Page 41 of Lie for a Lie

“Please,” I hear Chris say in a playful tone towards the kitchen from the poker table, and I realize Bre has offered drinks.

“Whiskey for me, thanks,” I say, sliding my phone into my pocket before heading towards the kitchen. I sit beside Clint with a bright smile and look over the food on his plate.

“You know it’s not healthy to bottle everything up. You’ll give yourself a heart attack.”

I hear Bre say to Seth, who isn’t even paying attention to her. I shake slightly before stealing a chicken wing from Clint’s plate. This must be Bre attempting small talk, and I just sit back, watching it play out.

“Love, that’s not why people have heart attacks,” Chris adds playfully, sipping a beer. She glared at him before returning her attention to Seth.

“Don’t worry, beautiful, that’s what I have your sister for. We talk.”

I don’t fully believe his lie, and I know she doesn’t either.

“Don’t bullshit a professional bullshitter, Seth,” she says, sipping her wine before leaning back in her seat at the table. I just let out a small laugh before grabbing a plate of food. I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, and I smile like an idiot again when I see it’s Paige.

Paige: Important question? Star Trek or Star Wars? Both are powerhouses on their own, but it comes down to whether you are a Patrick Stewart or James Earl Jones fan.

I let out a soft laugh, which caught Clint’s attention.

“Kat?” Clint asks.

I just glared at him. I can tell by his tone he knows it isn’t.

“Work.”

I clear my throat and try to hide the grin that has been living on my face since I met Paige a little over a month ago now.

I only know I am making a face because more than once since Paige and I started talking, I have been asked if I am seeing someone new because my smile gives me away. Yesterday, while dictating, I texted Paige, and a few of the nurses even started asking questions.

Clint let out a laugh.

Shit, is it that obvious that I am into Paige?

My mind begins spiraling, and I stand from the table with my phone in hand to get food. And maybe put some distance between me and Clint before texting back.

Me: I can’t. I grew up on both and refused to compare them. Counter question: Marvel or DC?

Paige: Marvel all the way. And when I say Marvel, I mean Patrick Stewart and the X-Men.

“So, I had an idea of something to do for Paige’s birthday next week,” I hear Bre say to Seth, and I look up from my phone. Seeing the panic in Seth’s eyes. He had no clue.

Fucking idiot.

“I was thinking we could go out to a nightclub. She loves to dance, and they are having an R&B night.”

“I’m not much of a dancer,” Seth says, clearing his throat and taking a large gulp of his beer.

“Well, Paige is, and I think it would be good for the two of you. So, it’s settled, the three couples next week?”

The three of us snap our heads towards Bre, who, much to her credit, doesn’t even flinch before reaching her hand towards Chris.

“I guess we’re going dancing, boys,” Chris says with an impressed smile, looking over to Bre before kissing her.

Fuck. I wonder if Kat will be home or want to go.

“When is your trip, Bre?” Clint asks after clearing his dishes and heading over to the poker table. I linger on the conversation, trying to figure out how I want to play this as I finally begin to eat some more food myself.

“A little over two months,” Bre excitedly says. “But I’m not looking forward to leaving this man-child unsupervised for a month.”

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