Page 72 of Ours to Lose
He gave me a nod, then tossed another over my shoulder. “Hey, Evan.”
My shoulders tensed. I turned, and sure enough, there was my brother, walking into the restaurant.
His eyes swung past me to Jase. “Hey, man.”
“You putting in an order with Neela?” Jase asked.
“Yeah, to go.”
Jase pointed at the beer tap. “Try the Maibock while you wait. We just got it in, and I think it’s your style.”
My brother flashed his signature grin. “That good, huh?”
“It doesn’t even need the dimples,” said the South Asian bartender I assumed was Neela as Jase disappeared into the back. She smirked at Evan. “The usual for you and your old man?”
“And a Maibock while I wait, apparently.”
Neela turned her attention to the computer screen behind the bar, her long dark braid hanging down her back, leaving Evan and me standing in silence.
I readjusted the strap of my gym bag on my shoulder. “You grabbing dinner for Dad?”
Hands in his pockets, he nodded. His eyes focused everywhere but on me. “You sell your tickets?”
“Jase just bought the rest.”
He nodded again.
This was the least hostile he’d been toward me since I’d gotten home, and for the life of me, I couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Maybe if I knewwhyhe wasn’t being hostile. Was he starting to forgive me? Or did he not give enough of a shit to care anymore?
I nearly jumped to attention when he cleared his throat.
“So that guy Christian who Aubrey used to work with was bugging her at the tasting event yesterday.”
The fucker from our night out? “What’d he do?” My voice was as tight as my grip on my bag.
“Followed her to the parking lot and rubbed some shitty blog review in her face.”
I’d tie him up by his ankles and use him as a punching bag.
“Aubrey promised to be careful around him, but I thought you’d want to know.” His eyes met mine for the first time, and it was there in his gaze.
He knew.
And somehow, he wasn’t screaming in my face to stay the fuck away from her or swinging at my head. Those would have been my first two guesses at his reaction to finding out I was sleeping with his best friend.
I liked this option way better.
“Thank you,” I said sincerely.
His jaw flexed and stare sharpened with words he clearly wanted to say. Probably along the lines of how thoroughly he’d kill me if I hurt her in any way.
But he didn’t say them. Not for my sake, I was sure, but for Aubrey’s. This was him respecting her choice. Not respecting me, but not getting in my way either.
I met his glare head-on, communicating as much as I could with my own gaze.
That I wouldn’t be careless with her.
That I’d do everything I could to protect her.
