Page 28 of Sinfully Yours

"Wait, what barbecue?"

Ryan says something else, and she closes her eyes briefly, muttering a curse under her breath.

I observe her with interest. "Something wrong?"

She shoots me a look, covering the receiver. "Family barbecue, scheduled today, and I'm supposed to be there in an hour, helping out. Apparently, everyone's expecting me."

"Perfect," I say, snatching my keys off the counter.

Her brows pull together. "Perfect?"

"We're going."

Ava stares at me like I've just suggested skydiving without a parachute. "That's a terrible idea."

I open the door, waiting. "Too bad."

She grumbles something under her breath but grabs her bag, clearly knowing she's lost this battle before it even starts.

By the time we pull up to the Bennett house, I'm fully prepared to die.

Not in a dramatic way—just in a Dean Bennett is going to murder me and bury my body under this perfectly manicured lawn way.

The backyard is already buzzing with people—Bennett family, friends, a few familiar faces from around Willow Creek. Ryan is by the grill, flipping burgers. Dean is standing near the back porch, beer in hand, deep in conversation with someone. And Nate—well, Nate spots us first.

A slow grin spreads across his face as he nudges Ryan with his elbow.

Ryan turns. Sees Ava. Sees me.

His eyes narrow.

Fantastic.

Ava mutters something I don't catch before plastering on a bright, too-innocent smile and making her way toward her brothers. I follow, rolling my shoulders, preparing for impact.

Dean's conversation halts the second he notices us. His jaw tightens.

"So," Ryan says, dragging out the word, watching us like a cat watches a mouse. "You two just show up together now?"

Ava clears her throat. "Uh. Yeah?"

Ryan glances at Dean. "Did you know about this?"

Dean doesn't answer immediately, just takes a slow sip of his beer, gaze locked onto me like he's trying to assess the best way to skin me alive.

"I saw an article in the paper," he finally says, because that's honestly how Dean finds out everything. Guilt snakes up my spine at the way he looks at me, because I should have been the one to tell him. I'm his best friend. Or was, at any rate, before this.

Ryan raises a brow. "And you're… okay with it?"

Dean's silence is louder than any answer.

Ava shifts beside me, clearly uncomfortable. "Okay, can we not make this an interrogation?"

Ryan exhales, running a hand through his hair before pointing his spatula at me. "Just saying, man, this is a surprise. You and Ava?"

"Hard to believe?" I ask dryly.

"More like hard to process." He squints at Ava. "You sure you're not just using him to piss us off?"

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