Brynn was putting on her well-rehearsed big-sister-knows-best routine, but Sophie wasn’t buying it.
“There’s absolutely no way, Brynn. Why would I want to go on a double date with you and Gray? Hell, why would anybody?”
Brynn carefully folded her hands and placed them in her lap. “You’re always saying how you and Grayson don’t get along. I think spending some time together out of the office would do you both good. Allow you to see each other’s nonwork side.”
I’ve seen his nonwork side. And that charming side of him assumed I was a hooker.
Sophie buried her face in her gin and tonic. “But a double date? What are we going to do, hang out with the high school kids at the ice-cream parlor?”
Will returned from the bar with refills on their drinks and took the seat beside Sophie. “What are we talking about?”
Sophie nodded toward Brynn. “She’s still at it.”
Will snorted and took a sip of Brynn’s drink. “Get off it, Dalton. Only desperate couples go on double dates. If you’re still begging, things with the iceberg must be a mess.”
“My relationship is not a mess,” Brynn said, grabbing her champagne glass out of Will’s hand. “Well, actually, it’s not quite a relationship. But we’re…working at it.”
Will gave her a derisive look. “I thought that nonrelationship was over. What’s the point in giving it a second shot if you’re already describing it as work?”
Brynn fiddled with the small napkin beneath her glass. “Yeah, I kind of thought we’d agreed that it wasn’t going anywhere too,” she said in a small voice. “But then he sent these really beautiful flowers…”
“I sent the flowers,” Sophie said grumpily.
“Because Grayson told you to,” Brynn said pointedly.
Sophie took another sip of her drink, trying to wash away the sting of the memory. She didn’t even know why Gray’s request bothered her. It wasn’t like she thought Gray would actually be interested in her. They might have enough sexual tension to burn down their entire office building, but he didn’t even pretend to like her as a person. She’d forever be the slut in the elevator.
So of course she’d known that he wouldn’t choose her.
But did he have to choose Brynn? They had about as much chemistry as two ice cubes. She thought that dull nonrelationship was over.
On the plus side, whatever dopey affection Gray apparently felt toward Brynn didn’t seem to be mutual. Sophie had been watching her sister carefully all night.
It was tricky to spot the differences between Happy Brynn and Worried Brynn. They both wore the same smile, never frowned, and never rose their voices. But unbeknownst to Brynn, she had a tell. She chewed her right ring fingernail when she was worried about something.
And right now, said fingernail was a mangled mess.
Trouble in boring land, Sophie thought with a little thrill of glee.
Still, denying Brynn such a simple favor felt…wrong. Spending an evening with Gray and Brynn together would be painful, but it wouldn’t kill her.
Heck, it might even help dissolve whatever weird pull the man had on her.
And she and Will had pretended to be a couple plenty of times in the past for family parties and work events.
She could do this.
“So if we do this,” Sophie said slowly, “what and where are we talking about? Just like dinner or drinks, right?”
Will groaned. “Don’t cave, Soph. This entire conversation feels like something out of a teen movie.”
Brynn gestured toward a group of leggy brunettes in the corner. “Speaking of teens, that little group of chlamydia carriers over there is making come-hither glances at you.”
Will turned to look at the girls in question before giving a slow smile. “Very nice,” he said with an appreciative second glance.
“Don’t let us keep you,” Brynn said with a wave. “In fact, since you’ve been such a good friend to Sophie all these years, I’ll even give you a five-minute start before calling the cops and letting them know that there’s a child predator buying appletinis for high school sophomores.”
“To be fair, I think they must at least be juniors,” Sophie mused. “Look at the one on the end; she has boobs.”
“Damn fine ones too,” Will said with a wink as he stood. “Much as I’m enjoying this riveting talk about that piece of granite you two call ‘lover’ and ‘boss,’ I’m sensing far more beneficial company over in that corner.”
“That’s disgusting,” Brynn muttered as Will grabbed his beer and wandered away.
“Oh, come on,” Sophie chided. “They’re not really teenagers. They can’t be much younger than us.”
Sophie frowned when Brynn didn’t respond. “Everything okay?” Sophie asked, noticing that her sister’s eyes had gone from murderous to sad.