You’re really working with Levi?”

Emily plopped onto her sister’s contemporary white velvet couch in the condo she shared with her boyfriend Jared. “Yes.”

Lisa set her glass of Merlot on the island, staring at Emily from across the room. She crossed her skinny-jean-clad legs, the heels of her spiky sandals poking out. Her forehead scrunched. “How is he?”

“I don’t actually know. I mean, his father died a few months ago, so…”

“I heard about that.”

Lisa was a really sweet person, but she could be somewhat oblivious to those outside of her immediate world. “You did?”

“I read the paper—or at least Yahoo! news. How are his brothers? Are they okay?”

Emily sent her sister a knowing smile. “You mean Hunter?”

Lisa’s mouth twisted in mock annoyance. “I mean all of them.”

“I’ve only seen Wes and Levi, and Wes came across stressed. Those guys…well, I don’t want to say they’ve taken on a lot, but…”

Lisa gulped her wine and held up her hand. “The four of them running the resort? What was Mr. Cade thinking? Levi’s a firefighter—”

“Ex-firefighter.”

“—so what does he know about running a classy resort? Their dad must have been out of his mind when he made that decision.”

Emily tapped her toe and dragged her workbag to the side of her lap, her eyebrows knitting together. For some reason, Lisa’s doubts about Levi and his brothers bothered her. “Ethan Cade was a very smart businessman. He wouldn’t have made that choice if he didn’t have faith in his sons. They’re good men, and they seem hardworking.”

Lisa snorted, which only irritated Emily more.

Emily stood and walked to the kitchen island. She poured some red wine into one of Lisa’s fancy crystal glasses. “Don’t underestimate Levi. He can do it, and I’m going to help him.”

Lisa tracked Emily’s progress, swiveling in her stool to face her. “No offense, sister, but a one-year internship at an international hotel doesn’t make you a miracle worker.”

Emily hammered the cork back on the bottle with the heel of her hand, her eyes widening. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

Lisa’s face scrunched. “It’s true.”

Emily might not have CEO experience, but she knew what she was doing. She could help Levi.

“So”—Lisa reached for a coaster without looking up—“does he hate me?”

Emily took a sip of wine, making her sister wait it out. She loved Lisa, but her sister had royally screwed up when it came to these brothers. And Emily was pretty sure it was a part of the sister job description to give her a hard time. “Which Cade are you referring to?

Lisa cocked her head and pursed her lips. “Levi, of course.”

“I didn’t ask him. But would you blame him if he did?”

“No,” she said sulkily. “Though I didn’t mean to hurt him.”

Emily set her glass on the counter. “Did you think about that before you hooked up with Hunt?”

Lisa winced. “It’s not that simple. I didn’t realize I’d been looking for a way out of my relationship with Levi until it was all over.”

And that was the most unimaginable part of Lisa’s history with Levi Cade. She’d actually wanted out of a relationship with one of the most handsome, eligible men in the area. Emily hadn’t understood it then, and she only marginally understood it better now.

The door creaked open and Jared entered the apartment. “My two favorite ladies.”

Jared was a financial guy at one of the casinos in town, so he was in a full suit and looking handsome as ever.

He kicked off his dress shoes by the door. “You guys started the party without me?”

“Just wine, baby.” Lisa grinned from ear to ear as Jared walked over. “We waited to bust out the hard stuff until you got home.”

Emily could think whatever she wanted about Lisa’s past relationships, but her sister truly loved Jared. He was the reason Lisa had recovered from the drama over Levi and Hunt all those years ago. Jared was the guy who finally got her.

Lisa needed attention. Lots of it. But her beauty was distracting for some guys. They’d suck up to her in order to get into her bed, but she was a good person and needed a good man. One who genuinely cared for her and gave her the attention she craved.

Hunt Cade might have been that guy. If he hadn’t been Levi’s brother. And eighteen. And completely not ready for anything serious.

Once Jared entered Lisa’s life, things turned around. She’d been happy for the last three years, and Emily wouldn’t be surprised if they got engaged.

