There wasn’t time to consider the ache constricting her heart after Levi kissed her then heard her sister’s voice and turned cold. Reality sank in fast. Levi was still hung up on Lisa, and whatever connection existed between him and Emily was irrelevant.

She numbly entered the ballroom and the Shin Electronics party. And that was when everything else started to fall apart.

Bran strode across the room, meeting her partway. His typically ruffled blond hair was combed smartly to the side and back, but his eyes were overly bright and panicked looking. “I just heard from hospitality that someone has food poisoning. They’re claiming one of our restaurants is to blame.” He ran his hand through his smooth hair, rumpling it. “We’ve got to do something. Can you fix it?”

For the first time, Emily truly considered the situation she was in. Club Tahoe’s financial crisis, Ethan Cade’s sons running the place, and her position among them. Why had she ever thought this was a stepping stone to her future?

Ethan had asked her for a favor and she couldn’t say no. She still couldn’t. No matter what happened, she owed the man. He’d been the father figure she never had. But she was on a sinking ship.

The Cade sons had taken on jobs they weren’t qualified for. Emily believed Levi could manage it with his leadership skills and intelligence, but even he needed to get up to speed, and fast, if he was to save this place.

Prior to Club Tahoe, Wes had been a golf instructor, Bran a waiter, and Hunt—well, Hunt’s new job was a bit of a promotion as well. He’d always owned a boat, giving booze cruise tours on the Lake. Now he ran the entire outdoor beach and boat program at Club Tahoe. None of them were qualified to run this place, and for the first time since she started working at Club Tahoe, Emily doubted her skills in assisting them.

She pressed her fingers to her forehead and took a deep breath. “You want me to smooth things over…in a food-poisoning incident?”

“I’m almost positive we didn’t cause it.”

“But they think we did?”

Bran nodded tensely.

Her hands shook. She had a job to do. It didn’t matter that her love life sucked. It had sucked before she started working here. Would she be held accountable if Club Tahoe went out of business? Not likely, but Levi would. Despite any lingering feelings Levi might feel for Lisa, and Emily’s strong feelings for him—most messed-up love triangle in existence—she couldn’t let that happen without a fight. She didn’t want to succeed only for herself or for Ethan Cade. She was in this for Levi too.

Even if she wanted to hurl every time she thought of him kissing her while still having feelings for her sister, he was a good man. She wasn’t going to stop giving him her best just because he didn’t love her… God, and when had love come into the equation? She had a crush on the man. No need to start thinking crazy when what was required was a level head.

Levi had a right to his feelings. He’d been in love with Lisa for years. And Lisa had been, at the very least, in deep like of Levi.

Emily had no claim on him.

She dropped her hands and straightened her shoulders. “Are you sure the food didn’t come from one of our restaurants?”

“No. But I doubt it originated here. We haven’t had an issue in over a decade, and that was from an E. coli contamination that affected multiple restaurants in the area. I’ve looked into it, and none of my employees or the front desk have received word about another food-related illness. If there was food poisoning, it most likely would have affected more than one person.”

“But they’re blaming us?”

He shrugged. “They’re staying here. They assume we caused the problem.”

Emily asked for the sick guest’s name and pulled out the phone her sister had been thoughtful enough to bring to her. She texted the hospitality manager and asked him to personally send up more towels and a selection of beverages and soup on the house.

Apart from that, there wasn’t much else she could do, except monitor the situation. “Have your workers gone through all the food and checked dates and looked for contamination recalls?”

“My assistant keeps up on the recalls and I already have him going through every scrap of food we have, but so far nothing.” Bran’s gaze rose, and he scowled in the direction of the entrance.

Adam walked in the ballroom in a dark suit, looking as dashing as he had the night she’d met him at Esther’s going-away party. He slapped Bran on the shoulder and peered around. “Looks good in here.”

“You decided to show?” Bran said. “Should be helping us run this place. You’re the only one who knows what you’re doing. The shit is hitting the fan while you’re playing manager at Blue Casino with your fiancée.”

Adam’s smile dropped. “First, leave Hayden out of this. Second, I said I’d make it tonight. And for the record, I already put in my time at Club Tahoe. It was you four jackasses who never did. But just so you know, shit going wrong comes with the territory in hospitality. Where’s Levi? I wanted to see if he actually wore the tux I sent him.”

“He’s wearing it.” Emily’s voice came out tight. She cleared her throat, but it was too late.

Adam’s head snapped in her direction. “My brothers aren’t giving you a hard time too, are they?”

Giving her a hard time? Did kissing and ditching count? Technically, she had done the ditching, but only because she’d been the third wheel in Levi and Lisa’s stare-down.

Emily plastered on a smile. “Everything’s fantastic.”

Hunt walked up next, and Emily rolled her eyes. Did they all have to converge on her at the same time? Handsome Cade men were a plague.

