She’ll take it?

My body goes rigid as I try to maintain my composure. Lex is like a cat, a false move and she’ll slash your throat and gouge your eyes out in one slick maneuver.

“You’re kidding, right?” Low whispers to her. “I mean, this is the guy you hate—the ex that sent you running for the hills. You wore an entire spike strip the last time you were in here in the event he even looked at you crooked. You do realize he owns the place, don’t you?”

“I don’t care.” She glares at me as if I were the one who uploaded that demeaning video. “You’ll stay out of my way if you know what’s good for you.”

My lips twitch as I struggle to keep from smiling. “And you’ll be on time and courteous and respectful to the clientele. You can start tomorrow at four. You’ll work till closing and you won’t complain because you’ll be grateful for the chance to keep a steady diet of green infused into your bank account.”

Lex gasps so loud even the band stops the music for a brief second just to assess whether or not she’s having a cardiac episode.

Both Low and Raven whisk her off to the other end of the bar. Brody steps into my line of vision and blocks her from my view. “What the hell? Dude, you weren’t even nice to her. Do you always sweet talk the ladies like that?”

“No, I save all my sourpuss moves for Lex. Sarcasm is her love language.” Actually, it’s something far darker than sarcasm that keeps the cogs in her wheels churning and turning. “She’s had a rough life.”

“Join the club.” Brody folds his arms across his chest as we both look to where Low and Raven have her surrounded. I know what he meant. It’s only been six months since my sister passed away, and it feels like six minutes. Emilia and Lex were friends once, and I took down that relationship when I took down my own.

Levi comes up and slaps a hand over my shoulder. “What’s going on? Low practically gave me the finger when I tried to intervene. She said you were responsible for this.” He smacks his lips with disappointment. “You do realize that hitting on your ex is only going to enrage her and make things worse.” He gives a subtle wink. Levi thinks there’s a modicum of hope for Lex and me to get back together. I’d hate to break it to his optimistic new and improved self, but Lex and I are irreparable—a broken mirror with too many shards lying around to ever be safe. Who the hell could ever fashion that back together? Hell, I bled out from the simple act of handing her this olive branch—if you consider spotty employment at a restaurant a peace offering.

Brody leans in, that stern as shit look on his face. “Axel here just offered his ex a job. It looks like that waitress position we were in need of was just filled. She starts scaring off customers as early as tomorrow night. So much for getting out of the red.”

“She’ll behave.” I hear myself say the words, but I shake my head as if to refute the idea at the very same time.

“You gave her a job?” Levi winces over at the girls still huddled in an estrogen mass. “Thanks for the heads-up. I’m coming in with a helmet tomorrow night.” He offers a solid sock to my arm. “Let me guess. You’re about to start haunting this place on the regular yourself?”

I think on this for a minute. I’ve been at the office almost twelve hours a day for the last six months straight. Emilia’s death threw my father headfirst into his work, expanding his law firm, expanding his business reach as far as his leveraging powers would allow, and it’s all I can do to keep up with him.

I blow out a breath in lieu of words. Damn. There’s no way I can maintain my workload and have enough waking hours left over to haunt any establishment, let alone this one.

“Relax. I’m kidding.” Levi butts his shoulder to mine. “I know she’ll go nuclear if you’re in the vicinity. If she really needs the gig, then do everyone a favor and steer clear.” He offers up a quick slap over my back just as his twin, Chip, calls everyone’s attention for a quick toast to the happy couple. Ironic that Chip of all people is even allowed to speak at tonight’s event, considering the fact he bedded and fathered a child with Levi’s ex-wife while they were still legally married. Yes, Levi has been through the proverbial wringer.

I glance to Lex and our eyes lock once again, mine with longing and hers with the threat of an evisceration. Yes, it’s safe to say I’m about to go through the wringer myself as if the first time wasn’t bad enough.

“Hey, man.” Brody shakes his head at me with pity. “Don’t you worry. I’ll take her under my wing and make sure she’s all right. You do your thing at the office. I’ll keep an eye on her here.”

It takes everything in me not to clock him because, for one, I know Brody Wolf all too well to decode that frat speak he just emitted. And two, he’s delusional enough to believe he could actually accomplish his mission.

