“You sure it’s not the opposite, and the women who are with you know there isn’t anything more to you, so they don’t care if it’s just sex? ‘Cause they know there isn’t anything else there?” she goaded.
Now it was his turn to lose his color. “Is that what you really think, Gracie?” he sneered.
She looked furious at his intimation, but it was clear that no one else at the table had picked up on what he was really asking. Lucas was starting to look uncomfortable, and his poor wife kept volleying her head from Sean to Grace and back to Sean.
“Grace, don’t be too tough on him,” Lucas intervened. “He’s been seeing someone for a little while now, remember? Maybe he’s getting steady in his old age.”
His tone was light, and Sean knew he meant to be funny to try and lighten the atmosphere, but his joke fell flat. That strange feeling tightened once more in his chest, and he couldn’t help but lash out.
“It’s okay, bro. Figured she’d lighten up some now that she’s clearly getting laid by her not-serious boy toy.”
Her gasp pierced through him, and she quickly dropped her gaze from him to her lap. He felt like a world-class asshole, and judging by Sophie’s stunned look, and the tic pulsing in Lucas’s jaw, it was clear they agreed.
“Sean, I need to talk to you in my office,” Lucas said tightly, rising from his chair.
Silently, he rose and followed his friend down the hall to the study. Lucas walked straight over to the bar cart in the corner and poured bourbon into two crystal glasses. He turned back and handed one to Sean.
Sean tipped back the glass, downing the liquor in one shot. It burned all the way down his throat to his belly as he watched Lucas do the same before setting his glass down.
“What the fuck was that?” his friend asked curtly.
The one problem with having a best friend since childhood was that they knew when to call bullshit, he thought, his mind racing with possible answers.
He tried for nonchalance. “You wanted me to rile her up,” he shrugged.
“I wanted you to ruffle her fucking feathers, not hurt and embarrass her!” Lucas almost shouted.
He clenched his jaw and stared at his friend. There wasn’t a point in arguing. He’d been an asshole, and he had hurt and embarrassed her. Remorse traveled through his veins as he wondered if he could fix this.
He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I was out of line. I’ll apologize to her.”
“Make sure that you do. And what the hell were you thinking, asshole? In what universe do I want to hear about my baby sister’s sex life?” Lucas was almost incredulous as he asked the question.
Again, he shrugged. “I don’t know what to say, man. I guess I wasn’t thinking.”
Lucas stared at him thoughtfully before strolling back to the cart and refilling his glass. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were the one who got riled up. Something going on I should know about?” he asked before taking a sip from his glass.
Warning bells went off in Sean’s brain, and he swallowed nervously. He felt the corners of his lips turn up in an attempt to smile as his shoulder raised in yet another shrug. He’d been doing a lot of that lately. “Nothing but the usual, bro.”
His friend’s unwavering gaze never left him. “You know if you ever need something, we’re here for you.”
Ah, shit.
He shook his head no as guilt seeped over him like a poisonous fog.
Now he could add liar to his resume, along with asshole.
Chapter Eight
“I wish I’d taken up smoking,” Grace muttered.
Uncharacteristically silent, Sophie looked up from the cocktail menu and arched one perfect brow, and Grace looked sharply away.
After their earlier uncomfortable dinner, Sophie had suggested that they all go for a drink at a nearby pub. It was suggested in a tone that brooked no refusal. Her sister-in-law had pretended not to see her expression. Even as Grace glared, she assented, but not before she insisted she take her own car with the excuse she had an early morning at the hospital.
Now, they sat in a secluded, dimly lit booth in the corner. Both women ordered wine, and after another pregnant silence without a server stopping by, the men went to the bar to get their drinks.
“You know Grace, I just realized something.” She spoke softly, but loud enough for Grace to hear her perfectly over the music that vibrated through the bar.
Warily, she regarded Sophie, anxiety beginning to form in the pit of her stomach. “That my brother is best friends with an asshole I can’t escape?” she tried.
Sophie’s warm, dark eyes turned sharp. As soon as she opened her mouth, Grace knew that her anxiety was well-placed.
“That you and said ‘asshole,’ have been hooking up for the last few months.”
Grace’s mouth opened and closed several times but nothing came out. The look in Sophie’s eyes was knowing, intense and … disappointed? Her chest got tight as she tried to find something to say.
Her speechless reaction only validated Sophie’s suspicions. “When and how?” she asked quietly.
Once more, her mouth opened to respond right as a glass of wine landed in front of her, and she stiffened as Sean slid into the booth—next to her.
“What did we miss?” Lucas asked, before placing a quick, soft kiss on his wife’s mouth.
Grace looked at her beseechingly, her eyes silently begging for her silence. She breathed a sigh of relief as Sophie waved a hand. “Oh, just girl talk. Nothing you guys would be interested in,” she finished, but her sharp gaze bore into Sean, who shifted uncomfortably next to her.
Grace inched further away from him, nearly pressing her side into the wall adjacent to the booth. Her movement wasn’t missed by her brother, who sighed deeply.
“You know, you guys have to start getting along at some point. I’d like it if you made a truce before we’re all in nursing homes.” He looked at them both expectantly.
