Fighting the urge to roll my eyes when she finally pulls her eyes away from the West brothers, I ask for a lemonade and a water. Ana follows suit, requesting an unsweetened iced tea. The only acknowledgment either of us gets is a curt nod before she taps the table lightly, returning her attention to Alfie and Ryan.
Bending down, she points to the appetizer section on the laminated menu in front of Alfie. I try really hard not to be a judgmental person, but there’s no way she doesn’t know the red camisole tank top she’s wearing has slid down and is showing everything.
“If you’re looking at appetizers, I highly recommend the buffalo tenders. You can get them mild or hot, and they’re so moist and tender,” she says, locking eyes with Alfie before slowly standing up straight.
The silence that follows is awkward and uncomfortable, until a loud scoff fills the quiet open space around us.
“Sorry,” Ryan starts when he realizes all eyes are on him. “Please, go on about how the tenders are so…tender.”
Covering my mouth, I attempt to stifle the laughter desperately trying to escape my lips. When Ryan’s eyes meet mine, I swear they’re sparkling. The mischievous twinkle dances as he flashes me a bright smile before turning his attention back to the server.
Not expecting to be called out, I’m sure, Darlene storms away from the table.
“Do you think she noticed your wedding ring?” Ryan turns to his brother, shaking his head in disbelief.
“I don’t think she cared.” Alfie shrugs before looking back and forth between me and Ana. “I’m so sorry about that.”
It’s crystal clear that neither Ryan nor Alfie are interested in Darlene.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Ana assures. The poised, controlled persona I know she only uses while in lawyer mode slowly begins to dissipate. “You weren’t the one trying to flash the table your, um, tenders.”
At that, the otherwise empty restaurant fills with the sound of our laughter.
“And on that note,” Alfie starts, reaching down to his side, “I think it might be best if we move this afternoon along. I know we’re supposed to have lunch, but what if we show you the set instead?”
4
Ryan
“Wait, we can go there? You already know where it is?” Carina’s eyes widen at my brother’s impromptu suggestion.
“The day after you left New York, they began building the set,” I explain, laughing. “It’s your show. Of course we can go there.”
“I’ll settle the check.” My brother smiles warmly. “You lot go on. I’ll meet you outside.”
“If you’re okay,” Ana, who’s been sitting back quietly, turns to Carina, “I’m going to head back to the office.”
At the sight of Carina’s nodding head, Ana says goodbye to the three of us. Before she leaves the restaurant, she pulls Carina in for a quick hug. If the restaurant hadn’t been completely empty, I probably wouldn’t have heard her tell Carina that she was proud of her.
It had seemed strange to me, for Carina to ask if it would be okay if her councilor joined us for lunch. The contract had already been signed. There was nothing that demanded legal attention at this point, but I’m beginning to realize that Ana attending this lunch must have been personal.
I pick up the pace to get to the door first and hold it open for Ana and Carina, cursing internally when I find my eyes following her hips as they swing back and forth. The tight, high-waisted trousers she’s wearing do a phenomenal job of showcasing the dips and curves of her body. I pull my eyes away when I realize they’ve lingered on her ass for a few seconds too many.
You have to work with her, Ryan. Every single day for the indefinite future. Do not go there.
I stand off to the side as Ana and Carina say goodbye. This time, Ana mentions seeing Carina at soccer on Saturday, then she waves to me before walking to the silver Mercedes parked next to the bloody Prius the rental company had given me for the week.
Before there’s a need to strike up small talk, the door behind us opens. My little brother emerges, flashing a big, toothy grin as he steps onto the sidewalk.
“Oh no.” I groan. I know that smile all too well. “What did you do?”
“I just asked for the check.” He shrugs. “And when Darlene asked why we were leaving before eating, I let her know married men don’t appreciate having another woman’s tenders shoved in their face.”
“Oh my God!” Carina gasps before bursting into a fit of laughter. “Did you really?”
My reaction is quite different from Carina’s.
Probably because Alfie’s recent wedding had been a surprise.
Less than a year ago, I was flying home on the red-eye because my brother was inconsolable after the woman we thought he was going to spend the rest of his life with, left him. After a week of having to force him to shower and eat, I convinced him to come back to New York with me, temporarily. He stayed with me for two weeks, and the next time I saw him, he introduced me to his wife.
“Aren’t you just a good little husband,” I deadpan, fighting the urge to roll my eyes.
“Not all of us were graced with strong West genes.” Alfie laughs. “We can’t all swing a different girl—”
“And on that note,” I exclaim, cutting him off, “how about we take Carina to the set?”
“Oh, don’t worry about me. I have two brothers of my own,” she says, brushing it off. “I’ve heard way worse.”
“It doesn’t mean you need to hear that stuff here,” I tell her, shooting my brother a look of warning. “Alfie and I rode together. Do you want to follow us?”
“How far is it from here?” she asks.
“About fifteen minutes,” Alfie answers, knowing I can’t. He’s the only one that’s been there.
While I was back in New York, pouting about having to relocate, Alfie was taking his producing duties seriously. He’s the one that found the set location. He’s the one that started negotiating contracts with Gap for Carina’s wardrobe. And he’s the one who’s been putting out ads for local makeup artists and hair stylists.
“Okay,” she agrees, nodding before going to her Jeep.
“What the fuck was that?” I ask as soon as the doors of the Prius close.
“Oh, come on,” Alfie chides as he puts the address for the set location into the dashboard GPS. “You can’t seriously be mad. I was just teasing, Ryan.”
“Well, Carina doesn’t know that,” I say, pulling the seatbelt over my lap.
“You better not be thinking what I think you are,” he lectures, his tone changing to one of concern in a snap.
“Shut up and just bloody drive, Alfie,” I say at the sight of Carina’s Jeep pulling out of the parking lot.
Alfie opens his mouth to say something, then closes it when the sound of his mobile buzzing in his pocket gets his attention. Looking down, he presses the screen twice. “You’re on speaker.”
He places the mobile in his lap and puts the car in reverse. I spend the next fifteen minutes rolling my eyes, wishing I could be listening to anything other than my brother being berated by the woman he married.