Anti-Stepbrother(31)

Diego pursed his lips, studying me. He hummed under his breath, holding his drink in his hands. When his head started moving up and down in rhythm with the music, I rolled my eyes.

“What?” I asked him.

“What?”

“Stop. You were thinking something. What was it?”

His eyes narrowed slightly before he leaned back and lifted a shoulder. “Nothing. Maybe something.” He grinned crookedly. “But whatever it was, I’m not telling.”

“That’s annoying.”

“I can be annoying. Annoying works for me.” He winked as he lifted his drink. “Annoying makes me charming, and girls like charming. I can charm almost anyone’s pants off, if I really want to.” He shook his head, taking another long drag before setting his drink on the table. “Not you, though. I’m going to pass you up, though it’ll pain me. I think I have to.”

“Why?”

He leaned back, throwing his arm across the back of Caden’s empty chair and kicking out his leg. He had a twinkle in his eye, one that I already recognized as troublesome.

“When it comes to my friends, my true friends, my lips are sealed. And regarding you, and why I’m not going to charm your pants off, my lips have to be sealed. Though it really does pain me. I’m hurting in my heart right now.”

I rolled my eyes. “Please.” The table of girls had been watching us, and two of them were eyeing Diego openly now. “I’ve got a feeling that pain won’t last long.”

He barked out another burst of laughter, shaking his head. “I like you. A lot. If anything goes wrong, you can come here with or without Caden. You hear that? You’re welcome here.” He gestured around the veranda. “I’m part owner of this place, and what I say goes. And you go. Know that. You’re always welcome.”

I was touched. “Really?”

He nodded. “Yep. Always welcome. No matter what.”

“Thank you, Diego.”

“Oh.” He laughed again, waving his hand in a dismissing motion. “My name’s not really Diego. I’m David. Everyone calls me Diego, though. You can call me whatever you’d like. And now that we’re bosom buddies, tell me all about Caden. He’s been coming here for the last couple years, but he doesn’t talk much. I want to hear it all.” He leaned close, waiting for me to spill some Caden beans.





I didn’t tell Diego anything, but I didn’t know anything to tell. Caden was a big deal. That’s all I knew. And Marcus. And how Caden had sicced Marcus on Kevin before we came here.

I must’ve been grinning, because Caden asked, “Do I want to ask what you’re thinking?”

I would’ve flushed, but my face had been on perpetual hot flash since we’d gotten to Diego’s. I hadn’t moved from our table, except to visit the bathroom. And those trips had been a quick dash with my head down as I veered right back to my seat. Only there could I relax. We were in the corner, and even though I knew people were watching, or could be watching, it hadn’t bothered me. I’d felt protected having both Caden and Diego there.

Between laughing at Diego’s stories, and then laughing at Diego’s stories about Caden, I’d started sipping Caden’s drink. The sipping turned into having my own beer, and soon Caden wasn’t getting any at all. It was just me.

When Diego went to the bathroom, I asked Caden if he could get in trouble since I was underage.

“Nah.” He didn’t seem too worried. “If the cops show up, we’ll run out the back. Diego’s is a family-owned bar and restaurant. Cops like him. They like his family too. They donate a shit ton for their softball team. They won’t be checking. Just don’t pass out in the bathroom or something.” At the thought of it, he eyed me up and down. “You’re not that bad, are you? You’ve only had two of my beers.”

Two beers, and I’d sipped one more before that, but my stomach still did a backwards flip at that moment. I pressed my hand over it. “I didn’t eat all day. I don’t think those nachos were a Tinder match with all the beer.”

He leaned forward. “You need to go?” His expression grew serious.

“Can you drive?”

He nodded. “I’m good. I stopped drinking a while ago. It’s been only water for me.”

Diego returned to the table as we were standing up. He had another two drinks in hand. “No. Are you leaving?”

“We are. I need to check on Colt before it’s too late. I’ll miss my chance.”

Colt? That was the second time Caden had mentioned the name, and I sensed he was involved somehow with his need to get drunk and laid earlier—which hadn’t happened. Only I was drunk, and there’d been no sexing. I should probably apologize for that, but I was distracted. Who was Colt?