged.
“I think there is more to it,” Phoebe added. “Like a bet or something, but Brody is not talking.”
The women drifted toward their men.
