The Bromance Book Club (Bromance Book Club, #1)(48)

“Where is everyone?”

“Gavin took the girls downtown for some shopping.”

“How long are they going to be gone?”

“Not sure. Why?”

“You and I should go get pedicures or a massage or something,” Liv said, stifling a yawn.

“I don’t think I—” Thea stopped herself mid-sentence. She was about to run through the litany of reasons why she couldn’t. She had to get groceries, fold some laundry, plan the family menu for the next week. But why shouldn’t she do something relaxing and totally for herself today? Gavin had the girls, and even if they weren’t gone very long, he could be home with them all day. And since Liv had the day off, why the hell not?

Thea nodded. “You know what? You’re right. Let’s go crazy and get sushi too.”



* * *



? ? ?

“This reminds me of watching you get ready for your wedding.”

Thea met her sister’s gaze in the mirror of the dressing room. It had taken some major coaxing on Liv’s part, but Thea had finally agreed to hit the mall for some shopping. A mall on Black Friday was pretty much the last place Thea wanted to be, but Liv reminded her she needed to replace her Southern Belle wardrobe.

“I remember you trying to zip me into that dress,” Thea responded, turning to see how the black dress she was trying on looked from behind.

“It fit.”

“Barely.”

“You were pregnant with twins.”

“My ass had its own zip code.”

“You were happy.”

“Was I?”

Liv sat up straight, and one eyebrow went stratospheric. “Weren’t you?”

“I was nervous,” Thea clarified. “I wasn’t sure if I looked happy.”

Liz snorted. “Nice save.”

It wasn’t a save. Thea had been happy. Terrified, but happy and hopeful and one hundred percent na?ve. If only she’d known then what she knew now.

“Well, Gavin definitely looked happy that day. Never would’ve guessed that he’d end up being just another asshole.”

Thea slipped out of the black dress and started to put her own clothes back on. “I don’t want you to hate him, Liv.”

“I don’t hate him. I’m disappointed in him.”

Thea once again met her sister’s eyes in the mirror. “What do you mean?”

“You guys were my OTP.” One true pairing. “It sort of gave me hope that maybe there actually were some decent men left in the world.”

“He is a decent man.”

Liv gathered a stack of clothes into her arms and shoved them at Thea. “Why are you defending him?”

“I’m not. I just—” Thea hefted the load of clothes she’d decided to buy higher in her arms.

“Just what?”

“I just think it’s dangerous to expect anyone to be perfect.”

Liv snorted. “Well there’s a cryptic statement.”

One that Thea had no intention of expanding on, but Liv wasn’t easily swayed. By the time their food arrived at a nearby sushi restaurant, her sister was primed and ready for attack.

“So, what gives?” Liv asked, dipping a spicy tuna roll into soy sauce.

“What do you mean?”

“Why are you going easy on him, all of a sudden?”

“I’m not. All I did was point out that he’s not some kind of evil mastermind.”

“Something has changed. What is it?”

He offered to deal with Dad for me. He kissed me and made me want to forget everything bad. He made pancakes with the girls. Thea shook her head. “Nothing.”

“Don’t shut me out, Thea.” Liv looped her pinkie finger with Thea’s. “You and me against the world, remember?”

Thea sucked in a breath. Liv wasn’t going to let this go. “Okay, there is something I haven’t told you.”

“I knew it,” Liv hissed. “What did he do?”

Thea explained about his conditions, leaving out the part about kissing. That one was too personal.

Liv’s jaw practically broke because she clenched it so hard. “And you say he’s not an evil mastermind. He’s blackmailing you!”

“It doesn’t matter. Just because I go out with him doesn’t mean I’m going to cave.”

It was dark by the time Thea and Liv returned shortly after dinnertime. Gavin and the girls were hanging out in the living room when they walked in. He looked up with a smile that made Thea’s heart swipe right.

At the sound of Liv’s knowing snort, Thea wiped her expression clean.

“Have fun?” Gavin asked, draping an arm over the back of the couch.

“Yeah,” she breathed, bending to kiss the girls.

“We were just going to watch Elf,” Gavin said.

“Can we all watch it?” Ava asked.

“Sure,” Thea answered, glancing up at her sister. “Maybe Liv will make us some caramel corn.”

“Sure,” Liv drawled in a sickly, sweet tone. “And then we’ll just be one big happy family!”

Thea smothered her groan with a sigh.

When the movie ended, Gavin offered to put the girls to bed so Thea could continue her day of pampering with a long bubble bath. It sounded too heavenly to refuse, but when she emerged from the bathroom forty-five minutes later, she realized his suggestion hadn’t been entirely altruistic.