“She’s not like that. I’d threaten your balls for even hinting at the idea of sleeping with her, but Lex can take care of herself. If you’re a soprano the next time I see you, I’ll know why and I’ll laugh about it, too.”

“Very funny.” His features grow dark at the thought of his low hanging fruit getting plucked unceremoniously by my ex.

We glance back to the bar and catch Lex taking off like a bat readying to dive back into her cave before the sun scorches her delicate skin. And dear God, how I miss that delicate skin.

“And there she goes. Damn, she’s got a nice ass on her.” Brody shakes his head as she sashays out the door.

“That she does.” I can’t take my eyes off the void she left in her wake. I’ve missed every last inch of her for far too long. For years now I’ve been gripped with the fear I’d be alone forever. I don’t have to look high and low to realize that there’s no one out there for me but Lex. A part of me thought she’d never step back into my life, and yet here she is. Everything in me says grab on with all you’ve got—and there’s nothing more I’d rather do.

Chip starts in on the toast while Brody heads over to the bar to make sure the champagne is flowing in the right direction before the speech commences.

Brody is a good guy but one I wouldn’t want a single woman in my life to fall victim to. Nope. It’s clear I need to choose between a career in law and reviving my career as a mixologist.

I think I already know the answer to that one.

In fact, I think I’ll name my first signature drink the Lextini. It’s hot and spicy and leaves you with a hangover that lasts six long years.

Six years too long if you ask me.

I think it’s about time I cured that.

It’s time I cured a lot of things.

* * *

Collins and Associates, my father’s law firm in which I was made an official partner just four short months ago, sits snug in downtown Jepson in a tall slender building fit with enough mirrored windows that on a clear sunny day I’m convinced you can see it from space. The refractive light winks on and off like a distress signal as I make my way inside. The thirty-seventh floor is where a majority of the partners have their offices—and once the elevator doors vomit me out, I spot my little sister, Teagan, sitting behind the receptionist’s counter as she logs in hours for her summer internship. Teagan is a carbon copy of Emilia, and every time I look at her I feel a pang of grief volley through me. Same dark hair, same violet gray eyes that have always looked far more manufactured than they ever do real. Emilia was a beauty, and when she died she took all that beauty with her. And my God, how we miss her. But thankfully, we still have Teagan. She’s just finished high school and has opted to head to community college instead of straight to Whitney Briggs, which was a disappointment to my mother in what has been a long line of disappointments this year.

“What’s up, kiddo?” I lean over the counter and give her ponytail a slight tug. “Is Shep here?” Shepard is my one and only brother. He’s just passed the bar and thus just surpassed my father’s expectations for him. Shep has always been the wild card in our family, a bright spot that hungers for fun and spontaneity on a regular basis. He’s slowly wilting in an office next to mine and it hasn’t been but a few months. A part of me wonders if it had to do with Emilia’s passing, but I think we all know Shep is having a hard time fitting his square peg into the round slot of this judicial climate.

“I’m not a kiddo,” Teagan snarks, swatting my hand away. “Dad dropped off a ton of new files and I plopped them on your desk. Mer’s stuff.” Mer—Meredith is Levi’s ex who recently had his brother’s baby. Both Chip, the brother in question, and Meredith had somehow found a place in my father’s iron heart. They’re both top-notch attorneys, the brightest and the best, so it’s no surprise my father had to have them. And all those long lonely nights working overtime together contributed to their affair, ultimately resulting in that baby girl of theirs. Since Mer’s still not back from maternity leave, I’ve been picking up the slack right along with Chip.

I groan at the thought of an increased workload. “Sounds good. You up for lunch? I’m thinking of heading out—The Sloppy Pelican maybe?”

“Done! And we’re headed straight into party planning mode once we get there!” Her eyes brighten at the thought. Teagan loves The Sloppy Pelican as much as I do. So much in fact, she’s begged me to let her have the banquet room for her birthday party in a couple of months. All she wants to talk about is the endless lists of people she’s invited, the décor, the boys who will be there. I’ve let her know in no uncertain terms that I’m not above breaking a leg or two. But I’ve listened to everything she has to say regarding the party of the century, intently at that. I know for a fact that if Emilia was still alive these are things she would be sharing with her, and I’m doing my best to fill the void. My mother and Teagan have a rough sordid relationship—and that about explains every relationship my mother has ever had with anyone.

