Page 98 of Seduction in Spades

“I know, but you should clear the air. The scene I walked into yesterday was pretty intense. It’s only going to fester if you and Trey don’t say what’s on your mind.” She lays down a queen, ten, and nine.

“Sometimes I really hate you.”

“You’ll get over it.” Nora chuckles.

I toss my losing hand on the table and head to Trey’s room. He gave me the master bedroom with the connecting bathroom while he and Nora took the two rooms at the opposite end of the hall.

They’re treating me like a pampered princess, and I’m feeling ambivalent about it. I tap my knuckles on his partly closed door. “Can I come in?”

“Sure.” He’s sitting on top of the covers with his computer in his lap.

“Am I interrupting?”

“Not really. Placing orders and working on next week’s schedule.”

“I’m sorry you’re stuck on babysitting duty when you’d rather be at work.”

He closes his laptop and tosses it aside. “It’s not like running a club is my dream job.”

His comment surprises me. I take a seat at the foot of the bed and sit criss cross. “I thought business was going well. You’re making good money.” At least based on the new house I’ve only been invited to once, his fancy motorcycle, and his Range Rover.

“Sure.”

In typical Trey fashion, he doesn’t elaborate. To be fair, I’m the same. “Whatisyour dream job?”

“Never thought about it.”

I want to push for more, but I know my brother. If he has a dream, he hasn’t shared it because he doesn’t want to look like a failure if he can’t make it happen. If he doesn’t have one, he doesn’t want to fully admit that either, afraid it will make him look like a pathetic loser.

I leave it alone and put myself in the hot seat.

“I’m sorry for keeping my, uh, for not telling you that Nolan and I... that we kinda sort of...”What?Are having sex? Were having sex?

“Nolan’s a good guy.”

I squint at Trey, trying to read his blank expression. “Yeah, he is.”

“But you’re not into him.”

“What? Why do you say that?”

He gives me a steely stare, not revealing his hand. Trey’s always been a good poker player. I wait for him to continue and realize too soon I’ll be waiting until we’re old and gray before he’ll cave.

“I guess he told you things have been a little rocky.”

“I don’t need the details, Aves. If he dicks you over, I want to know about it. If you need a shoulder to cry on.” He thumbs toward the door. “Nora’s got you.”

“Thanks.” I snort. Sensing this is the end of our touchy-feely chat, I straighten my legs and hang them over the edge of the bed.

He doesn’t speak until I get to the door.

“You and Nolan... you two gonna work things out?”

I pause and glance over my shoulder at him. “I hope so.”

“Me too.” He carries on typing on his laptop as if we have these kinds of discussions on the daily.

My heart is thumping in my chest, partly from excitement, mostly from nerves. With Trey’s blessing, or as close as he’ll come to giving it, there’s nothing holding a relationship back with Nolan besides my own issues.

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