What Happens In Vegas... Doesn't Always Stay There (19 page)

Where is she?
After going to her apartment and coming up empty he visited her boutique,

curious to see if perhaps she’d gone to work early to clear her head. He found a note on the door apologizing to customers that the boutique was closed for the day.

Almost home, he pulled off to the side of the street, grabbed his mobile phone and rang her

number for the fifth time. As per the previous calls, it went straight to voicemail. He wasn’t sure if she had her ringer off or was flat out avoiding his calls.

Frustrated, he tossed the phone onto the passenger seat of the car, then shifted it into gear. He was almost home when he decided to make a stop. It was almost noon so surely Dane would be

up by now; if he wasn’t then he’d hang out and wait for him to get up. Maybe if Dane called her

she’d answer the phone; he hoped anyhow.

Fifteen minutes later, he was coming up onto Dane’s house and immediately spotted

Genevieve’s car in the driveway. Anger and hurt rumbled within him.

Of all places for her to go and of all people for her to run to, she went to his brother? He

attempted to keep a clear head as he pulled into the driveway and shut off the car.

Why shouldn’t she go to Dane, she thought he was messing with Emma,
he reasoned with

himself as he made his way up the driveway toward the front door. At least he’d found her and

he could get things straightened out. Just because she was with Dane didn’t mean a thing, it

meant she wanted to talk about him and who better than with his twin brother? The more he

mulled it around in his mind the more it made sense and his anger faded.

Not bothering to knock, he flipped to Dane’s key on his key ring unlocked the door, opened it

and let himself in. The house was completely silent – too silent for a couple of people chatting, unless they went out. As he walked further into the house, he heard soft snores coming from the

living room.

Upon entering the living room his entire body froze as he laid eyes upon Dane, clad only in a

pair of boxers, lying on the sofa with Genevieve curled up next to him. They looked like a couple of lovers. It tore at him. Did her encounter with Emma simply drive her to the man she
really
wanted to be with? Just like with Emma, was he ultimately the consolation prize?

A part of him wanted to wake them and demand an explanation and explain the situation.

Dane would back him up and verify he was working, since he had worked the same shift. But

another part, a stronger part, was done. He was done with competition and fighting with his

brother over a woman. He cared for Genevieve deeply and thought they had a great future ahead

of them, but he knew he needed a woman who was one hundred percent positive it was him she

wanted in her life.

He refused to be a consolation prize again. Refused. Quietly, he made his way back out of the

house, got into his car and drove home.

~*~*~*~*~

Genevieve awoke to a thumping sound. Groggily, she opened her eyes and smiled to see

Graham under her, still sleeping. Closing her eyes she rubbed the sleep from them, glad that it

had all just been a dream. With her eyes cleared, she opened them back up and her body froze; it

wasn’t Graham’s body she was draped over, but Dane’s.

Oh shit
. The realization sent a dagger into her heart, and sadness flooded through her again.

She pushed herself into a sitting position and pushed back the tears. Tears wouldn’t do her

any good. The faster I forget him the faster I can move on.

Her movement woke Dane and he stirred next to her. Slowly he opened his eyes and smiled

up at her. “Hey you. How are you feeling? Ready to talk?”

“Yes… No…” She sighed. “I don’t know.”

He sat up and stretched, before standing and offering his hand to her. “Come on. I’ll make

us…” Dane glanced over to the clock on the wall. “Lunch. And you can tell me what my ass of a

brother did to ya.” A wide smile spread across his lips and he jerked his head toward the kitchen.

“Come on.” Accepting his hand, she allowed herself to be pulled from the sofa and followed him

into the kitchen.

“So, ready to talk about it?” he asked, opening the fridge and surveying the contents as she

leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed over her chest.

“Oh, well. I guess.” She uncurled her arms and raked her fingers through her satiny locks.

“Today’s our one-month anniversary of making it official.”

“Uh-huh.”

