No, no, no. But she said, “That’s so sweet of you.”
The doorbell rang. Jase frowned, and Brook Lynn pretended not to know her sister—who she’d secretly texted during dinner—had just arrived. A few minutes later, Jessie Kay strode into the game room with Beck and West trailing behind her. West now had a beer in hand, and Beck was watching him warily while Jessie Kay just looked tired.
Brook Lynn felt a flicker of unease. Jase and Jessie Kay in the same room not long after they’d seen each other naked may not be a great idea. Don’t go there. Such thoughts wouldn’t do any of them any good. She forced herself to concentrate on the situation at hand.
“Come here.” Beck turned away from West and swung an arm back to pull her sister forward. That arm remained around her waist as he rubbed his knuckle into the crown of her head.
She giggled like a freaking schoolgirl. “Stop it!”
“Only when you pee your pants,” Beck said. “You don’t call, you don’t write, and I’m just supposed to forgive you?”
West watched the interaction through narrowed eyes before draining his beer.
Something had obviously angered him, but Brook Lynn had no idea what it was.
“I came to speak with my little sis, but if y’all are playing pool, the conversation can wait.” Jessie Kay pushed away from Beck and threw her purse in the corner. Strawberries had stained her hands red. “I’m in!”
“We were fine without you,” West muttered. “You may go.”
His uncustomary rudeness surprised Brook Lynn—and ticked her off. She opened her mouth to demand an apology.
“Dude,” Beck said to his friend. “Don’t think I can’t kick you out of your own house. The lady deserves respect, and she’ll get it.”
“Seriously. What the hell is wrong with you?” Jase demanded.
“Yeah!” Jessie Kay bristled. “Clearly everyone else is happy to have me.”
“Maybe they’re just better at hiding their emotions,” West said.
“Or maybe they hope my delightful personality will make up for your crappy one.” Jessie Kay fluffed her hair. “Or are you just jealous you’re the only one who hasn’t nailed me?”
West’s nostrils flared. “The day I let you in my bed is the day I want to be smothered by a pillow.” He took a seat at the poker table in the corner, cut off the end of a cigar and began to smoke.
Wow. What had gotten into him?
If Brook Lynn allowed herself to dwell on it, she might unleash the viper’s tongue she’d been known to use...or actually physically hurt him.
What the heck? Why not both? “Talk to my sister like that again, West, and I will rip out your intestines and use them as a jump rope.”
All three men gaped at her.
Jessie Kay gave her a thumbs-up.
“Sorry, Jessie Kay,” West mumbled.
“Now that that’s settled.” Brook Lynn cleared her throat. “Let’s move on.”
As soon as the boys turned away, Brook Lynn flashed her sister the signal her uncle had taught them, and it was odd, doing so without being forced. As she flashed back to childhood times she’d resented, she felt no remaining animosity, just satisfaction that she possessed the skill.
Amazing what a change of perspective could do.
“We’re playing something called doubles eights,” she said. “Ever heard of it?”
“Maybe from a movie?” Jessie Kay shrugged. “Either way, you’ll be my partner, Brook Lynn. Of course. And I’m just certain we’ll figure out the rules together.”
“No,” Jase said, shaking his head. “Brook Lynn is with me.”
Jessie Kay bit her bottom lip the way they’d been taught. “But I came here after a long, hard day of work, and all I want to do is play with my sister. Or should I go home? Yeah, I probably should. Just like West said. I don’t like to cry in public.”
Jase’s eyes narrowed, and he glanced between them suspiciously.
Can’t laugh. Really can’t laugh. “Oh, Jessie Kay. Please don’t cry. I’d love to play with you. Beck? West? Which one of you will be Jase’s partner?”
“I’ll do it.” Beck selected a cue. “Word of warning. I never let my opponent win.”
“I’m glad, because we’re going to wipe the floor with your face,” Brook Lynn said, giving trash talk a try.
“I’ll kick us off, then,” Jase said tightly.
Poor guy. His plan to help her hustle his friends had failed—and he had no idea Brook Lynn had been hustling him all along.
“How about we put cash on this game?” Jessie Kay said. “I could use the cash.”
“No money,” Jase said. A sudden gleam in his eyes as he focused on Brook Lynn. “But we can play for favors.”
“What kind of favors?” she asked, doing her best to sound nervous. He’d stopped trying to help her and now saw this as an opportunity to win something from her. Sneaky devil. At least the new prize had doused his suspicions.
“Open ended,” he said. “To be named at a later date.”
“I don’t know,” she hedged.
“Yeah. What if you ask us to count our own hair or lick our own elbows?” Jessie Kay said. When everyone gaped at her, she added, “What? Someone asked me to do that just this morning.”
“Nothing impossible,” Jase said. “Nothing illegal.”