I clear my throat. “It’s not sweetheart, I can tell you that.”

Hayden’s grin widens. “Ah.” He smirks. “Sassy little thing, aren’t you? I like that. You should drop this turd and have a drink with m—”

“Winter,” Aleck grits. “Don’t you have some place you need to be?”

“Not really. I—”

“Out, Winter!”

My attention whips to Aleck, his eyes drilling a hole into my face. As much as I’d love to stand my ground in our constant battle of wills, I see that Aleck’s restraint is holding on by a thread. Plus, whatever is about to happen between the Fox brothers is none of my business.

“Uh…” I look around for my phone, grabbing it along with my Kindle. “Yes, actually. I was about to make my way to Keith and Dottie’s suite.”

I stand, sheepishly, feeling like I’ve just been banished from the adult table by my father, and head toward my room to change my clothes. Feeling the eyes of both men on my backside, I exit the scene, never being more thankful to leave a room Aleck is in.

Knowing I shouldn’t, but not being able to stop myself, I pause in the hallway and hug my body up to the wall to listen to where this conversation is going.

“She yours?” Hayden’s maniacal voice purrs, the smirk clear in his tone.

“Please.” Aleck scoffs. “She’s the maid of honor. I’ve been stuck babysitting her for the past week.”

My teeth grind as the brothers continue.

“She’s spectacular. Did you fuck her?”

“Like an idiot,” Aleck responds, making my gut clench into a ball of rising bile. “And now I’ll be stuck dodging her advances until I get the hell out of here.”

Tears I didn’t realize I would shed sting the backs of my eyes, threatening to spill over. The ball in my throat almost chokes me and I press my lips together, stifling a whimper.

“She’s hot,” Hayden says.

“She’s a nightmare, trust me,” Aleck responds, digging the dull knife in my gut deeper.

Feeling like the walls are closing in, I tip-toe to my room, close the door, and let out a breath so deep, I worry it will take my consciousness with it.

That piece of shit.

How could Aleck say those things? That was so callous, even for him. This entire time I’ve been… a conquest? And I stupidly fell for it hook, line, and sinker. I grab my backpack and shove a bunch of random shit into it, not being able to form a thought.

Swinging my bag over my shoulder, I lift my chin and suck up a nourishing breath to gain composure. Then wipe my eyes with the backs of my hands and head for the door.

* * *

“Do I have some sort of sign over my heart, or something? Please shit here…”

“No, honey. This is not a Winter problem. This is an Aleck problem,” Dottie says as she sets a steaming mug of hot tea on the side table next to my chair.