Page 168 of High Reward

My chest goes tight. “Bri.”

“Don’t.” She shakes her head, laughing a little wetly. “If you get sentimental on me right now I will absolutely lose it in front of the DJ booth, and I refuse to cry at someone else’s engagement party.”

I squeeze her hand back instead and let her have the moment without pushing further. I know what it’s like to sit with a decision a while before you can say it out loud.

Tyson calls her name from across the room, and she wipes under her eyes before plastering her party face back on.

“To be continued,” she says.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

Three days later, I find out what it was. Sabrina and Tyson are leaving for New Orleans early, weeks ahead of when his new job actually starts, so they can find a place and get settled before the move eats every free hour they have.

Sabrina embraces me with tears in her eyes. “It’s so nice to see you and Victor so happy. You were a wonderful roommate,” she says as we stand in the parking lot next to the car taking her and Tyson to the airport.

“Thank you, Bri. I’m going to miss you. But this new life I’m building with Victor and Lili is so thrilling. I can’t wait to see where things go for us.”

“And I can’t wait to read your next book, ma’am. It’s rude of you to have hidden that talent from us all these years.”

My face heats in even in the cool Vegas air, but I let out a nervous laugh. “Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed the first one. Ihave two more almost ready, but I’m trying to be strategic about my releases.”

“As you should be.”

“Don’t overthink your relationship with Tyson,” I tell her, kissing her cheek as Tyson steps out with a suitcase and puts it into the trunk of the waiting car.

“I’m doing my best. Living together is going to be very different. He’s a lot more dominant in his private space. He’s about to find out what a brat I can be.”

“I heard that, brat.”

Sabrina giggles. “That was kind of the point, Sir.”

“Mmhmm. We’re flying private, little girl. Just remember that.”

Sabrina has the decency to pretend to look worried, but I can see the twinkle in her eyes.

Tyson rounds the car to pull me into a hug of his own, solid and brief, the kind he gives when he means it but doesn’t want to make a thing of it. “Take care of my kitchen. Whoever we hire to replace me at the club better not touch my knife roll.”

“I make no promises about the knife roll.”

“Unacceptable.” But he’s smiling when he says it, and he holds on an extra second before he lets go. “You’re good people, Grace. I’m glad I got to know you before all this.”

Victor comes around the side of the house just as Tyson climbs into the passenger seat, Lili trailing a step behind him still in yesterday’s clothes, clearly having come straight from the Sapphire the second she heard the timing moved up.

Victor claps Tyson on the shoulder before he can duck fully into the car. “Call if New Orleans gives you any trouble you can’t handle alone.”

“Not planning on needing to.”

“Call anyway.” Victor’s voice goes flat, which means he isn’t actually asking. “You’re still ours, job title notwithstanding.”

Tyson’s grin drops for half a second before he puts it back. “Careful, Serrano. Almost sounded like you’d miss me.”

“Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Too late.” Tyson rolls the window down as Jeanie starts the engine. “Watch your back, all three of you. And eat something other than takeout at the club once in a while. I taught Sabrina a few of my recipes. She’ll pass them along if you ask nicely.”

“You couldn’t wait for a real goodbye?” Lili demands, planting both hands on her hips at the open car window.

“You have my number,” Sabrina says, laughing. “Use it. Often. I expect updates on all three of you constantly.”