Page 26 of My Beautiful Sin

I sip a latte as I work, and by the time I need to cross the street and head to the Cask & Barrel to meet Brandy and Lamar, I’ve not only organized my notes, I’ve got an actual appointment tomorrow with Mr. Longfeld. Turns out he served time for the DUI, just like Tom said, but he also got early release based on time served and good behavior.

Now he’s living in Los Angeles and working as a stock clerk in a mom-and-pop grocery store in Panorama City, deep in the San Fernando Valley. Since Lamar’s a Beverly Hills brat who thinks the Valley is one of the seven circles of hell, I plan to wait until we’re en route to tell him our destination.

The Cask & Barrel is on the same block as Brewski, but on the north side of the street. I forego the crosswalk and dodge cars as I aim myself in that direction. Although the restaurant wasn’t around when I was a kid, Brandy and I have been to it a couple of times since I’ve come back, and I’ve started to think of it as our go-to place.

I’m about to pull open the door when I hear Brandy squeal. I turn to find her flying toward me, her arms outstretched. She grabs me in a rib-cracking hug, towering over me by almost seven inches. I bite back a happy laugh. “You freak. What’s with the massive PDA? I just saw you this morning.”

“I’m excited we’re finally all three having drinks together. And dinner. Food to sop up the alcohol.” She waggles her brows and I have to laugh. Brandy is a very conservative drinker, so I’m both amused and suspicious.

“Does this anticipation of drinks and conversation have anything to do with Christopher? Did you change your mind? Do Lamar and I get to offer all sorts of unsolicited relationship advice, after all?”

She rolls her eyes. “What? I can’t be excited about hanging with my besties? Speaking of, where’s Lamar?”

I glance up and down the street. “He’s late.”

“Only by a minute. Or maybe he’s already in there.”

As if in response, both of our phones chime. I’m pulling mine out of my back pocket as she shakes her head, holding her phone toward me as she says, “Don’t bother. It’s to both of us.”

Table near the window. Get in here and quit gossiping about how handsome I am.

We both turn, find the window, and blow him a kiss. Then, laughing as if that was the funniest thing in the world, we turn back to the door. I’m about to pull it open when I see Christopher walking up the street, his long legs eating up the sidewalk and his golden hair gleaming in the streetlights that are coming on as dusk falls.

I glance at Brandy, who looks sheepish. “I hope you don’t mind. I told him we were going to dinner, and he really wanted to come.”

I like Christopher just fine. But that doesn’t mean I want him here tonight. This was supposed to be our time, and that thought must show on my face, because Brandy frowns, and says, “Oh, dammit, I’m so sorry. I’ll tell him it’s not going to work out.”

“It’s just that Devlin’s evening freed up, but I told him not to come since it was only the three of us.”

“I’m an idiot. I should have asked. Of course he and I will see each other later. I’ll have him come to the house sometime tomorrow. Which reminds me, why aren’t you sleeping at Devlin’s? Your text said you’d be home tonight.” She frowns. “Everything was okay with you two this morning. It’s still all good, right?”

“Perfect,” I assure her.

“Okay, then.” She glances toward Christopher. “I’ll go take care of it.”

I reach out and take her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Thanks.” There’s a lot of reasons why Brandy is my best friend, not the least of which is because she’s a genuinely good person. Mostly it’s because she understands me. And despite all of my faults, she loves me.

“I’m going to go in and appease Lamar,” I say. “See you in there?”

“Order me a glass of red,” she says, then hurries off to meet Christopher, who’s paused a few feet away, probably picking up on the fact that we were discussing him.

I feel a little guilty, but not enough to invite him, so I push the feeling away and go inside. The place is bustling, and I wedge myself through to the table that Lamar’s managed to snag and pull out one of the chairs.

Lamar’s already ordered potato skins and bacon-wrapped shrimp, so we pig out on appetizers and wine, then order more when Brandy joins us. The conversation is easy and random, and I’m in a giddy mood that has nothing to do with the two glasses of Pinot Noir I’ve downed.

The waiter has just taken our dinner order when Lamar sits up straight, his brow furrowing as he leans forward, clearly trying to see something in the dark. When he sits back, I can feel the irritation coming off him in waves.

“What is it?” But even as I ask the question, I’m turning around in my seat. And in the same moment that Brandy mumbles oh, I see him in the doorway.

Devlin.

Chapter Eleven

I whip back around to look at Brandy. “I swear I didn’t invite him.” Even though that’s true, I still feel guilty for sending Christopher away, which is ridiculous and only makes me more irritated with Devlin.

Her eyes are wide as she nods. “Yeah, well, he’s still here.”

I scowl, because she’s right about that. “I’ll be right back,” I mutter as I push back from the table. I have a feeling it’s not a coincidence that he showed up here.