Third Chances (Men Of Manhattan #2) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,69

had taken, it was on an empty stomach. Eating would help with the symptoms.

"There's another room in the suite. I can eat alone if you want." He poked at his food.

"Don't be silly."

"Okay, I'll stay." He took a huge bite of his steak. "Fuck, this is really good. Tell us about yourself, Daphne," he said with a mouthful of food.

I looked over at Rob. He shook his head and took a bite of the steak he ordered.

"What would you like to know?"

"Where did you grow up?" James asked.

"Newark. I live in New York now, though."

"We grew up in New York." James hit Rob's arm across the table.

I laughed. "Yeah, Rob told me. And you lived together in Newark for a little while too?"

"Yeah. Not for very long though. I had to leave because of everything that happened with Penny. But Rob stayed. He likes the college life. Right, Rob?"

Rob cleared his throat. "It's okay."

"No, come on, you love it there. I personally think he should settle down though."

Rob laughed. I was glad he was finding this humorous instead of mortifying. He did look a little flustered, but in a cute way.

"How old are you, Daphne?" James asked.

"I'm 23."

"Oh, that's a good age. Rob is 27. I was 27 when I met Penny. But she was only 19." He cleared his throat. "But she was almost 20. I thought she was a senior. She made me think she was. Not that I wouldn't have pursued her anyway. It just would have been nice to know. I've had to wait so long to marry her. You two are closer in age, though. That's easier. And he's not your professor. What do you do?"

"I'm a high school math teacher."

"Really? Well, I guess I should say at least you're not his professor." He giggled at his own joke. "Can I try that?" He pointed to my crab cake with his fork.

"Um...yeah, sure."

"Don't touch her food, James," Rob said.

"No, it's fine." I pushed my takeout container toward him.

He lifted up the crab cake sandwich I had just finished assembling and took a huge bite.

"I'm so sorry," Rob said.

"This is really yummy. You order things really weirdly, but it's good," James said.

I laughed as he took another bite.

"James, seriously, stop eating her food," Rob said.

James suddenly looked embarrassed. "Right. Sorry, Daphne. Here." He cut off a piece of his steak and put it on my plate. "You can have some of my meat. I mean, my steak. Not my penis. But maybe you'll have Rob's penis later." He giggled again.

"Uh, thanks." I usually didn't eat red meat, but he was looking at me so eagerly. He wasn't acting like he was on cocaine. I had no idea what Matt had slipped him, but it must have been a lot of whatever it was. James was a tall, strong guy. It was really endearing to see him acting like this. I took a bite of the steak he had put on my plate.

"Good, right?"

"Mhm." I nodded my head.

I looked up and saw him wink at Rob. I didn't doubt at all that it was a, "she'll like your meat too" kind of wink. Especially when James said, "ow, don't kick me!"

Rob cleared his throat.

"Do you have any siblings?" James asked.

I took a bite of my sandwich so I'd have a second to answer. It was such a simple question. But my answer was too complicated. I didn't want to talk about it. Not with James. He reminded me so much of my brother, Derek. I had been spending my time in Costa Rica half trying to forget about missing Derek and half trying to figure out my feelings for Rob. I preferred thinking about Rob. Thinking about my brother was too painful. "Um, no. It's just me." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth either.

"That's a shame. Penny doesn't have any siblings either. I have Rob, but I also have my sister Jen. I think it's good for Penny. She thinks of them as her family now."

"That's really nice." I looked over at Rob. He was staring at me closely. He had barely touched his food.

"It's different growing up with siblings, though," James continued. "Sometimes I feel like she missed out. You probably did too. I mean, we have a pretty strong bond, right, Rob?"

I bit the inside of my cheek.

"Yeah," Rob said. "Daphne, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I took a big bite of my sandwich. It was good. But I knew better than anyone