Delayed Call Read online

  She squeezed his hand, and he felt her staring at him. “You know, that kind of takes away some of my stress that you’d leave me for that life. Since that life really wasn’t in play anyway.”

  He shrugged. “You had nothing to worry about before you found that out, or now. It’s me and you, babe. Me and you.”

  They rode in silence, but he didn’t miss the smile on her sweet face. She had been so awesome at dinner. She’d joked with Wells and Jensen, fit in like family. Hell, even Wren liked her, and that made him feel good. In a way, he felt like he had their blessing. Not that he needed it, he did what he wanted, but it made him feel good to have it, nonetheless. Which surprised him. But then, a lot of things about himself surprised him lately. He was changing, and it felt right. It felt good. Though, it did scare the living shit out of him. It was good.

  He hoped.

  When they arrived at the club, it was packed for a Thursday night, but Wells said it was dead. If this packed club was dead, then obviously, Vaughn had been out of the club scene way too long. Either way, they had a blast from the moment they walked in. Brie was bouncing around like a little kid, dancing with Wells and Alex, no cares in the world. As he watched her, Vaughn couldn’t help the grin that played on his lips. She looked beautiful, and he swore he felt it in his bones.

  As they stood around the table, the music pumping and the drinks flowing, well, for Brie and Alex, Vaughn realized something.

  Pointing to Wren, he accused, “Hey, why you aren’t drinking?”

  Wren looked up from the water with lime she was drinking. “Because y’all can’t.”

  Brie looked around, a little guilty. “Shit, am I an asshole for drinking?”

  Vaughn shook his head. “No, and usually, she doesn’t care.”

  “Yeah, what’s going on?” Wells asked. “You always have a glass of wine in your hand, sometimes both hands, but you didn’t drink at Mom’s either.”

  Everyone looked at Wren, and her face scrunched up. “I’m trying to be nice, and I get treated like this? Nice, guys, real nice.”

  “Answer the question,” Vaughn said, his eyes burning into hers. “Is something going on?”

  She laughed nervously, he noted as she shook her head. “What the hell could be going on?”

  Wells eyed her. “Are you knocked up?”

  She burst out with laughter. “Please.”

  “No, are you?”

  “No, dumbass, I’m not,” she laughed, rolling her eyes. “I got superdrunk and woke up next to a dude I didn’t know, and it freaked me out. So I’m taking it easy.”

  She was lying. Through her fucking teeth. But when her eyes met his, Vaughn pressed his lips together, unsure if he should call her on it. But then he didn’t have to make that decision.

  “You’re lying,” Wells accused, and she rolled her eyes.

  “How?”

  “I know you, and you’ve woken up plenty of times next to different people you didn’t know well—family trait. It didn’t freak you out before, why did it now? What the hell is going on? Are you pregnant?” Wells yelled, and Alex’s eyes widened as Jensen watched, holding his breath.

  But Wren just got madder. “Am I married? No. So, no, I’m not pregnant. You guys know the deal. And, Wells, since you can’t get the money because you’re gay, it’s up to me to get it for us, and I’m not ruining that.”

  “Huh?” Vaughn asked, but Wren shook her head. “What are you talking about?”

  “It’s none of your business. Just leave me alone.” She turned around and walked away, toward the bar.

  “You guys, leave her alone,” Jensen said, watching her as she crossed the dance floor. “You’re being hard on her.”

  “Why don’t you grow some balls and tell her you love her, then?” Wells asked, and Jensen rolled his eyes.

  “Shut up, Wells. Live your life, I’ll live mine.”

  “Whatever,” he said as an exhale.

  “You like her?” Alex asked then, and Jensen shook his head.

  “Stay in your lane, guy,” he snapped, and Vaughn’s eyes widened.

  “Jenny, what the hell? Calm down.”

  “Whatever,” Jensen said, leaning on his elbows. “I’m worried about her, and she just keeps shutting down on us.”

  “Well, don’t take it out on the new guy,” Vaughn said, hooking his thumb toward Alex, who smiled a thanks. “We’ll figure it out. It’s okay.”

  Wells rolled his eyes, watching her at the bar. “She’s probably going through menopause or something.”

  “She’s only twenty-nine,” Jensen threw out and Vaughn shrugged.

  “What was she talking about?” Vaughn asked, and Wells shook his head.

  “Old man has our trust funds from Granddaddy. But since I’m gay and won’t stop being gay, as my father puts it, he is giving Wren all of the money if, by the time she’s thirty, she doesn’t have kids out of wedlock. It’s the dumbest thing in the world, but it is what it is. So she’s gonna get the money and split it with me.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know about that,” he said, and Jensen shook his head.

  “I didn’t either.”

  “’Cause it doesn’t matter. I don’t need the money. I had forgotten about it and blocked it out when he said I had to stop being gay. As if that could happen,” he said with a laugh, and Vaughn nodded. “But apparently, she hasn’t forgotten about it. But I don’t believe her.”

  “Neither do I,” Vaughn agreed.

  “Why would she lie to us? So if she isn’t pregnant, something else is wrong,” Jensen added, but Vaughn still thought she was knocked up.

  “I don’t know, she’s an asshole. Why don’t you go hook up with her? Maybe she hasn’t gotten any ass, and she’s angry about that.”

  Brie laughed as Wells grinned back to her. “I don’t think brothers are supposed to pimp out their sisters.”

  “When Wren is your sister, you pimp her out. She’s a brat.”

  “And you’re a jackass,” Wren called back as she came to the table, a Coke in her hands. “I’m drinking now. So leave me alone.” She took a long pull of it and then set it on the table. But when Vaughn grabbed it, her eyes widened as they met his.

  Bringing it to his nose, he knew there was no alcohol in it, but her eyes were pleading and he was torn. He didn’t know what to do, but one thing was for sure, she had some explaining to do. Setting the glass down, he slid it to her. “Making sure you aren’t lying.”

  Brie smacked his arm. “Leave her be.”

  Wrapping Brie up in his arms, he kissed her head. “Fine, I’ll mess with you.”

  “Or you can dance with me.”

  “Ew, no, gross,” he teased, and she laughed as she smacked him again before hugging him tightly. When the music changed, though, Brie let him go, throwing her hands up as the Ed Sheeran song, “Shape of You,” started to blare through the club. She loved it. Like play on repeat, change her ringtone, and belt it out whenever it was on, loved it. It was really annoying.

  “This is my jam!” she yelled as she started to dance.

  And by dance, she was doing that weird pelvic thing she was fond of. She even did it in the car. “Brie, please, stop.”

  But she wasn’t listening. Laughing, Wells asked, “What is she doing?”

  “Humping the air?” Jensen asked, his brows pulled together as Vaughn sputtered with laughter.

  “Having a seizure?” Wren supplied, and that earned her a middle finger from Brie.

  “I’ve got mad moves. Come on, baby, dance with me,” she said, pulling Vaughn to the floor as she moved to the music. Her chin nodded with the beat, but he couldn’t help it, he was laughing. She turned in a circle, shaking her ass like a fool with the brightest and silliest grin on her face. When she started to sing to him, urging him to come to her, all he could do was smile back. His hands itched to touch her, so he took her by the hips, bringing her in as they moved together, his mouth gliding along her jaw and neck. She smelled like heaven and felt right a