Page 40 of Friend Zoned

“No. Dammit. Listen, if I tell you, you need to give me your word you won’t go all Katherine Walsh. Just be my sister. I tell you, and you do nothing.” She raises an eyebrow. My sister is never one to do nothing. She does whatever the hell she wants, and she will have no problems twisting something until it fits. “I need your word.”

“Fine,” she says, raising both hands. “You act like I’m some meddlesome shrew.”

“Not a shrew but definitely meddlesome,” I tell her. “A nosy busybody.”

“Okay. Just tell me. You have my word.” Like she did when we were kids, she holds out her hand and we shake. No Walsh ever goes back on a deal agreed upon with a handshake. That’s what our dad always says.

“She works for The Pierre, and she has no idea I’m a Walsh behind The Walsh Group.”

“Oh, this is juicy,” Lincoln says.

“So, she works for us?” She gives me that calculating smile.

“Not us. I don’t work for The Walsh Group.”

“Not yet. So, you’ll be her boss. So, what? I was Lincoln’s boss when we started,” she reminds me.

“Was? You’re still my boss. You’re everyone’s boss who works for the company.” Lincoln winks at me. “I sealed my fate when I accepted your invitation to dinner.”

“I don’t see what the big deal is,” Katherine says. “What does she do for us?”

“What’s her name?” Lincoln asks. He shoots a devious look at his wife, and they clink their wine glasses together.

When I remain silent, she says, “Just tell me.”

“She’s the assistant manager.” Katherine remains silent for once. Her eyes are wide and her mouth is open as she waits for more. Since I’ve gone this far, I say, “Jeanine Dubois.” The words are barely out of my mouth before she pulls her phone out of her pocket. Lincoln looks over her shoulder and waits.

She must find whatever she’s looking for because she exhales as if in pleasure. Lincoln nods his approval as he looks over her shoulder. I stand behind them and stare into Jeannie’s pretty face. It’s her biography on the company website.

“She’s beautiful,” Katherine says with approval.

She is. She’s smiling almost shyly, but there’s an innocence and a sweetness about her. I never thought I’d find sweetness attractive, but it looks good on her.

“Oh, he’s got it bad,” Lincoln says. “His tongue practically rolled out of his mouth just from the picture.”

“Invite her over. I’ll send the driver to—”

“You’ll do no such thing. She’s with her family, and we’re just friends. How long do you think that friendship will last when she gets a random call from my overbearing sister?” I snatch the phone from her and shut it off.

“I’m not overbearing.” She swats at my chest. “Can you believe he thinks I’m overbearing, Linc?”

“I don’t know how he could have gotten that idea, honey.”

“So, what’s your plan?” she asks.

“My plan? That’s none of your business.” I tap the tip of her nose because I know she hates it.

She hits my hand, and I do the same to her.

Chapter 19

Aiden

“I have four-wheel drive and snow tires,” I tell Jeannie. I peek through the blinds in the suite that’s reserved for me in the eastern part of the house. The snow is falling hard and fast. We got eight inches overnight and another four since I woke up this morning to see that the world had turned white.

It’s less than thirty miles from here to her door. In perfect conditions, it shouldn’t take me more than half an hour to get there, but today, it could take me hours.

“Uncle Aid, what are you doing?” Shannon comes barging into my room with her coat and snow pants in hand. She’s practically bouncing off the walls, and I know what’s coming out of her mouth next. “Let’s go sledding! I want to build a snowman.” She hugs my legs before she drops herself to the floor and tries to pull on her snow pants.

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