Page 31 of The Lies I've Told
I slapped on a smile and turned to greet him. “Dean!” I said, feeling genuine happiness at seeing the man who’d almost become my brother-in-law. Although no one believed for a second that Molly and Dean would have actually made it down the aisle. Not while Jake still lived and breathed.
“How are you?” I asked, wrapping my arms around him as he wrapped his one around mine.
I’d never seen him without his prosthetic on; he’d always been so sensitive about it in the past. But, recently, he seemed to be okay with his disability, choosing to go with or without it, depending on his mood.
And it suited him.
This was a lighter, happier Dean than I’d ever seen.
“I’m good.” He smiled, taking a seat at the table he’d grabbed for him and Aiden.
No doubt they’d already done their introductions as I snuck up to the bar. I tried to ignore the dark-haired man sitting next to him, but it was difficult.
So very difficult.
I cleared my throat and tried to concentrate on Dean, still refusing to sit down. I wasn’t staying.
I definitely am not staying.
“You look good. Could this be because of a certain lady in your life?”
His grin widened. “Two actually,” he replied.
Aiden kind of let out a choked laugh before realizing Dean was being completely serious.
“Cora, my fiancée, has a young daughter. Her name is Lizzie. Those two, well, they’re my world,” he said with such conviction and ferocity.
My conversation with Lorenzo came back in that moment, and I felt suddenly bereft.
Nothing but a distraction…
What would it be like to be someone’s entire world. To mean so much to another person? To have someone in your life that meant so much in return?
“You okay?” Aiden asked, jumping to his feet, his eyes full of concern.
“Yeah, fine.”
“Why don’t you sit down?”
I shook my head as his hand found mine. “I’m okay. I have stuff to do. I really should be going.”
Neither of the men was all that convinced.
“Can it wait for a little bit?” Dean asked. “The last time I saw you was at your sister’s wedding, and we didn’t exactly have much time to catch up.”
A small smirk tugged at the corner of my mouth. “If I recall, you were pretty busy during the reception.”
He shook his head, a low rumble of a laugh bubbling up from his chest. “Had a black eye and sore ribs for a week after to prove it. Come on, please? I’ll even pay your tab.”
I let out a sigh. “Okay fine, but I’m ordering the most expensive thing on the menu.”
I saw Aiden scan his menu before looking up at me. “You know the most expensive thing on the menu is fried calamari, right?”
I glanced down at my own menu before confirming what he’d just said. Scrunching my nose in disgust, I announced, “Okay then, the second most expensive thing on the menu. I hate seafood.”
“Fried clams?”
“Jesus,” I cursed. “Just order me a burger.”
