This time, tears did thicken my words. “Love you too, Zo.”

“But just saying”—she leaned over the counter, her eyes hardening—“he hurts you in any way and I will personally see to his physical, financial, and emotional evisceration.”

I laughed. “Good to know.”

“Speaking of, is he really going to fight?”

The thought of Rhys fighting against his will made me sick to my stomach. “I hope not. He’s talking to Dean tomorrow about the gym’s finances. He asked me to come over just after. He didn’t say it, but I think he needs some moral support.”

“Of course, he does.”

“I hope I’m right to trust Dean to help Rhys out with this.”

“Hopefully, honey.”

I exhaled heavily and then waved a hand between us. “Enough about me. What’s new with you?”

“Not much.” She lowered her gaze, a little frown line between her brows. “I agreed to go on a blind date set up by my producer last Friday.”

“And?”

Her beautiful dark eyes finally met mine. “He researched me. All he did was talk about Richard.”

Zoe never referred to Richard Bancroft as her father.

“In what sense?”

“He was fangirling.” She curled her lip. “The guy is a fan of the money.”

It baffled me that someone as kind and funny and drop-dead gorgeous as Zoe Liu was single. Unfortunately, the men she dated either ended up being intimidated by her inherited wealth or were too obvious about their interest in her inherited wealth. There had been a few who seemed to genuinely be into Zoe, but then they’d destroyed it by cheating on her or getting annoyed by the hours she worked on the talk show.

Her lack of romantic entanglement was not for want of trying, and part of my reticence to date over the last few years had been from watching my amazing best friend try and fail over and over.

I was exhausted for her.

But I had faith there was someone great out there for her. Someone who would challenge her and excite her the way Rhys challenged and excited me.

“Then he’s not worth another thought,” I said, referring to her blind date.

She gave me a weary smile. “Hey, maybe Rhys has a friend.”

Oh, I’d seen the handsome guys who worked out at Rhys’s gym, and they’d fall on their knees to get within breathing distance of Zoe Liu. I grinned at the thought. “Maybe.”

“Or there’s his brother.”

I frowned at the thought of Dean. “The jury is still out on Dean Morgan. Rhys may think his brother has nothing to prove, but I don’t agree. Rhys has done a lot for him. I just hope Dean sees that and steps up. But until then, no Dean Morgan for you. In fact, maybe never. Truthfully, it’s going to be difficult to find a guy worthy of you.”

Zoe laughed. “Okay, then, Mom.”

“Oh, please. You love it that I think the sun shines out of your ass.”

My best friend’s eyes widened. “Did you just curse?”

My lips twitched. “Possibly.”

She threw her head back in laughter. “Oh man, I’m definitely buying that boy another Harley.”

Rhys

“You slept with her, didn’t you?”

Dean’s voice cut through my fog. He leaned over me from where I lay sprawled on the couch. A stupid grin lit up his face.

“What?” I hedged, then gave up and shook my head with a laugh. “How the fuck did you come to that conclusion?”

Dean rounded the couch and slumped down on the armchair next to it. “By virtue of that dopey-ass grin you’re wearing and the fact that I called your name three times without you even blinking.”

“Shit.” A grin pulled at my mouth. Because, yeah, I had a lot to grin about.

“Fuck,” Dean muttered. “You totally got laid. Asshole.”

“Why am I the asshole?” Brothers. You’d think Dean would be happy for me. I’d be happy for him if he found a good woman who rocked his world. Hell, I’d be ecstatic; maybe he’d focus on his future, then.

“Because it could have been me,” he said with a wink.

I lurched up with a snarl. Dean wisely scrambled from his chair and danced out of reach.

“I’m joking.” He lifted his hands in apparent innocence.

“Yeah? Well, tell a better joke because I’m not laughing.”

His lips twitched. “Not even a little?”

“Still not funny, shithead.”

It was unsettling how much his “joke” bothered me. I couldn’t shove it aside. If I hadn’t locked Dean in my office, it would have been him. Dean would have been the one going on dates with Parker. Dean, who was smart in the same way Parker was smart. And while I might have ended up being the better choice to woo her boss, Dean definitely fit in better with her true friends—with her life.

A twist of something deeper than jealousy hit me low in the gut. If I hadn’t locked Dean in the closet, would Parker have ended up with Dean instead? Would she have kissed him? Invited him into her body?