Page 21

Bishop

“What’s going on?” Rook spun to face me the second we were outside.

“Why must something be going on?”

“Do you remember when I told you I was pretending to be Dally’s boyfriend and you asked if I’d lost my mind?”

“I never said that.”

“You insinuated it. You don’t date and now you’re married? You’ll have to forgive me for not buying the I liked it, so I put a ring on it story.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say. She keeps me on my toes, and I like that. I never know what she’s going to say or do next.”

“You like that so much you married her? At least tell me you got a prenup.”

“I’m not a complete idiot.”

“I’m beginning to wonder.” My brother shook his head. “You gave me shit when I hooked up with Dally—”

“No, I didn’t. I just asked you if you knew what you were getting into.” I turned back toward the entrance. “Are we done here?”

“You’re set on sticking with the love at first sight lie?”

“I never said that, either.”

“So, you’re not in love with her.”

I sighed and turned back. “Look, just go with the story that I really liked what I saw, otherwise you’ll have to tell Magdalena what you know when she asks you or lie to her. And we both know you’re not going to lie to her about this.”

“And you need your marriage to be convincing when we get to Crosby’s …” He blew out a breath. “Fine. I don’t like it, but I’ll roll with it. And then when it’s over, you can tell me the fucking truth.”

“Deal.”

We headed back inside and arrived at the table just as the server was placing our food down.

“Is everything okay?” Magdalena lifted her head and Rook kissed her cheek.

“Fine. I just needed to speak to Bishop.” His gaze met mine, and one side of his mouth lifted into a smirk.

I rolled my eyes and took the seat beside Eden.

“Can I get you another bottle of wine?” the server asked.

Both women shook their heads.

“I’ll have a bourbon, neat,” I said.

“Make that two,” Rook added.

“ Please !” Magdalena tossed us both a frown.

Rook chuckled. “Two glasses of bourbon, please .”

“Better.” His girlfriend bumped his arm with her shoulder.

“Are you looking forward to the weekend, Magdalena? Have you met Crosby before?” I drew my plate toward me and cut into the steak.

“We went to dinner with Crosby and Dana a couple of weeks ago,” she replied. “She’s nothing like what I expected a supermodel to be.” Her gaze moved to Eden. “She has a wicked sense of humor.”

“Keeps Crosby on his toes, that’s for sure,” Rook added.

The conversation turned to the newly engaged couple, and I admit I tuned out. It was small talk, a way to fill the silence and didn’t interest me. Rook was the same, and we let the two girls talk while we ate.

The main course was followed by dessert and then coffee. Magdalena and Eden were chatting up a storm, like they were old friends who hadn’t caught up in years, leaving me and Rook to hold our own quiet conversation about our youngest brother, Knight.

“Have you seen him recently?”

Rook shook his head. “I asked him to join us tonight, but he made some weak excuse about being on a deadline for a job.”

“We’ve all cut deadlines close. It could be true.”

My brother snorted. “If it was the first time he’d used it, then sure. But he’s said the same thing the last three times I’ve invited him to visit.”

“Is he coming to Crosby’s party?”

Rook shook his head. “He RSVP’d as a maybe. I’d put money on him being a no-show.”

“Maybe one of us should detour to his place and pick him up.”

“Do you have the key to Fort Knox … because I don’t. You know no one is getting in there without his prior agreement.”

I laughed quietly. Fort Knox . Knight’s apartment was likely harder to get into than that place.

“I’ll call him. Maybe he’ll listen to me.”

“Sure. Because you’re the eldest brother and all that.” Rook’s voice made his thoughts clear on how well I’d do.

“It’s worth a try. When was the last time he left his apartment?”

“I’m not sure. He picked Dally up from Baltimore that one time, and then came out for dinner with us to meet her. That was what … Five months ago? I’ve only spoken to him on the phone since then. When did you last see him?”

“I spoke to him a couple of nights ago. I wanted him to check something out for me.” I paused to think. “I don’t think I’ve seen him since dinner that night, either. I’ve been out of the country for most of it.”

“If he doesn’t show up at Crosby’s, we’ll go and see him. He gets lost inside his own world sometimes. I doubt he’s even considered how long it’s been since we saw him. He might have been outside. Just because it wasn’t with either of us, doesn’t mean he’s cooped up inside all the time.”

We traded looks. We both knew that was bullshit. Knight needed to be dragged out of his apartment forcibly. He wasn’t a fan of people or the outside world and preferred to stay inside his apartment with his technology.

“Next week, then. We’ll take a drive out to his place.”

Rook nodded. “It’s a date.”