Free The One That Got Away by Madeleine Urban, Rhianne Aile

at a key moment.”
    Trace’s brows rose in disbelief. “You did what? Most of the crew from your paper was hootin’ and hollerin’ while I was up there, trying to embarrass me. Who helped you?”
    “Well, actually, Matt and the new kid from sports. Chad. We were pretty drunk and feeling devious.” David grinned, his eyes turning soft and crinkling around the corners at the memory. It had been a fun night.
    Trace’s hadn’t been the only auction they’d influenced. They’d given Keri Carter from copy a thousand dollars to bid on Bill Winchell, and those two were still dating.
    Shaking his head, Trace just smiled at the man across the table. “You are a true friend. I shudder to think what Katherine would have wanted.”
    “Ha!” David barked. “I can tell you exactly what she would have wanted. Her business is rumors, and she’d heard exactly how good you are with that tongue of yours.”
    Trace’s eyes bulged, and he leaned back, jaw dropping. “You’re joking !”
    David’s laughter got worse with the expression on Trace’s face, tears filling his eyes. “No.”
    Just then the couple was interrupted by the appearance of the photographer, his companion looking over from their table. “David, you should wait for dinner to arrive before hitting the really hard spirits,” Matt teased, smiling indulgently at the reporter trying valiantly to quit laughing.
    “Sorry,” David gasped, his shoulders still shaking. He brushed the tears away from his eyes. “I just…. Well, Trace….” He broke into a new gale of laughter, the image of Katherine’s face on a spider’s body with Trace caught firmly in her web floating through his mind.
    Matt turned to Trace and extended his hand. “I guess I’ll try talking to you. He doesn’t seem too coherent. If part of your game plan is getting him drunk, I’d say you are well on your way,” he added good-humoredly.
    Trace shook Matt’s hand, still aghast. “I might have to cut him off if he keeps sharing things I certainly don’t want to hear. Dear God . I had no idea Katherine would hear about something like that!”
    Understanding bloomed on the photographer’s face. “Oh.” He snickered, purposefully not looking at David to keep it under control.
    “Yeah, you should never underestimate Katherine.” Finally turning to David, he said, “What have you been telling him?”
    Hiccupping, David tried to pull himself together again. “Sorry. He just asked about Katherine, and, God! Do you remember the look on her face when she lost?” The laughter started again.
    Matt smiled down at the blond indulgently. “Yeah, but you’re sharing secrets with the enemy.” He cuffed David’s shoulder lightly, causing him to wince.
    “Be careful.” Trace warned. “David… hurt his shoulder,” he said, not sure what Lloyd might have told the other employees.
    The photographer’s smile faded with concern. “I’m sorry,” he said, his serious tone turning teasing as he added, “I’ve warned you about wrenching around when you’re handcuffed to the bed.”
    “Fucker!” David came back, eyes crinkling with laughter as he struck out at Matt with his good arm. “Go back to your boy toy and leave us men alone.”
    Trace covered his mouth one-handed with his elbow on the table, clearly stifling a spate of laughter. He thought about admitting that he’d thought about that—to keep David in the damn bed to give his shoulder a rest—but he was sure that would definitely come out sounding wrong.
    And Matt had a boy toy? Trace glanced over at the younger man who looked like he should be a model, then back to Matt, raising a brow in question.
    Matt leaned low, whispering something in David’s ear that made his eyes lower and his cheeks bloom with color. With a careful pat of David’s back, he moved away, glancing back at their table once speculatively.
    “Oh, I’m never going to hear the end of this one,” David predicted, lifting his glass of water to his