Jack glanced at his watch while making sure that the bar was stocked; quarter past six. He’d already showered and dressed in his favorite pair of jeans and a gray sweater, finishing the look off with Nikes, his most comfortable pair of shoes.

He’d opted for a relaxed look, because he wanted Rebecca to feel comfortable as well.

His heart was pounding, but he had no idea why. It wasn’t like she was coming here to screw him. She just wanted to wind down, and if the Boathouse could help her chill out—which he couldn’t quite fathom, because she’d had a harrowing experience before—so be it.

Maybe it had nothing to do with him whatsoever.

A brisk knock sounded on the door. He hurtled down the stairs and on reaching the door, pulled it open, fully expecting to see all three of them. But only Mervyn greeted him.

He frowned. “Aren’t we missing something?”

“Relax. Mona is bringing her soon.”

“Hmm. Are you sure you’re not just trying to reel me in?”

“Becky would kill me if I tried.”

“I like her more and more.”

“I bet you do.”

He quirked an eyebrow as he let Mervyn move past him. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing bad. I’m just trying to figure out if it’s the Boathouse she likes, or you.”

“I see you don’t have a filter, either.”

“Shit. I just put my foot in my mouth.” He looked sheepish. “Don’t tell Rebecca I said that. She’d end me.”

Jack laughed. “Sure. My sister is already keeping one of Rebecca’s secrets. Guess I can keep one of yours. I don’t know what it is with my family keeping all of you crazy people’s secrets.”

“Thank you, Jack.”

“So, do you want to go up to the bar?”

“I think it’s best if we wait here.”

“No problem. You really care about her, don’t you?”

“Yeah. When we first started working together, I knew she was going to be the next big thing. But then I got to know her. I hate how the fame affects her. Mona and I…we go the extra mile for her, happily. Not because of the money, but because of her. She’s amazing. She makes us feel needed and important.”

Just fucking great. As if she wasn’t already incredible in his mind, now Mervyn had cranked it up a few notches.

Mervyn pointed through the open doorway as a white Audi pulled up to the landing. The two women got out of the car.

Jack barely registered Mona’s presence. All he saw was Rebecca. She was dressed in a hoodie and jeans with Converse sneakers. Even dressed down, she was beautiful.

He felt Mervyn’s eyes on him and quickly averted his gaze as they approached along the wooden dock.

“Thank you so much for doing this,” Rebecca said, walking through the door. “I’m sorry I’m a nuisance.”

“You are a nuisance.” Mervyn pulled her into a hug. “But you’re our little nuisance. Maybe Jack should be on the payroll, too.”

“As what?”

“Don’t know, we’ll figure that one out later.”

She scrunched her nose and stepped all the way inside so that Jack could close the door.

“I don’t need to be on her payroll,” Jack quipped. “She loves handing it out for free.”

Mervyn and Mona laughed.

Becky’s expression was one of outrage—mock outrage, he thought—but maybe a little bit real, too.

“Hey! I apologized for that. You’re never going to let me live it down, are you?”

“Of course not.” He grinned to soften the banter. “I had to train almost a dozen new staff members.”

“Oh, dear. Almost a dozen? That’s simply too much.” She fluttered her eyelashes and smirked at him. “Where are we?”

“Have you had a couple of drinks already?” Jack asked, laughing. “You’re on the Boathouse.”

Rebecca stuck her tongue out. “I mean where on the Boathouse?”

“This is the first level, but I thought we’d go upstairs to the private deck. People can still see through the windows here, and I don’t want a repeat of last time.”

“For all I know, you could have tipped off the paparazzi to make some extra money.”

“No, not tonight. Though that is something to consider if I ever have a cash flow problem.” He meant it as a joke, but the air around them became tense.

“I’ll have to castrate you, then,” Mona snapped. “Our workload doubled because of that night.”

“You got an assistant out of the deal, so stop bitching,” Becky said to Mona, giving Jack an apologetic look.

Jack flashed her a smile, hoping to ease some of the tension in the air. He led them upstairs, and was relieved when the group’s energy seemed to lighten with every step.

“Oh, this is stunning, Jack,” Mona remarked.

“Thank you, Mona.”

