Page 12 (1/2)

Dean appeared and I ushered him out the door without another word Once in the lobby, I pointed Matteo out to hiuy you hired to drive Cassie around the city? What the hell’s wrong with you?"

Jack shrugged "What can I say? I’m overly confident and cocky Have wedoor and Matteo extended his hand "Hi, Dean It’s nice to meet you"

"It’s nice to meet you too I’ve heard a lot about you," Dean added, his tone wary

Matteo opened the door and walked toward the driver’s side and hopped in "I’aze in the rearview ize to you as well, if you’d like"

"Nah She wasn’t irlfriend" Dean looked at me "You’re lucky Cassie didn’t leave you for hi for a new brother? Want to adopt hed from the front seat "You bet, kid ‘Cause us Italian New Yorkers don’t have enough family members"

"What about your wife? Does she have any sisters?"

I sat up straighter "Holy shit, does she? I never even thought about that I mean, of course, I wouldn’t but--" I stopped abruptly, realizing that didn’t exactly coht

Matteo chuckled and shook his head "Sorry She’s all ures," Dean muttered under his breath

"Do you care where we drink?" Matteo asked

"Somewhere private No sports bars or shit like that," I insisted

"Do you really think I’d take you to a sports bar? I’?" Dean asked as the car slowed to a stop

I looked out the , recognizing the entrance from a profile shoot Cassie had done on historical bars in the city

"I know this place Cassie photographed it for the ht! I remember that This place used to be a speakeasy Sinatra used to hang out here with his boys It’s pretty cool Lots of history"

We walked into the dimly lit bar and paused for a second so our eyes could adjust Coht afternoon sunshine, this place see the bartender a nod, Matteo pointed toward the back of the roo The three of us headed toward the small table behind the rope The place was virtually e at the bar I prayed they wouldn’t recognize rab us drinks," Matteo offered "What are we having?"

"Beer for ood," I responded

"Same here," Dean added

I waited for Matteo to return before I started asking Dean any questions, figuring he ht have some outside perspective to offer A fewall three beers in his hands before setting the a drop

"You’re a fucking boss," I said, coainst his

"Ah, I used to tend bar in college," he said, and I laughed, al my beer at hi of the beer, closing oodness

"The real question is why is that so funny?"

I shrugged and said, "I have no fucking idea" Then I laughed some more, convinced my body and mind were out to betray me after I’d treated them so badly this past week

Dean looked back and forth between ? What the fuck did I miss?"

"I have no idea," Matteo said with a raised eyebrow as I pulled ling like a fourteen-year-old schoolgirl? It was like once I started laughing, I couldn’t fucking stop And knowing that I needed the release onlyI was on thea crisis I needed to cal slowed and I looked at my baby brother "So, what happened?"

"Are you done with your giggle fit?" Dean asked, apparently full of piss and vinegar

"For now So, tellof hed and rolled his beer between his pals between us"

"Wait, ould that change things? This wasn’t the first ti him

"Yes It was the first time Melissa kno I feel about her She knows" He shook his head and I could see that he was hurting

"Maybe it wasn’t good sex," I said with a laugh to lighten the mood

"Fuck you," Dean shot back "It was the hottest sex I’ve ever had in my life"

I leaned toward him "For you, maybe But what about her?"

He narrowed his eyes "The whole thing was hot She practically begged for it, ed "Then I don’t knohat to tell you That girl’s always been a pain in the ass to figure out Even Kitten’s no help"

"What do you mean?" Matteo sipped his beer and waited for my response I’d filled him in a little bit in the past about Dean and Melissa’s history, but he didn’t know much Hell, none of us really did

"I asked her once what Melissa’s problem was and she said she didn’t know That she’s always hooked up with guys and shit, but she never really likes them"

"That doesn’t make any sense Who’s like that?" Dean spat, his te up for the party

I lifted my beer "Me"

"Great," he said with a snort "So she’s a fe It’s sort of a guy’s way of thinking, if you break it down And that probably works for you since you’re such a chick"