Page 74 of Taking Sides

“I dated in college, but the guys were all sort of terrible, and then after I graduated and started working for Victor, I was busy and my life revolved around his schedule.” I wait for either of them to say something disparaging about my brother. Neither does. “Wow. Really? Nothing?”

“We’re not going to talk shit about your brother,” Conrad assures me.

“Not in front of you,” Danny adds with a teasing smile.

My phone rings and I pull it from my pocket. Victor’s name flashes on the screen almost like he knew I was talking about him.

I motion with my head away from them. “I need to answer this. I’ll be right back.”

I scoot out of the booth and walk over to a quieter corner of the bar before I answer. “Hey. I can’t really talk right now. Is everything okay?”

“Dad’s asking about your visit. He wants to know if you can come a day earlier. His new girlfriend wants to meet you.”

“When did he start dating someone?”

“A few weeks ago.”

“And you didn’t say anything?”

“I wasn’t sure it would last long enough to be important.”

I groan. “Why do I need to come in earlier to meet her?”

“She’s a commercial pilot and can’t get off work.”

“A pilot, huh?” Dad typically dates women with a more flexible schedule. He likes people to be available when it’s convenient for him. “Have you met her?”

“Yeah. I had dinner with them tonight. Which is why I’m calling you now.”

Conrad appears off to the side, approaching me slowly. I force a smile at him and pull the phone away from my mouth to whisper, “Sorry. This shouldn’t take much longer.”

“No, I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable,” he says, keeping his voice low too.

“What—?” I start to ask what he’s talking about, but Victor says something in my ear.

“Hang on one second,” I say to him, then place a hand at the bottom of my phone, hopefully covering the mic and giving Conrad my attention.

“We won’t talk about your brother. I promise. Our shit with him has nothing to do with you,” Conrad says.

Whatever he sees in my expression must give me away because his face scrunches up in a wince. “It’s him on the phone, isn’t it?”

I fight a smile as I nod.

“Did he hear me?” Conrad steps closer.

“I’m back,” I say into the phone.

When Victor continues on like nothing happened, I shake my head to Conrad.

His smile inches higher, and his eyes glint with mischief. Conrad hums as his fingers clasp my hips on either side, and he tugs my lower body closer. He leans in and whispers in the ear not currently plastered to my phone, “Tell him I said hi.”

“I will not,” I say back with a small laugh.

“What’s that?” Victor asks.

“Nothing,” I answer, then give Conrad a warning glare that has absolutely no real threat behind it.

“So can you take a day off work to fly in Thursday instead of Friday?” My brother’s voice is laced with a hint of impatience. I’m sure it has more to do with being the messenger for Dad than anything else, but would it kill him to be a little nicer?