Nate(56)

“Matteo, right?”

“Yes. He’s a big Hawaiian. That’s usually how he introduces himself to people.”

I nodded. Got it. Matteo. I didn’t want to mess up his name. Unlike Nate’s other friends, Nate said he hadn’t shared with Matteo what was going on. That meant there was a clean slate when he met me. He might like me at first.

He’d probably start not to like me after the initial meet because most people didn’t, but still. First meeting. First greeting. This one could be a positive one. That was my goal. I straightened in my seat, a polite but engaging smile on my face, and waited.

And watched.

And waited some more.

The football guy was juggling Nate a little like we’d do with Nova.

A giggle broke out. I couldn’t help myself.

“I told you,” Dierek drawled from the back. His tone was full of fondness and envy at the same time. He was watching them, his eyes overcast. One of his arms were crossed over his chest, the other resting on the doorframe. “If I join them, we’ll miss our reservation completely.”

“How long have you known everyone in Nate’s group?”

“I scooped Mason up right away, and everyone else came with him. It must be, what? Almost ten years by now? Nine, maybe?” He glanced at me but turned back to the window. “It seems like a lifetime. I know there’s a Channing near where they grew up, and I’ve not met him. I’ve met Heather, though. She came out for a visit one time to see Mason’s wife. Have you…?” He trailed, seeing me again.

I hadn’t met any of them.

I was trying not to have a reaction, but it was there. It must’ve been on my face.

I felt a slicing going down the middle of my body.

Nate’s words from the beginning came back, and now this time, they were haunting.

I have a whole group. You have no one.

I swallowed over a lump. He was right. I knew then, but I hadn’t been feeling it. I was feeling it now.

Nate and Matteo were starting to turn for the SUV, but Dierek asked, almost gently, “Nate mentioned that your brother is Graham Robertson?”

“He’s my half-brother.” Normally, I’d say nothing more. This time, it hurt to admit. “We’re not real close.”

“Oh.” His eyebrows dropped back down, and he straightened in his seat.

Nate was coming back to his side, and Matteo was rounding the vehicle, carrying a large bag in hand. He’d been reaching for the door handle on my door when he looked through the window and saw me. He froze, and his eyes got big. “Whoa!” His voice came out loud and was barely muffled through the glass. “Nate, you have a chick in your car. You got another sister we didn’t know about?”

Nate was opening his door. He paused, saying over the hood, “Shut up. Get in the back with Dierek.”

A wide smile came over the footballer, and he was quickly moving to the back door. Throwing it open, he leaned down and boomed, “It’s Mason’s agent! How are you, man?!” It felt like he was crawling inside the vehicle, but he was just sitting down. One leg. His body. The other leg.

The SUV dipped under each section and again as he settled to get comfortable.

The big bag came in, and he tossed it to the back, then he reached over and clapped Dierek on the shoulder. “How’s it going? Are you finally here to try to steal me away from my team? I don’t think my agent will go for that.”

Nate snorted, starting to pull away from the curb.

Dierek let out a soft sigh. “Hello, Matteo. You played well today.”

“Thanks, man.”

I liked Matteo.

I had turned to watch him, and I was captivated. He had a giant heart in him. I could feel it, and after snickering, he turned to me. “’Sup, New Girl? I’m Matteo. I’m a big Hawaiian.” He glanced at Nate. “Logan know about this one?”

Nate adjusted the rearview mirror, pulling into a line of cars all edging toward the interstate. “Logan has actually met this one.”

This one.

I burned from the implication of that.

I was sure they used that terminology in the past for who? What? Nate’s past conquests?

And he was letting Matteo think that about me.

Matteo’s phone started buzzing. He pulled it out, swiping over the screen. “That’s cool then. I like being the last to meet the new girls, but oh… Uh. So.” He looked up, a slight grimace pulling at the corners of his mouth.

Nate’s eyes instantly went suspicious, and a cloud came down over him. “Who was that from?”

“No one.”

“Matteo.”

“What’s up?”

Nate was glaring in the rearview mirror at him. “What’s going on?”

“Where we eating?”

“Peluzzo.” A pause. “Why are you asking?”

“Peluzzo?” He sent off a quick text, then shoved the phone back in his pocket. “Got it.”

Nate’s face went flat. “You never ask where we eat. Why are you asking now?”

“No reason. Look at all those cars.” Matteo twisted almost all the way to the back, pretending to be distracted by the traffic.

“Matteo!”

He turned back, a low mumble coming out. “I don’t want to get in the middle of this.”