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There was something about that girl that rubbed him the wrong way. Jesse couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but if she was going to be hanging around then he wouldn’t stay long. After a quick drink with his cousins, he would leave.
He and Dillon slid into the booth across from them. Salena ignored the contemptuous look on his face and painted on one of her phony smiles. “Where’s Ky?”
Jesse couldn’t help but roll his eyes. She was so transparent. Salena wanted Kyan all for herself. She was wasting her time, though, and she knew it. Kyan didn’t do relationships. Ever. He hadn’t had a girlfriend since high school, and Jesse was certain if his cousin ever decided to change that it wouldn’t be with a snarky bitch like her.
Dillon answered, “Don’t know. He was supposed to come with us but he took off for somewhere.”
“Or maybe it was for someone,” Jesse couldn’t help but add, smirking. He threw her a wink. He had a feeling he knew exactly where his absent cousin took off to.
Ignoring Jesse, Salena stood from the booth and said to Dillon, “You going to be here a while?”
Dillon gave her one of his non-committal half-smiles, the kind that didn’t reach his eyes. The cousins had all grown up together. They were a tight-knit family of Irish heritage, as close as brothers, so he could tell Dillon wasn’t the least bit interested in anything Salena had to offer. Not tonight anyway.
“Nah, I’m just going to have a drink with Brendan and Jesse before I head on home.”
“Suit yourself,” she harrumphed, her amber eyes narrowing, then stalked off.
Brendan raised his eyebrows at Dillon. “What the fuck is up with you, man?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve never known you to turn down pussy before,” Brendan stated, bemused.
“Oh, is that what she was offering?” Dillon downed his shot of whiskey in one easy swallow. “Not interested.”
Something was definitely up with his cousin. He wasn’t acting like himself. Maybe he had an inkling where Kyan went, too. Jesse watched as Dillon stood up to leave.
“Sit down, man.” Brendan stood to stop him. “Are you okay?”
Dillon patted Brendan’s shoulder. “Yeah, just tired. We’ll catch up tomorrow.” Then he left.
Brendan shook his head and looked at Jesse. “Do you know what’s up with Dill?”
“I have a hunch.”
“Gonna tell me?” Brendan poured a finger of scotch into his glass.
“I think it’s a girl.” Jesse issued a halfhearted shrug. “But I could be wrong.”
Brendan grinned. “Ah, I see.”
He really didn’t, but it wasn’t his place to fill him in. Brendan would figure it out soon enough. He was intuitive like that. When it came to the four of them, they all were. They had been the only family each other had for so long.
Brendan swirled the amber liquid in his glass. “So what’s happening with you, Jess? You’ve got something on your mind. Tay’s coming home this weekend, is that it?”
How the fuck does he do that?
Because that was on his mind, all right. All the more reason he had to figure things out with Chloe.
Jesse sighed. “Partly.” He thought of Chloe and smiled. “There’s a girl.”
Brendan stopped swirling and swallowed his scotch. “I see.”
“You keep saying that, Bren.” Jesse nervously chuckled. He knew what his cousin would ask next.
“Who is she?”
“Her name’s Chloe. She works at Charley’s.” The smile stayed stuck on his face.
