“Yeah sure, I’ll get right on that,” Trey scoffed. “Murphy would have a field day with knowing you knew that story.”
“Are you saying I can’t bring it up?” I asked. “I’m not sure I can keep a secret like this.”
“Don’t make me tell the family how you cheated at the egg hunt and stole my parents hidden eggs,” Trey argued. “They would be so disappointed.”
“Blackmail? Stop it.” I was laughing now. “You know if you told I would have to tell them you were involved, too.”
“Fine, you got me there. Come on, this door will bring us in the room right behind the eggs.” Trey reached for the door handle just as it turned. “Come on hide. I don’t need to be caught in the dark with a strange woman.”
“Did you just refer to me as a strange woman?” I followed him behind the curtains. “I’m not a strange woman.”
We stood face to face in the dark room hiding behind the curtain, trying our best not to laugh when the curtains were whipped aside.
“I knew I’d find you in here, but the curtains, Three? That’s my spot.” Murphy tapped her expensive heels. “What’s next?”
I hugged Murphy to my side. “Brat, I was literally just telling Chloe the story about us and these curtains.”
“Yeah, and did you tell her how much I scared you that night?” Murphy hugged Trey back. “Or did you tell her your macho version of the story?”
“He actually told me how you scared him.” I butt in on the conversation. “I was just telling him how I could use that as blackmail, too.”
“Really? He told you the real story? He never tells it right.” Murphy looked from Trey to me and back to Trey. “He must trust you with that because I’ve been blackmailing him for years.”
“You’ve been blackmailing who?” August asked from the doorway.
Chapter 27
Trey
“You’ve been blackmailing who?” August asked from the doorway.
All three of us started laughing. “No one, we were joking around,” I answered first.
“Okay then, why are you all in here in the dark?” August stepped further into the room. “You know what? Never mind. With the two of you there are a million possibilities.”
“He’s got a good point,” Murphy nodded in agreement, still chuckling. “Why are you in here is the bigger question?”
“Mom said she saw you come in here and told me to come find you.” August stood looking at us, hands in his pockets. “The winning egg is about to be announced.”
“Oh no, we never got to see the auction sheets,” Chloe said. “Come on, I want to be out there for this.”
“Your egg can’t win, you know,” August said, still standing near the door. “It has to be a Hawthorne egg.”
“I know, I don’t care about my egg, but thank you for reminding.” Chloe walked past him to the open doorway. “I want to see all your faces when the winner is announced. How much fun is this?”
“You’ve brainwashed the girl into thinking the moon shines because of you.” August rolled his eyes. “You do know this one has to go back to Sydney, right?”
“August, where’s your lovely bride?” I asked, walking past him now. “She should be out there to see me beat you.”
“I saw the sheet earlier and your egg was not winning, so be prepared to lose.” August followed behind me. “The king may be dethroned tonight.”
I threw my arm across August shoulders. “I don’t mind, as long as it isn’t Asher.”
“I know, can you imagine how obnoxious he’ll be all year?” August laughed. “He’s already a pain. Says he is the new king of the ladies because of his looks. I think he forgets we look exactly alike.”
“I disagree, August. Ash is less attractive because he’s a pain.” We walked out into the auction room together laughing.
I’d gotten so caught up in the discussion with August that I had walked away from Chloe. I looked back to find her and Murphy in a deep discussion about something. I scanned the room to find Natalie coming toward me.