“Absolutely!” It had been over a year. I was ready to fling open my windows and scream with excitement, but I bundled it up, not wanting to get my hopes up. Her schedule changed at a moment’s notice, and I didn’t want her to feel bad if she couldn’t make it.
She yawned again. “Awesome.” It sounded more sleepy than enthusiastic. “I miss you.”
“I miss you too.”
“Where are you now? Out?” She woo’ed and I imagined her with her sleepy arms overhead like she was at a club or out at a bar. “Getting some much needed time on the dance floor?”
“Yes, I’m at a silent rave.”
“Ohh, I went to one before—”
Of course she had.
“I’m out, but not like that.” I broke in before she related yet another of her stories that made me feel like I’d never fit as much crazy in my life as she had in only one weekend.
“Where are you?”
“Waiting outside of a Philly brownstone for Hunter’s little brother to finish a college alumni interview.”
The pause was so long I checked to make sure the call hadn’t dropped.
“Okay, I’ll need to be fully awake for that conversation. But right now, I’m about to pass out.” Another yawn. “Night, Sabrina.”
“Sleep well. Turn your phone off as soon as we’re finished talking.”
“Son of a bitch,” she growled. “Too late.”
“What?”
“Ivan No. 2 just texted me. Maybe I can hide out in your apartment after I murder him.”
“Please don’t. Tickets to Russia are super expensive, and I’d prefer not to visit you in a prison there.”
“Don’t worry, we’re in Norway. Their prisons are supposed to be super nice.”
I couldn’t be sure she was joking. Not wanting to take any chances, I blurted out, “Please don’t kill your boss.” Damn it, now I was probably on a list and they’d play this recording at her trial.
Her drowsy reply calmed my nerves—some. “I’ll think about it. Love you. Bye!”
I stared at the glowing screen of my phone before looking up ticket prices to Norway. Damn, that was expensive. Please don’t let her get arrested tonight.
My pacing and leg shakes to keep warm on the sidewalk drew a few sideways looks from people passing by. I waved, my cheeks no longer burning from the wind whipping around the corner.
The yellow door Ryder had stepped through earlier opened, lighting up the stairs. He wore a wide smile and seemed like he’d grown an inch since he’d walked inside. Turning on the doorstep, he extended his hand, shaking an older man’s hand before stepping back off the stoop.
I walked toward him with small, measured steps, not wanting to make it to them before they’d finished saying goodbye.
The door closed. After checking over his shoulder, Ryder rushed forward, grinning so wide my cheeks hurt.
“It went well.”
He grabbed me and hugged me tight before releasing me. “He’s a former member of the admissions committee. He said I’d make a great addition to the incoming class and he’d make sure they knew.”
I grabbed onto his coat sleeves and jumped up and down like an idiot, joy volleying back and forth between us. Someone needed to celebrate his win. “I knew you’d kick ass in there.”
He sobered a bit and his head ducked. “Thanks for your help.”
Grabbing his arm, I pulled him down the block. “I’m happy to help any time you need it.”
After walking Ryder to the Speedline stop, I went back to the apartment, trying think of ways to bridge the gulf between the two brothers. Inside, I dropped my things in my room before changing, grabbing some chicken tortilla soup with some chips, cheese and sour cream added on top and taking my place at the puzzle table.
The spoon clinked against the side of my bowl. There were five more rows of the picture completed. My head snapped to the empty doorway. Maybe there was some hope for us—him—yet. Definitely not us. There was no us, and there wouldn’t be an us. But that didn’t mean we couldn’t get along and make the best of the next couple months.
With a slight smile, I dug into my soup and worked my way through the next set of pieces.
17
Hunter
“Why would you make that deal?” Everest chucked a thick fabric sample book at my head.
It thumped open behind me, spraying swatches all over the floor. I rounded the table, trying to keep us at least a few feet apart.
His arm had gotten better after all his time hanging out with pro athletes, so I didn’t want to give him an easy hit.
“I thought maybe it would be a chance for you two to hash it out. It’s been years. The dance you two are doing… It might be better to just let it all out.”
“And this has nothing to do with getting her band for your concert?” His voice rattled the windows of the conference room. Someone peered inside before wheeling right around and disappearing from view. A legal pad went sailing by my head. “You offered me up to lock down a band for your show.”
“It’s not just any band. It’s Without Grey.”
“I know who the fuck it is. You don’t think I know who they are? They’re the ones who stole her from me.” His fingers tightened around the metal cup with whiteboard markers in it. He slammed the cup down and dropped into a chair.
“Stole her from you…” I walked around the table with my stomach plummeting and pulled out a chair beside him. “I thought you said you two agreed it wouldn’t work when you met her after the Europe trip. You said it was mutual.”
He took out one of the markers and rolled it under his flattened palm against the table. The cap beat out a rhythmic pattern. “I did say that, didn’t I?” His lips twisted in a humorless smile.
My muscles locked. “She cheated on you? Why didn’t you tell me? I’d have never asked her if I’d known that.” Shock ricocheted through me—and guilt. Guilt that I’d even brought her up to him, and the jokes I’d thrown out over the years when it came to her. I’d walk away from the deal and figure out a different plan and make sure I didn’t bring Maddy up to him again. Anger and bitterness burned in my chest at the thought that she was a fucking cheater.
“I never said she cheated.” His words were rough and raw.
I rocked back in my chair. Some of the strain lessened. I hadn’t been trying to force him to spend time with a woman who’d broken his trust and his heart, no matter how much he’d tried to pretend it wasn’t the case. “So what the hell happened?”
He glanced at me. He fished the lighter that he always had with him out of his pocket, although he’d never smoked, and flicked the lid open and closed. The metallic scrape was the only sound in the conference room.
“It doesn’t matter.” He slammed the lid closed and spun it between his thumb and forefinger.
“Maybe it’s why Camden made this part of the deal.”
The lighter fell out of his grasp. “Camden wanted me to meet with her?” He stared at me like I’d told him aliens had beamed down and made the request.