Taking What's His(18)

She tapped her fingers on the table. Would it seem weird if she pried for information from him? Or maybe she’d just seem like a curious sister. “What happened to him?”

“He was a sole survivor of an ambush overseas. The IED messed with his head, but he’s brilliant. I’ve never seen anyone code like he does.” Steven stared down at his glass. “It takes him longer to form words out of his thoughts now, but he doesn’t let it show often. I think that’s pretty fucking incredible.”

Her heart twisted. So she’d been right yesterday. He’d kept pausing, as if he’d been choosing his words carefully. “Wow. I had no idea.”

“Why would you? You’ve never met him before. Besides, no one really knows. It’s not something he wears on a T-shirt.” He canted his head. “Why so many questions about him?”

“No reason.” Lydia shrugged for extra effect. Time for a change of subject, or he’d start to suspect something was up between her and Holt. “How’s Lauren?”

“She’s fine. She’s got some new sucker on a string, so she’s too busy for me,” Steven said, his voice tinged with a little bit of jealousy…not that he’d ever admit it. He stood up and tugged on his bowtie again. “I hate these damn things. You want another glass of wine? I’ll go get it for you.”

“God, yes.”

Steven grinned, grabbed their glasses, and headed for the bar. She watched him go, letting the smile slip off her face once he couldn’t see her anymore. He seemed sad, which was unusual for him with a breakup. He didn’t take relationships seriously.

Never really had.

But as much as she loved her brother, she couldn’t remain focused on him for long. Not when a certain glasses-wearing IT guy currently monopolized her thoughts. Her mind inevitably went back to him, and all the things Steven had told her. Knowing he was suffering, recovering, made her want to go to his house, knock on his door, and kiss him until he forgot everything. As if that would help him at all.

Footsteps came up behind her, and she forced a smile to her face. Steven’s voice was louder, which meant he was close, arriving midsentence. “…Introduce you to my date.”

The hair on the back of her neck tingled, and she stiffened. Her body had become super aware of something, or someone, and she had a sinking suspicion she knew exactly who that was. But no. It couldn’t be. Surely the universe didn’t have that twisted of a sense of humor.

Behind her, Holt laughed. “I don’t know how you found a replacement so fast, but hats off to you, man. Guess you’re ready to jump back on that wagon after all, huh?”

The universe did have a twisted sense of humor.

This wasn’t happening. Couldn’t be.

He was here. And he was about to find out who she was, too. Crap, he wasn’t supposed to be here. Why was he here? Cursing under her breath, she stood up and headed straight for the door without looking back, her steps hurried and her purse clasped in her hands. If it wouldn’t draw too much attention to her, she’d run instead of walk. Seconds from freedom, Steven grabbed her elbow, stopping her in her tracks. “What the hell, Lyd? Why are you running for the door like there’s a fire?”

“I, uh…I wasn’t running. I was walking.” She didn’t turn around, in case Holt was behind him watching them. If he didn’t see her face, he wouldn’t know who she was. She could still manage to escape unseen, if she played her cards right. “Like I said earlier, I have a really bad headache. I’m going to go—”

“There you are. I lost you in the…” Holt’s voice trailed off, dying midsentence. “…crowd.”

Slowly, oh so slowly, she turned around…knowing what she’d see when she did. Betrayal. Anger. Horror…and regret. Probably a lot of that, once he realized who she was. She didn’t want to see that, because she didn’t regret a thing.

When they locked gazes, the breath was punched out of her chest. His hollow stare, framed by his glasses, slammed into her like a freaking tidal wave. And he looked devastatingly handsome in a tux and bowtie. It wasn’t fair. The smile he’d been wearing faded the second he saw her, and his gaze dipped down to where Steven held onto her elbow. He scowled and flexed his jaw.

“Sorry, man. I was chasing my date down.” Steven glanced at her, then released her elbow and rested a hand on her lower back. “She wants to go home now, apparently.”

Holt’s jaw ticked. “I…we…” He took a breath, his nostrils flaring. “Introduce us first. Please.”