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“Shit. Was that your toe?” Ty released him and stepped back. “I’m usually better than that. Must be out of practice.”
“It’s fine. Although if you’re considering a career as a ballroom dancer? Don’t quit your day job.”
“I’m sorry, Casey.” Ty’s tone was sincere but a smile broke through, banishing his expression of regret. “Really.”
“Yeah?” Kenny snapped leads on both the dogs. “Then why are you grinning like a loon?”
Ty turned his shining face to Kenny. “Because Dev’s playing again. He’s writing again.”
Behind his glasses, Kenny’s eyes widened. “What?” He dropped the dogs’ leads, grabbed Ty, and danced him around the lobby, the dogs hopping around them like backup dancers.
“Ow!” Kenny let go of Ty and knelt, looping his arms around the dogs’ necks to settle them. “Not that I mind sacrificing my toes for the greater good, but Casey’s right about the day job. I think Fro and Travisher stand a better chance of dancing with the stars than you do.”
Ty showed his palms and angled his chin away from Kenny. “I’d point out that you were leading that time. Not even those hurtful words can bring me down, though, because hot damn, Kenny. He’s playing again.” He turned to Casey, all snark vanished from his face. “It’s gotta be because of you. Thank you.”
Casey smiled crookedly. “Considering the incident, and the fact he’s been dodging me since it happened, I find that hard to believe.”
“Ooh, an incident?” Kenny stood up. “What incident? Care to share some details?”
Casey glanced sidelong at Val, who had retreated behind the reception desk but was watching all the antics with their chin in their fist. They made a get on with it gesture.
“Don’t hold back because of me. I’m a huge fan of oversharing. And don’t worry. What happens in the clinic, stays in the clinic.”
Clearly Casey wasn’t getting out of this without some kind of admission. But then he considered: These people knew Dev. Maybe they’d have an insight into how to approach him.
So he took a deep breath. “It was a stupid misunderstanding, that’s all. And I could explain to Dev if he’d stop impersonating the Invisible Man and talk to me.”
“Brother,” Kenny muttered.
Val heaved a sigh. “Typical.”
“He can be a stubborn cuss, I admit,” Ty said, “and has some residual trust issues after his last boyfriend.” He gripped Casey’s shoulder. “But don’t give up on him, okay? If I have to, I’ll lock him in the butler’s pantry at Harrison House and you can shout at one another through the door.”
“As charming as that sounds—”
“Uh, boss?”
Ty let go of Casey and gave him a last pat. “Yes, Val?”
They pointed at the window. “That same car has been cruising the street for the last twenty minutes.”
“Maybe they’re looking for an address.”
Val scoffed. “This is Home. They don’t need to drive up the road more than once to see all there is to see.”
Curious, Casey stepped to the window and peered out. A silver Lexus was just disappearing around the corner at the end of the one-block street. His heartbeat throbbed in his ears, masking the others’ conversation.
He’d been in Home for almost three weeks, and the only silver Lexus he’d ever seen was Bradley’s. He stood frozen at the window, and sure enough, the car nosed around the opposite corner, as though it had circled the block and was making another pass.
It’s a coincidence. It has to be. There’s no reason for him to—
But as the Lexus passed the shelter, Casey got a good look at the driver.
Bradley.
What the heck was he doing back here? He couldn’t be cruising around looking for Casey, could he? Their imaginary relationship couldn’t be important enough for Bradley to make that much effort. He had to be up to something else, and it couldn’t be good.
Casey was torn between wanting to hide behind the reception desk and storming out onto the sidewalk and demanding to know what Bradley was doing. The old Casey, the Manhattan Casey, would definitely have opted for the reception desk hideout, because conflict. Ugh. It was the absolute worst.
