“And miss my chance to tease my little sister in person for a night?Not likely.You don’t give me enough opportunity, so I gotta get it in whileIcan.”
It was another jab at how rarely I came home, but Iignoredit.
“How’s it going, Ari?”Rhett asked, his voice rumbled as deeply as Iremembered.
“I’m so sorry for your loss.I didn’t get to tell you that earlier.I meant to.Just missed you at the service,” I blurted, finally getting my chance to pay myrespects.
Rhett’s gaze dipped to his whiskey glass.“Not talking ’bout that tonight.”He tossed back all three fingers in asinglegulp.
I didn’t watch the movement of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed.Okay, that’salie.
“Duly noted.”My words came out bright and chirpy, at least until I choked on the saliva in my mouth and coughed twice.I’m such ahotmess.
Heath raised a hand to signal the waitress.“We need another glassoverhere.”
“I’m more of a bourbon fan than whiskey these days,” I mumbled as I pretended to study the drawings carved into the table.Wait, is that an abnormally large penis and hairy ball sac?No longer pretending, I tilted my head to fully appreciate the detailed carving.Impressive.
“Guess you’re gonna have to slum it with us anyway,” Rhettreplied.
My attention snapped to him as his gaze traveled up from my hips tomyface.
Is Rhett Hennessy checking me out?Surely not.I had to be wrong.Heat started in my belly and licked up my chestandface.
“Balls,” I blurted.Oh no.Ididnot.
Both my brother and Rhett staredatme.
“What?”Rhett asked, probably thinking he heard mewrong.
I pointed to the table.“Dick and balls.Good work.Nice shape.Could use a few more veins.”Oh sweet Jesus, someone shut me up before the verbal mudslidestarts.
Heath’s laugh boomed throughthebar.
Why am I talking about penises?My gaze darted to Rhett’s lap, and my cheeks burned as Ilookedaway.
Great, now I’m going to be as red as my hair.I had to distract myself from the disaster.I snatched Heath’s glass and tossed back theliquor.
Oh shit, that burns too.I coughed as soon as I swallowed, trying to mask it by clearing my throat.At least now I have an excuse for the tears inmyeyes.
“Good stuff,” I said, attempting nonchalance as I set the glass back down on top of the bar version of adickpic.
The corner of Rhett’s mouth tugged upward in a semblance of asmile.
Heath choked, sounding like he was hacking up a lung as he tried to stop laughing, slapping the table and nearly toppling the bottle of whiskey.“Damn, my little sister is all grown up, and I missed most of it.”He grabbed the glass and sloshed another measure of boozeinit.
Rhett’s partial smiledisappeared.
“I swear,” Heath said to me, “I spend more time talking to your assistants than I do with you.I’m tight with ErikandEsme.”
Deep slashes appeared between Rhett’s brows.“You have twoassistants?”
Before I could reply, Heath jumped in.“Yeah.In case you didn’t know, my little sister is kind of a badass these days.”He gave Rhett a quick rundown of my accomplishments over the last few years, stunning me by how much he knew about my adult life, considering he hadn’t played much of a roleinit.
Rhett’s expression wasunreadable.
Oh, great.Now I was the geeky girl who also happened to be aworkaholic.
At that moment, I would have given anything, even my prized Funko Pop!collection, to know what was going throughRhett’shead.