Page 6 of Sweet Escape

“Lots of things.”

It feels like whiplash, swinging from the flirtation just moments ago to ... whatever this is.

Gone is the woman who looked at me with a twinkle in her eye, like we were sharing a secret, and in her place is someone who apparently can’t stand the sight of me.

And I can’t for the life of me figure out what changed.

Before I can say anything in response, my sister slides in right next to the woman across from me, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Standing a few feet away is Wes, our head chef and the man Murphy’s been seeing for the past few months.

“Thanks again, Memphis,” she says. “It’s been busy tonight, and normally I would have found a way to cover it myself, but sometimes it’s so much better to have the extra hands.”

My eyes flick back and forth between my sister and Vivian, wondering what’s happening.

“Besides! Vivian is here and I’m so excited!” She waves a hand between the two of us. “V, this is my brother, Memphis. Memphis, this is Vivian Walsh. She’s my closest friend from Santa Monica. And Vivian,thisis Wes.”

Vivian looks away from me, her genuine smile returning when she greets Wes, the two of them exchanging that “nice to meet you” that most people share when they’re introduced to someone important.

Very unlike the way she looked at me when she realized I’m Murphy’s older brother, which feels incongruous.

Murphy, unaware of my discomfort, launches into a story that I only half listen to ... something about how the two of them first met at her old waitressing job and Vivian slapping the manager. I barely hear it until I catch the very end of what Murphy says.

“... will be staying with me tonight.”

My head jerks, and I unlatch from where my eyes had been locked on Vivian, turning toward my sister.

“Did you clear that with Dad?”

Murphy rolls her eyes. “It’s just one night, Memphis. It’s not a big deal.”

“Maybe not, but some of us don’t like being surprised by strangers wandering around our houses in the middle of the night.”

Wes laughs, but Murphy pins him with a glare before she returns her attention to me.

“Jesus, Memphis, what crawled up your ass?” she demands. “Stop being a prick.” Then she looks at her friend. “Sorry, Viv.”

“You don’t have to apologize for him,” she responds. “His behavior matches with everything I’ve heard about him.”

My entire body bristles at that, and I pin Vivian with a look. “Excuseme?”

“You’re not excused,” she replies, then hops off her stool and digs into her purse. She looks at Murphy as she drops some cash on the bar. “I’ll finish my glass outside. Come get me when you’re off for the night. Nice to meet you, Wes.”

Then without looking my way again, she strides to the door that leads out to the back patio and pushes outside, leaving me and Murphy behind.

My gaze follows her as she goes, and I wish there was a way to rewind the past five minutes and return to the way we interacted before she knew who I was.

Not that I understand her sudden attitude change. At all.

“What the hell was that about?” my sister hisses.

Wes dips forward, his lips pursed, and I can tell he’s trying not to smile or laugh or something.

“I’m gonna head back to the kitchen,” he says, glancing between us both. Then he plants a kiss on Murphy’s forehead and gives me a wave, before returning to his domain.

“Seriously, Memphis, I know you can be a grouch, but you couldn’t be nice to one of my best friends for five seconds?”

I grit my teeth and stay silent, because honestly, I’m not sure how to answer her.

One minute Vivian and I were flirting, and then suddenly she looked like she wanted to light me on fire.

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