She tried for normalcy. “Don’t hold your breath,” she quipped, the last word coming out strangled as Sean’s palm squeezed her thigh. She tried to cross her legs in an effort to dislodge him, but his hand stayed put. Sophie’s knowing eyes met hers, and once again, panic flared. When she finally turned to him, her gaze was icy.
Sean just grinned charmingly. “She’ll warm up eventually.” His hand rubbed her thigh, and she gulped instead of sipping her wine, swallowing the low scream that was building in her throat. “Maybe in another twenty years she’ll get tired of hating me.”
Inspiration struck her, and she set down her glass. Her fingers crept over to where his warm, large hand rested on her thigh. He tensed and as she curled her hand over his, she felt him relax.
Perfect.
Her thumb and middle finger snapped together quickly, her sharp nails gripping his flesh in a pinch.
Sean let out a strangled sound right as the lights dimmed further and the music got louder, almost as if it were a cue for a sudden throng of people to pile into the pub.
“I’m going to hit the ladies’ room before it gets crowded,” Sophie said quickly, motioning for her husband to let her out of the booth. “Grace, come with me.”
“Okay,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound nervous. She released Sean’s skin from her fingertips, but managed to knee him sharply. He quickly moved out of her way, and she slipped out without sparing him a glance. As she followed her sister-in-law to the restroom, she snuck a glance back to the table behind them. Lucas was shaking his head, a small smile playing around the corners of his mouth, but Grace could see Sean’s body language was anything but light-hearted.
She took a moment to maliciously enjoy his discomfort, but it quickly faded when they reached their destination. Sophie pulled open the single door to the larger stall and yanked her inside.
“Spill. Now,” she ordered.
Grace raised terrified eyes to her. “Do you think Lucas knows?”
Sophie’s mouth pursed tightly. “No, because lov
erboy is still sitting out there in one piece. You know your brother would rip him to shreds, best friend or not.”
Grace couldn’t bear contemplating it any further. She’d known the game they played was dangerous. Occasionally, fear crept into her mind, but she became adept at quickly pushing it out.
Now she had no choice but to deal with it.
Grace had no idea if Sophie would tell her brother, and as much as this secret would wreak havoc on their lives, she couldn’t ask her sister-in-law to lie to her husband.
“I know,” she whispered shakily.
Sophie’s expression softened, and she took Grace’s shoulders between her hands. “What happened?” she asked gently.
“I don’t know where to begin. Sometimes, we’re together, and I can’t even believe it myself. How did you figure it out?”
She received a wry look for her question. “You two have never gotten along, but today there was this insane tension. It took me a while to figure it out, but neither of you were being very subtle. You kept looking at each other and looking away each time you made eye contact, and instead of your usual back and forth, you both kept taking potshots at each other. He was seriously pissed when you said your relationship wasn’t serious, and I have never seen you back away from holding your own, but tonight you did. You just shut down and went silent. Not to mention the fact that you both went AWOL on us at the same time, for the same length of time. It didn’t take me very long once I saw how you two were around each other. Your poor brother, on the other hand, would never even think to put two and two together just because of who you two are.”
Sophie’s presentation of evidence was damning. Searching for something to respond with, something that would make it all better, Grace studied the shiny metal lock on the stall door.
“Are you going to tell him?” she asked finally.
Sophie exhaled. “No.”
Panic and relief warred within her. “Soph, I couldn’t ask you to lie or keep secrets.”
“That’s because I’m not going to,” Sophie interrupted. “You’re going to tell him.”
Her mouth opened in horror. “I can’t. Please don’t make me. I can’t do that Sophie. He’ll never forgive either one of us.”
Even as she begged, she found sympathy and understanding in Sophie’s expression. “Grace, I can’t make you tell him. I won’t. But you know I can’t keep secrets in my marriage. Even lying by omission. If Lucas found out that I knew and didn’t tell him, it would shatter our trust. And you telling him is the right thing to do. He’s worried about you both, you know. He thinks maybe you’re depressed, and he’s confused by the distance both of you had from him. You don’t have to tell him tonight, but you need to do it soon.”
Even though the music pounded loudly beyond the restroom doors, the silence in the stall overwhelmed her. Sophie was right. She’d known she was playing with fire, and now she was going to incinerate everyone she loved. Including Sean. This would destroy their friendship.
She blinked back tears. “You’re right,” she said, breaking the silence. “But I have to talk to Sean first. This concerns him just as much as me.”
Sophie nodded. “Okay, Grace. If you want to talk it over some more before you talk to Lucas, you know you can always come to me. You know that, right?”
She nodded.
“Okay, good. We should go back outside or Lucas’s going to wonder what’s going on.”
Mutely, she nodded. Before Sophie went to unlatch the door to the stall, she pulled Grace into a tight embrace. “It’s going to be okay, I promise,” she whispered.
As they left, she tried to find reassurance in her sister-in-law’s words, but she still couldn’t fight the dark feeling of gloom that settled over her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When they got back to the table, Sophie slipped into the seat right next to Sean. Lucas looked at her in surprise.