“So I went to his house planning on surprising him when he got home after work.”

“Right.” With an armful of ingredients for sandwiches, he deposited them onto the countertop

and gave her a hip bump, moving her a couple of inches and out of his way. “So, was he a cranky

ass when he got home? He can get like that sometimes when it’s been an insane night. You’ll get

used to it, it’s nothing personal, but the job can mess with your head sometimes.”

Genevieve laughed. She couldn’t imagine Graham being cranky with her, but then again, she

couldn’t imagine him going back to Emma, but…

“So spill it. What’s going on?”

“It’s Emma.”

His body tensed up and his brow furrowed as he turned to face her straight on. “Emma? What

does she have to do with anything?”

“She was there when I got there.”

Lunch forgotten, his frown deepened. “I don’t understand. She was there? What did she

want?”

“Graham apparently. And it seems he wants her because she was in a little teddy-like thing

when she answered the door.”

Confusion was etched in his expression and shone in his eyes. “What did Graham tell you?”

“I didn’t speak to him, she wouldn’t let me. She told me they’d had an exhausting night and

he was sleeping. He was supposed to be at work, but apparently he’d lied so he could be with

her.”

“Graham did work last night. He was still at the precinct filling out paperwork when I left

this morning.”

A spike of hope raced through her until she remembered it was his brother she was talking to.

“You don’t have to cover for him.”

He huffed and turned back to making the sandwiches. “Trust me, the last thing I’d do is cover

for the guy who stole you.” Despite his words a grin touched his lips.

Genevieve laughed. “He didn’t steal me.”

“Either way, you’re with him and not me so I consider that stealing.”

“But his car was there when I got there.”

He turned back to her. She could see him thinking. “You know, I think he went in with his

partner; they went to a game before work. They do that once in a while.”

“Why didn’t you go?”

Dane shrugged. “Just didn’t.”

“So how did she get in?”

He turned back to her, passing her a ham and cheese sandwich. “How were you planning on

getting in?”

“The key under the rock behind the garbage bin.” She took a bite from the sandwich, not

even realizing how hungry she was until that moment.

He reached out and tapped her on the nose. “Bingo.” She giggled and jerked away from him,

swatting at his hand.

“Shit. I never thought of that.”

“Yup. That’s my guess.”

“But they’re divorced.”

“I’m guessing she’s pissed because I turned her down the other day and she’s trying to” – he

made air quotes – “ – get back at me.” With a huff, he grabbed his sandwich and took a hearty

bite from it then spun around and leaned back against the counter, continuing to eat.

It all began to click into place and she groaned inwardly. “I’m such an idiot.” She

immediately felt an intense guilt. How could she ever think he’d go back to Emma?

“Nah, he’s the idiot for not changing the hiding spot of that key.”

“Then I think I’m going to have to go and see him.”

“Yeah, if Emma was there, I’m sure he could use seeing you right now. She has a tendency of

riling him up pretty bad and considering the insane night we had last night with calls I imagine

he was already in a foul mood.”

“I’m going to go check my phone and see if he called.” Leaving the remainder of her

sandwich on the countertop she made her way into the living room, grabbed her handbag from

next to the sofa, opened it and grabbed her phone.

“Did he call?” Dane asked, following her into the living room as he stuffed the remainder of

his sandwich into his mouth.

“Five times. And there’s voicemail.”

“Well, there ya go.”

Smiling, she went over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a hug; he

responded by pulling her tight and placing his chin on the top of her head. It wasn’t the hug of

would-be lovers, but of friends – sweet and comforting, but nothing more. “Thank you Dane.”

She pulled away and her smile widened. “For understanding.” She was about to pull out of his

arms when he caught her, holding her to him.

“Graham’s a good man, Ginny. Much better than I am. He deserves a woman like you and

you should be with him ’cause you’ll never meet a man who will treat you better than him.”

