How to Handle a Heartbreaker Read Free Page B

other?
    “It’s so obvious. Just sleep with him. Get it out of your system. Then use it to write those smut scenes you’re always going on about in your books. And presto. Deadline problem solved.”
    The familiar argument made her see red. “ Smut? I write erotic romance. Not porn. Not smut. Not raunchy—”
    “Right. Raunchy.” Vanessa snapped her fingers. “That’s the word I wanted when I was telling Francie about your book the other day.”
    More comfortable arguing about her profession than about the crazy feelings for Brody she had no business even thinking about, Abby lit into her roommate with gusto. It took everything inside her not to follow the flashing headlights when a truck pulled into Mike’s drive.

Chapter 2
    Brody stared at his cards, glanced at Colin, who had an eye on his father’s hand, then folded at a subtle headshake from the boy.
    Mike grinned as he won the meager five-dollar pot.
    Next to him, Flynn muttered at his cards and slapped them down. “How are you winning? You suck at poker.”
    “I do not,” Mike sounded affronted. He possessed the arrogant chin, stubborn nose, and bright blue eyes most of the McCauleys had. Only Flynn had green eyes, like his mother. Brody considered himself the blond beauty of the bunch and never hesitated to share his high opinion of his superior looks with the others.
    “You do suck, Dad. But I still love you.”
    “Don’t say suck ,” Mike corrected his son.
    As Colin smiled back at his father, the nearly six-year-old palmed three cards under the table and turned them up for Brody to see. A glance showed two twos and an ace.
    Brody smothered a smirk. But as he turned he saw Flynn’s eyes narrow. Their gazes met, and Brody warned him without speaking not to say a thing. Their years together enabled them to often communicate with a look, and Flynn rolled his eyes and sighed but said nothing.
    Good man.
    “Let’s play again, kid.” Mike grinned at Colin. “This time, if I win, I get a free week of chores from you. You win, you get ten bucks and an extra hour before bed tomorrow night.”
    “All right.” Colin held out a hand. “Shake.”
    While his father shook his hand, the kid slid another card off the table into his lap. Mike again didn’t catch it, though Flynn chuckled under his breath.
    Brody puffed up with pride. He’d taught the boy that move just a few months ago. Colin had real talent that Brody could see. Sure, Abby claimed Brody was setting the kid up for a stint in juvie, but what did she know? Knowing how to cheat meant you could spot a cheat. And Brody had grown up knowing who to trust and who not to, thanks to the nightmare he could claim as his biological family.
    Quickly shaking free of the thought, he dealt the cards and played two rounds, then watched Colin scam Mike and Flynn into upping their bets. Brody remained in, and while Colin leaned over, he took the kid’s high cards, the ones Colin had intentionally left on his lap for Brody to take. Not just one, but two aces. Nice. Considering he held one of his own, as well as two kings, he decided to win the pot.
    “Tell you what. Let’s make this super interesting,” he said to the table and winked at Colin.
    Mike scowled. “Now what? Whenever you say ‘interesting,’ that usually means trouble.”
    “If Flynn or I win, you still honor Colin as winner. We lose, we’ll do his chores for the week with him.”
    Flynn frowned. “What’s all this we nonsense? I can’t dirty my hands with chores. My woman likes me pretty.”
    Colin gagged. “Girls are so gross.” He blinked up at Flynn, his eyes as clear and blue as Mike’s. At times like these, Brody saw very little of Lea in the boy. And then Colin would tilt his head or change the inflection in his voice and remind Brody of Lea all over again. “Why do you want to play with her when you can play with me? You missed tucking me in the other night.”
    Flynn lowered his hand, and as he did, his cards angled out so