Page 91 of Hayden's Stalker

“I don’t mind it, but it’ll be good to have someone to talk with about what idiots you’re being,” she jokes.

Tati takes the bottle of water from Sebastian and thanks him before she says, “I’m used to it. I can’t remember the last time I got drunk. Probably my dad’s seventieth birthday. I happened to not have a contract at the time, and my brother challenged me to a drinking game.”

I whip my head around to look at her. This is the first time she’s mentioned anything about her family, and I’m fascinated by this nugget of information. It’s hard to imagine Tatiana Swanson partaking in a drinking game with her family.

“Who won?” Sebastian asks.

At the same time, I ask, “You have a brother?”

I can see the realization and regret dawn on her over giving me this information. I need to know more, though, and I’m surprised when she answers either of our questions.

“He did,” she says to Sebastian, then turns her beautiful gaze to me. “Yes, I do.”

“Interesting. Older or younger?” I ask at once, hoping she’ll tell me more.

“Older.”

“Just like Ness and me. I bet you were a pain in his ass,” I tease her.

Tati looks thoughtful for a moment, then says with a smile on her face, “I’m sure he’d tell you I was. I think I was the perfect sister, though.”

We all laugh before Gabriel says, “My sisters are definitely pains in my ass.”

“Heather’s the closest thing I have to a sister, and she’s a pain ineveryone’sass,” Sebastian tells us with a cheeky grin.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and warn him, “I’m telling her you said that.”

Everyone laughs, and I go to get two dining chairs from the table for us to sit in. As I do, I look down at my phone and cringe when I see messages from Blake. I take the chairs over to the others and set them down with our backs to the wall because I’ve noticed Tati’s more comfortable this way.

I look down at my messages and read the ones from Blake. We’ve been texting the last couple of days because he told me he wanted some closure after the break-up the other month.

You can’t pretend you were a saint, Hayden.

You were in love with your bodyguard while we were still together.

I glance over at Tati, then back down to my phone.

I never cheated on you, Blake. I don’t know why you thought I did. I’m not sure what good this conversation is doing anyone.

I put my phone away and talk with my friends until it’s almost time to go to the restaurant. I watch Tati walk over to the other bodyguards to have a discussion.

“How are things with your hot bodyguard?” Seb asks with a smirk.

“I’m alive, aren’t I?” I shrug at him.

“Seb and I have bets on when you’re going to hook up,” Gabriel informs me.

“Traitor,” I scoff, aware of the heat rushing to my cheeks at my friends betting on Tati and me hooking up.

“Please let it be known that neither Ariana nor I condone these bets,” Lita says with a roll of her eyes.

“Nor me condoning Heather’s bet,” Harrison chimes in.

“I should’ve known Heather would be in on this.” I shake my head at them.

“Well, considering she bet they’d hook up the first night of the tour, she’s already out of the running,” Seb gloats. “So just let us know when it happens, so Gabriel and I can know who wins.”

“What’s your bet?” I ask.

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