“YOU’VE GOTTA BE kidding me,” I said, pulling my shades down so I could get a clear view of exactly where Lucas had taken me.

Lucas shut off the engine of his truck and looked over at me. “What?”

“Of all the places we could go and things we could do…” I shook my head. “This is not where I thought we’d spend the day.”

Lucas glanced at the brick facade of the South Haven All-boys Academy and shrugged. “Thought you could use a bit of nostalgia.”

“I’m good, thanks. Maybe we could hit the beach instead?”

“Sure. Later.” Lucas got out of the truck and slammed the door behind him as I groaned. I hadn’t set foot in my old stomping grounds since I’d left there before graduation, and it wasn’t on my list of priorities. Not because I had bad memories of my time there, but who ever wanted to return to high school?

Lucas shielded the sun from his face as he looked back at me and inclined his head toward the building, a clear indication that I needed to get my ass out of the truck.

Yeah, yeah, I’m coming. Though it wouldn’t have been on my top twenty choices of things to do, I didn’t regret coming with, even if my curiosity was piqued. It was even more so as Lucas bypassed the main doors and walked through the perfectly trimmed front lawn toward the back of the school. Everything was in such pristine condition, you couldn’t even tell a storm had come through.

That’s what money buys you. A perfect illusion.

“This way,” Lucas said, and I glanced around to see if anyone was noticing the creepers hanging around, but the campus was quiet.

“What are we doing here? Breaking and entering?” I asked, as I followed Lucas around the side of the main building to a back door. His keys jangled as he picked a key fob out from the assortment on the ring, and then he scanned it on the pad by the door. There was a loud click and flashing green light, and Lucas winked at me.

“No need for any breaking,” he said, opening the door wide for me to pass through first. A rush of cold air greeted us, and as my eyes adjusted, I could see that we were in the electives hallway, the one I’d spent my time doing public speaking and business management while my friends made art and played instruments.

“Ahh, just stealing, then. Whose key was that?”

“It’s mine.”

I snorted. “Yeah, and I came to South Haven for the mountain view.”

“Don’t believe me?” He raised an eyebrow. “You should know Principal Stewart gave it to me personally.”

“Was he intoxicated at the time?”

“It’s entirely possible.” Lucas led us down the empty hall to the first door on the right, and then he procured another key and unlocked it.

“So…you’re a teacher in your spare time?”

“God, no.” He flipped on the light inside, and it became instantly clear he’d been telling the truth about the keys being his. The room had the same singed metal smell his shop did, and there were at least twenty finished sculptures lined along a table pushed up against one long wall. “I was asked to do a seminar on metal sculpture for the shop class. I guess Principal Stewart figured having an alum might inspire the students…and wiggle loose a few dollars from some of the parents.” Lucas grabbed a notepad and pen from the desk in front of a whiteboard and headed over to the sculptures. “Classes just ended, so I’ve got to get these scored and choose a winner.” With steady hands, he held up the first object on the table, a small octopus replica, admiring the long legs that had propped it up a good six or so inches.

“What do they win?” I asked.

“Me.”

“What?”

Lucas chuckled and carefully set the octopus down. “A summer apprenticeship with me.”

“Oh. Right.” Head out of the gutter, Jackson. “That’s big of you to take the time to help someone out. Pay it forward.”

He continued to move down the line, studying each design with keen eyes. “Nah, it’s entirely selfish. I can’t create as fast as the demand lately, so I’ve been trying to find someone with a bit of a knack for this kind of thing to join my business. Who better than impressionable high school students?”

“You’re right, that is selfish.”

Lucas smirked. “Unfortunately, as with most things, the one I want the most is…unavailable. This one,” he said, picking up a 3D profile of a man’s face made of stainless steel ribbons that far and away stood out as the most unique and technically challenging piece of the bunch. “The kid who did this? Talented little motherfucker. And he’s completely out of the question.”

I came to stand beside him to admire the piece. “Why? Bad attitude?”

“Football scholarship. He’s that guy, you know the one. The all-American quarterback with the charming smile and the— Oh, wait. He’s a mini you.”

