Page 73 of A Whole New Trick

“I don’t know.” She frowns at her phone.

Dread curls in my stomach. “What is it?”

She swallows. “It’s probably nothing.”

“Your face doesn’t say it’s nothing.” I force out a laugh that isn’t authentic. “Just tell me.”

Carlee cringes but nods slowly. “It’s probably best if you just look for yourself.”

She turns her device and holds it up.

I look at the screen.

My stomach drops.

Dane stands in the center of the picture, surrounded by a group of men and women who look to be around his age. Some wear fancy clothes like they’re preparing for a night out on the town, while others look like they just left the gym.

Everyone in the picture is smiling. They seem to be having a good time, especially the stunning redhead leaning into Dane’s torso, holding him affectionately while his arm is wrapped around her shoulders.

23

DANE

“Sorry that was sotense back there.”

I tear my gaze off the passing city street and frown at Eli. “What are you apologizing for? You didn’t make Dad say that shit.”

We left the hospital after a long visit with Mom. We caught up on the months we hadn’t spoken and ate a fast food lunch that Morgan would certainly not approve of—a fact Eli pointed out to our mom, which made her think even more highly of my girlfriend.

Dad never came back to the room.

My younger brother sighs and runs a hand through his shaggy hair. “I know, but it’s hard, man. I feel like I made our family implode, and I don’t know how to get it back together.”

“That’s not on you. Dad is the one who needs to fix shit.”

Eli falls silent, staring out the windshield ahead. I feel our driver’s gaze on me through the rearview, but I avoid the middle-aged man’s gaze. None of the doctors or nurses who saw me today openly acknowledged my identity, but the way the driver keeps looking back at me makes me think I’ve finally been made.

The car turns onto the busy downtown street leading to the fancy hotel I booked for the night. I couldn’t charter a flight untilearly in the morning, so we’ll sleep here before heading back to Dallas.

I’m prepared for a night in, dreaming about what I’ll do the next time I have Morgan in my arms.

“Kylie messaged me,” my brother mentions our childhood neighbor.

Kylie and her family moved across the street when I was in seventh grade. Our families are close, and she used to babysit Eli when she and I were teenagers. I would have gotten the task, but I was usually busy with practice or traveling for games.

I haven’t spoken to Kylie in years, but there was a time when we used to be pretty close. Not romantically. There’s never been feelings like that on either of our sides.

That changed when I started dating Chelsea, and she demanded that I no longer speak to female friends. I wish I had seen that red flag and made a run for it before she got her claws into me.

Oh, well. You live, and you learn.

“I told her we’re in town,” Eli reveals, typing away on his phone. It dings, and he reads the incoming message. “She wants to know if we want to meet up for drinks. You down?”

I sigh.

I’d much rather stay back at the hotel and let my brother go out to socialize alone, but after what Eli just went through, I feel like I should keep him company.

“Sure, man.” I inject as much fake enthusiasm as I can into my voice. “I’m down.”

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