Page 13 of Risky Play

“What would I do without you?” Dinah asked.

“Be terrible at marketing! Your publisher doesn’t do enough for you.”

Noah begrudgingly put his jacket back on.

Maddie shook her head at him. “Noah, put your jacket away. I know how to get back to campus.”

The tall, bearded man glared at his little sister. Compared to his tiny wife, Maddie was an Amazon, but not as tall as Noah. She put her hands on her hips and glared up at her brother.

“Mads,” Noah sighed and scrubbed a hand across his beard. “It’s late at night. Just let me drive you to West Philly.”

“Babe…” Dinah tried to cut in, but the siblings gave her a look that said, ‘Stay out of it.’

Maddie curled and uncurled her fists but then stomped out of the house.

I sighed and slunk away to my room in the basement.

Noah and Dinah said I didn’t have to stay in their finished basement since they had guest rooms upstairs, but I liked having my own space. The basement was fully furnished, complete with a full bath and bedroom, making it feel like my own. There was even a door that led to the garage, so I could come and go as I pleased. They were great about respecting my privacy and never came downstairs unless invited. In truth, it was a kickass living arrangement.

I got out of my suit and changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt before flopping down on my bed.

I scrolled through my phone absent-mindedly and ended up searching through Dinah’s social media feed. Which was mostly stuff for her books until I went far enough back and found the selfie she posted with Maddie at the wedding. Then I scrolled through Maddie’s profile. She posted a lot about books with half-naked dudes on the cover, but every once in a while, there was a rare selfie. She looked amazing in each and every one. But it didn’t explain why she was here tonight.

Dinah knocked on the door to the basement. “Hey! You want something to eat?” she called through it.

“Did you cook?” I yelled up to her.

I heard her loud laughter, and a smile stretched across my face. Despite being from a large Italian family, Dinah wasn’t much of a cook. Noah said he’d worry about her forgetting to eat while he was on the road if it wasn’t for her overprotective older brothers coming over and checking the fridge.

I pocketed my phone and went up the steps into the kitchen. Dinah sat at the kitchen table with her laptop open, nursing a beer. She slid a plate of lasagna over to me when I took my seat. I shoved food in my mouth, but I felt awkward as hell. I was pretty sure she knew I had hooked up with Maddie. Which worried me because the guys ragged on Noah all the time about how he told his wife everything and vice versa.

“What’s up, honey?” she asked but didn’t look up from her work.

“Um. I should find my own place.”

“Why? I thought you were unsure about if they were keeping you on. I know the two-way contract doesn’t pay as well.”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Well…I don’t want to cramp your style.”

She laughed, shut her laptop lid, and peered at me with her shrewd emerald gaze. “We like having you here. You’re not a burden, okay?”

“I don’t want to get in the way of you two starting a family.”

She stiffened for a second, and then she took a swig of her beer. “That’s not a problem.”

“Oh. I didn’t realize you didn’t want kids.”

She sighed, and I realized I had hit a nerve. “Can’t.”

I cringed. “Shit. Dinah, I didn’t know. ”

“It’s okay, honey. I don’t like to talk about it. I wasn’t sure I ever wanted kids, but I had a surprise pregnancy after my first husband died. I miscarried, and they said there was a slim chance of ever carrying another pregnancy to term.”

I reached across the table to put my hand on hers. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s okay! I made my peace with it. I wanted to try for a little, but…” she trailed off and frowned.

“But what?”