“Let me comb through a few things and we’ll get out of here.” I head for my office just as my father strides my way, that signature grin of his expanding at the sight of me.

My mother has always referred to my father as a silver fox, a devil incarnate among other far more nefarious titles. They’ve been divorced for over ten years. My mother has remarried and divorced again twice since then. But my father has remained faithful to his work. His career was the mistress that stole his heart, my mother once said. I’ve ventured to guess she was right. But my father’s mistress is no soul mate if you ask me. He’s lonely, tired, overworked, but he plods on, chasing after his next million. He’s never been content in that respect. A part of me is terrified I’ll end up just like dear old Dad, tired and alone, chasing empty dollars to fill up bank accounts that I don’t really care about. Who the hell cares if I’m wearing a designer suit or how my penthouse compares to the rich idiot next door if I don’t have Lex in my life? The thought stops me cold for a moment. I don’t have Lex in my life.

Dad slaps his oversized mitt onto my back. “I’ve given Mortgage Makers over to Shep. We’ll let him clown around and see if he can get that up and running again. I think it’s a great addition to the portfolio, and it’s something solid he can really cut his teeth on. Once he gets that off the ground, we’ll ply him with some real work.” He leans in, that intense gaze of his has always had the power to make me feel as if I’m about to have my ass handed to me. His heavy cologne clots up the air between us, and my entire childhood flashes before my eyes. My father has always been a Polo man, and I’ve always appreciated the warm scent on him. I can’t walk by a bottle without thinking of my dad. “But for you, sport—I’ve got a surprise waiting on your desk. Why don’t we take a look?”

We head into my office together, the view of downtown Jepson wafts under the duress of heat as the hot air radiates over the city like a bad dream. A file marked Flynn Oil sits prominent on my desk, and I can’t seem to catch my next breath.

“You’re giving me Flynn?” I stab my fingers over the cushioned file in disbelief.

“That’s right. There will be no time for you to mingle with any of the new mergers we’re incorporating. I’ve got the rest of the team to subdivide those. Chip has agreed to take on the remainder of Meredith’s load, which isn’t much considering she’ll be back in a few short weeks. But you”—he slaps me hard over the shoulder and it feels like a punishment—“you’ll be too busy for outings at that silly bar, forget about heading out for lunch. I’ll make sure Teagan sends in whatever you want. You’ll want to get on that case right away. There’s a conference call in the morning and you’ll need to be up on the history. Let me know if you need anything.” He takes off, nothing but his cologne trailing behind to mock me.

A knot builds in my throat as big as an oil derrick. Flynn Oil has notoriously vowed to expand its hundred-acre facility, which will bleed parts of the plant close to low-income housing and underperforming schools on the outskirts of east Jepson. It’s been a long running feud between neighbors and big oil, and I’m the lucky fish that will be publicly gutted when and if this goes awry. And by awry, I mean if and when I win. There is not a single way out of this but through the thorny gates of infamy.

I pick up that paperweight of the world Shep gifted me last Christmas and pitch it to the floor exploding it into glassy blue bits all over the hardwood floors.

“Shit.” I take a seat in that big leather chair I was once so eager to call my own and spin until I’m facing the window, facing Jepson itself, as I look out toward Hollow Brook, toward Lex and the life she’s living without me. Lex is in trouble—both financially and socially. Low showed me that video that’s been circulating this weekend and I feel terrible for her. I also want to slam that nosy neighbor of hers with libel, and that is the real reason I planned on heading back to The Sloppy Pelican for lunch. Levi mentioned she was coming in early for training and I wanted to run it past her—the irony being that Lex would most likely rather endure public humiliation than accept any overt help from me. Sure, she accepted the position at the bar, but I think even she knew I was married to my work and that our paths would seldom cross. And now, thanks to my father, even that scant bit of time I was looking forward to is nothing but a pipe dream.

