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“None this week. Not sure after that. Why?”
“Gage has enlisted me to find a time we can all brainstorm.”
Fuck. It had to be about the money. He wasn’t supposed to tell people about that. “Brainstorm what?” I tried to keep my question casual.
“I didn’t ask.”
That wasn’t right. I gave Aubrey a sideways glance.
She grinned. “More accurately, he wouldn’t say. I tried to ask him why he couldn’t schedule it. What the two of you got up to on Saturday. He clammed up about all of it. Said I had to ask you.”
In other words, his way of getting me to accept help was to sic my friends on me. My curious, hound-me-until-they-had-answers friends.
He was a bastard, but I couldn’t be mad at him for it, as much as I wanted to be. “I don’t know. I’ll have to check my calendar.”
“Bullshit. You know your calendar for the year by heart. And speaking of things you need to tell me, what were you two up to this weekend?”
I wanted to tell her everything, but on the other hand, I didn’t. Especially since we were at Joystick’s. “It’s… a long story.” We stepped inside to the packed bar. The front half of the business was an amazing assortment of all things geek. Movie memorabilia, gaming stuff, anime figurines… I could spend forever just browsing here. The other half of the building was the restaurant, and I assumed it was just as full.
We found Alys at a table near the stage. Sometimes there were live bands. Tonight, the trivia master would emcee.
She was wearing a stuffed top hat with pink polka dots that matched her hair. I assumed she’d stolen it from one of her boyfriends, Maddox. She gave an exaggerated pout when she saw us. “You dressed up.”
“I’ve got you covered.” Aubrey pulled something from her purse and handed it over.
Alys examined the black, lace, fingerless gloves and grinned. “They’re perfect.” She pulled them on and spent a moment checking out the look.
“Who’s our fourth?” I asked, as Aubrey and I dropped into seats at the table.
One of Joystick’s trivia rules was every team had to be at least four people, to make sure as many could participate as possible.
Alys shrugged. “Don’t know. Adam is here.”
I wasn’t surprised. “Adam knows a lot of shit.”
Aubrey scowled.
That was her no. Not that I expected otherwise. Alys adored Adam because he did a popular podcast with one of her boyfriends. Aubrey didn’t like him because he’d stolen the man she’d been in love with since they were kids.
Not that Deacon had ever seen her that way, but I understood the broken heart anyway. “No Adam,” I said. My birthday. I could be the tie-breaking vote.
“Doesn’t matter.” Alys nodded across the room with a scowl. “Sebastian and Eli just recruited him.”
Ouch. That was going to be a hard team to beat.
“Doesn’t matter. We need him.” Aubrey pointed toward the door.
Alys and I followed, and my gut twisted inside out. Sawyer looked just as good as he had on Saturday when he approached Gage and me. Long stride, faintest hint of silver in dark blond hair, and a confidence that said he knew what kind of attention he drew.
“I’m in. Don’t tell my guys,” Alys said at the same time I said, “Fuck the hell no.”
“Why not?” Aubrey asked. “He’s got that older, wreck you one night, sell you a bridge the next morning kind of vibe.”
“Exactly his problem,” I muttered.
“You know him.” Aubrey sat up straighter and fluffed her hair as Sawyer approached. “You owe us an explanation,” she spoke through clenched teeth at me, never dropping the sweet smile at Sawyer.
I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.
