Page 121 of Fierce-Matt

Her jaw hit the floor. “You mean if I brought Matt’s name up and asked if you were dating, you would have said yes?”

“Yep,” Anya said. “Oh, hi, Justin. Jolene was grilling me about my love life. It’s your turn.”

Anya slipped away behind the bar. Sneaky, but she liked it.

“How is Steph doing?” she asked Justin.

“She’s great,” Justin said. “But you’re not interested in me. I love how Anya just snuck away from you like that. She’s catching on.”

“Yeah, she is.”

Jolene left before the crowd arrived. She got more than she thought she would and would take that win.

“You can just tellher no and she won’t hold it against you,” Justin said when he walked behind the bar where Anya was finishing the setup.

“I know,” she said. “But it’s fine. It’s all in good fun.”

“Do you know who she is trying to set you up with?”

She’d said it wasn’t a secret so there was no reason to keep this quiet.

“I’m dating someone. I have been for a few months now.”

Justin frowned. “Who? Jolene would have left you alone if you told her that.”

“No,” she said, laughing. “Well, maybe she would have since the person she had in mind for me is who it is.”

Justin shook his head. “I don’t know how she does it. It’s no one here. I’d know that if it was the case.”

“It’s Matt Kelly. Ben’s brother.”

“The dude in the suit that’s been here a few times?”

“Yes. That’s him. I thought for sure you knew who he was.”

“No,” Justin said, pursing his lips. “I don’t keep track of many. I’ve seen him in here before, but never put it together withBen. Damn. I’ve got to ask…did you know him beforehand? How would Jolene even match that up?”

“I was best friends with Phoebe, Matt and Ben’s younger sister, when we were kids. I spent a lot of time at their house. Matt and I never got along. Or it was more of the keep your enemies closer type thing.”

“Ahh,” Justin said. “Annoying older brother turned into a nice guy?”

“Something like that,” she said. Her phone vibrated in her back pocket, so she pulled it out and noticed her mother calling. “Hi, Mom. What’s going on?”

“It’s your father,” her mother said frantically. “He fell off the ladder at the store. I didn’t know he got up on it. He’s hurt. The ambulance is here and taking him to the ER now.”

“How hurt is he? I’ll try to get there as soon as I can.” Justin was waving his hand at her and mouthing, “go.” She nodded, grabbed her purse and hurried toward the door. “Where is he hurt?”

“He fell and hit his head. He’s not conscious and he’s bleeding. His leg is broken. I know that. Oh God, Anya. I shouldn’t have let him come here today.”

“Don’t you dare blame yourself.” Her mother’s teary voice was ripping through her gut with a dull butter knife. “You can’t watch him every minute.”

“I know. But this isn’t good, Anya.”

“I’m in my car. I’m on my way.”

“The ambulance is leaving now. I’m at my car too. I’ll see you there.”

Anya drove at a record speed to get to her father.