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CHAPTER 22
Samantha
It wasa big night for me, having my HEAT teammates meet Evan’s sister. Penn and Alder couldn’t make it because they were spending time with their respective mates far away from Chicago, which was now the Alpha Team’s temporary home base while we got a better handle on the nearby Carbonados threat. Also missing was TJ, who was in DC helping X with whatever congressional alligators were snapping at her ass this week.
But Kessler and Li joined us at Evan’s apartment and brought the Wilder brothers, who always lived up to their name at a party, although they were calming down now that the pre-dinner, tequila-shots portion of the evening was over. Sparks was solo, but TJ thought this would be a good chance for her and Bennet to get to know each other better. Then there were the world’s worst bartender but all around great guy, Jensen, and my new favorite person, Kerri.
The first time Kerri and I had met—when I wasn’t unconscious with a concussion—had been in the hospital while Kessler and Bennet had been recovering. She was immediately kind and welcoming and not the least bit surprised to see her brother fawning over a woman he’d only known a couple of weeks. Then again, they did have a family history of instant love.
In the seven weeks since then, we’d spent at least one evening a week with her when I was in town, giving Evan a chance to show off his cooking prowess for two kitchen-clueless and highly impressed women. Kerri and I shared a love of medicine, shoes, and police procedural TV shows. But Kerri made a point of giving our young relationship space, too. During one girls’ night out over drinks at her favorite hipster bar, she had confessed she was happy to see Evan coupled so she could spread her wings again and pursue a sexy adventure of her own.
Which made me feel a bit like a traitor when Evan asked me not to tell her about his plan to set her up with Jensen. At first I’d thought it was payback for all the dates she’d foisted on him before he’d met me, but he was genuinely interested in making a love match between them. From the time the guests had arrived, Evan had done his best to steer those two in each other’s direction.
Between the main and dessert courses, Li helped me clear the dishes from the dining room. I couldn’t cook, but I could clean up after dinner like a boss, which Evan seemed to consider a fair trade. Sparks followed us to get a glass of water. We heard Kerri’s laughter from the dining room and poked our heads out to see what we were missing. Kessler and Derek were entertaining Chase, Jensen, and Evan with some kind of story that required a lot of arm movements. At the other end of the table, Kerri had slid into the seat Sparks had vacated and was tête-a-tête with Bennet.
Sparks gave a low whistle. “Looks intense. I think I’ll stay in here for a while. But who’s going to break it to your boyfriend that his Jensen-Kerri fix-up is a bust?”
“How did you know about the fix-up?” I asked. “Does everybody know?”
“No,” Li said. “Kessler called it from the way Evan was maneuvering them together over cocktails. She only told the two of us.”
“Wow, it doesn’t take a human emotion detector to catch the heat coming off her and Bennet, though, does it?” Sparks asked.
“Evan’s going to be so disappointed,” I said.
My tough-guy hero had a marshmallow heart. And he was invested in the idea of us double dating with Kerri and Jensen. More than that, I think he wanted his sister to be with someone he trusted wouldn’t hurt her again. I smiled. Both of those things would be possible with Bennet, too. I would break the news to Evan later tonight.
We moved the party to the living room for dessert, and Kerri and Bennet sat together on the only loveseat while Jensen sat between Sparks and Li on one of the sofas. We had a few more drinks and a couple of impromptu rounds of the “I Never” drinking game, in which Li and I embarrassed ourselves by being the only ones who didn’t drink when Kessler asked about having sex while under hostile attack. Given the guest list, we were all surprised that only two of us had that experience. Li and I made it clear that in each of our cases, the attacks had started after the sex was initiated, not the other way around.
An hour later, Kessler and Li and the Wilders said their goodbyes and left in a flurry of laughter. Kerri had planned to take a ride-share home because she knew we’d be having drinks. She pulled out her phone to order one, but Evan suggested Jensen drive her.
“I’d be happy to take you,” Jensen told Kerri, “but Sparks is my designated driver tonight. You mind driving one more?” he asked Sparks.
“Not at all,” Sparks said. “I’m ready when the two of you are.”
“Actually, you folks are going north, aren’t you?” Bennet asked. “I’m heading south, and Kerri’s place is on my way.”
“Sean, that’s perfect. Thank you.” Kerri said. She kissed her brother on the cheek and hugged me, and hurried out the door before Evan could form a different plan. Jensen and Sparks followed them.
“Thanks Bennet, good night guys,” Evan called after them. He closed the door and leaned against it. “That was a good night, wasn’t it?”
“A really good night.”
“I don’t think Kerri and Jensen got to talk much, though. Maybe we should have them both over for brunch this weekend. It’ll give you a chance to show off your wicked mimosa skills.”
“I love making mimosas for your brunches.” I pressed my lips together, then plunged in. “But maybe we should invite Bennet instead.”
“Bennet? But why...” He arched an eyebrow. “Bennet?” His face softened as he pondered the possibility. “She did call him by his first name. No one ever calls him by his first name. Shit, sometimes I even forget what it is. Okay, so my sister and my best friend.”
“He’s a good guy.”
He nodded. “I know. Maybe I should have thought of fixing them up. Oh, but poor Jensen. I think he could—”
I cut him off with a kiss. “I love how much you love being in a couple. But we don’t have to pair off everyone around us. They’ll find their own way.”
“Is that what I’m doing?”
I nodded. “I think so. I think you want to share the joy. But maybe you should focus on sharing your awesome cooking skills for now. Your food is divine. In fact,” I narrowed my eyes, “are you sure about taking this new job with the Chicago PD? Because I think you could have a career as Chicago’s hottest new chef.”