“Very funny.”

“Nah, he’s a little rougher around the edges than you were, though you both seem to share parental…challenges.” He set the sculpture down and moved to the next. “Speaking of which, who’s the poor bastard losing his company that you came all the way down here for?”

“Well, it’s not a done deal yet, so I shouldn’t say.”

“Shouldn’t? Or won’t?”

“Both?”

“Ah. Well, this is the getting to know you part you said you wanted, so…”

He was right. It wasn’t like our takeover would be a secret for much longer, and I didn’t want to hide anything anymore from Lucas, not when I wanted him to open up to me too. So I said, “I’d appreciate the discretion until things are finalized, but I’m here for AnaVoge.”

Lucas’s head jerked up and surprise lit his face.

“You’ve heard of it, then.”

“Uh, yeah,” he said, rubbing his jaw. “I mean…who hasn’t around these parts, right? I didn’t realize it was on the market.”

“It’s not. Not officially, anyway, but I plan to make an enticing offer they can’t refuse.”

The line between Lucas’s brows deepened. “Because that’s what you do, right? You use that charming smile and appeal to entice others so that they can’t say no to you. And I’m assuming you have a pretty high success rate.” When I didn’t say anything, he tsked. “Doesn’t quite seem fair.”

“It’s business.”

“Granted, I’m not a corporate kinda guy, but coming down here to push a business into selling to you when there’s not a For Sale sign in their front yard seems a little fucked.”

“You seem mad all of a sudden—”

“What if I asked you to leave them alone? AnaVoge. Would you do it?”

I searched his eyes, trying to understand why he’d ask me to do that and why he even cared. “No, you know I can’t do that. And I wouldn’t want to.”

Lucas’s expression hardened. “Can’t and won’t because you’re just the messenger. The one who does the dirty work for someone else.” When I blinked, confused at the vitriol in his words, he pinched the bridge of his nose and blew out a breath. “Sorry. I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.”

“You’re right. It’s not.”

Lucas bit his lip and nodded just as the sound of the bell indicating class change sounded from the speakers overheard.

A scatter of loud footsteps and voices chattering into the hallway overtook the tension that had cropped up again between us, and I was almost grateful when the door flew open and two students barged inside.

“Yo, Mr. Sullivan,” the blond one said as he got a good look at Lucas’s casual attire. “Beachin’ it already without us? Bonfire’s not till tonight.”

“Bonfire?” I said. “You guys still do those?” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, the memory of what happened the night of our senior bonfire hit and my cheeks flamed. We hadn’t exactly made it there…

The blond eyed me strangely. “It’s a tradition. Who the hell are you?”

“Ross, I’m positive your parents taught you to respect your elders, especially an alum who’s giving me a hand in judging your final projects.” Lucas nodded in my direction. “Say hello to Jackson Davenport.”

“Jackson Davenport?” Ross said, squinting at me. “Dude, you’re one of the Davenport Worldwide guys, right?”

I nodded. If there was one thing that remained true, it was that all rich kids grew up knowing the lineage and history of all their rich peers, both past and present. This kid was no exception.

“Damn, that’s cool. My dad says you guys are cutthroat, but all the biggest CEOs are.” Ross looked back at Lucas. “You picked my piece, right? Come on, please. I’m not ready to go back to Minnesota yet.”

“You did have an interesting take on the female form, but will it be enough?” Lucas pretended to lock his lips and throw away the key.

“Aw, man,” Ross said. “Justin can’t win everything. He won’t even be able to do the apprenticeship, so you should pick someone else. Someone who’ll tell jokes all day and is badass company.” He elbowed his friend, and they laughed as some secret left unsaid passed between them.

“If you find such a person, do let me know so I can stop wasting my time with this”—Lucas picked up a garbled mess of steel and flipped it over—“melting blob, is it?” Ross’s friend stopped laughing, and Lucas smiled at him. “I feel the words ‘nice effort’ will be a bit too strong in this case, Mr. Klapeer.”