The door swings open and I turn to find Teagan groaning and gasping at the mess I’ve made. “What the hell is wrong with you?” She gets straight to the task of cleaning it up and I hop over to join her. “Oh please, sit down, your royal highness. Leave the grunt work to peasants like me.” She scoops up the bits and pieces with her bare hands and I cringe, but she’s got the mess swept up in no time.

“You’re not a grunt worker.”

“That’s not what Dad implied when I told him I didn’t want to order you a hot Thai lunch. You actually said you’d be taking me somewhere. Remember?”

“I am.” I glance back to that file. “I was.” I cringe at how easily I’ve meandered to where I never wanted to be. After Emilia died, I swore on all that was holy I’d be there for Teagan. “Work just piled up on me unexpectedly.” I scratch the back of my neck as if the Flynn file managed to give me a heat rash.

“Look, I don’t know why you sent that beautiful globe crashing to the floor, and I don’t know what could possibly be more important than keeping your word to your baby sister, but you promised me a lunch date and I’m collecting.” She blinks those crystalline eyes up at me, and I can tell she’s only half-teasing. Teagan is a sweet, responsible girl. The last thing I want to teach her is that I’m a talker who never means what he says.

“I’ll make it up to you. Dinner instead? I should get a head start on that file if I’m going to be ready for that conference call in the morning.” I’ll have to make it a quick dinner. In and out. Hell, I might have to get it to go. There’s just no way I can get out of this day without disappointing my sister.

“Dinner?” She balks as if it were a four-letter word. “You know, I always knew that Dad was grooming you to be the next incarnation of himself, but I never thought you’d cave so easily. A wise person once told me that no matter what life presents you with, you have the power to pick and choose your own route on this journey.” She clicks her tongue as her eyes gloss over with tears. “It’s sad to see that Dad was right about molding you into his mini-me. And if you keep putting work over people, you’ll be just like him sooner than you think.” She takes off with the slam of the door.

“It’s called being an adult,” I shout after her.

“It’s called being an idiot,” she counters. “Take some control over your life. Now that is being an adult!”

I head back to my desk, my adrenaline pumping, my anxiety skyrocketing as I gaze out at the city melting below my feet.

Teagan is right. I’m well on my way to becoming the exact representation of my father. The Flynn case will be the final nail in the coffin. I’ll lose nights and weekends and eventually live at my desk, in the courtroom, as months drag on. A case like this will take many years to resolve, and I will have to sacrifice everything for it. I will end up gifting the Flynn Oil Company the best part of my late twenties and most likely straight through to my mid-thirties. My blood begins to boil at the thought. Lex would have long since moved on—happily might I add. What the hell was I going to do, anyway? Make Levi and Brody go away and fill their positions? Levi runs the bar right alongside Brody. There’s no need for me to stalk Lex each and every night. Brody will get to know her best, working on the schedule, working side-by-side, teaching her the ropes. Levi will be her fast friend, and once again I’ll be out in the cold, a voyeur into her world even while she works at the establishment I own. It is a shit ride.

I squeeze my eyes shut tight and try to make this newfound tension go away, but it only gets worse. That knot in my stomach intensifies as if someone just tossed a Molotov cocktail on top of it. This is not my life. This is not where I wanted to be. This isn’t where I want to go.

Teagan’s words come back to haunt me. Take control.

Shit. I’d love to. How in the hell am I supposed to do that? I’d need to evict Brody, evict Levi, evict myself from the shackles of the Flynn Oil case. It’s all too complicated, too set in stone to ever work out in my favor.

Unless…

I reach for my phone and scroll through the numbers until I hit Mack Danish, an old college buddy working with our accounting firm. What if Brody was too immersed in something else to take care of The Pelican like he should? I shoot him off a quick text, hardly able to control the smile from twitching on my lips. Then there is Levi. I think on this a moment before contacting my friends over at Orville Realty right here in the heart of downtown Jepson. I happen to know that’s who Levi and Low are using to help hunt down their new home. I give a chuckle as I text my buddy. And now all that is left is me.

I glance around the glass and stainless covered office, so slick and polished, so very metropolitan, so far away from everything The Sloppy Pelican embodies it’s almost a joke. Now what to do about my legal predicament. My heart thumps violently within my chest because a part of me already knows the answer.