“What, no Crazy Two moniker?”

He punched Mervyn’s shoulder in jest. “I thought we shared a sacred bond here, Mervyn.”

“It’s Mona.” He shrugged. “Even she knows she’s crazy.”

“Well, at least I’m not an agent.”

Jack laughed. “Seriously, how do you guys work like this?”

“Welcome to my world, again,” Becky chirped.

“You really don’t like each other.”

“Oh, no. It’s not like that at all. I love Mervyn, like the little annoying brother I never had,” Mona said, tongue in cheek.

“Babe, I’m older than you.”

“It’s hard to tell at times,” she fired back.

“Kids, play nice,” Becky chided.

“Yes, Mom.” Mervyn and Mona spoke in unison, then broke out in a fit of giggles.

“What will it be?” Jack stepped behind the bar, amusement quirking his lips. “And no cocktails. I don’t make them.”

“Then I’ll make them.” Becky walked over to the bar.

“You know how to mix cocktails?” Mervyn asked, surprised.

“I had a life before I started writing, you know.”

“You still have a life.”

She huffed. “Empty promises. And you call yourself the best agent in the world,” she joked. “What do you want, Fancy Pants?”

“Something blue, something sweet, and something that’ll bring out my personality.”

“I’m not a wedding planner, Mervyn.”

Jack laughed so hard, his abs hurt. “I love your sense of humor.” He held out his hand for a high five and Rebecca slapped it.

“I don’t know the names cocktails. Just make me whatever is nice.”

“Nice?” she asked.

“They say men are pigs,” Mervyn said.

Mona lifted her hand for a high five of her own. Becky slapped it again.

Jack cocked his head. “I don’t get that one.”

“Oh, that’s a filthy joke in one of Becky’s books. I’m not telling you which one.”

Jack shook his head.

“It came out of a man’s mouth, not a woman’s,” Becky clarified.

“Yeah, but you are a woman,” Mona said.

“My characters have genders. It was a male’s thought. I’m a good girl.”

Mervyn cleared his throat, mockingly.

“What? I am! You’re the one who tries to get the devil out of me,” she half-sang.

She poured a few shots of liquor and some mixers in a shaker, shook it, then poured neon blue liquid into the three glasses she’d lined up.

“You want one, too?” she asked Jack.

“Cocktails make my balls shrink,” Jack said.

“Such a typical guy comment.”

“I’ll have a brandy and Coke.”

She scoffed at that, as if to say she was unimpressed with his choice, but poured it, anyway.

“So, where did you learn bartender skills?”

“I worked at a very exclusive bar in Dallas when I was twenty-two.”

“That’s like, what, four years ago?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“See, Becky? I told you, you look twenty-six. Good one.” Mervyn went in for a fist bump and Jack obliged.

With drinks in hand, they made their way over to the couches and settled down.

“I could just stay here forever,” Rebecca said, sighing.

“Babe, it’s a boathouse.”

“It’s far cry from just a boathouse.”

“Should I place an order on a yacht for you?” Mona asked, her phone already in her hand.

“No, I don’t want a yacht. The lake is way too small for one, anyway.”

“You live near a lake?” Jack asked, intrigued.

“Don’t even start. Becky’s home is very hobo-chic with a touch of fortune.”

“You’re a hobo,” Rebecca retorted.

Jack laughed. “Hobo?”

“Texan. Farm animals. Open skies. All of that. She just happens to have a lake on her property as well.” Mervyn was lounging back and staring at the ceiling, while dramatically swirling a hand in the air as he talked.

“My family owns a Texan restaurant.”

Mona laughed the hardest. “Sorry,” she said as she put her drink down.

Perplexed, Jack asked, “Am I missing something?”

“You miss nothing,” Mervyn stated.

“We know about your family restaurant, Jack. Becky signed her latest deal with FireQuill Studios there about a month ago, remember? That’s how she met your sister.”

“Because of you,” Mervyn stated, pointing at Mona.

Jack didn’t miss the sarcasm in his voice.

“Would you stop it? I know you have a soft spot for Jonathan,” Mona snapped.

“He’s human just like you,” Becky said, pointing her finger at Mervyn.

“Who is Jonathan?” Jack asked.

