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“It was probably hard for her to imagine you being around all the time when she wanted to smash kissers. Didn’t you think it was odd that she agreed to let you stay with her at all? I mean, Bryce isn’t really the sharing-spaces-with-strangers type.”

“I thought it was a favour for my brother,” I murmur.

“Bryce doesn’t care much for favours.”

She hid it so well. For three years, she thought I was that attractive?Enamoured, Shade said. She was enamoured by me.

Sure, I only saw her occasionally, mostly only at the summer barbecues and birthday parties. But still, I didn’t anticipate this.

The clearest memory I have of her from before the last couple of months is from the birthday party Johnny’s friends threw us at Steele Ranch last Halloween.

Kiki had chosen my costume the week before, and while it was a total cliché, the whole angel thing was cute, and I looked good in white feathers. We got to the party shortly before my brother and Rory did, and I had just snagged a drink when I spotted Bryce in the next room.

I remember being surprised seeing her in the tight red devil costume. My brother had mentioned only a few days prior that he expected her to come dressed as a Ghostbuster like she always did. That night was the first time Bryce had made such intense eye contact with me. For a moment, I thought she was even going to come up and speak with me—maybe about what a coincidence our costumes were—but when Kiki came rushing up my side, Bryce turned and left.

I didn’t see her again for months.

“Halloween last year,” I blurt out, searching Shade’s face for any hint of recognition.

It’s there a second later. “Your brother mentioned your costume. I think she was planning on making a move that night, but I never heard how it went, so I didn’t ask.”

My heart pangs before rattling against my ribs. “I had no idea.”

“How could you? She didn’t scream it at the top of her lungs.”

“If I had noticed earlier, we could have?—”

“Nah. Don’t play the would have, could have game. It all worked out in the end, even if it did happen a bit later.”

“Why didn’t she tell me this once we got together?”

“That would be a question to ask her.”

Fair enough. I tuck my hair behind my ears and lean forward. “Do you have any other clients tonight?”

“Are you propositioning me, little devil? Because if so, I’m afraid I’ll have to turn you down.”

I laugh gently. “Not in that sense.”

Intrigue brightens his brown eyes. “I’m listening.”

“I know you said that the next time I came back here, I was going to tattoo Bryce, but what if you tattoo me instead?”

42

BRYCE

Abbie’s sittingat the kitchen table devouring a bowl of Lucky Charms when I pull myself out of the spare room. My stomach growls at the sight of that sugary cereal, so I take the seat beside her and grab the box before dumping some into my hand.

I tip my head back and shovel it all into my mouth, then notice Abbie’s set her spoon in her milk-drenched cereal and is staring at me like I’ve just committed a crime.

“What?” I ask, cereal dust falling from my mouth.

“Why are you here, Auntie Bryce?”

“I had a sleepover. It’s something adults do.”

She cocks her head, sending one of her pigtails flopping into her face. “You had a sleepover with my dad?”