Page 68 of Sterling Fight

I full on snort, covering my mouth with my hand at Vale’s advice to her brother, who looks like he’d like to crawl underneath the seat.

“Okay, now sit back,” Judd says, glancing briefly at his sister who still has her head between the seats, leaning on the edge of mine. “Don’t make me pull over.”

His voice is all tease.

Vale groans and slips backward, refastening the seat belt, and tipping her head to the window like all the steam went out of her.

When we reach Stone’s home, Judd helps his sister out of the truck and walks her up to the door. There, Vale wraps her arms around Judd’s waist, and he hugs her back a second before she pats his back and pulls away to enter the house.

The exchange is sweet and makes me wish for siblings again. A whole brood of them that care about one another and want the best for each other.

When Judd returns to the truck, he glances back at the front porch making certain his sister is in the house even though he just watched her enter.

“Have fun tonight?”

I roll my head on the headrest and stare at him as he reverses his truck. In the reflection of the dashboard lights, I admire his profile. A strong nose. Full lips. Those bright eyes.

“Vale is my new best friend.”

Judd’s mouth curls in a soft way. Not a full smile but a hint that he’s pleased. “I want to be your new best friend.”

“You are my fiancé,” I remind him, stating the word all fancy in a fake French accent, and adding a poke to his arm like his sister had been giving him.

“They can be the same thing.”

I hadn’t really thought about that. I mean, couple goals—be friends with your betrothed—but only days ago, I’d thought friends and fiancé were two separate words, when they really should be synonymous.

“So, what did you do tonight?” He’s had hours of relief from me in his home.

“Waited for you.”

I snort. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. I met Stone for dinner, and we hung out until I got your call.”

That’s strangely sweet.

“I saw Heather tonight,” I report quietly, not really wanting to bring her up and yet still bothered by what she said about Judd.

He turns his head toward me, brows pinching with concern. “Did she say something to you?”

I chew on my lower lip. Heather didn’t so much speak to me as she insulted Judd, and now I’m sorry I mentioned her because I don’t want to share with him the hurtful things she said.

Judd must sense my unease, and he glances at me again before pulling into his gated driveway. “What did she do?”

I shrug. “Nothing worth repeating.”

“Tell me anyway.”

“It wasn’t nice, Judd. Nor necessary.” She’s just jealous, as Cadence said.

Judd parks in his garage, cuts the engine and turns toward me in his seat. “Tell me.”

“Judd.” I sigh, the sound an admission that I don’t want to tell him.

“Did she call you names? Threaten you in any way?” His voice rises, his agitation growing as he reaches for my hand, his thumb instantly finding the amethyst on his mother’s ring and toying with it.

“No, nothing like that.”