Erik (Arizona Vengeance 2)

“Happy Thanksgiving,” I hear a booming voice behind me say and turn to see Bishop walking in. Brooke is beside him, holding a bottle of wine in her hand. They both ate dinner with Brooke’s father, but promised they’d stop by and hang for a little bit. I’m really happy to see Brooke as I haven’t had a chance to really talk to her since the whole fake relationship turned real relationship with Bishop broke all over the news waves. It’s going to be nice catching up.

Bishop greets Pepper and Dax, then goes over to sit with Legend and Pierce, his eyes immediately gluing to the football game. I hug Brooke and accept the bottle of wine on Erik’s behalf. She follows me over to the small wet bar that has a built-in wine rack, where I start to place the bottle. Brooke puts her hand on my arm. “No way. Let’s crack that thing open.”

“Great idea,” I say with a laugh and do exactly as suggested, pouring two glasses of the deep red Cabernet. I then lead her over to a high-top table on the other side of the room, where we perch ourselves on tall stools made of oak and wrought iron.

“How many of the single players did you end up hosting today?” she asks. “Saw some of the pups cleaning up the kitchen.”

“Nine total,” I tell her with a laugh. “There are a few hanging out by the pool as well.”

“Is Tacker here?” she asks as she looks around.

“No. Erik invited him but he declined.”

Brooke lets out a heavy sigh. “I hate to think of him being alone on a holiday.”

“Me too,” I agree wholeheartedly. It’s tragic that he’s suffered such a terrible loss and deals with it by secluding himself away from anyone that might give him a measure of comfort. Erik even tried to lure him here with the promise of being able to hang with Billy, but he was adamant that he wanted to be left alone.

Brooke leans across the table and asks with a slight nod toward the pool table, “So what’s the deal with Dax? Is that his new girlfriend or something?”

“I don’t think so,” I tell her in a low voice. “I think they’re just friends.”

“Interesting,” she says before taking a sip of her wine, her gaze going back to them.

Pepper lines up a shot at the eight ball, taking her time. Dax stands a few feet away to her left, leaning on his pool stick and staring at the table.

Not at Pepper, and most certainly not at her cleavage that’s exposed when she bends over the table. My eyes slide over to Legend and I smirk to myself to see him staring at Pepper hard. She pulls her stick back slowly before sending a sharp jab at the cue ball. It clacks against the eight ball which shoots off toward the corner pocket, sinking in cleanly.

Dax reaches into his pocket, pulls out his wallet and hands her five dollars. “You’re such a hustler,” he mutters.

“I just like to bet,” she says with a laugh, accepting the money and shoving it into a pocket at her hip. Her eyes glitter with mischief as she looks to Legend, who is still staring at her. His face flushes and he jerks his attention back to the TV.

“Hey, Legend,” she calls across the room.

I wonder if everyone can see the ticking in his jaw muscle the way I can. He turns his gaze slowly back to her. “What?”

“Wanna play?”

“No, thanks,” he mutters and starts to turn toward the TV.

“I’ll make a bet with you,” she taunts him and his eyes slam back into hers.

“Like what?”

“If you win, I’ll take down all of my yard ornaments—front yard only, mind you,” she tells him.

“And if you win?” he asks.

Pepper taps an index finger on her chin, contemplating the stakes. Finally, she shrugs and says, “You can’t pester me about my yard ornaments for…let’s say…a month.”

“Just a month?” he asks suspiciously. “Not forever?”

She gives him a sly smile as she picks up the blue chalk to coat the tip of her stick. “Well, I wouldn’t want to take your joy away totally now, would I?”

I practically choke on the sip of wine I’d just taken and Brooke shoots me a grin, clearly enjoying the show as much as I am.

“Deal,” Legend says as he stands up from the stool and walks over to the rack on the wall that holds more sticks.

Brooke and I watch as Legend racks the balls and Pepper makes a clean break. She leans over and whispers to me, “There’s some major tension going on between those two.”

“Yup,” I agree. “And it’s kind of sexy, right?”

“Totally sexy,” she agrees.

“Babe,” Bishop calls to Brooke from his table. “Come here a minute…I want you to meet Erik’s dad.”