Emily Wright was Lisa’s sister?

She couldn’t be. But every time Levi reconsidered it, he worried his brother might be right. Hunt was much better at keeping up social appearances—and remembering people’s names.

Emily looked nothing like Lisa. It was the reason Levi had ignored his initial reaction when the lawyer mentioned her name. But sisters didn’t always look alike, especially when they had different mothers.

Levi had rarely seen Lisa’s sister in all the years he’d dated her. The younger girl had been away at college, then off to graduate school. He’d met her once—twice? Over a winter break, maybe? But Levi could remember few details about her, which was probably why he’d forgotten she existed. And because back then he’d rarely thought of anything besides fighting fires and a future with Lisa.

His ex-girlfriend was petite, dark-haired, and voluptuous. She was also full of life and capable of breathing life back into Levi when his job fighting fires and rescuing people—or losing them—had stolen it away. He internalized his feelings, but Lisa had never experienced a stoic moment in her life. She’d brought out the best in him. At least, that was what he’d believed.

Until she’d slept with Hunt.

A knock sounded at his father’s rustic mahogany double door—now the door to Levi’s office. Today, he wore slacks and a button-down dress shirt. Couldn’t bring himself to wear a full suit, but he figured he’d better get used to working in uncomfortable clothes in preparation for next week.

“Come in,” he called, closing the email he’d been staring at for the last ten minutes, too distracted by thoughts of the past to finish it.

Esther entered, wearing her classic skirt suit, this one a navy blue. She was always a welcome sight, with her stately smile and short white hair swept off her face. She looked like the quintessential executive assistant, but Levi and his brothers knew her to be more. She was an exemplary executive assistant, but she also had a heart of gold.

“Good morning, Levi. I’d like to introduce you to Emily, your new assistant.” Esther gestured behind her with a smile as the younger woman entered his office.

There she was again. The leggy blonde who still looked too young to be a Harvard business grad with a year in Korea under her belt.

Emily’s entrance into his office wasn’t grand or commanding, but she displayed a confidence Levi appreciated. He stood, and she reached across the desk to shake his hand.

“Good to see you again, Levi.”

And now he felt like an ass. She remembered him? The most he’d managed to recall last night were murky images of a slender girl who wore glasses and Converse high-tops, her light hair falling in her face. “Morning.”

“I’ve been training Emily,” Esther said, interrupting the maelstrom going on inside his head. “She’s going to make a wonderful executive assistant. Though that title seems insufficient. She’s qualified for a managerial role and took this position as a favor to your father.”

Levi pulled his gaze off Emily. “Did he say why he’d hired her?”

Maybe Levi should have waited until he had Esther alone to ask that question, but it was out of his mouth before he could stop it.

“No,” Esther said. “Just that he felt she’d be a good fit for you.”

Emily coughed lightly into her fist. “I might be able to explain that. Your father was a bit of a mentor. He encouraged me to attend graduate school after my mom moved to Europe with her new husband.” At Levi’s blank stare, Emily added, “Lisa and I have different moms, but do you remember our dad?”

Suddenly this part of the past came back to him. Lisa’s father was a right bastard. He never showed up for family events and rarely spent time with Lisa. Levi imagined the same held true for Emily. “I remember him.”

“Justine, Lisa’s mom, was great to me, growing up. When she found out I wasn’t interested in leaving the country or living with my dad, she offered me the option of living with her and my sister. Over the years, Justine became like a second mom to me. And far less judgmental than my own.” Emily chuckled as though she’d said something funny.

Levi’s brow furrowed. He couldn’t imagine why anyone would judge this girl in a bad light. She was beautiful, if Levi was being honest, though beautiful in a different way than Lisa. Subtler. And intelligent, with a master’s degree and fluency in another language. But that didn’t explain how she’d gotten the job. “When did you meet my father?”

Emily’s lips parted, and she blinked twice. “At a holiday party.” She glanced down. “I came here one year with you and Lisa. But I don’t blame you for not remembering. I was really awkward back then.” She tucked her wavy blond hair behind her ear and wouldn’t look him in the eye.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I…” Was in love with your sister? Was obsessed with my job? Or had he simply been hyper-focused, like his father? “I can be oblivious sometimes.”

“No, no, it wasn’t your fault. I snuck off for most of the party. We really didn’t spend much time together.” She gave him a shaky smile, and Levi wondered if she was trying to make him feel better. “I cornered your father at the party and picked his brain about business. He invited me to visit his offices, and I took him up on it. Over the years, we stayed in touch. I went to him with questions about graduate school. He was a really great man.”

Levi had no idea his father had mentored anyone, let alone Lisa’s younger sister. His ex had never mentioned it. The notion that his father had done something so selfless—helping a young woman with few resources—left Levi feeling…speechless. Like he’d never known his own father.

“In any case, I’m truly honored to work at Club Tahoe for the next year to help out with the transition.”

Transition. That was one way of putting it, when the man who’d built the place died and left his sons, who have little to no experience, in charge.

Emily’s full lips pressed together and a sad look crossed her face. “I haven’t said so yet, but I’d like to extend my condolences for your loss. I attended the memorial, but didn’t want to disturb the family. I stayed in the back.”

Esther silently slipped out of the office, and Levi wanted to grab her and hold her there. He didn’t want to be alone with Emily, remembering the past. Or not remembering, in Emily’s case. Lisa might have wronged him, but he was an oblivious ass. “Thank you. And forgive me for not remembering you right away. You don’t look…”

“Like Lisa?” Emily chuckled. “No, there’s no chance of that. No one’s as striking as my sister.”

Levi didn’t sense jealousy from Emily; she truly believed her sister outmatched her. Sure, they looked different, but Emily was beautiful too.

Rather than get mixed up in that hornet’s nest, he changed the subject. “I’m happy to have your help. God knows my brothers and I need it.”

“Yes,” Emily said. She missed Levi’s lifted eyebrow at her honesty, and set a large leather satchel on the conference table. “I’ve been looking over Club Tahoe’s finances and marketing, and the general running of the resort. I have some ideas.”

Levi held up his hand. “It’s going to have to wait. I have no doubt this place needs an overhaul, but more importantly, we need capital. Lots of it and fast if we’re to stay in business. Being a luxury resort doesn’t come cheap, and with the loss in business due to Blue Casino’s recent successes, we’re bleeding funds.”

Emily folded her hands in front of her, a lock of thick hair falling across her cheek. “What did you have in mind?”

“I take it the finance director and lawyers you met with yesterday informed you of a certain company coming into town next week?”

“The Korean conglomerate, yes. They’re looking for a high-end resort where they can entertain their West Coast business associates.”

“Right, well, we need to land that account.”