I spike out of my seat and swipe the Flynn file along with my briefcase. I head straight into my father’s office and land the file over his desk with a thud.

“What’s this?” He does a double take while struggling to pry his eyes off his laptop. “You need a quick powwow from the old man to help strategize? I always knew you appreciated my wisdom.”

“Your wisdom, yes.” Not your work ethic. “But that’s not what I’m here for. I’m giving Flynn back to you.” I take a deep breath as I try to absorb the anger quickly morphing in my father’s eyes. “I’ll need a few months off. I’m taking a personal leave.”

His brows hike in amusement. “You take a few months off and you won’t have a firm to come back to.”

“That’s what I thought.” I take off for the door. “I’ll clean out my desk before the weekend.”

Teagan rushes over in horror, clearly apprised as to what just happened.

“Everything okay?” She staggers back as if I dealt her the blow instead of my father.

“Everything’s great. Grab your purse. I’m taking you to lunch.”

* * *

The air in Hollow Brook is always a little bit sweeter, far more fragrant and nourishing to the body than that of downtown Jepson, which says a lot, considering the fact I not only work in Jepson, I call it home as well.

Teagan practically skips out of the car as we head into The Sloppy Pelican.

“Wait!” she sings, positioning her phone to take a picture of the two of us with that giant inebriated looking pelican that sits on the roof. The entire facility inside and out is rife with character, and there’s not a single day I’ve been here that I haven’t seen someone posing for a picture with that overgrown bird. In truth, it’s that old miner charm that sold me on the place. Levi and Brody could have easily found someone else to provide the capital to get this place off the ground. But I wanted in. I wanted something that spoke to my heart and not just my bank account. And good thing, since The Sloppy Pelican is just now hitting its financial stride. We struggled hard and long this past year. About Christmastime, I thought for sure we’d close the doors before June, and yet here we are, mid-August and in the black—those are three little words every business owner longs to hear.

“Say cheese!” I do the obligatory bunny ears behind Teagan’s head, and she pretends to hate it. We head in as the heavenly scent of grilled burgers lights up my senses. “I know what I’m having.” And then I see her. Standing midway between the bar and me is Lex. Her attention is fully enveloped as she observes Low taking an order from a customer, but I’m not looking at Low or the women seated at the table. My full attention is set on that fiery redhead, those long stems she calls legs, that too short skirt and the heels she’s donned. Lex has always been a showstopper, a firecracker. The first time I laid eyes on her was at the Black Bear Saloon. Start of senior year, she took my breath away as soon as I saw her sitting in that dark booth with her laptop open. She wore tight jeans and an equally tight T-shirt that showcased her body, but it was that face, those eyes that captivated me. You could see the hurt layered beneath her beauty. That’s something that’s always struck me about Lex. She wears her wounds like a badge of honor. It took a minute to build up my nerve to talk to her, and the first thing she did was tell me off—and rightly so. I was looking for a good time, something quick and dirty, even though deep down I knew she’d be the last to deliver. And then the unthinkable happened. She held a conversation with me. And after I tracked her down a second time—we were inseparable from there on out. Except of course, well, I’m not thinking about that right now.

“Dude.” Teagan slaps me across the cheek, and Lex looks over just in time to see the show. “Are you in a sugar coma or something? Should I start shoving a Hershey’s Bar down your pie trap? Or can we get a seat already?”

“Very funny.” I nod toward Lex and Low while leading my not-so sweet baby sis into a booth near the rear that affords me a view of the entire establishment.

Low zips over, sans Lex, and I can’t help but frown.

“Who is this little cutie?” Low sings with nefarious undertones. “Someone to impress the ex with?”

“It’s my sister.” I shake my head at Low, begging her not to go there. Teagan knew Lex. I’m shocked she didn’t spot her. “Teagan, this is Harlow.”

“But you can call me Low.” She’s quick to shake my sister’s hand. “Are you a Brigg’s Mustang like your brother?”

Teagan takes a full breath before answering. “Actually, I’m headed for Hollow Brook Community College. Just, you know, taking prerequisites.” My sister’s cheeks spike with color. “I’m hoping to transfer somewhere next year.”