Just because Lisa found happiness with Jared, that didn’t mean her guilt over Levi had dissolved. There were some things not even Lisa’s bubbliness could hide. She had imploded her relationship with Levi, and Emily knew her sister had felt guilty ever since.

“Hey, Em.” Jared wrapped his arm around Lisa’s shoulder and kissed her cheek. “I hear you have a new job. How’s it going at Club Tahoe?”

“So far so good.” No need to inform her sister and Jared that Emily’s crush on Levi was still firmly in place. Or how distracting working with him was going to be. She’d never shared her secret crush with Lisa, and she wasn’t about to do it now.

Jared looked down at Lisa. “What would you like? Mango martini? Raspberry mojito?”

Emily drank the last of her wine and headed for the couch, where she’d left her workbag. “I’ve gotta go. I have to work tonight if I’m going to pull off a major investor push next week.”

Lisa swigged the last of her wine and absently held out the glass to Jared, who grabbed the bottle and poured her more. “No idea what an investor push is, but I’ll take your word for it.”

There was no question Emily and Lisa were different. Lisa was sweet and flashy, and Emily was reserved. Lisa liked fashion, while Emily stuck to jeans and flats when she wasn’t working. Emily liked numbers, and Lisa was only interested in numbers when they added up to the amount she needed for the Gucci purse she lusted after. But despite their differences, they had a strong bond. They disagreed a ton, but never over anything important.

Emily planted a kiss on Lisa’s cheek while her sister flirted with Jared from across the counter.

Just when Emily thought her sister wasn’t paying attention, Lisa spun around. “Hey, Em, try to get Levi to let his guard down and relax a little.”

For a moment, Emily didn’t know what Lisa was talking about. Get Levi to drop his guard? Her? That had been Lisa’s job back when they’d dated. “I’m not the right person, Lis.”

Her sister cocked her head to the side. “I don’t know. You two are more alike than you think.”

Lisa had lost her mind. Emily wasn’t flashy. She was nothing like the women Levi dated. “Even if I were his type, which I’m not, he’s your ex. I’d never touch that.”

Only fantasize about it.

Lisa rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean it that way. Not romantically, but in terms of”—she swirled her hand in the air—“cracking the granite that’s formed around him. Levi and I were too different. But you—you might be just what he needs to soften.”

“Is this granite the stony exterior he built after you crushed him?”

Lisa frowned.

“Sorry—but not sorry.”

“I didn’t put granite around that man. It was there before we even started dating.”

“Noted. I’ll try to keep the company from crumbling and chip the granite off your ex. Anything else?”

Lisa actually looked up as though considering. “Nope, that’ll do for now.”

Emily swung her bag over her shoulder and considered bringing up something else she’d been meaning to talk to Lisa about. Her sister worked at a clothing boutique on the strip and actually knew something about fashion, unlike Emily, who stuck to the same work outfit—dark pencil skirt, button-up top. “Before I go, do you think you could help me find better clothes? Club Tahoe is classy. I don’t know…I want to look nice.” And not be entirely overshadowed by Levi’s beauty. “You know how much I hate shopping, and you’re so much better at it.”

Lisa set her glass on the counter with a ping. “Oh, sister, yes. I’m all over that.”

Emily flinched. “Shit, don’t go crazy. Remember, I’m more conservative than you.”

Her sister cackled. “Understatement. But I’ll be good.”

The smile on Lisa’s face didn’t reassure Emily. “Maybe I should do it myself.”

Lisa flew out of her chair and across the room faster than Emily thought possible. She pushed Emily toward the door. “No, no, I’ve got this. You go work. Stay up all night if you need to. Let me take care of the clothing.”

“But—”

“Bye!” Lisa shoved Emily over the threshold and slammed the door in her face.

There was nothing Emily could do for Levi except help him hold on to Club Tahoe and make it profitable again. Emily wasn’t even sure Levi was over Lisa. But she could step up her game and not look the dowdy secretary. Anything else—much as she might fantasize about it—would be unprofessional and completely out of the realm of possibilities.