“My little boy, who Mervyn treats like an alien.”

“Just wait. I’m so going to love writing you a character reference when you decide to adopt.” Becky laughed.

“That will never happen.”

“You don’t like children?” Jack asked. He couldn’t imagine anyone not liking kids.

“He loves children. He’s just scared he’ll shrivel up and disappear with the wind if he admits it.”

“Fine. Jack, your hobo restaurant wasn’t that bad, but it still wasn’t the place to sign a deal with FireQuill Studios.”

“What is wrong with our restaurant and signing deals?”

“Nothing,” Becky said. “Mervyn is just a snob.”

“I won’t deny it. But please, Jack, explain to us how you went from the hobo restaurant to something as extravagant as this?”

“Maybe I enjoy catering for snobs like you, Mervyn.”

“Ha-ha. You’re a funny man.”

“Well said, Jack.” Mona lifted her fist and Jack bumped his against hers.

“We going to keep high-fiving and fist-bumping all night? I feel like I’m at a frat party,” Jack remarked.

“I hope not,” Becky murmured as she leaned back into the sofa.

“What would you like to do, Becky?”

“Stay here. I thought I made that clear earlier.”

Jack winked at her, and they shared a smile.

“You could go to the Caribbean. This is only New York.”

“I’ve been to the Caribbean. It’s overrated.”

“Now, now, Becks, you’re talking hobo,” Mervyn said.

“What’s with this whole ‘hobo’ deal?” Jack asked.

“He’s just an idiot,” Mona answered.

“I don’t like Texan restaurants or food. Or the clothes. I also don’t like the state.”

Mona and Becky both clapped their hands to their mouths to suppress their laughter. Then they regaled Jack with the story of Mervyn’s first visit to her home.

From what he gathered, Becky lived on a farm with horses, pigs, and goats.

It led to funny scenarios, which made Jack think about a scene in one of her books. He’d laughed until he cried when he listened to it, so much so, he’d had to stop the audiobook and listen to the whole scene again.

Now he was bellowing with laughter as Mona and Becky told their story. He could easily see the similarities between the scene in the book and what Mervyn had gone through in reality.

“Mervyn doesn’t fit in on the farm.”

“I can only imagine.” Jack grinned like an idiot and chuckled. “I’m sorry,” he said. “You really put all your real-life experiences into your novels, don’t you?”

Becky gasped. “You read Rodeo Love?”

“I told you to delete that scene!” Mervyn cried.

“Dude, no, that was like the best scene in the entire book.” Jack grinned.

“I thought you didn’t know who I was?”

“I didn’t. But my sister-in-law convinced me to listen to your books so I could see what all the fuss was about. That particular title stood out. I really didn’t expect that story, but I would never have imagined that it was Mervyn who inspired it. Your fictionalized version was ten times funnier.”

Becky shook her head in disbelief and flashed him a smile.

“So, which of her other books have you read?” Mona asked.

“Only that one. I don’t have much time to read, so I got the audible, instead.” Jack only lied because he didn’t want to sound as infatuated as the rest of the world.

“They are all amazing. Totally worth your time.”

“Okay, you guys. I’m sitting right here, you know,” Becky said.

“I hope you won’t be putting the Boathouse in one of your books.”

Mervyn spat out his drink and Becky laughed.

“Oh, shit, you already have.”

“Not yet, but there is a book in my head…”

“Please don’t. Fuck, I don’t want to be reduced to a fictional character.”

“Shut up.” Becky pointed her finger at Mervyn’s face.

“Rebecca Finlay, no!” Jack yelled, but in a playful manner.

“They won’t know it’s you. I mix them up. Seriously, I’m getting a ton of good character building from you.”

“Oh, hell no. My mother has a way of picking up on these things. She’ll know, and then she’ll tell the whole fucking world. Please don’t do it,” he begged.

“She won’t know. You can read it before it’s published. I promise.”

“That’s if you write it,” Mervyn added.

Relief coursed through Jack. “You haven’t started yet?”

“No,” Becky said, taking a sip of her cocktail.

Jack laughed. He didn’t even know why, but he couldn’t stop.

He did not want to even venture a guess as to what she was concocting in her head.