Free Tender is the Nerd by Vicki Lewis Thompson Page A

was no other word to describe it. “So everything’s okay, now that you’ve pounded on each other?”
    “I think so.” Rylan surveyed his brother. “You okay?”
    Frazer nodded. “I’m good.” He turned toward Miranda. “We both needed a reboot.”
    “But all you did was fight.” Miranda couldn’t figure it out. “You didn’t discuss anything.”
    “Don’t really need to,” Frazer said. “Ry knows I wouldn’t steal his girl.”
    “Yeah, I do. I just . . . it’s like he said. We needed a reboot.”
    Maybe she wasn’t meant to understand the mysterious ways of guy communication. Apparently it could involve fists and bloody noses. “If you say so. I think you’re both nuts.”
    “That, too.” Frazer held her gaze. “By the way, thanks.”
    “You’re welcome.” She wasn’t positive what he was thanking her for, but she had an idea and recapping their earlier conversation didn’t seem like a good move.
    “All right, everybody,” Tony called out. “Back to work. Except our gladiators. Dulcie, I’d like you to drive them to Urgent Care to make sure nothing’s seriously damaged.”
    Miranda gave Rylan a quick kiss on the cheek before he left. She would have loved to drive both him and Frazer, but Dulcie was probably a better choice. For one thing, Dulcie seemed delighted with the assignment. For another, although the threat of a romantic triangle had been literally busted up, Miranda wouldn’t believe everything was fine until she’d talked privately with Rylan.
    On her way back down the hall she noticed Blake coming out of Rylan’s office with a laptop under his arm. Thinking back on it, she didn’t remember seeing him standing around with the others during the fight. Strange.
    He glanced at her as they passed each other. “Fight’s over, I guess.”
    “Yep.” She knew Tony wanted them all to be cordial to Blake, although she found it difficult. “Dulcie’s taking them to Urgent Care.”
    “Better her than me. I can’t stand the sight of blood.”
    Maybe he was squeamish, which would explain why he’d remove himself from the scene, but something about his behavior was a little off. She didn’t like thinking of him alone in Rylan’s office while everyone else was watching the fight. “Is that Rylan’s laptop?”
    “Nope.” He held it up. “Mine.”
    Which it was. She could easily recognize Rylan’s after this weekend. “Since Rylan’s not here, is there anything I can help you with?”
    “Don’t think so, but thanks! If there is, I’ll let you know.” After checking out her boobs, he continued down the hall.
    Rolling her eyes, she went into her office. For the next couple of hours she forced herself to work on collecting more data for the app, but she had trouble concentrating. When Rylan finally appeared in the doorway of her office in clean clothes with his knuckles bandaged, she leaped up and went over to hug him. “I’m so glad to see you.”
    “Not half as glad as I am to see you, even if my view’s a bit compromised.” He drew back to gaze at her.
    “Your eye looks terrible.”
    “It’ll heal.”
    “How’s Frazer?”
    “Didn’t break his nose, but he’ll have two black eyes from that hit. He’s going to catch a ride to and from work with Dulcie for the next week or so.”
    “You have one black eye. Maybe I should give you a lift to work and back.”
    He smiled. “Maybe you should.”
    “Listen, before I forget, while you guys were fighting I think Blake spent the entire time in your office. He claims that he hates the sight of blood, but I’m suspicious. You need to check your computer.”
    “I will, but Garrett made sure all our personal laptops are like Fort Knox with the kind of complicated password protection only a geek could figure out. Blake doesn’t have the skills to hack into anything he doesn’t have access to.”
    “Good to know.” She hesitated. “Is everything really okay between you and Frazer?”
    “Yes.” He pulled her