“Doing what? It was only ten thirty when you left the bar.”

He didn’t answer, merely started to help Maddox spread out the food—a welcome sight and something he’d have to thank his sister-in-law for making and sending.

Maddox stopped him. “Are you going to answer me?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Then this has to do with a woman.”

Tobias shrugged him off. “Let it go.”

“Don’t tell me Harper came here after she left the bar…”

“Actually, she did. For a few minutes,” he admitted as though it was no big deal.

“A few minutes? Bullshit,” Maddox said and laughed. “From the look of you, she kept you up a lot longer than that.”

Tobias was starving. He used a tortilla chip to scoop some of the dip into his mouth. “Maybe a little longer,” he said with a smile.

Maddox gaped at him.

“What?”

“She stayed the night with you?”

“Not all of it.”

“But some of it. Holy shit! I told you she really likes you.”

“She’s hurt and lonely and confused. It might have no meaning at all.”

Maddox didn’t argue. “How’d you cover for your unfriendly behavior at the bar?”

“I didn’t.”

“So she still doesn’t know about Atticus.”

Tobias was beginning to feel uncomfortable. “No. But she doesn’t need to.”

“You’re getting in deep,” his brother warned.

“She wouldn’t even commit to seeing me again. It’s fine.”

“But there’re plenty of people in town who’d recognize your name if she mentions it. She could easily hear about what happened.”

“No one she’s going to talk to knows me or anything about my past,” he said, reluctant to consider the possibility. “She’ll be here another two weeks, maybe three. How many people do you think she’ll talk to—other than her family—in that time? When you’re visiting a place, you don’t go around announcing the name of the guy you slept with a few times.”

Maddox pursed his lips. “Hmm. Maybe you’re right,” he said, but he didn’t seem completely convinced that Tobias had no reason to worry.

Eager to be done with the conversation, Tobias went over to turn on the TV. “If we’re not going to end up together—if that isn’t even a possibility—I’d rather let her believe I’m just a regular guy, a good guy, instead of ruining what she feels for me by telling her about Atticus. Besides, she may not ever come back. I was shocked she came last night, never expected it.”

“She didn’t ask what happened to Atticus?” Maddox spoke louder to compensate for the volume of the TV, since the game had come roaring on. “You were so convinced she would.”

“She did ask, for your information,” Tobias said.

Maddox’s gaze grew sharper. “And you…”

Tobias looked away. “Pretended to be asleep.”