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“Oh please,” I say, reaching for my glass and taking a large gulp of water to clear the dryness from my throat.
Blake just smiles. “Your mom must’ve had a blast when you two were kids.”
She’s not wrong. The “horn” tradition wasn’t born for no reason.
“Do you have any siblings?” Thomas asks.
“No, I’m an only child. But I consider my best friend like the older sister I never had.”
“Childhood friend?” I ask.
“No, we met seven years ago at a start-up boot camp, but have been inseparable ever since. Marissa Mayer, you might have heard of her. She’s COO at WeTrade.”
Thomas blinks blankly.
“The low-budget, no-commissions trading app.” I smack the back of his head.
Thomas shakes his head. “Sorry, my business focus is very narrow. If it doesn’t have to do with steel and I don’t have to know about it, I’m not interested.”
“So, what are you doing at a business conference?” Blake asks.
“I’m just here for the food.” He leans in closer. “And the company, of course.”
Blake shakes her head, amused.
Slowly, the rest of the table fills with the other guests Thomas selected. All akin to his level of maturity, apparently. Ten minutes into the meal, the environment feels like the grown-up version of my college parties.
Blake doesn’t seem to mind the lighter atmosphere, and I relax a notch and offer the occasional contribution to the free-flowing conversation. Throughout the evening, I catch Blake looking my way more than once. She’s quick to look away whenever I discover her, but there’s something in those furtive stares.
I guess I’ll just have to poke the bear a little more to unleash whatever suppressed instincts dwell behind those pretty blues.
As the night draws to an end, Blake, Thomas, and I make our way out of the hotel together. Close to midnight, the temperature has dropped to the low forties, and the evening breeze has a bite to it.
“Shall we escort the lady back to her cabin?” Thomas asks.
“You two go ahead,” I say. “There’s something I need to take care of tonight.”
I don’t know who looks more surprised by my affirmation, Thomas or Blake. And is that a hint of disappointment in Blake’s eyes? She’s quick to set her features straight, but a man could hope.
Now her expression turns pouty. “I can walk myself home, thank you.”
“Please,” I scoff teasingly. “We both know you’d just end up on my doorstep ten minutes later, and tonight, you’re even less dressed for the trek.”
Blake glares while Thomas raises his brows questioningly.
Ever the tension-defuser, my brother takes her arm, and says, “Please, Blake, it’s more for my protection.”
“From what?”
“Raccoons. Ever since that dirtbag of my older brother set one free in my tent at summer camp, I’m terrified of them.”
Blake looks at me as if she couldn’t believe I have a playful side.
“Only after he had tried to lure a bear to my tent, coating the perimeter with honey,” I clarify.
“But a grizzly never showed up,” Thomas rebukes. “You only got a couple of bee stings while I still bear the scars of my encounter with the raccoon. He could’ve given me rabies.”
I roll my eyes at his dramatics. “Sorry, it was the nearest animal I could get to. You should consider yourself lucky ’cause I was really looking for a bobcat.”
