Aspen seemed to be panting, her eyes still wide and jerking from one side of the table to her boyfriend. Noticing, Blaise shot her a reassuring smile and his arm moved under the table. Then stopped and both shared a more tender look.

Aspen melted, and Blaise softened.

It was a miracle we were witnessing from where I was sitting.

At that time, the waitress brought out the appetizers, and as soon as she left, Cross said quietly, “I don’t know what Taz is saying to you, but she and I are good. We’ll always be good. We shared a womb together, and what issues we might have are between me and her. Not you. Whatever she’s saying, it’s not my relationship with her that she’s worried about.”

Blaise frowned, his eyebrows dipping down. “What are you saying?”

Cross waited a beat. Then, “I’m the brother who almost killed someone for her. You’re the brother she just met, and the one who is going to a different college than her. You’re the brother she was trying to establish a better connection with before he left from where she was, and you’re the brother who was dodging her most of the summer.”

Oh. Whoa.

I hadn’t thought of that, and glancing at him from under my eyelids, Cross hadn’t said anything about Taz calling him either.

Blaise looked at Aspen.

She tilted her head to the side, and I knew they were holding hands under the table. I could see from the arms moving toward each other.

Aspen murmured, “The nice thing about your sister is that she seems pretty forgiving.”

Blaise winced, closing his eyes.

I had to note this.

We were having a moment. Well, me because I was sitting here, but it was mostly Cross sharing, Cross pointing out something deeper, and Blaise not hiding his regret. He was showing it. Cross was silent, letting him have his moment, and Aspen was there, helping to sweep up the regret so he felt a little better, a little hopeful.

It was a nice moment.

It was a family moment.

Blaise dipped his head to Cross. “Thanks for that.”

My guy’s smile was there, but it was cool, as was his tone. “Good. Now tell me what’s going on with her and Race?”

And there, in our little diner, I felt another shiver sliding up my spine this time. There’d been random moments the two had joined forces, but neither wanted to. They’d been forced to. This time, not the same. Taz unknowingly had brought ’em together in a way, but I didn’t think she’d enjoy Blaise sharing what he shared. “He’s been flirting with another girl in his econ class.”

Yeah.

She really wouldn’t like that that was shared because Cross’ eyes instantly went flat and dangerous.