Torque by Gillian Archer (10 ebook reader txt) 📕

awkward time to ask Rachel if she’s sure you’re the man she wants.”

“Yes, you fuckhead. It is.” Austin glowered at me even as a smile curved his lips.

“And yes, he is.” Rachel beamed up at Austin. “He’s the best thing that’s come into my life since Wyatt.”

“Where is the little rugrat?” I asked looking around the room. “No one has tried to tackle me since I got here.” Because that was what her almost five-year-old did every time he saw me. I was pretty sure my brother paid him to beat up on me. It was cute.

Rachel sent Austin a twinkling, adoring look. “My mom’s watching him. We’re going out tonight after dinner.”

“Or staying in,” Austin murmured before he gave her a soft kiss.

Rachel turned beet red. “Austin!”

That was my cue. “Right. Congrats again. I’ll see you at work tomorrow, bro.”

Not that either of them seemed to notice my retreat. Austin was murmuring something no doubt dirty in Rachel’s ear, and she was busy burrowing into his side.

“And then there were two.” Aunt Wendy suddenly appeared next to me.

I laughed. “You on a mission to get everyone coupled up and married off? And shouldn’t it be three? Sabrina’s not exactly engaged.”

I had no qualms about throwing my little sister under the bus if it got me out of Wendy’s cross hairs.

“Not technically, but it’s only a matter of time with those two. They’re both in it for the long haul. Once Sabrina gets her school stuff sorted out, they’ll be next. But as for you and Dylan…” She rubbed her hands together and cackled manically.

I know it was all for show, but the sound sent a chill down my spine. Or maybe it was that Wendy was serious. She wanted all her kids married off and working on their forevers. We’d heard it enough growing up. Wendy had always wanted us to have what she’d never had for herself. Or at least what she hadn’t had until recently.

Still, I grabbed at any straw I had available to me. “Speaking of, where is Dylan? Did he let you know he wasn’t showing tonight? I haven’t seen him since Thursday.”

“That boy.” Wendy closed her eyes and muttered something under her breath. “He’s been dodging my calls. You let him know I’m looking to talk to him.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Shit. I’d only riled her up more. After clearing my throat uncomfortably, I said the only thing my brain could spit out. “I should get going. I have a date.”

Then it was my turn to close my eyes and curse.

“A date? What’s her name? How long have you guys been seeing each other? What—”

“First date.” I cut her off as I backed away slowly. “And I really shouldn’t be late, so I’ll see you next week.”

“I can’t wait to hear all about your date next time I see you. Be safe and don’t forget condoms.”

I was beyond the point of being embarrassed about condoms, but that didn’t mean I loved the attention Wendy’s shouted advice gave me. Everyone in the room turned when she shrieked the word date. Maddie stared at me with something I couldn’t name gleaming in her eyes.

“Aww!” Ryan faked squealed. “Little Nate-y got a little date-y? That’s so cute.”

Hope smacked him in the stomach and glared at him before she sent a concerned look at Maddie for some reason. But Maddie wasn’t even paying attention; she was busy gathering her own belongings. Hope bent and whispered something in Maddie’s ear. Maddie paused, shook her head, and murmured something back.

I’d give about anything to know what that exchange was about.

Ryan stepped away from the whispering duo and his fiancé’s sharp elbow. “I never thought I’d see the day that Nathaniel Augustus Burns agreed to go on an actual date.”

“One, you know that’s not my middle name. And two, it’s drinks, not an ‘actual date.’” I scoffed. Little brothers were such a pain in the ass. “And three, I should go, so I’m not late.”

“It’s a date. It’s a date. It’s a date.” Ryan sang as he danced around the room.

Someone had clearly spent too much time with children’s television programs.

Austin linked elbows with Ryan and they skipped in a circle as they sang, “It’s a date.”

Make that two someones.

I shook my head at the two dancing morons. My brothers hadn’t aged past twelve in some respects.

The front door banged shut. I turned to find Maddie gone, and Hope shaking her head at her moronic fiancé.

That was my cue. I made sure to whap both of my brothers on the back of their heads as I passed by.

“See you fools tomorrow at work. G’night, Aunt Wendy. Thanks for dinner. Night, Brian. Ladies. Congrats again, Rachel—that is you’re still sure you want to marry that.”

She laughed and rolled her eyes.

I opened the front door and stepped into the quiet night. Despite my resolve to do this, my nerves still jangled. What happened next had the potential to backfire in my face.

But life wasn’t worth living if you weren’t willing to take some risks.

Chapter Seven

Maddie

The one thing I’d wanted for the longest time was about to come true, and I was doing my damnedest to keep my dinner down. Sitting in my car down the street from B-Side bar, I wasn’t sure I could go through with it.

Did he want me for real? Or was this all some elaborate plan to lecture me about the evils of internet dating? If he did that, I don’t think I could handle it.

Could he ever want more with me? Or was this just a hookup?

He had to know it was me, right?

Oh god. What if he was disappointed?

All those thoughts and doubts swirled around inside my head until I was close to hyperventilating.

My phone chimed with a message from my dating app. I was almost too scared to look. Since I’d set up my profile, I’d been inundated with so many dick pics and icky messages I’d come close to deleting the app altogether. Why did guys