“What’s this about Levi in a tux?” Hunt asked.

Emily spoke while she texted one of the party coordinators to bring up more champagne. They were starting to get low. “He’s with Lisa.”

Hunt’s eyes widened. “Lisa’s here?”

At least this Cade brother didn’t go stiff at the mention of Emily’s sister.

“Sure is,” she said, and glanced at them. “Anything else I can do for you gentlemen? I have a ball to run.”

Hunt winced. “Yeah, actually. I’ve got a drunk woman on the dock who keeps reaching for my junk—not that I mind, but she isn’t exactly fit for the ballroom. And my orders from the big guy were to stick around.”

Emily sighed and stared at the ceiling. Was it just this evening she was telling herself how great it was to work here? “She can’t be with the Shin group, or she’d be at the party. Call the woman a cab and send her home.”

Hunt looked disappointed. “That’s what I thought you’d say. Fine, I’ll be good tonight.” He started to walk away.

“And every night,” she called out.

He held up his hand without looking back. But somehow she didn’t think he’d take her seriously.

“Uh-oh.” Bran was looking over her head. Spending so much time around these brothers was beginning to make her feel short.

Emily’s phone vibrated in her hand, and she snarled at the text message. No more champagne? What the hell? “Please tell me whatever you’re uh-ohing about is something minor.”

Bran rubbed his jaw. “Depends on your definition of minor. Wes is talking to one of the Shin employees.”

She glanced back. Wes was indeed schmoozing with one of the guests. “And?”

Adam looked over as well. “Ahh. Yeah, that could be a problem.”

Bran gave Adam a knowing look. “Exactly.”

Emily made a slicing motion near her neck. “I’ve had it up to here with you Cades. One of you tell me what is going on before I lose it.”

They stared at her.

“Touchy,” Adam said. When her eyes widened in a deadly look, he said, “All right, the reason Bran pointed out Wes putting the moves on the Shin employee is because Wes is a bit of a dog to women these days.”

“Why is that a problem?” She glanced back at her phone, frowning. “They’re adults. They can do what they want. Maybe if she leaves here with a smile, she’ll be more inclined to come back.”

Bran rubbed the back of his neck. “See, that’s the thing. Wes isn’t in a good place.”

Adam tipped his head back. “Hasn’t been in what, three, four years?”

“About that.” Bran nodded. “So because of this rough patch, he’s a bit of a…”

Emily flung her hands up. “Spit. It. Out.”

“An ass. To women,” Bran said.

“Huge ass,” Adam agreed.

Emily raised her hands and rubbed her temples. “How do we stop him from being an ass to her?”

She glanced up when neither answered.

Bran shrugged. “Never tried cock-blocking one of my brothers.”

“There was that one time—” Adam started.

Emily glared at them. “Forget it. I’ll take care of it. And Bran, I don’t care how you do it, but get more champagne. Drive to a liquor store if you have to.” She held up her phone, shoving the text message she’d received in his face. “We just ran out.”

Adam checked his watch. The one with the fat diamond at the twelve hour. This Cade brother didn’t deprive himself of the finer things in life. “Hayden’s off work. I gotta go.” He looked around once more. “Too bad I missed Levi. Tell him good luck for me.” Adam smirked.

“Oh, that’s nice,” Emily said. “Point out the problems and then ditch us.”

“No more champagne?” Bran scratched his head. “I could have sworn I ordered a bunch of the good stuff a few days ago. I’ll take care of it.” He scanned the room. “Appetizers are moving. I’ll have more sent up.”

Before she knew it, Emily was down three Cade brothers, with a horny lady on the docks, a womanizing Wes on the loose, and Levi nowhere in sight. Presumably he was catching up with her sister.

This night sucked.

She stormed across the room to Wes. “Can I speak to you for moment? We have a bit of a…golf crisis.” She smiled apologetically at the woman he was talking to. She was pretty, with long black hair and a slim figure. If Emily’s dress was knockoff couture, this woman was wearing the real deal.

Shin employees didn’t mess around when it came to their fashion. Another good reason she’d had Lisa put together a suitable wardrobe this week.

Wes followed her a few feet away. His hair was neatly combed, but he had the longest hair of the Cade brothers, and one dark lock kept drifting over his forehead seductively. He tucked it back, which just made him look like a Calvin Klein model posing for pictures. “What’s going on? I’m assuming ‘golf crisis’ is code for something. You know—since we’ve never actually had a golf crisis.” Wes had opted for a silver tie to pair with his black tux, and the color made his dark blue eyes pop.

“Never say never,” she said dryly. “But no, that’s not why I pulled you away. Your brothers were too wimpy to talk to you.”

“What’s up?”

“Stop flirting with the guests.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard what I said. No more flirting. Or rather, you can flirt, but don’t touch, kiss, or sleep with any of the guests. In other words, that woman you’re talking to is off-limits.”

