Page 44 of Craving the Player

"Apparently Joel does." Ithrow her awink and place areassuring hand on her shoulder. "Have faith. What'smeant to happen will happen. Ipromise."

"Iguess." She smiles slightly.

“Where did you two meet? Actually, when did you meet? How long have you been keeping this asecret from me?” Iglower at her and lift my hand to my heart in mock offence. It doesn’tmatter to me where or when she met this guy. Ijust want her to be happy. She deserves happiness more than anybody that Iknow. Iowe her everything.

“Relax, Nancy Drew.” Resting her chin on her palm, she smiles at me. “Remember when Ipopped that tire back in June? On the way back from the beach? We didn’thave the spare so we had to call atow truck.”

Inod. “That was what, almost three months ago?”

She smiles sheepishly. “Yeah.”

“You kept him asecret from me for three months? Oh, man. You so owe me, Clare Bear.”

She lifts one shoulder in ashrug but Ican see the humour flicker in her blue-green eyes. “Yes. But we didn’tstart dating right away. He was the lead mechanic at the shop where the tow truck dropped my SUV off, but he wasn’tthe one that fixed my tire. Ididn’tmeet him until the next time Ibrought it in. Liz had stuck abarbie doll somewhere under my hood when Iwas refilling the windshield fluid and Ididn’tnotice until it had melted all over the inside and Icouldn’tget it off.”

My attempts at stifling my laugh fail and Ilose it, laughing hard enough that tears swell in my eyes. “Ican just imagine you right now. ‘Hi, sorry, but my daughter melted abarbie all over my engine. Please help me.’”

Atightness grows in my stomach as Ibrace myself on the counter, my shoulders shaking. Ipeek through closed eyes and see Clare staring at me with alook that says “shut up or else” but don’tstop laughing until she punches me in the shoulder.

“Stop it.” She’sblushing.

“I’mguessing he was sweet to you then? Didn’tlaugh in your face?” Iswipe away the tears that have fallen.

“No, he didn’t. He was very professional.”

Ismirk. “Professional? Is that how he wound up between your sheets?”

She glares at me. “No. He wrote his number down on the invoice and glared at the other mechanic when he started teasing me about not using the inside of acar as abarbie dream house or something stupid like that. Idon’tremember.”

There’sasense of pride and happiness that grows in my chest while watching how dreamy she looks talking about Joel. It’senough to have me accepting him already, regardless of not meeting him yet. Any guy that makes my sister smile like that is good in my books.

"Anyway,” she says. “Don'tthink that Ihaven'tnoticed the glow to your skin either. You look different. Happier."

Do I? Ibrush off the comment. "Ifeel the same." Her stare burns into my face and Itake large gulps of my drink to try and pretend that Idon’tfeel it.

"Don'teven, Sierra. Have you forgotten that I'myour big sister? That title comes with younger sister reading skills."

"Is that so?" Iscoff, shaking my head as Iset my glass back down. Her intense stare doesn’twaver as it wears me down way too fast. "Fine! Put that damn look away. I’ve only been sleeping with someone. It'snot serious like you and Joel."

Irisk looking at her again just to see her roll her eyes. "Yeah, okay. Try again."

"I'mserious! We're just having fun. Trust me, he isn'tarelationship kind of guy." My fingers dance on my leg as Ibounce it.

"He’sgotta be hot then, right? What’shis name?”

I’mflushed when Ianswer, struggling to keep my voice from wobbling when just the thought of his name has me wanting to rub my thighs together. “Braden. And yeah. He'sreally fucking hot," Iburst, raising ahand to my cheek to feel the burning skin.

She taps acontemplating finger on her chin and hums. Ifeel my brows lift with curiosity. “What? You don’tlike that name or something?”

The irritation in my voice has me wanting to slap myself. What the hell? It shouldn’tbother me what Clare thinks about him.

“Braden,” she says slowly, pronouncing each letter like she’snever spoken them before. “Braden.” This time she rolls the r.

“Jesus Christ, Clare. You’re weirding me out.”

She swipes ahand in the air. “Iwas just trying to see how well it rolled off the tongue.”

My eyes go wide before Ishake my head at her ridiculousness. “Well? Don’tleave me hanging. Does it fit the bill?”

She tosses me awink. “It’snot bad. I’msure he makes up for having such ausual name in other ways. Tell me, is he tall? You’re far too tall to be with ashort guy.”

“Clare!” Ichastise regardless of the smile that Ican feel trying to stretch across my face. “Don’thate on short guys. Majority of them know their way around awoman’sbody better than most of the tall guys that I’ve ever met. But yes, Braden is pretty much agiant. Even compared to me. Ionly reach his shoulder.”

She looks surprised. “Really? Well then. Icertainly can not wait to meet this guy.”

“Keep dreaming, Clare Bear. Idon’tsee that happening any time soon, if ever.” Ican see that she wants to push me on it, but knows better than to try.

I’mgrateful when she easily changes the subject to ask if I’mfree to come with her to Liz’sfall talent show. After agreeing, we make our way back outside to join my niece in her leafy paradise. Clare and Iexchange smiles, both of us starting to laugh before we grab Liz and toss her into the only pile that she hasn’tyet destroyed. Her squeal of excitement is like ashot of serotonin. And just like that, I’mhome.

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