Page 19 of Just This Once

“Fair.” He retrieves his cell phone from his back pocket to check the time. “Don’t know where Cap is.”

“Yes, you do,” I say after a sip of my coffee. Ever since Griffin and Andi—the former nanny to his twins—got together, he’s almost always late. Griffin is ten months older than me, and I’ve only ever known him to be stringent, from the way he foldshis clothes to his daily schedule planned out to the second. Until Andi came roaring into his life.

Now, he’s more relaxed. And for that, I’m grateful to the woman. He deserved to have some of the weight of responsibility taken off his shoulders. He’s had enough of it from his previous career as a SEAL and now a firefighter.

Ian, on the other hand, has built up his tattoo business from nothing and lives a life of flexibility. I think because he’s always had to be the one taking care of everyone else, he requires an adaptable lifestyle. He’s used to the curve balls of life, excellent at swinging away.

Ian’s got a big heart, much more forgiving than me, and everything a girl could ask for in a big brother and father figure. Almost ten years older than me, he helped to take care of us—Griffin, me, and Roman—after Dad split when we were little kids. Ian would give someone the shirt off his back if needed. But he also lives to give us—his siblings—lots of shit.

“Probably fucking his girl.”

I splutter on a gulp of my drink. “Can you not? I’d prefer not to think about my brother’s sex life.”

He blinks in innocence. “You were the one who told us you fucked your construction guy.”

I grab a napkin from the holder, ignoring his curious stare. “I told you, I’m not explaining it twice.”

“Well, you’re in luck,” Ian says a moment before I hear, “Sorry I’m late.”

Griffin scoots into the booth next to me, gently elbowing me in greeting before taking his coffee from the middle of the table.

“Right on time, actually.” Ian motions to me. “Tar was about to explain what’s up with the young buck.”

Griffin takes a swallow of his coffee then settles his attentionon my face, his words biting. “You’rereallygoing to work with him?”

Since my brothers were there to meet Dante, I gave them the barest of information, that we had slept together, not knowing who the other was. And now it’s time to face the music. But I won’t go down without a fight. I scowl in Griffin’s direction. “Funny you ask since you were sleeping with your nanny.”

Ian nods, wagging his finger. “Facts.”

Griffin rolls his eyes and chooses to quietly sip his drink instead of continuing with me, and I blow out a breath, mentally sorting out the information they need to know. “We met when I went out for drinks with Marianne and Clara. He was apparently really good friends with Clara in high school, and… It was only one night. One time, that’s it.”

My brothers both nod in understanding. For as close as we are, I don’t know much about their personal lives in terms of who, what, where, when, or why. Sure, we help and support one another, but my brothers are my brothers. Not my gossiping girlfriends.

Really, this was all Clara’s fault.

“So, what? You never spoke with him when you made arrangements with the construction company?” Griffin asks, and I shake my head.

“Apparently, it’s a family business, and Dante is the project manager. I never spoke to him before.”

“And now you’re his boss for all intents and purposes,” Ian fills in like a smug bastard. “Yikes.”

“Yikes,” I agree, sighing.

“What are you going to do?”

“Nothing. I handled it.”

“You handled it?” Ian and Griffin both say at the same time.

Idivide my attention between them. “I told him that it’s never happening again and he needs to remain completely professional.”

Ian runs his hand over his beard. “Heneeds to remain professional?”

“Yes.He.”

Griffin lifts his cup to his mouth. “What about you? Never seen you act like that before when he walked in.”

“Because I was surprised.”

---