“You’re never this quiet.” He huffs out a breath. “It makes a nice change to be honest, but it’s also a little concerning.” He takes a drink. “Unnerving. Either you’re dying or you’re plotting world domination.”
“Those are your options? I can’t simply be having an introspective moment?” Not that I’d ever admit the truth: I can’t stop seeing those eyes.
He guffaws, tearing a piece of still-warm bread from the basket between us and throwing it into his mouth. “I’ll be honest with you man, I didn’t even know you knew the word introspective.”
Something uncomfortable slithers under my skin at hisjoke.
“How’s the gang?” I ask about his relationship, knowing he’ll take the bait instead of pressing me harder for info about what’s going on with me.
My brother’s in a polycule with two of his teammates and a third teammate’s sister. It’s unconventional for many, and for a long-held beat we thought their relationship might implode the entire New Orleans Phantoms team, but it’s all come good. And I’ve never seen Ro so happy in his whole life.
A pang of jealousy spears my soul. My brother’s got a love life that works like clockwork. Meanwhile, mine’s a car crash in overtime. A string of one night stands because anything more would only invite trouble.
A warm smile lights up his face, but he shakes his head. “Not letting you deflect by bringing up my favorite subject to talk about.”
Damnit. “You could have brought the guys tonight, you know?”
The Phantoms don’t even count as ‘local-ish’ for an NHLgame, so when my travel calendar aligns with Roman’s, or he’s playing somewhere even vaguely considered ‘close,’ we do our utmost to get together—usually for a meal, sometimes for an early morning coffee before flights or bus rides pull us apart.
With him in Louisiana, me in Wisconsin, and our family based in Texas, things get kind of crazy, so it’s nice to make sure we have touch points, so we never drift too far apart.
My brother nods. “I know. They send their love.”
“But?” I tip my head to the side.
“But.” He grins at me. “I want to spend quality time with you when I have you. They’ll see you at Thanksgiving, or Christmas, or whenever. I like keeping these meals just us, you know?”
His eyes are warm and genuine when they meet mine. Out of all the big brothers in the world, my siblings and I really lucked out when we got Roman. He’s the best, and his words curl around my heart, giving it a loving squeeze.
He seems completely oblivious to the fact I live in his shadow, and regularly tells me I’m a stellar player in my own right, but that’s his job, right? It’s probably right at the top of the big brother manual. But he’s our safe space, has boundaries, and invested in my future by running drills with me day and night at our local arena back home.
I give him a smile. “I do too, but if you ever felt like bringing them along, I wouldn’t be mad about it.”
The server brings our appetizers, and a flash of thick, black hair being seated a few tables away brings back Artemis de la Peña’s face to my mind. I follow the path of the flow through the tables, and when he sits, I could swear from his profile that I’m staring at the side of his face.
Fuck.
My fork slips, clanging against the expensive porcelain. I rub my hand over my face. Upgrading from my water, I take a slug of beer and do my best to shake it off allwhile under the inscrutable gaze of my brother, who may be so chill he’s horizontal, but he never misses a fucking thing when it comes to his younger siblings.
Is that something they hardwire into the oldest kid? Is Artemis’s big sister like that too?
Another glance to my left and my heart grinds to a fucking halt, my breath stops right on its way into my lungs, and dizziness threatens to take my brain hostage. Fucking hell, itisArtemis.
Of course it’s him. Because the universe has a sick sense of humor and a hard-on for my humiliation.
He’s sitting right in my eyeline at a table with his siblings. My lips twitch. I may have dropped the fact I was going to Ember and Oak into conversation with Ares when I asked him to open Artemis’s AirDrop for me, but I didn’t expect for them to all show up.
My evening just got markedly more uncomfortable, because now I’m sporting a goddamn stiffy in this fancy steakhouse while at a table with my brother.
Awks.
Roman turns over his shoulder to follow my line of sight. “No.” It’s one word, but it’s laden with caution, and laced with something that sounds almost like gleeful amusement.
“No, what?” I casually pick up my beer and guzzle a few mouthfuls to wash down the lies brewing on the back of my tongue.
“Stay away from the de la Peña’s, Hermano.” He points his beer at me. “Whoever you have your eye on, they’re taken.” He shakes his head, his dusty hair falling across his forehead. “Happily. And from what I gather, their other halves will fillet you if you try to steal their boos.”
My jaw drops. “I’m not a homewrecker, Ro.” The indignation in my voice is loud at the accusation I’d try to stealsomeone else’s man. I’m a player, but that’s not who I am. “And they’re notalltaken.”
