Page 31 of Happily Ever Never

I drove to work, thinking about what I was doing. I neededto talk to the guys, and I needed to talk to May. But I had no idea what tosay. Thankfully, only Tristan was working, and I didn’t have to figure out whatto say until Leif and Nick came in.

Tristan gave me an odd look, and I had to wonder if maybeMay had said something and everybody already knew. Maybe everybody knew that Ihad kissed her and then hurt her and now needed to be burned alive.

Because that sounded like the reallyrational explanation of what’d just happened.

“You okay?” Tristan asked.

“I’m fine.” I let out a breath. “How long have you and Tarynbeen together?”

He smiled that self-satisfied smile that said he was a manin love. How the hell had I missed it?

“A few months now. We kept it quiet because…hell, we’recoworkers and friends, and we’re all with a big group. It could have blown up inour faces. But it hasn’t yet. And, fuck, man. I loveher. Me. I’m not a guy who falls in love like that. It doesn’t happen.”

“But you did. You fell in love with her.”

“You’re right. I did. And, thankfully, she loves me back. Itwould’ve been awkward if she didn’t. But we kept it to ourselves because weliked it just being ours without everybody worrying about us, wondering whatmistakes we would make, or trying to give us advice. Yes, at first, it probablywould’ve been easier to talk to you about it, but I kind of likedsneaking around. It was fun.”

“So, you weren’t afraid we would hate you if you broke up?”

Tristan blinked at me. “No, I just thought you’d kick my assif I hurt her. And I would gladly let you.”

My lips twitched. “That sounds like a reasonableassumption.”

“You going to talk about it then?” Tristan asked, and I knewwe were no longer talking about him and Taryn.

“Not yet. I need to think.”

“Good. Think. And then tell us. Because whatever the hell’sbeen going on with you for the past couple of weeks is freaking me out.”

“Well, God forbid I freak you out.”

“It’s true. I am the center of the universe.”

I laughed as Brandi, my client for the day, walked in.“Well, two handsome men laughing as I walk in. I hope you’re telling a dirtyjoke, and it’s not about me.”

“I promise it’s not about you. Come on down. We’re workingon your back today.”

“Are we? I thought we were just working on the sketch.”

She gripped her hands in front of her, her teeth tugging ather lip.

I leaned forward and patted her arm. “If you’re not ready,we can just finish the sketch today. I can even put the stencil on your back tosee how it looks. We don’t have to make a single mark today if you don’t wantto.”

Brandi let out a breath. “Thank you. I know it sounds weird.I’ve been ready for this for years. I know exactly what I want, and we’ve beentalking about it forever. But I think I want to show my sister.”

“Really?”

“I know it’s insane, but we tell each other everything. Ihaven’t told her about this, and it feels weird. I don’t like secrets.”

Tristan gave me a look, and I shuddered. It was coming at mefrom all angles today.

Brandi stared at me. “What happened?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

“You have that guilt face.”

“What’s the guilt face?” I snorted, tilting my head as Istared at her. “My sister called it a frowny face earlier.”