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I glanced away from Tristan, my skin heating with the realization that the rest of the guys were watching us curiously. Studying our interaction. I needed to do a better job of hiding my attraction to my brother-in-law because he was firmly in the off-limits zone, no matter how much my body tried to say otherwise.
I considered my words carefully, then decided to turn the tables on Tristan. “How do you feel about your hair?”
He lifted a shoulder. “I haven’t given it much thought. It’s just hair.”
“Just hair?” I held a hand to my chest. “Justhair?”
He chuckled, though there was a nervous undercurrent to it. “Yeah.”
“No.” I leaned forward. “It’s notjusthair. Good or bad, it makes a statement. It gives people information about you. It makes you feel a certain way. Hold yourself a certain way.”
“That still doesn’t answer the question,” Liam said, elbows resting on his thighs.
“Well,” I sighed, my attention still on Tristan. “I think you could choose a haircut and facial hair style that would highlight your attributes.”
“Because he looks like an old man.”
“Not old, but maybe…tired?” I winced a little, immediately wishing I could take it back. “A face mask could help or daily moisturizer.”
When the guys started laughing, heckling Tristan, I turned to Liam. “If you don’t moisturize daily with sunscreen, you should.” I shifted my attention to Bennett. “You too.”
“What? No suggestions for me?” Asher asked, a teasing tone to his voice.
“You could smile more.”
The other guys chuckled, and I sipped my beer. I heard someone mutter “Ballbuster,” and it made me smile.
“What were you up to tonight, Ellie?” Liam asked. “Before bumming beers and pastry off us.”
“I had some assignments to catch up on, so I hung out at the library most of the afternoon.”
“Sounds just like Tessa,” Asher mused.
I frowned, and when I looked at Tristan, so was he. I didn’t like being compared to my sister, and Tristan didn’t like being reminded of his dead wife. It was too painful.
“If you get sick of the library, you should check out Pore Over,” Bennett said. “Wren and Harper’s studio is in the same building, and I’m sure they’d love to join you for coffee sometime.”
“Thanks.” I smiled, appreciating his efforts to make me feel welcome. “I’ll do that.”
Asher asked me about Australia, and the conversation turned to lighter matters. Local gossip. The kids. I hadn’t enjoyed myself so thoroughly in a long time, except for when I’d visited Piper and Sumner before coming to the AV.
I glanced at my phone, surprised by all the missed notifications. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone so long without checking my phone, apart from my flight back to the States.
“I should probably head out,” Bennett said, standing. “I imagine Wren’s getting impatient for her pastries.”
“I bet that’s notallshe’s impatient for.” Asher emptied the last of his beer then tossed it into the recycling bin, where the bottle clinked against the others.
“Dude.” Liam groaned. “We talked about this. Just because I’m okay with them being married doesn’t mean I want to hear about my sister’s sex life.” He shuddered.
Asher cleared his throat. “Maybe it wouldn’t bother you so much if you hadn’t fucked things up with Penny.”
I wanted to laugh, but both Liam and Tristan had gone rigid. Oh boy. I wondered what the story was there.
“Okay,” Tristan said, rubbing his temples. “Time for bed before this gets even more inappropriate.”
“Mr. Prim and Proper would never want to defile a lady,” Asher said in a British accent that wasn’t half bad. If Tristan was the responsible one of the group, Asher was certainly the shit-stirrer.
I leaned closer to Asher, laughing as I said, “Well then, it’s a good thing I’m not a lady.”