Genevieve’s eyes began to water and she swiped at them with the backs of her hands. She

knew that. She’d let her own insecurities and fears cloud the truth. “You deserve someone too,

Dane. You really do.”

He chuckled and released her, giving her a quick smack on the bottom, making her giggle

and yelp in surprise. “Well get going, no doubt he’s giving himself an aneurysm worrying about

you and in a mad search of the city.”

“Okay.” She gave him another smile and half-wave before turning from him and leaving, not

looking back.

~*~*~*~*~

~ Graham ~

Graham upped the speed on the treadmill and broke into a run. Whatever tiredness he’d felt

upon getting home was long gone. Now he was filled with an adrenaline rush, his mind working

overtime. After spending close to an hour attempting to sleep he’d decided to try and work it off in his small basement home gym. Maybe if he pushed himself to the limits of his exhaustion he’d

be able to fall into a blissful sleep.

He’d been running for close to fifteen minutes, his heart thumping rapidly in his chest and

sweat covering virtually every inch of his body when the doorbell rang through the house. He

ignored it. The last thing he wanted was to talk to someone – anyone.

But the person outside seemed to be intent on speaking with him. After a minute of hearing

the doorbell ring, he sighed in resignation.

Maybe it’s Genevieve, or Dane, maybe it’s both of them
, a voice in the back of his mind

chimed in. He didn’t know what he thought of that option. Maybe there was a reasonable

explanation for them being cuddled and asleep on Dane’s sofa. She had thought he was back

with Emma. Maybe she ran to Dane for comfort…

But Dane could have told her he hadn’t been home and indeed been working. Anger surged

up within him as he took the stairs two at a time to answer the blasted door and the insistent

person on the other side of it.

Not bothering to look out to see who it was on his doorstep, he pulled the door open and

came face to face with Genevieve. He didn’t know what to say so he said nothing and simply

stared at her waiting for her to speak.

She fidgeted in front of him a moment before speaking. “Can I come in?”

With a nod, Graham stepped aside and motioned for her to enter.

“Can we talk?”

“You didn’t return my phone calls.” He closed the door behind her, waiting on bated breath

to see if she’d tell him the truth and admit to being with Dane, or if she’d lie to him. If she lied, he was done. He had a marriage full of lies and games, he wouldn’t tolerate them again.

“I was sleeping and when I woke up I saw the calls and came straight here.”

“I see.” His heart sank; she wasn’t going to tell him about Dane.

“Can we sit down?” She started walking toward the living room as she asked the question,

not expecting him to say no.

“Sure.” He followed her and took a seat next to her, leaving a foot worth of distance between

them. “So talk. What’s going on?”

She looked at him, confusion in her features. He clenched his jaw, took a deep breath in,

slowly released it and forced himself to relax. He slid a little closer to her, taking her hand in his.

“I apologize. I’m exhausted.”

Genevieve seemed to relax at his explanation. “I came by this morning wanting to surprise

you when you got off and Emma was here.”

“I’m sorry, Ginny. I had no idea until I came home and she was in the bedroom.”

Her eyes narrowed and anger flashed in them at the thought of Emma.

He gave her hand a squeeze, attempting to calm her. “Nothing happened, Ginny. I kicked her

out and re-hid the key.”

She laughed softly. “The key was how I was planning on getting in.”

“Regardless of what she told you, I wasn’t here. I worked all night and my partner dropped

me home this morning. I had no idea she’d be here. No clue at all.”

She stopped laughing and lowered her gaze to their interlaced fingers. “I thought you were

back with her. She was so convincing and everything. I thought it was happening to me again. I

didn’t even consider it was you, I automatically assumed it was true.”

He gave her hand another squeeze. “It wasn’t. I have no interest in being with her.”

“I left and was so hurt and confused. It was like, ‘here we go again,’ It was almost like all the feelings of being left at the altar came to the surface again. The pain and humiliation and feelings that I’m not good enough for someone, because why would men keep choosing other women