Page 51 of Let the Game Begin

My former boyfriend bit his lip, looking around sheepishly.

“You must be Jared. I’m so pleased to meet you. I’m Mia Lindhom.” Matt’s girlfriend approached him and held out her hand. Jared did the same,and in a display of his typical good manners, he presented her with the box of chocolates.

The gesture had Mia melting like snow in the full sun, and my father smiled.

“Please, don’t just stand in the doorway, come on in. I’m Matt Anderson,” he introduced himself jovially.

“Jared Brown. I’m honored to meet you, sir. I’ve heard so much about you.” He gazed at my father like he was an international superstar, and I realized all over again just how important and famous my father had become in recent years because of his work.

Finally, I was able to shake myself out of my daze. I got off the couch and joined the others with trembling legs, trying to hide my anxiety. Jared, who was saying hello to Logan, seemed to adapt immediately to this new situation. When I got close enough, he turned his eyes on me and my chest felt like it was being crushed in a vise.

“Selene,” he said in a whisper full of emotion before looking to my father, as though silently asking for the other man’s permission to approach me. Matt stepped aside to let him pass.

“It’s been weeks. It’s so good to see you again.” He hugged the breath out of me and then pulled back to gaze at me admiringly. “You seem different somehow. You’re… You’re beautiful.” Jared was excited, and I gave him a painful smile that I hoped would look sincere.

“I’m happy to see you, too,” I managed, my voice shaking. Jared touched my cheek, and I could tell that he wanted to kiss me but didn’t think it was appropriate in the moment.

Once all the hellos were finished, we proceeded to the dining room. During dinner, Jared spoke at length with Mia, my father, and Logan. I was pretty surprised by the warm welcome that Matt gave him. I thought he would take the opportunity to make me uncomfortable, but instead he was so friendly and gracious that Jared completely let down his guard.

I silently observed this tableau. And then, perhaps for the first time, I recognized what a lovely family we could potentially be, and I understood just how many mistakes I’d made in the few weeks I’d been with them.

“Selene, how long have you two been together?” Mia asked, pulling me from my reflections.

“Almost four months,” Jared answered for me, giving my thigh a squeeze. I tensed at the intimate contact, but fortunately, he didn’t seem to notice anything.

“You’re so precious together. I remember being your age, being happy-go-lucky and so in love…” She sighed, lost in the memory.

“With Dad?” Logan asked, raising an eyebrow. I saw Mia’s face darken; a cloud of melancholy seemed to pass over her blue eyes. Matt looked at her expectantly, but Logan just smiled, maybe taking it for granted that he’d guessed right. It was the first time I’d heard anyone mention William Miller directly. All I knew about him was that he was the CEO of a major company, that he had been married to Mia, and that he was the father of her three children.

“No…” Mia cleared her throat and fussed nervously with the cutlery next to her plate. “It was with another man, my first love. But that was years ago. It doesn’t matter anymore,” she added, sounding nostalgic and staring vaguely into the middle distance.

No one dared to ask her any follow-up questions and silence fell over the table, broken only by the click of the latch on the front door. Even though I was pretty sure she was staying over at a friend’s that night, I hoped against hope that it was Chloe coming home.

“Oh, Neil’s here.” Mia patted her lips with her napkin and turned toward the entrance to the dining room. Seconds later, Neil came into the room. He took off his leather jacket and handed it to a waiting Anna with a soft thanks.

“Good evening. What’d I miss?” he began before noticing Jared sitting next to me. He immediately took a seat across from me, next to his brother, and regarded me with a serious scowl.

“Oh darling, I’m so happy you’re joining us. Will you stay all evening?” Mia asked him delightedly.

“No, I’m going to a party with Jennifer later,” he answered, propping up his elbows on the table. I immediately pictured Neil and Jennifer clinging to one another in some random bedroom and my stomach ached. Was hewith her after our night together? I knew I didn’t really want to know, but the curiosity remained.

“The rest of the Krew are going too, aren’t they?” asked Logan under his breath. Neil gave him a sharp look, but his brother just stared back at him reproachfully.

“Knock it off, Logan,” Neil rebuked him, pouring some wine into his glass.

“Bullshit, Neil,” Logan whispered, trying not to be overheard by his mother, who had gone back to chatting about work with Matt and Jared again. “I don’t like you hanging out with those assholes, and I’ll never get tired of telling you that,” he continued, sounding tense.

Neil just kept drinking his wine, completely uninterested. Then he looked across the table, first at Jared, then at me. His gaze warmed me, and like always, I was helpless against it. I touched my lower lip with one finger, and it seemed like I could still taste him on my tongue. Neil clocked the movement and watched me, his eyes half-closed in barely concealed lust.

“Oh, how rude!” Mia interrupted suddenly. “Jared, this is my oldest, Neil.”

I blinked, realizing that I had gotten so absorbed in Neil’s arrival that I’d completely forgotten about Jared. I swallowed thickly and shifted in my seat. Neil and Jared, who had been ignoring each other up until that point, locked eyes menacingly, each taking the measure of the other.

“Pleasure to meet you, Neil,” Jared said but Neil didn’t move a muscle. He just stared threateningly at him, and Jared was forced to look away first. Logan sighed and scratched his chin with his thumb, observing his brother’s demeanor.

“So, Jared, what do you do? We haven’t talked about that yet,” Matt cut in to dispel the awkwardness. The air had become way too tense, and I was glad my father was trying to salvage the situation.

“I’m studying journalism in Detroit,” he answered, squeezing my thigh a bit harder.