She just winked at him. “He was closest to me, besides, I’m going to drag you off to dance as soon as you’re done with that beer.”
Even though he groaned, it was half-hearted, and the warm look he exchanged with his wife was plain for all to see. Silently, she sat next to her brother. She could sense Sean looking at her, almost willing her to turn and look at him, but she kept her gaze on the half full glass of wine in front of her. Needing something to do with her hands, she rubbed the stem between her fingers.
Sophie graced her husband with a bland smile and sipped her wine. She hated knowing something that Lucas didn’t, especially something like this, something that dealt with both his beloved baby sister and almost as beloved best friend.
“What took you guys so long in the bathroom?” he asked.
Just then the song changed, and she jumped up. “Ok, no time for you to finish your beer. I love this song. Let’s go!”
She grabbed her husband’s hand, nearly dragging him to the middle of the dance floor with her. Grace and Sean needed to talk, and even though it wasn’t the most ideal setting, their options were limited. As Lucas’s hands settled low on her hips, she leaned up against his tall frame and pressed a quick kiss against his lips. This man that she loved more and more with every passing breath grinned down at her and her heart swelled. The song was an up-tempo ballad, so they could still sway against each other. “Love you,” she murmured up at him, eyes shining. He gave her a small smile before twirling her around. “Always,” he said gruffly.
“Always,” she promised, melting into him. She lost herself in the song and her love, eyes drifting shut as she moved against him. Suddenly, he stopped moving, and she blinked her eyes open, starting when he frowned over her shoulder.
“What’s wrong, babe?” she asked, hoping she didn’t already know the answer to her own question.
His dark brows drew together and his frown stayed in place as he looked down at his wife.
“Do you think something is going on with Grace and Sean?”
Shit. She hated lying to her husband. Better to answer a question you don’t want to answer with another question, the attorney in her decided.
“What makes you think so?” She wriggled her hips against his as a sign to get moving again.
The frown faded slightly as he started to move again, but he still wore a concerned expression.
“Just this feeling I’m getting. They’re always going at it, but something’s not right.” He twirled her around again so that she faced their table. “See? Whatever it is they’re talking about, it looks like a lot more than just trading insults.”
And he was right. Sophie looked on, almost mesmerized. They sat across from each other, and Sean was talking with an urgent look on his face while Grace looked on, despair written all over her face. Finally, he stopped talking and gestured for her to respond. It was impossible to read her lips, but whatever it was she’d said resulted in his fist pounding down on the table. She jumped in her seat, and he reached out for her, but before he could touch her, she murmured something and fled in the direction of the bathroom.
“Well?” her husband asked impatiently. “Do you see? What do you think?”
She pulled away from him, gently disengaging. “Honey, Grace just went to the bathroom, and I think she’s upset. I’m going to go talk to her.”
Lucas watched as his wife walked away and something dawned on him. Sophie had a habit of not directly answering his questions when she didn’t want him to know something. He thought it was clever, and it often amused him. He looked to where his best friend was sitting, elbows on the table, his head in his hands.
Sean looked like a defeated man.
Why would Grace rush off to the bathroom, upset? And why would that leave Sean looking like his dog was run over?
His jaw worked as he strode over to the table, hoping he was wrong.
“What’s up, man?”
“I gotta get out of here. I have an early morning tomorrow,” Sean muttered bleakly.
“Since when do you have an early morning on the wee
kends?” he inquired.
Sean’s head snapped up sharply. “Just because we’ve known each other since we were kids doesn’t mean you know everything about my life.”
“Yes it does.”
“Are we really going to get into this?” Sean asked tiredly. He was with a woman he adored and his best friends. What should have been a great night left him feeling stressed and drained..
Lucas just smiled tightly. “Nah,” he shook his head. “I just never see you anymore. Let’s just grab another one.”
Just then, Sophie appeared behind her husband, wrapping her arms around him. “Guess who?” she asked from behind. He growled, and she shrieked as his arm snaked out behind him and he pulled her to his front. He smacked a kiss on her laughing mouth. “Where’s my sister?”
He felt her stiffen. “She’s okay,” she said slowly, examining his face carefully. “She’ll be out in a few.”
“Why?”
“You know what, babe? We’re both out of wine. Can you grab us refills?” She batted her eyelashes over dark eyes that never failed to trap him.
Except for tonight. His pretty little wife had some explaining to do.
“Sure, baby. Come on Sean.”
“Why can’t Sean stay here and keep me company?” she pouted.
She was definitely up to something. And something was definitely going on with Sean and Grace and his beloved, but meddlesome wife was probably neck-deep in it.
“Because as much as you’d wish for more of my magic hands, I only have two.”
“Lucas!” She wrinkled her nose at him, but relented. “Fine.”
As he waited for his friend to exit the booth, he noticed his tiny wife giving death glares to his best friend while Sean pretended not to see.
They made their way to the bar through a mass of dancing, writhing bodies. Sean ordered and pulled out his wallet to pay the bartender as she filled their drinks.
“What’s going on Sean?”
“What did you say?” The rat bastard was pretending not to hear him over the music.
“What has both you and my sister upset?” he nearly shouted.
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