Page 67 of Sister of the Bride

“You’re right. This could be a really good thing. And I think I would be great at it. And my résumé shouldn’t betoohard to write, since I’ve only had one job.”

“Damn right,” Toby says, and starts to get up, but before he can rise to his full height, I reach across the desk and grab a handful of his shirt, yanking him down until his lips meet mine. Fuck the pin—I feel too good right now. Toby’smademe feel too good. And I want to chase that feeling.

I kiss him so hard that I rise out of my chair, climbing up on top of the desk so I can crawl closer to him. He’s so tall that even kneeling on the desktop, I’m just barely at eye level with him, my arms around his neck as I tangle my tongue with his. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me close. As he licks a warm trail from behind my ear down my neck, leaving me sighing into his hair, he says, “I would fuck you right here right now if it didn’t mean staring at several framed photos of your father while I took you.”

Holy god.

I pull back, a grin on my face as I try to slow my breathing. “Yeah, we should probably stop,” I say. “Sorry, I know we agreed not to do, uh,that, but—”

“No, no, climb over a desk to kiss me anytime you want,” he says, smiling back. He lets me go and reaches down to adjust himself inside his jeans. “And congrats on the sale. Everything’s going to stay the same? With the restaurant?”

“Yeah,” I say, lowering myself off the desk and gathering a few papers. “I mean, I’m suresomethings will have to change, and they’re going to do some upgrades to the kitchen and bathrooms and stuff, but the staff will get to stay on, and Kelleher can pay better than we’re able to, so everyone seems to be coming out on top.”

“Well, congrats again. Want to go celebrate? I have to work tonight, so no champagne, but how about a slice of pizza?”

My stomach growls. “Pizza sounds great.”

We walk back to the front of the restaurant so I can make sure everything’s locked up when Charlie reappears.

“Hey, sorry, I left my jacket,” he says. He smiles, then points to the back banquette, where his navy suit jacket is hanging over the back of the booth. “Thank god you’re still here—I have a board meeting this afternoon, and coats and ties are required.”

“Of course,” I reply. “I got an email from Nate, by the way. The job sounds great. I’m going to talk to him about it.”

Charlie grins, a real sixty-watt smile. “That’s great! I think you’d really like the work. You certainly have a real talent for it.”

I smile. “Thanks again for making the connection. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course, Pippin. Happy to help. And let me know if you ever want to get that drink,” he says. “As colleagues, I mean.”

“I will, thanks.”

The door swings closed, and suddenly I feel Toby next to me, very close and seeming extra tall.

“Who was that?” he asks, staring at Charlie’s back as he passes by the front window.

“Charlie Bruce. He’s the guy from Kelleher,” I say. I lock the front door and gesture for Toby to follow me out the back, which will put us closer to our favorite pizza place.

“That guy? Handsome McSmileyface?” Toby says. His tone has a weird edge to it, so I glance over my shoulder to catch a glimpse of his face. I’m too slow, though, and Toby has already rearranged his expression into once of nonchalance.

“Uh, yeah. I guess.”

“What did he mean, ‘as colleagues’?” He hooks his fingers into the most sarcastic air quotes I’ve ever seen, which is really saying something.

“Oh, he asked me out.”

“Like, on a date?” His eyes grow wide, as if I’ve just told him that Charlie offered to father my children.

“Yes. But I said no. I told him I had a lot going on with the sale and my sister’s wedding.”

Toby’s hands flex hard at his side, his brows knitting together. “That’swhy you told him no?”

“Yeah,” I say.

“You didn’t tell him that you’re, you know…” He gestures between us.

“I didn’t think it was any of his business,” I tell him, and when his brow furrows, a look of irritation flitting across his face, I throw up my hands. “What, was I supposed to go into a whole soliloquy about the nature of our relationship with a guy I’m hoping will drop ten million to buy my family’s business? That seemed unprofessional, to say nothing of the fact that I have no idea what the nature of our relationship even is!”

I feel the sudden stillness of an oncoming storm, like the clouds are about to swoop in and make everything dark. The birds have stopped chirping, dogs are staring at the sky, and any minute a tornado siren will sound.

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