Page 59 of Make or Break

“What difference does it make to you?” I asked.

I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t stop myself.

Nickel looked at me like I had a second nose. “You don’t think it’s wrong? Taking advantage of a woman in her twenties?”

I turned a hand up. “Depends on the people. If the woman has a long history of making bad decisions, that might be him taking advantage, but a woman who’s twenty-four or twenty-five years old - she probably knows her mind.”

“Doubt it,” Nickel muttered.

I pointed down the bar at Mickayla where she was putting together a bucket of beers. “Do you really think your sister doesn’t know her mind?”

“My sister is not in this,” he said, steel lacing his tone.

“Your sister asked the question, so she’s in this. Does she make good decisions?”

Nickel’s expression was a blend of disgust and annoyance. “I don’t know. She hasn’t had a man in a while.”

“And why would I? You’re so overprotective, most men get scared away,” Mickayla said.

Nickel gave her a daring look. “I know, let’s skip Wednesday’s lunch. You set up a lunch date with that guy you matched with before the holidays.”

I would not clench my jaw. Or my fist.

She pulled out her phone and scrolled.

I would not clench my jaw.

She shot her brother a look that said ‘so sorry.’ “He’s already matched with someone else.”

Maybe it was the second gin and tonic, but I couldn’t let it go. “Back to my question, if your sister told you she was seeing an older man, you’d think she was being taken advantage of? Not that she’s capable of making smart choices?”

Nickel stared at me, then moved in front of me. “That’s all hypothetical and pointless. Not too long ago, she said you made poor choices in women, so I’m not sure your opinion matters.”

“Watch it, Nickel,” I bit out while making another mental note to ask Mickayla about why she’d share that with her brother.

“That was low, man,” Ricochet said.

“See to your tables,” Lark said.

I’d missed him coming out of his office.

Dammit.

Lark glared at me. “You. Finish your Sprite. Pay your tab, and get out of here before you stir up more shit.”

I sipped my soda and stood. “I’m hittin’ the john.”

When I came out of the restroom, the door to the closet across the hall opened a crack. Mickayla stuck her finger out and crooked it at me. I looked down the hall. Nickel had his back to me, and Killian was nowhere to be seen.

I quickly ducked inside the cramped supply closet.

“I make poor choices in women?” I asked.

She frowned. “I said that months ago. Ryan accused me of getting chummy with you and I deflected by saying not all brothers make good choices in women.”

“That was the best you could do?” I asked with a grin.

“That doesn’t matter right now. I didn’t want you to be part of that conversation out there,” Mickayla whispered.