“Your brother and I are just friends, Nell,” I said.
Both women laughed so hard it was a wonder they didn’t fall off the couch. I stoically ignored them as best I could. Female friends, so overrated. Though also kind of wonderful in all the ways. Damn Coeur d’Alene for getting so great just as I was about to leave.
“A toast!” Rosie held her wine glass high. “To bullshit and broken hearts.”
“Ha. Nice one.” I grinned.
“Here, here,” said Nell, drinking deep.
“To bullshit and broken hearts,” I said. Then I drank too.
Hours later someone knocked on the door. Hours and hours and many bottles of wine and slices of pizza later. Nell slowly got to her feet and stumbled on over to answer it. I’ll admit, it kind of surprised me when the person didn’t just charge inside the same way everyone else did.
“Oh. It’s you.” Nell turned around and returned to the couch.
Behind her was Eric, his anger from last night missing. Well, mostly. His lips were pressed tight together, but his eyes were completely devoid of the fire and rage. “You’ve made your point.”
“Glad to hear it,” said Nell, picking up her wineglass.
“It was a shitty thing to do, leaving me to run the bar on my own,” he said. “But I get why you felt the need.”
Nell just watched him with eyes slightly glazed.
“We’re lucky we weren’t nearly as busy as last night. As it was, we had a few complaints about the slow service. More than one table left without tipping.”
“Hmm.”
Eric studied his shoes, and shoved his hands in the pockets of his pants. He looked like a schoolboy called to the principal’s office.
He really was a good-looking man, I thought, as I eyed his long dark hair and sculpted face. Some expensive underwear company could have put him on a billboard. He didn’t dress casual like the other guys. He wore a white button-down shirt that was rolled up to his elbows, and nice black trousers instead of jeans.
“Where’s Vaughan? I better talk to him,” he said. “Set things right.”
“He’s busy,” blurted out Rosie, sitting up straight, all of a sudden at full attention.
“We can tell him.” Again, Nell clambered to her feet, red-tinged eyes suddenly far more open. “But I appreciate you offering to smoke the peace pipe.”
“No, I’ve been thinking,” said Eric. “There’s something I want to say to him.”
“But—”
“Vaughan!” Eric craned his neck right and then left, checking out the hallway and the dining area. “Hey, Vaughan, you got a minute?”
“Eric, don’t.” She grabbed at his arm, yanking him toward the door. “Later. Talk to him later.”
“Relax, Nell. I’m not going to cause any trouble.”
The kitchen door flew open, banging against the wall so hard you could hear the glass shudder. Though it wasn’t Vaughan who stood there, fury etched into the skin of his face, above the mammoth beard.
“What are you doing here?” Pat growled, taking several large steps into the room.
Nell released Eric’s arm, taking a hasty step back. “Patrick…”
“It was a work thing,” said Eric, tone calm, placating, even. “I just stopped by to tell her something. I’ll leave now.”
“Shit,” Andre mumbled, looking far from happy. The other guys had come inside too, Vaughan hanging back by the dining table, confusion in his eyes.
But Joe hustled ass around the room, getting over to his brother’s side, pronto. “Come on, Eric. Let’s go. Catch you guys later.”
“What is this?” Vaughan stepped up beside Pat, brows pulled in so tight they almost touched.
“I just wanted to say I’m fine with you working at the bar,” said Eric. “It’s fine with me. That’s all I came here for.”
Nell stood at the edge of the room, wringing her hands, looking like she’d bolt at the first opportunity. I set down my wineglass. Whatever was going on, the party was most definitely over.
“Pat,” said Vaughan. “Man?”
Pat just stood there, steaming. And I’d thought Vaughan’s laser beam eyes were impressive. He had nothing on Pat. With the way Pat was glaring at him, Eric should have turned into ashes. Dust.
“Don’t,” warned Nell, eyes silently pleading with her ex. “Do not bring my brother into this.”
“Everyone fucking knows.” With some mumbled expletives, Pat offered her a bitter grin. “Did you really think he wouldn’t find out eventually?”
“Find out what?” asked Vaughan, voice beyond tense. “Nell?”
“They screwed,” said Pat. “Your sister and him. Can you believe that shit?”
“What the fuck?” said Vaughan, eyes huge as he turned to his sister. “Nell?”
“Don’t you look at me like that, Vaughan. You weren’t here, you have no idea what this has been like for me.” Fists tight against her stomach, Nell struggled to stay calm. “It only happened a few weeks ago. Pat and I have been separated for over a year. I am not a cheater.”
“Sorry,” muttered Vaughan. “Didn’t mean to accuse you of anything.”
Nell just shook her head. “And you … you were at the goddamn Iron Horse every night tapping all that ass, weren’t you, Pat?”