Page 104 of Firecracker

“Um, why?” She blinked at him.

“Because…because the next show’s going to start.”

She gave him a slitty-eyed look. “In ten minutes. I was just telling Brannon that we know Honey Deville.”

Brannon. For fuck’s sake. She knew his name.

Tyler edged closer to Arden and leveled a cold look at Brannon. “Yeah. We do. Friend of ours.”

Arden sighed. “Okay, let’s go back to the table. Nice to meet you, Brannon.”

“You too.” The dude’s face wore a disappointed expression, clearly thwarted in his pick-up attempt.

“What the hell, Tyler?” Arden whispered at him as they made their way through tables.

“What?”

“I was just talking to that guy.”

“He wanted to buy you a drink.”

“He offered, yeah, but I said no thanks.”

“He wanted more than a drink.”

She stopped and turned to face him. “So?”

His hands curled into fists in frustration. He searched for the right words. “You can’t…I don’t…”

Her eyebrows rose, her mouth a thin line. “What?”

“I’m just looking out for you.”

Her face tightened even more. “Jesus, Tyler. I wastalkingto him. That’s it.” She whirled around and zipped back to the table. He followed her more slowly, dropping into the chair beside her. She ignored him, talking to Jamie and Liam.

Shit.

* * *

“What’s with you and Arden?”

There was a two-hour time limit on tables at the supper club on weekends, so after saying goodbye to Danny who had more shows that night, they’d moved elsewhere, a rooftop bar above a hotel near the park. The girls were all in the ladies’ room, leaving Jamie, Liam, and Tyler alone at the table.

Tyler met Jamie’s eyes steadily. “We went out for dinner last night.”

“Shit.”

Tyler hoisted his eyebrows. “That’s a problem?”

Jamie rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know. It’s just weird. She’s my big sister.”

“She’s two years older. Not a big deal.”

“I guess not. But…her husband just died. He screwed her around, bad.”

“I know.”

Jamie cocked his head. “She told you about it?”

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