In walked a man, looking like he’d win a Steven Tyler look-alike contest if Steven Tyler wore guyliner and black leather. He was about as tall as I was and trying too hard to look like a rock star with his black leather pants and shirt unbuttoned past his navel.
“Sorry we’re late.” He smacked his gum between his words, and I felt the lip of myI’m gonna have to start hurting people if this keeps upswitch turn on. “Gig ran late at Moon’s.”
“You got a gig at Moon’s already, Bradley?” Maggie asked.
“He’s had it booked for a month,” Mary said.
“Is that why Baddy Cleft said I was too late?” Derek interrupted. “You stole my spot.”
“All part of the life, man,” he said, slapping Derek on the back, shoving straight past and into the great room where Ophelia held out her arms.
“Mom!” He laid on the fake adoration, pulling her into a hug. “How are you?”
“Oh, I’m fine, dear. Have you met Hunter? He owns a line of hotels and just proposed to Maggie. Isn’t it marvelous?”
“You’re getting married?” Mary grabbed Maggie’s hand and eyed the ring. “Jesus!You’re gonna sink the boat with that one.”
“I didn’t haven’t said yes.”
That rock on her finger made my jaw tight every time I looked at it. Like a brand. Like he’d already decided for her.
“Oh. Why not?”
Maggie’s eyes flicked to me for a second, then back to her sister.
“Oh—” Mary said with a smile building.
“No… it’s not like that.”
Her expression changed into a knowing smirk. “I know you, girl… and it’s exactly like that.”
“No… you know just as much as I know that you have a birthmark on your ass in the shape of Egypt and you lost a nipple to an overly eager evening at the waterpark in Cancun five years ago.”
I couldn’t help but smirk.
“Exactly, you know all my secrets.” Mary giggled. “Make sure you text me when you’re back in your books.” She thumbed toward me in passing. “Hey, Ma,” she said, joining the others in the great room.
Maggie and I stood alone in the foyer.
“So, that’s yoursister?” I asked, putting both hands in my pants pockets and rocking on my heels.
“Yep.”
“Huh. Interesting.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Mm-hmm.” She crossed her arms, giving me anI can’t believe youlook.
“You really don’t want to know.”
“I already do.”
I scoffed. “Right.”
She tilted her head, one brow lifting. “You’re imagining us together.”
