Page 44 of Feast

Tuck wouldn’t stop laughing.

Sprawled out on the sofa in his friends’ living room, a beer in his hand, Spence scowled at Esme. “Your husband’s an asshole.”

“I know,” Esme said serenely, an indulgent smile curling her generous mouth. “But you have to admit, it’s pretty funny.”

“He fucked his step-sister,” Tuck howled and fell out of his chair.

“Serves you right,” Spence muttered at Tuck’s curse.

“You okay, babe?” Esme asked, not budging from her spot on the other end of the sofa.

“His step-sister,” Tuck wheezed.

“He’s fine.” Esme leaned forward to snag some cheese and a cracker off the tray on the coffee table. “So, then what happened?”

“Nothing.” His beer was empty, and he wanted another one, but he didn’t want to move. “We had the wedding, ate dinner, and that was it.”

“You didn’t talk to her about it?” Esme said over Tuck’s renewed laughter.

“I didn’t talk to her at all,” Spence admitted. “Aside from ‘nice to meet you’ when Mom introduced us. It was fucking awkward.”

“What’d your mom say?”

Spence frowned. “About what?”

“About you sleeping with her new stepdaughter.”

Genuinely appalled, Spence stared. “Jesus, I didn’t tell her.”

“She had to notice something was off between you two.”

Spence shook his head. “She was focused on Stephen, and the wedding. I don’t think it registered.”

“Maybe not in the moment,” Esme said, nibbling on a wedge of cheddar. On the floor, Tuck rolled over to lie on his back, still letting out the occasional giggle. “But she’ll find out sooner or later.”

“Not if I keep my mouth shut,” Spence said firmly.

“You do remember you’re going to be seeing this woman again, right?” Esme asked, much too reasonably for Spence’s liking. “Holidays, family events. Do you think you can just pretend it never happened?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then you better get…what’s her name?”

“Madison,” he said darkly.

Esme’s lips twitched. “Right. You better make sure Madison’s on the same page.”

“And her sister.” Tuck shoved himself to a sitting position. “Don’t forget her sister knows.”

Annoyed at the reminder, Spence scowled at his friend. “Are you done?”

“For now,” Tuck said with a grin splitting his wild ginger beard. “I reserve the right to keep going once I’ve got my breath back.”

“Asshole,” Spence muttered, but there was no heat behind it. “Be useful and get me another beer.”

Tuck got to his feet. “Babe? You want another?”

“I could use some water,” she said, tilting her head back to beam at him.

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