What Teagan doesn’t want to say is that Emilia passed away right before SATs and she was in no shape to take them. Community college fit the bill for many reasons. And I for one am proud of Teagan for mustering the courage to march on with life. I can’t image having to study for exams or write endless papers while living through the nightmare we’re still in. I also think Emilia is the reason Teagan hasn’t bothered to get her driver’s license yet. I’ve asked her about it, and she cites it’s a millennial thing, but in truth I think it’s more of an Emilia thing. Emilia was the one teaching her to drive. And Teagan’s had no desire to do it since my sister passed away.

Low ticks her head toward the bar. “Lex is in the back.” She makes a face. “Baby steps, right?”

“What?” Teagan leans in with that curious gleam in her eye, but beneath it there’s a touch of rage. Teagan isn’t Lex’s biggest fan. “Did you say Lex? Is that who that girl was?”

“Yeah,” Low whispers as she leans in. “It’s your big bro’s ex-ho.” She gives a little wink. “No worries, though. That’s all ancient history.” She glares at me a moment. “Or is it?”

Teagan bounces in her seat, her face set in a newfound scowl. “Wait a minute! You mean Lex, Lex? As in psychotic Alexa Maxfield? What’s she doing here? Is she here because of you? No way—are you seeing her again?”

The ripe disgust on her face lets both Low and me in on the fact she’s staunchly opposed to the idea.

“Lex works here now.” I blink over at my sister. “We’re not together. She won’t even talk to me.”

Teagan locks those lavender eyes over mine, and we enter into a silent standoff for a moment. “Good. Keep it that way.”

“Okay!” Low offers a nervous giggle as she looks to the bar and motions Lex over. “That wasn’t weird at all. So this is the deal. I’d love to stay and babysit Lex all night, but I’ve only got about fifteen minutes before Levi picks me up. Our realtor is on fire, and we’ve got a dozen different places to see this evening. And besides, Lex sort of needs the practice.”

Lex makes her way over, shoulders back, head tipped to the sky, those gorgeous full pouty lips painted a caustic shade of pink that I’d love to lick right off. Lex is the only woman on the planet who has ever brought out the caveman in me. There has never been a moment we’ve been together that I haven’t wanted to toss her onto the nearest table and have my way with her.

“Oh my God.” Teagan looks visibly ill, and a horrible feeling comes over me. Teagan has never been one to hide her feelings. I’m not sure why I thought this might be a good idea. “It is you,” she flatlines, and Lex blinks back as if she were about to blow over.

“Low.” I rise out of my seat before sitting back down. “Teagan is about to celebrate her eighteenth birthday, right here in the banquet room with all her friends. Would you mind taking her back there and showing her the party package we’ve got?” Brody threw together a few meager hats and streamers. To be truthful, there is no party package, but I’m hoping Low will take the hint and spare Lex and me the embarrassment of having Teagan explode all over the ceiling.

“Sure thing,” she growls it out through clenched teeth as a reluctant Teagan follows her to the back.

Lex turns to leave as well, and I touch my hand over her elbow. “Lex, wait.”

She turns just enough to glare at my fingers still lingering over her bare skin, and I quickly retract. “I’m sorry. Would you mind taking a seat? Please?”

“Yes.” She starts to take off again.

“You didn’t take my order.” It comes out a little louder, a little more caustic than I intended it to. Her back is still to me, and I steal the opportunity to take in those long brown legs. Those divots behind her knees call to me, and I’m tempted to bury a kiss in each one.

“Excuse me?” She spins on her heels. The underbelly of her sole is a bright pink, and it reminds me of that secret place in her body that I was once privy to, so perfectly pink and all for me. Lex leans in with all of her formidable hatred exuding from those fiery lawn green eyes. “Did you have the nerve to speak to me?”

My mouth opens, and a thousand words beg to flood on out—I’m sorry being at the top of the list. But I know Lex. Show her your weakness and you are done. She will flush you down the toilet and never look back.

“I gave you this job.” My lips pulsate in and out of a smile. “I believe taking a customer’s order is your chief responsibility, Lexy.”

Lex takes a breath and holds it. Her face turns a curious shade of purple, and suddenly I wish I had never left the office this afternoon. I should have sunk myself in that Flynn file. I should have never expected some happily ever after to come from this cosmic reconnection that Lex and I seem to be having.

