She laughs. “Not at all.”
I chew on my lower lip, debating if I want to share with her that I’m currently waiting in her brother’s bed for him to come home from wherever they are.
But I need to know, or I’ll lie here all night.
“What is he doing tonight?”
“Oh, he’s with Duke. I don’t know where they ran off to. He said ranch stuff.”
My Spidey-Senses go off like alarm bells in my head. I sit up, my throat feeling tight.
“Duke said the same thing. It just sounds odd to me … at this hour.”
“Hmm, yeah, it is odd. But sometimes, I know they have meetings at Old Harry’s in that gross back room that’s all smoky. I went one time, and it was not my vibe. All the old guys smoke cigarettes and cigars inside.”
I relax marginally, but there’s still a nagging feeling tellingme that something is up. My instincts never lie. I knew my ex was cheating with no hard core evidence, and when I found the credit card statement proof later, I laughed out loud because I always knew he wasn’t actually at the gym for four hours.
“I think something is up,” I finally admit.
“What do you mean?” There’s a suspicious tone in her voice now.
“It’s just a hunch. But I have trust issues.”
“Wait … how did you know Duke’s not at home?”
“I—we—I’m at his place.” I bite my lip, snuggling farther under the covers that smell faintly like his leather and mint scent.
“Oh, really?” She says it like she just found out a huge secret she had already suspected was true. “And how often has this been happening?”
“It will probably happen more now since we’re dating.”
She screams so loud that I have to pull the phone away from my ear to save the eardrum from bursting. I laugh, relief coursing through me. The memory of Matt’s evil sister, who always disliked me for no good reason, flashes through my mind.
“Oh my gosh, Dallas, that’s the best news I’ve ever heard! You two were literally made for each other.”
“Really? I was afraid you might be, like, pissed off about it or think I was stealing his youth with my trauma and baggage.”
She snorts. “As if. Any woman who puts up with Duke is a saint.”
“He makes me feel more like a sinner than a saint.” I clapmy hand over my mouth, shocked that I let that come out of my mouth while talking to his sister.
“Dallas Hayes! Girl, you’d better quit. The amount of times I’ve seen and heard my brother in compromising positions makes me want to gouge my ears and eyes out.”
“Ew, don’t tell me about his slutty past. I want to pretend I’m the only girl he’s ever been with.”
“Right … even though you have two kids with someone else.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “Yes, exactly. I can have a past, but I want to pretend he doesn’t.”
“Okay, okay, I can play along. Duke’s a virgin.” She makes a gagging sound before we both collapse into a fit of laughter.
“All right, I’m exhausted. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Okay, future sister-in-law, talk to you then. Ah, I cannot wait to help plan the wedding! We can go all out for yours!”
“Dude, we just started dating.”
“I have a sixth sense about these things. I bet he’s had the ring since before your divorce was finalized.”
