Page 57 of Flirting With Forever
The text from Dawson gave Gage the heads up he needed.
Don’t know the specifics, but Sloane’s brother Noah is following her home for leftovers. Picked up some bad vibes. Something going on there?
He glared down at the message and wondered how to explain something he wasn’t sure about himself.
Family drama. Thanks for the warning, though.
He was waiting for Sloane at the downstairs entry when she pulled into the driveway, a sleek gray Audi sliding in behind her as though deliberately blocking her in when the space beside her was clear.
Gage opened the door and stepped out. “Hey, I heard you were bringing a…guest.”
Sloane slammed her car door shut and didn’t even bother to spare a glance at the tall man who shared similar features to her but minus the freckles and wildly curly hair. “My brother invited himself to dinner. Feel free to say no. I have several times already.”
“Well, if that’s the case. Sorry about dinner, but there’s only enough for two,” Gage said, taking a read on the man and not liking what he saw. “Noah Walker, I presume?”
A huff left the guy, and Gage caught Sloane’s wince and mouthed sorry.
“Noah Harrington,” the man corrected. “Just like Sloane’s, which from the sound of it, she hasn’t told you. Interesting. Seeing as how you’re so close and all.”
Yeah, the guy had douchebag written all over him. “She’s told me the important things. That’s all that matters.”
“Did she now?” Noah murmured.
Sloane had made her way to the door, and Gage stepped back to let her in, wrapping his arm around her and dropping a kiss atop her head. “You put yourself in danger,” he murmured for her ears only. “We’re going to talk about that later.”
She gave him a quick upward glance of her beautiful green eyes before glaring at their unwanted guest.
“Sloane, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”
Sloane stared at her brother, and Gage noted the fact Gabriel Wolfe slowed his Jeep to take in the scene as he rolled by, undoubtedly on his way home from the fire station’s Thanksgiving dinner.
The man stopped in the road.
“Evening! Happy Thanksgiving,” Wolfe called.
Gage lifted his hand and nodded. “Happy Turkey Day to you.”
“You guys doing okay here?” Wolfe’s question made it clear he’d provide backup if needed.
“Just telling my girl’s visitor goodbye. He’s leaving.”
Noah Harrington chuffed at him before shifting his attention to Sloane. Gage noted that Sloane kept her expression neutral, but she gripped her hands so tightly in front of her they’d turned red.
“Sloane.”
One word. Her name. A warning and a question. And only an idiot wouldn’t hear the measure of threat in the tone Noah Harrington used as well.
Yeah, it would’ve been nice if she’d shared that bit of information with him before now so he didn’t feel like a fool. He’d known her name was different because she’d admitted to that at the rentals building, but in all their conversations and late-night talks, she hadn’t actually shared her real last name.
“Goodbye, Noah.”
“Father won’t be happy if I go back without you. Let’s talk some more and figure this out.”
“I’ve said everything I have to say.”
“He said if you refused to come home, he’d send someone else.”
Sloane stiffened up like a board, and Gage lightly rubbed his thumb along her shoulder in an attempt to soothe her.
