“About damn time,” huffed Lili under her breath. “He’s got so much more to offer. I think Jürgen keeps him down, not wanting him to shine too much. If the world got whiff of the true talent in that guy, they’d expect more from the rest of them.”

“Something like that,” I replied.

Brigid and her friend didn’t stay long. The guys and Sheri, minus Connor, came in to join us maybe twenty minutes after they’d left. We ended up grabbing a booth.

Phil pulled me onto his lap as we sat down.

“I missed you today,” he said softly in my ear.

Smiling, I popped a quick kiss on his mouth. “I missed you, too.”

An hour later, Lewis came in and had a beer, letting us know we had reservations at the fusion restaurant in an hour. Lili, Alys, and I decided to head up to the rooms and shower, leaving the guys to get their buzz on.

“Does Connor know about dinner?” I asked as we piled into the elevator.

“We can always find out,” replied Alys.

We headed to his suite before branching off toward our own. I knocked on the door, hearing muffled crashes and laughter.

“What the hell is he up to in there?” Alys laughed.

Connor finally answered with a sheet wrapped around his waist and a shit-eating grin on his face. “Hey,” he said, his voice hitting a baritone pitch.

“Hey,” the three of us replied.

“Yeah?” he asked.

“We got reservations for that fusion restaurant,” said Alys, desperately trying not to devour the sight of him.

“So?”

What’s with his fucking attitude?

“So, Lewis got us a table for thirteen at a posh-ass restaurant,” Lili snapped at him.

A woman who was not Quinn and not wearing a stitch of clothing came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his tapered waist.

Alys gasped softly, and Connor’s eyes hardened at her.

“I’m busy,” he said. “Maybe next time.”

“Next time?” Alys echoed, her voice pinched in her throat.

“Connor!” That was definitely Quinn.

“Dude, tell me you’re using protection,” I said.

“Seriously, Kenna,” he retorted, rolling his eyes.

“Come on, Connor,” said the brunette, her face all sulky. “We’re having fun. Don’t go.”

He turned a smarmy look on us. “You heard the little lady. Gotta go.”

“Who is she?” whispered Alys.

“What fuckin’ business is it of yours?” he snapped before slamming the door in our faces.

Lili had many talents. One of them was the ability to pull a face that was both disgusted and impressed at the same time. “What was that all about?” she asked, her tone holding the same two qualities.

Alys, on the other hand, appeared horrified. It was no wonder, as Lili’s question had been directed at her. Connor had been rude to all of us, but he’d certainly taken his frustration out on sweet Alys.

Her features hardened. “Fuck if I know. Come on. Let him live the life of a fucking rock star, the douche.”

She took off down the hall to her suite, leaving Lili and me to stare after her.

“That gave me a weird feeling, Kenna.”

“You and me both, Pygmy.”

Connor might have sold us out, but Devon happily joined us for a seven-course dinner. Brigid had had an invitation extended even though none of us truly wanted her there, but no one was surprised that she’d declined.

Dinner was fabulous. Food, booze, and laughter flowed freely. Alys seemed to have forgotten all about Connor’s rudeness. She and X were cuddled up close, just being overall adorable.

Squished in between Phil and Devon, I kept laughing at their antics. Sheri sat on Devon’s other side, and I noticed a few stony glares from Jason when Devon would engage her in conversation. I was under the impression they both liked each other, so I was a little surprised by Jason’s barely there animosity.

“She slept with Devon a few times way back in the day before she and Jason became more…exclusive,” Phil whispered.

What? Is he reading minds now?

After the most amazing chocolate-mint mousse, we all decided to hit up the casinos. Phil and Jason headed for a poker game while Lili and Lewis made for a craps table. Alys and X went off somewhere as Flipper and Viv went in search of a blackjack game. That left Devon, Sheri, and me heading for the bar.

Taking a seat, Devon called Brigid to make sure she was doing all right.

“It was great. You should’ve joined us. I know that, but you never will be unless you get over it and try to make friends with them. They invited you, right? They wouldn’t do that unless they meant it…”

Sheri and I locked eyes and repressed grins at that point. That was exactly what we had done.

When Devon hung up, he took the stool to my right.

“How’s she doing?” I asked.

“Better. I think she’s looking forward to going home. This trip didn’t really turn out to be the joyous reunion we’d hoped for.”

“What do you mean?” asked Sheri.

We both gave her incredulous looks.

She rolled her eyes. “What was supposed to be so joyous about your reunion? I mean…you guys were just friends, right?”

“Yeah, but we were thinking that maybe we could be more,” he replied.

“So, that’s no longer an option?”

He shook his head. “I don’t want to start a romantic relationship right out of something fucked up like this. She obviously still has feelings for Phil even if she says she has feelings for me. It just makes it hard for me to want to be involved with that. I haven’t bothered having a relationship with a woman in years, and when I finally do, I don’t want to be a fucking rebound.”

“I guess that’s not a mutual decision,” I said.

Sadness flooded his face. “No. I told her that we should wait and see how things go.”

“How did she take it?”

“She stormed off for a few hours, but she came back. She said she understood and hoped that I would change my mind. I told her maybe I would, in time.”

“Do you love her?” I asked.

“That’s a bit of a loaded question there, Doc.”

Sighing, I turned my attention back to my beer.

“I think I could have. There are times when I’m with her, and it’s fantastic,” he said softly.

Next to me, Sheri nodded. “There were times when Brigid was sweet and fun to be with,” she said, stirring her mojito. “When I called her my friend. I don’t know what it was, but she changed. Became mean and bitter. Toward the end, I just couldn’t take her bad-mouthing my friends and talking to them like they were trash.”

“I know what you mean,” said Devon. “She was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Her brain just works on a different level. She really can’t help it, and I know it doesn’t excuse her behavior, but it might help explain it better. She goes through self-destructive cycles, tears down friendships when they start to get too close. Deep emotions leave her feeling vulnerable.”

Whatever the case, Brigid must’ve left her meds back in Amsterdam because she was borderline certifiable in my book. Admittedly, I was heavily judgmental with regard to Brigid Von Douche Bitch.

But Devon cared enough about her to try to understand the reasons for why she was the way she was.

He must love her. No one would put up with that sort of shit if they didn’t. I wondered if he even realized it himself.

“Are you going back with her to Amsterdam?” I asked.

He shook his head. “She goes back on Monday, and I’ll head there on Friday. There are a few things that I need to take care of first, or I’d be going with her.”

“Does she have anyone in Amsterdam? Friends? Relatives? I thought she was from Switzerland.”

“She is. She moved to Amsterdam a few years back. She’s got a sister there. Her parents…” He seemed uncomfortable about saying anything else.

I nodded. “You don’t need to tell us, Devon. Her business is none of our own.” I wouldn’t want Phil telling people my private history, so I should respect the fact that Devon didn’t want to spill the beans on Brigid.