That only made Ross laugh harder, the sound echoing in the large room as his friend’s face went crimson. The noise was loud enough to catch the attention of his peers, because several stuck their heads inside, and when they saw Lucas, grins spread across their faces and they walked in, greeting him with unmasked enthusiasm. It was clear he was well liked, and Lucas’s sarcasm seemed to be a perfect match for smartass teenagers.

I stood back as they circled Lucas, pointing out their pieces, asking him questions, joking around. It was strange to think that only a few years ago that had been us, and now here we were. For someone with so many walls around him, Lucas certainly didn’t have a problem letting them down with his students, and that only made me more determined to get this side of him when we were alone. Before we’d been interrupted, you could’ve cut the tension in the air with a knife, and I didn’t want to spend what little time we had together fighting.

Lucas didn’t like my line of work—fine. He didn’t have to. Whether his dislike stemmed more from my father, who wasn’t exactly on my good list either at the moment, or whether it was because Lucas didn’t approve of our methods, I wasn’t sure, and it didn’t really matter. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I liked my job when it came down to it, but it was the only thing I knew, and I was damn good at it. Once I got back home and possibly confronted my father about his hand in screwing up my life, well, then I’d have to go from there. But for now, until Thursday, my career was the last thing on my mind.

Another bell sounded, this time a warning bell that you had two minutes to be in your seat, and the boys gave Lucas a quick wave before darting back out into the hallway.

“You’re a natural with them,” I said, leaning against the counter as Lucas went back to grading the designs.

“Eh, they’re pains in my ass,” he replied, but he was smiling when he said it.

“Not unlike someone I know.”

“You mean used to know. Unless you’re implying I’m still a pain in your ass.”

Oh, all the implications with that sentence. And because I knew it’d get a reaction, I grinned and said, “Depends. Did you want to be?”

Just as I thought, Lucas fumbled with the sculpture in his hands, cursing as he set it upright and then pinned me with those intense eyes. “That sounds an awful lot like an invitation.”

Shrugging, I turned my attention back to the projects at hand. “Looks like you’ve got a tough decision. Who’s it gonna be?”

“Uh uh. You don’t get to change the subject.” Lucas stalked toward me, and a familiar thrill of anticipation shot through my body, the kind that always happened when he was near. His solid chest grazed my arm, daring me to move away, but I wasn’t budging, not even when his breath tickled my neck. “There something you want, Jackson?”

Two could play that game. I’d already seen what effect I had on Lucas, so if he wanted to knock me off balance, I could try to do the same. Turning my head toward him, I saw just how close he was, and I twisted my lips. “Actually…there is something I want. Badly.”

Lucas’s head moved toward mine a fraction. “Oh yeah? Tell me. Or show me, if you prefer. I’m an equal opportunist.”

“Mmm. I want”—I leaned in close, like I was going for his lips, and then, at the last second, brushed the skin of his cheek instead—“to get wet.” I heard Lucas’s soft intake of breath and let that little piece of info soak in for a second before adding, “At the beach.”

Lucas groaned and pushed me away as I laughed. “Fucking tease,” he muttered.

“What was that?”

He plastered a fake smile on his face. “I said do you like any of these?”

“Ahh.” I scanned the long row of designs, and when my eye caught on a rising flame made of twisted metal, I pointed at it. “That one.”

“Hmm. Not a bad second choice.” Lucas made a note on the pad, flipped it shut, and then turned to face me with his arms crossed. “So.”

I mimicked his pose. “So.”

“Since you seem to have an affinity for flames, care to attend a bonfire this evening? If I recall correctly—and I do—we were a little too…preoccupied, and missed ours.” A devilish gleam lit Lucas’s eyes. It was the night I’d decided to give myself over to the man staring at me now, and it had been the first and the last time.

Jesus, that was the last thing I needed to think about right now. Especially while in such close proximity to Lucas and alone, not to mention mere steps from his old dorm room. So, yeah, maybe a bonfire surrounded by others was a smart idea.

“Sure,” I said, but my voice was too husky, and I had to clear my throat. “I think a bonfire sounds great.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “Good. Maybe this time we’ll actually make it and see all that we missed.”