over their house, which means you and Luke need to get lost, unless you want to join in. Because once one of those guys knows his friend’s getting laid, that’s all the other one’s going to want to do, too. So one of us takes the house and one of us takes the hotel. That way we’re not tripping on each other.”
Gosh. The way Sydney said it, the plan made so much sense. So why did Rori feel like telling Sydney to take her keycard and choke on it?
“You certainly know how to plan ahead,” was all Rori said.
“Honey, it’s not my first time at the rodeo. Now let’s get out there and land those men.” She took one last look in the mirror, pushed her breasts up and in, then adjusted her shirt so it showed a bit more cleavage.
“Indeed,” Rori said, opening the door to let them both out before snagging a dash of hand sanitizer from the dispenser on the wall and rubbing it into her hands. This was going to be awkward. She just knew it. She became sure of the fact when she spotted Kris and Caleb talking to the hostess when they exited the bathroom.
Ah, yes. The party just wouldn’t be complete without them. They were about as mismatched as Mike and Sydney. Rich spoiled kids looking to take a ride on some fine, middle-class ass when in truth Caleb and Sydney were more each other’s speed. Oh, the mind games they could play on each other.
“That’s the sister?” Sydney asked as they drew closer and didn’t wait for a response. “Those eyes must run in the family.”
“They do,” Rori said while noting that Caleb had taken notice of them as well. A little too much notice of Sydney, in particular, and the surgically-enhanced perfection that peaked a foot below her eyes.
Men. The man Rori married would never be so overt.
When Rori realized that she had not inserted Luke’s name into that statement, she looked at Kris—the true wild card in this situation. As awkward as lunch would be with the three of them, she was glad to have Kris present. Painful situations either brought people closer or drove them apart.
Time would tell what this day would bring. The hot air balloon ride had been a success overall.
This was part two.
“Hi,” Kris said, sending a big smile to Sydney as they drew close. “So you’re the woman torturing my brother for the day, huh?”
Sydney pursed her lips. “Torture? I don’t follow.”
Kris gave a knowing nod. “Hmm. He didn’t tell you then? Interesting.” Then without further explanation she gestured to Caleb. “This is Caleb. Caleb, this is Rori and Sydney.”
Caleb gave them both nods of acknowledgement, although Sydney’s nod had a bit more eye contact to go a long with it. “Good to meet you, ladies.”
“You, too,” Sydney flirted before leading the way to the table with a very intentional sway to her hips. “Table is this way.”
Kris glanced at Rori as if to say, Seriously? and Rori responded with a barely perceptible nod. It was a moment. The kind Rori might have with an actual friend.
Odd.
“Have you already ordered?” Kris asked conversationally although Rori sensed that she just wanted to fill the silence.
“No, just got here. Your timing is perfect, actually.”
“It should be,” Caleb said. “We’re right on time.”
Rori glanced at Kris and they shared another look.
“Caleb is always on time,” Kris said, her voice full of praise but her eyes telling a bit of another story.
“Count yourself lucky there,” Rori said. “Getting Luke anywhere on time is like trying to coach a cat out of a tree.”
“Tell me about it,” Kris snorted at the exact moment Luke came into sight. Rori noticed the moment because she’d been waiting for it.
Who would Luke look at? Her? Kris? Caleb? Sydney?
It surprised Rori a bit that he looked at her first, and smiled. She smiled back, wondering if she’d read the dynamic of Luke and Kris until she realized that he wasn’t doing the natural thing and looking at either Kris or Caleb. He was acting like they weren’t even in the room. If Rori were a more romantic soul, she might imagine that Luke was so smitten that he only saw her. But Rori was not a romantic soul. And Mike might be Luke’s best friend, but Kris was definitely next in line by Rori’s estimate. And people acknowledged their friends.
When Sydney cast a curious look around the table, Rori realized no one was speaking.