He laughed. “Wow, Emily, throw down the velvet hammer, why don’t you.”

Did she have another choice? She felt like shit, she still hadn’t seen Levi, and tonight wasn’t the perfect send-off she’d envisioned for the company they were trying to impress. Nothing had gone drastically wrong, but there was always dinner.

It turned out they didn’t need to wait for dinner.

“I will not go home!”

The shout came from across the ballroom, and both Emily and Wes turned toward the sound.

A woman in a slinky dress stood at the front of the room, reaching for a glass of wine from a passing server. Hunt stood at her side, attempting to talk to her.

Emily had to give Hunt credit. This was no sleepy drunk. She was loud and taking no cues from his gentle encouragements to leave.

“Shit.” Emily strode to where the woman was making her way across the room, smiling and holding on to the arms of guests—men and women alike—to keep her balance in the spiked heels that appeared two sizes too big with her wobbly equilibrium.

Was that a nip slip?

“Hey,” Wes said, catching up to Emily. She hadn’t realized he was following her. “I think I just saw her nipple.”

Son of a bitch.

“Get your hands off me!” the woman yelled, and this time, the noise in the room didn’t just subside, it went away completely.

Hunt was grabbing the woman’s arm, trying to drag her back the way they’d come, and she was pulling with all of her might in the opposite direction, her breast bobbing in the air and waving hello to everyone.

“Ma’am.” Emily pulled up the woman’s strap, which had fallen and caused the breast greeting. She tucked the woman’s hand through the crook of her own. “I have something very special for you. If you’ll come this way?”

“Why should I go with you?” The woman’s eyes nearly crossed as she tried to size up Emily and tug her arm free at the same time. She was dressed prettily, but her breath smelled like a gin distillery, burning Emily’s eyes with the fumes.

“Unfortunately, this is a private event,” Emily said. “But to make it up to you, I’d like to comp you a ninety-minute massage in Club Tahoe’s world-renowned spa. How does that sound?”

The woman glanced around at the people staring. She rolled her shoulder. “I suppose. Kind of stuffy in here, anyway.”

“Exactly.” Emily ushered her to the door, and Hunt and Wes kept close. “I’ll have the front desk draw it up for you. Return at any time to redeem it.” Any time after this week, Emily silently chanted.

The woman glanced back at the brothers and smiled. “Do I get to take them home with me?”

Oh Christ. “Uhh…”

Hunt swaggered up and slid the woman’s arm through his. “I’ll make sure she gets home safe and sound.”

“Mmm,” the woman said, “I like you.”

The front desk promptly drafted the gift certificate, and Hunt escorted the woman out.

“Do you think he’ll be okay?” Emily asked Wes, staring after Hunt as he climbed into a cab.

Wes waved it off and turned around. “Hunt is in his element.”

He started back toward the party, and Emily scrambled after him. “What about what I said earlier? About keeping your hands to yourself tonight?”

He glanced at her irritably. “I like you, Emily, but you’re ruining my night.”

“I’m ruining… Oh for the love of—”

“What’s going on?”

Emily spun around to find Levi behind her. “Stop sneaking up on me,” she snapped.

He stared at her for a long moment, his expression so emotionless that she wanted to kick him. In the shin. Hard. This wasn’t the warm man who’d melted her with kisses earlier.

He turned to Wes. “Well? I asked a question.”

Emily let out a deep breath. “Where have you been?”

He hesitated. “Out for a walk.”

She couldn’t help it. She blurted, “All because Lisa showed up?”

Wes’s eyes widened. “Lisa was here?”

“Was,” Levi responded, scanning the lobby. “How’s the ball going?”

“Entertaining,” Wes answered.

Levi looked at Emily.

She ticked off her fingers. “Food-poisoning incident blamed on the resort. Drunken woman exposing her breast to the ballroom. And Wes wants to use his womanizing ways on one of our unsuspecting Shin guests.”

“Womanizing?” Wes frowned. She noted he didn’t deny it. At Levi’s increased breathing and the odd noise coming from his throat—like a growl—Wes backed up. “I’ll just return to the ball. Make sure everyone’s enjoying themselves.” He swung around and walked away.

Levi glared down at Emily. “I leave you alone for thirty minutes and this is what happens while I’m gone?”

He… What? The nerve of him!

“Listen here, buddy.” She poked him in the chest. “You kissed me. Then you went all googly-eyed over my sister, whom you’re supposed to be long over. And then! And then you disappeared, leaving me to deal with one disaster after another during the most important party of the season. Do not cross me right now.”

Levi’s face went blank.

Emily didn’t know what he did after that, because she stalked away. To check on the sick guest. To make sure food and champagne were still flowing in the ballroom.

To hide how upset she was for thinking Levi Cade could ever seriously fall for her.