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He studied her expression for a longhis mouth to speak, but his phone buzzed He pulled it from his pocket, eyed the ID, and blew out a breath "It’s Hud He needs me"

This wasn’t the first ti for a Kincaid, and it also wasn’t the first time that she took a beat to marvel at the closeness of his family

And her lack thereof …

She’d always told herself it was best that way, but there was no denying that a little part of her no longer believed it

Shoving his phone away, Aidan lifted his gaze to hers again "This isn’t over," he said

She had no idea if that was a proave a mirthless smile, shook his head--probably at both of thehts and the taste of hiht to The Slippery Slope, which here Hud had texted hi into an elass

"Hey," Aidan said

Lenny lifted his head and ht you stopped drinking," Aidan said

Lenny shook his head "Knew that was co" He stood and tossed soot two months plus left onso soon"

"Lenny--"

"Save it, one

Aidan blew out a breath and searched out Hudson, finding his brother sitting at the other end of the bar nursing a beer and a bad ’tude, staring at his phone

"Hey, Princess," Aidan said, taking the seat next to him

"Call me that one more time and I’ll--" Hudson looked up from his beer and narrowed his eyes "What’s up with your face?"

Aidan put his hands to it His face was , why?"

"Your skin looks … smooth"

Aidan stared at his brother

Hudson stared back while taking another long pull on his beer "Yeah, you smell like a chick, but your pores look fantastic"

"What are you--" Aidan whipped around and searched out the crowd "Fuck you Gray put you up to this, right?"

Hudson grinned and with one finger pushed his phone across the bartop, closer to Aidan