Page 68 of Vegas with my Brother’s Best Friends

I try to help out, but my voice fades away as I run out of words to say. What the hell am I supposed to tell her that’s actually believable?

“He was asking for Becca’s number,” Cassidy tells him, continuing to think on her feet.

She has gotten a lot better at lying since Las Vegas.

Ryan grins and nudges me. “Hell yeah, man. I didn’t think anything would happen between you two after you blew her off the other night.”

Curiosity glints in Cassidy’s eyes, but she remains quiet.

I have to hold back an irritated sigh. “I didn’t blow her off. I just wasn’t in the mood to talk much that night.”

He gives me a pointed look. “You blew her off, but it’s fine. You now have the chance to correct your mistake. Maybe she’s your Sarah.”

I almost laugh because there’s no way that’s accurate, but I withhold it. He’s just trying to look out for me, even if I certainly don’t deserve that after all I’ve done behind his back.

If he knew the truth, he wouldn’t help me with a single damn thing, and I wouldn’t blame him.

“Maybe,” I say, uncertainty filling my voice.

Shit. I can’t even act excited about this.

Ryan pats me on the back. “I know you’re not ready to date yet, but it’s good to keep an open mind, right? You never know what you’ll find. Or who.”

I glance over at Cassidy, whose mouth slightly twitches like she’s holding back a smile. “Yeah, you’re right.”

Ryan glances between us. “So, you just came to get Becca’s number?”

“Yep. That’s all,” I tell him, even taking out my phone to flash it toward him.

Like that’s going to convince him even more.

There’s no way in hell that I’m telling him that I came by to give his sister flowers. He’d definitely think I was giving them to her to try to sleep with her.

Ryan nods. “You busy right now, Cassidy?”

Cassidy shakes her head.

“I should go. Thanks, Cass,” I say before walking away, trying not to move so stiffly despite how tense I feel.

Too many close calls. Too many ways to mess everything up.

Yet I keep running right back to her.

I’m just asking to be hurt.

Chapter twenty-four

Chapter 24: Cassidy

Cocktails. Appetizers. Desserts. Pop music from all decades. Party games.

I’ve got everything covered for girls’ night, which is really just a party in a huge suite. We don’t know how to do anything lowkey, and I refused to let this be the one event that I didn’t put my all into planning.

“I just want to stay here forever,” Sarah sighs happily as the bridal party spreads out throughout the suite, lounging in the living room area, hanging out on the balcony, and eating in the kitchen.

I sit down on the large sectional sofa next to Sarah, slowly nibbling on a slider to keep from having to pretend-drink a cocktail. “I don’t think even you and Ryan can afford that.”

“Maybe if he can work remotely,” Sarah replies with a playful twinkle in her eye. “But I would miss you too much to move so far away.”