Page 40 of Just Come Over
Gah.
Getting used to Rhys being around was one thing, but that he was here forthis? DamnHayden for inviting him to stay to help babysit. Her brother had done it for mischief, she’d swear it.
Never mind. She’d said yes to Alistair, so ready or not, here she went. She wasn’t getting naked in front of anybody tonight anyway. Call it a dry run. She gave a final tweak to her skirt and headed out into the lounge.
The kids didn’t look up from their cards. Hayden did, though, and so did Rhys, and she wished she knew what he was thinking. Rhys, not Hayden. His hard face had gone even harder, back to that stony expression she remembered from their first meeting, when she’d thought he didn’t like her, or he didn’t approve of her. She’d seen that expression enough in the following years to recognize it, and she was seeing it again now.
Well, bugger that. She wasn’t twenty years old, she’d been the best wife she could manage, she wasn’t married anymore, and she wasn’t begging for Rhys Fletcher’s approval.
Hayden whistled, and the kids finally quit studying their cards and looked up, too.
“Verynice,” her brother said. “On the hot side for a first date, though. Theabsolutelyfirst date, in fact,” he told Rhys, “believe it or not. How many years has it been since your last first date, Zora? Ten? Eleven?”
She knew which emotion she was feeling now. It was cross. Why did he have to share? “I do not look that hot,” she said, and forced herself not to make it a question. She glanced at Rhys, but he wasn’t telling, so she went to “defiant” instead. A much more comfortable spot than “scream and run.” She told Hayden, “You’re the one who said I should get out there again. Red’s the best color for a first date. I read it online. You’re not used to seeing me in heels, that’s all.” The dress might be sleeveless and the bodice fitted, but the neckline was square and not very low, and the skirt didn’t hit very far at all above her knees. “I can’t wear anything longer or fuller, and you know it. It would swallow me up.” She tried to pretend that Rhys wasn’t listening. It wasn’t easy. “I’m short, in case you haven’t noticed. I’m not wearing stilettos, and kitten heels are on nobody’s list of erotic attire. Also—cardigan.” She slipped into the cropped blush-pink sweater. “Practically office wear, except for the dangly earrings. In fact, that’s what he’ll probably think. ‘Why didn’t she change her clothes, at least?’”
Hayden’s glance at Rhys was pure mischief. “What do you think?”
“I think,” Rhys said, “that if she were in my office, I wouldn’t be getting any work done.”
He was still staring at her.Wasthis too much? She’d thought it was perfect. She’d looked itup.The dress wasn’t fire-engine red. It was closer to burgundy, and although the fabric was on the silky side, it wasn’t skin-tight. Surely men weren’tthatsingle-minded, anyway.
“You don’t work in an office, Uncle Rhys,” Isaiah said. “You work with all men. Also, Saturday night is when people go out on dates, and rugby games are always on Saturday nights. Sometimes they go on Friday nights, too, but it’s Friday nightnow,and you’re not on a date.”
“Sounds like you know, mate,” Rhys said. He had that not-smiling-but-amused look on his face again, at least, instead of the stoniness.
“Because my dad said it to my mum once. She asked him to take her on a date and he said no, because of rugby. He said, ‘Can’t take you Friday, and can’t take you Saturday. Both date nights are out, and all I want to do on Sunday is put my feet up and have you cook me dinner. D’you mind if we just stay in?’” Another thing Zora could have lived without Rhys hearing. Isaiah wasn’t done, either. He asked Hayden, “What’s ‘erotic’?”
“Sexy,” Hayden said.
Isaiah made a face. “Yuck.”
“Hmm,” Hayden said, his eyes lit with mischief again. “I think Uncle Rhys goes out on dates. I’m guessing he’s somewhat of an expert in that area, in fact. He seems to be saying you look hot, Zora. Good news, unless it’s not.”
Casey said, “It’s your turn,” with a nudge at Rhys’s leg, because she was on the floor and he was on the couch.
He shoved a handful of Jaffas into the middle of the coffee table without looking at his cards, then tossed in two pineapple lumps and said, “I raise you two lumps.”
Isaiah sighed and shook his head.
“What?” Rhys asked.
“I don’t think you’ve got good enough cards for betting that much,” Isaiah said. “I think I’m going to win.”
“Excuse me?” Rhys asked. “Who learned how to play poker tonight, and who’s spent half his life in hotel rooms with nothing else to do?”
“I don’t think you were very good at it,” Isaiah said. “I see your two pineapple lumps and raise you three more. That’s fifty points,” he told Casey. “You should only bet that if you have very good cards. Do you want me to look at them and tell you what to do?”
“Yes,” Casey said. “Because I forget.”
Isaiah scooted over and studied her cards. “You should fold. That means stop and lay down your cards.”
“But then I’ll lose all my candy,” she protested.
“You’re going to lose your candy anyway,” he said. “Except it’s called ‘lollies.’ My hand’s better than yours, so I’m going to win. You still have more lollies left, though, and besides, I’ll share with you.”
Hayden sighed and muttered, “Ringers. I’m surrounded by ringers. I fold.” He tossed down his hand, and Isaiah gave a satisfied smile. His hand was practically poised over the pile of lollies in the middle of the table. Black licorice, chocolate Jaffas, pink marshmallows, and pineapple lumps. The stakes.
“Do you want to fold, too, Uncle Rhys?” he asked politely. “Or do you want to bet some more?”
