“Ooh! You have a brother!” The elderly woman at the table is blatantly staring. “I didn’t need to bring Piper a date after all! Your boyfriend is on his shit, Dani. Waiter, please bring this man a glass of your best scotch.”
“Gran.” Dani tries to protest.
I hold up a hand. “No, I need a drink.”
I’m still staring at her. Is it true? Is Aaron right? Is she over me?
I should be grateful. Should be dragging her out of the restaurant to make her sign the paperwork that will free me from her.
Instead I accept the drink that’s brought and drape an arm around her shoulder.
Mine.
I smirk at the hipster. “I think your services are no longer needed.”
The hipster’s not to be swayed. “I mean, which way doyouswing?” he asks. “Would you be interested in a live-in houseboy? I bet I give better head than she does.”
“Yeah, but it just hits different jackin’ on a woman’s tits.” My palm comes lower, almost cupping her chest.
“The economy’s rough out there. Just shooting my shot.” He grabs the plate of appetizers, the bottle of wine, and his jacket, then he stands up.
“Are you single?” Piper asks Aaron with a raised eyebrow.
Aaron is staring at the scene.
“He’s not.”
“Grayson’s going to hear about this.” Aaron’s eyes narrow.
I’m really not liking that my oldest brothers are bonding over curb-stomping me.
“His girlfriend is a Coleman. He has higher standards than me, apparently,” I tell Dani.
“Well, la-di-da.”
“My father was a Blackwell,” the elderly woman across from Dani says, making threatening gestures with her knife. “And we held one of the Colemans hostage back in the 1800s.”
“Come join us for dinner, Aaron,” Dani offers.
“Yeah, Graham’s paying.”
“Absolutely not.”
“You’re not paying? But we just ordered appetizers!” Piper cries.
“Aaron’s not staying,” I tell her.
“I am.” My brother pulls up a chair.
“You really don’t have to ruin your dinner for this, Graham,” Dani murmurs.
“I can’t leave my girlfriend out all alone. What will people think?” I tighten my grip on her.
Click.
Piper lowers her phone. “Your mom’s going to think that picture’s not good enough for the Christmas card. Can you please not do that weird squinty thing with your right eye, Dani?”
“Piper!”
