Page 3 of My Ex's Brothers

She doesn’t press me much after that, just gives me a sweet sigh and says, “Next time, I promise, sweetie, just…not today.”

“Fine. You owe me an extra donut though if Dane says no,” I say lightly, even though I feel like shit.

“He won’t,” Sam says, but before I can ask how she knows such a thing, she hurriedly tells me she has to go, and hangs up.

I glance at Lyla, twisting the phone in my hands. “What do you think, peanut?” I ask, but of course Lyla only coos and jumps with excitement in her swing.

Chewing my lip, I search through my contacts until I land on Dane’s number. My fingers hover over it, and I don’t knowwhyI’m so nervous.

Actually, yes I do, and it doesn’t have anything to do with Dex…

But I shove those thoughts aside and hit the little green button, knowing I need to get this over with. There are two rings before he picks up.

“Mia?” His voice is surprised, but smooth as silk. Just like I remember.

“Hey…Dane…” I steel my resolve, trying not to let my voice betray any inkling of nervousness.

Hockey players can smell fear, I swear.

“How…how have you been?” he asks, that familiar Fudgsicle voice threatening to make me melt. His voice…that was what drew me in the night we met. Dex and Dane may look alike, but that’s where the similarities stop.

I’m taken aback by his cavalier tone, by his question. The desire to tell him about all of it—about the scandal, my fight with Dex, my decision to leave and get off the sinking ship—is stupidly alarming.

I shouldn’twantto tell him any of it. I push the desire aside, forcing out the simplest answer I can.

“Fine.”

Fuck, that’s a lie. But I don’t need Dane Rose to know how I’m really doing. I just need him to do me this one favor, and then I can rock my interview, and get Lyla and myself on the path to my comeback.

“Liar,” he says, but his voice isn’t mean or bitter, just humorous. I shake my head even though he can’t see me. Lyla screams with excitement, and he laughs.

“Sounds like someone’s having a good time,” he says, his smooth-as-butter voice making me reconsider more things than just asking for a favor.

No. Bad idea, Mia. Bad fucking idea. You do not need the double-your-trouble deal with the Rose twins.

“Actually,” I bite out, “that’s what I was calling about…”

Heat flushes my neck, making its way up to my cheeks, and soon I feel the onslaught of sweat as I force the words out of my mouth.

“I uh…kinda need to ask you a favor…”

I can hear him shifting his position, rustling on the other end of the phone.

“Anything,” he says, almost breathlessly, and I’m reminded of Sam’s words.

He won’t.

Swallowing my nerves, I spit out the words. “I uh…I just got back. To Barrington, last night and…I have this interview today, and?—”

“Done.” He doesn’t even let me finish before that melting tone of his takes over.

“You don’t even know what I was going to ask,” I say.

Dane chuckles. “You need someone to watch Lyla, right?”

“Yes.” The answer is simple, solid. Confident.

“Then consider it done.”

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