Low and Teagan pop back to the table, and the air seems to warm with their presence. The moment had passed. Lex is back to breathing again, and, ironically, it’s me who feels as if I’ve been sucker punched.

Low takes our orders while Lex looks on with a morbid boredom. No sooner do they take off for the kitchen than Teagan kicks me hard from under the table.

“Whatever the hell you have planned, you can forget it. Low told me all about how Lex hates your guts. This isn’t going anywhere. And the last thing I want to see is you moping around with a broken heart for another six years. Do everyone a big fat favor—forget her. If she was that brutal to you the first time, you should want nothing to do with her.”

Low shouts goodbye as she heads toward the door to meet up with Levi, and I offer a brief wave.

Brody speeds over from the back and lands next to Teagan, looking as if someone just threatened to stick a Roman candle up his boxers.

“Dude”—he rubs his eyes so hard I’m half-afraid he’s about to gouge them out—“I just got off the phone with Les—the accountant? He says I need to reconcile every single receipt we’ve produced for the last year. He says we’re inches from a big messy IRS audit. I’m going to have to comb through acres of spreadsheets just to make sure nothing stands out. There’s no way I’m going to have time to do all that and run the bar.”

“What about Levi?” I should probably feel worse for playing puppet master—for even suggesting Levi since I’ve ensured he won’t have a free moment before his wedding, but I don’t. Lex is here, and I’m about to move heaven and earth to make sure I can spend as much time with her as possible.

“Are you kidding?” Brody glances to Teagan with an apologetic nod before continuing. “He’s checked out until after the honeymoon. It’s you and me, and we both know that means it’s just me. Dude, I don’t think I can do this without hiring a manager until this bull blows over.”

“Don’t do that.” I put on my sincerest concerned face. Teagan can read me like a book, and I’m pretty sure I have a ten second window to say my peace before she blows my cover. “I’ll step in. I want to. This place is just as much mine as it is yours. You get creative with the numbers or whatever it is you need to do, and I’ll mop the floors, get the schedule done, and put in the orders—heck, I might even spit shine a toilet or two.”

“You’d do that?” Brody looks equal parts concerned and floored by my generosity.

“Hell yes. Consider it done.” A familiar looking face walks in and heads straight over to Lex—my brother, Shep. “In fact, I’ll start right now. Shep just walked in. I’ll have him drive Teagan back when we’re through here.”

“Sweet.” Brody offers up a knuckle bump before heading back to his office.

“My, my”—Teagan sings while nonchalantly inspecting Shep and Lex at the bar—“looks as if all the cards are falling into place for you. Levi’s so busy with his wedding, and poor Brody seems completely overwhelmed with a looming audit of apocalyptic proportions. Funny how you didn’t offer to sic the Collins’ accountants on this mess and clean it up in one fell swoop.” She picks at her chipped nail polish, pretending to be bored—a dangerous, dangerous thing when it comes to my sister. “So tell me, big bro—was Shep a part of the plan, too, or did his flirtatious moves just throw a wrench in your sexual scheme?”

Lex and Shep burst out into laughter as if they heard—as if they didn’t care at all what Teagan and I were discussing. Lex is glowing, and my brother shines in her light. No, I don’t like this at all.

I hop up and head over, tapping my brother over the shoulder hard like a threat. “Teagan needs to speak with you.” I nod my head that way, and he rolls his eyes before taking off.

“Shep and I were just having a lively conversation,” Lex spits the words out, and I can’t stop staring at those fuchsia pink lips. Her eyes needle into mine with venom, issuing a warning all their own. “You don’t get to dictate who and when I can speak to someone.”

I take a step in, closing the gap between us, the heat from her body warming mine, that burnt vanilla musk she wears so prolifically teases my senses, and I’m right back there—as if the past six years never happened, and I crave to have her in the very worst way.

“I can dictate exactly who you speak to within this establishment. I can dictate the hours you show up and the hours you leave. I can dictate a lot of things, Lexy.” She flinches as if I struck her. “Brody and Levi are taking a little break from The Sloppy Pelican.” A careful smile tugs at my lips. “Meet your new boss. It’s me.”