I couldn't help but feel a little bit bad for Grayson.
As the seven of us gathered around the table in one of the many libraries, I realized he was the only person on New Year's Eve without a significant other.
Max was visiting from college, her arms around a blushing Xander, and one of Libby's legs was draped over Nash as they huddled together, plotting their next move in the poker game we had going. Jameson and I were also on a team.
Although Grayson was the only one without a partner, he was still winning. Emotionless too.
"Is he okay?" I said quietly to Jameson.
His hand moved a little higher on my thigh. "He's always okay."
"But . . ."
"Heiress, don't worry about him. Gray can handle himself."
"Jamie's right," Grayson said, eyes lifting to mine for only a moment before lowering back to his cards. "I don't need your pity, Avery."
"It isn't pity," I lied.
Grayson merely looked at me. I decided to drop the subject.
It was only ten minutes scarce of midnight.
We'd been playing for hours, and somehow, despite Jameson and I being on a team, we'd never been in the lead.
"Fork," Max muttered as Grayson laid down another hand of winning cards. "I hate Hawthornes."
"Excuse me?" Xander said, raising a brow at her.
"Three-fourths of the Hawthornes," she corrected, sparing him a glance.
With a wicked grin, Jameson said, "I'm the fourth she likes."
"Bet," was Xander's only response.
The game drew onward, and so did the minutes. The new year was approaching, and so was Grayson's ultimate win.
As the final cards and wagers were placed at eleven fifty-eight — to Jameson's utter dismay — Grayson officially won the game.
"Impossible," Jameson scoffed. "I want a rematch."
Grayson's lips twitched. "Maybe next time."
"Gray, you won't be home for months —"
As Jameson jumped to his feet, so did I, laying my hand on his arm. The last thing we needed was a fistfight.
"Jamie," I whispered, running my fingers up his arm. "It's okay. Let him have his win."
"You know as well as I do, Heiress, that I don't let these things go."
"You should. It's just a game of poker."
"And my pride," he murmured, watching his brother's every move.
"You and I both know," Grayson said, "that I won fair and square."
I pressed my finger to Jameson's lips before he could sputter another comment, and during the brief seconds of silence other than Max counting down from ten, Grayson disappeared.
"Heiress," Jameson murmured, voice teetering on the edge of anger.
"He won the poker game," I said to Jameson as cheering erupted behind me, signifying that a new year had begun. "But he didn't win everything."
Jameson's anger dissipated slowly. As he looked down at me, I lifted my lips to his. What was New Year's without a kiss, anyway?
His lips smiled against mine. They brushed once more as he added, "You're right, Heiress — I did."
