Page 8 of A Perfect Match
“Apparently her surly sons were kept out of the loop,” I say, grabbing my own plate full of pork roast that my mother thrusts into my hands.“It sold and I met the new owner today.”
My mom rolls her lips inward.“Who is it?”
“Nobody I know,” I hurry to say.Maybe a little too quickly, like somehow the family closeness will also enable my brothers to read my mind and find out I slept with my landlord already on a drunken outing.They’d have a field day with that one.To them, I am not only their little sister, I am sacrosanct.Yet another reason why I find it easier to simply not have a love interest: I do not have the energy to bring someone new into this testosterone minefield.
“So not a local?”she prods.
“No, he’s from Cleveland.Or somewhere else.I don’t know.”
“He’s not gonna kick you out, right?”Asher says slowly, eyes narrowing.
“He better not.”I carry my plate over to the table and settle into my usual spot, which is to the right of Griffin and the left of my mom.
“You have a lease, I’m assuming,” Asher goes on.
“Of course I have a lease,” I say, wracking my brain for the details.“It’s got me locked in for another…I don’t know…three years at least.”
“Good,” Jett says.“You’re safe.For now.”
Safe.From somebody kicking me out of my shop, maybe.But not from this little pulsating marshmallow of desire inside me.
It isn’t long before little Lia joins us, sleepily rubbing her eyes and climbing up into her daddy’s lap to watch us all in a post-nap daze and take the occasional bite of pork roast Dane offers her.Dad’s hourglass looks out over the dining room from a ledge in the family room, where he’ll participate in family game night in the only way he can.All is well.The pork roast is delicious.My brothers are happily ribbing each other about something I’m not paying attention to.And then suddenly the conversation returns to my shop.
“What’s your new landlord’s name?”Jett asks suddenly.
“Uh…I don’t know yet.”I won’t admit I know his bizarre nickname.“But I almost called him by a name that starts with a d-i-c-k-wad today when he was blocking the entrance for my disabled customer.”I try not to swear in front of my niece, even though it’s a lost cause in this household.My brothers are as bad as sailors.
“I’ll be stopping by to check him out,” Griffin says with a harrumph.The chair groans underneath his enormous hockey build.The man must eat seven thousand calories a day.“Make sure he doesn’t pull any shit.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I say, but my voice withers under the boisterous voices of my brothers.
“Let’s make sure he sees the lease with his own eyes, too,” Asher says, leaning in closer to Griffin in that conspiratorial way that reminds me of every other thing my brothers have hijacked in my life.
“His own eyes and his asshole, even,” Jett cackles.
“Jett,” Mom starts, but I can tell she’s smiling behind the admonishment.
“He better not fuck around with my little sister,” Dane goes on.Lia pouts and looks up at him.
“Bad word, Daddy.”
“Sorry, baby.”He kisses the top of her head.“Don’t repeat that.”
“You guys,” I say, thankful that nobody can tell how fast my heart is racing.“It’ll be fine.I promise.He’s fine.I’m fine.I have a lease.There’s nothing wrong.”
I’m babbling, because I know the truth.My brothers aren’t hearing me.And they don’t even know how far fromfineI feel about the sexy one-night stand of my dreams becoming my new neighbor.Or the fact that I have a kernel of disappointment throbbing inside of me, because I had wanted that empty space for my own.I liked having the expanse of possibility beside me, on the off chance I grew some courage to expand my business in a way I haven’t told a single soul about.
But it doesn’t matter.
Because they’ll never find out.The last thing I need is a love—or lobster—interest.I’m committed to my family.To my shop.To my life exactly how it is.
No matter how hot and muscled and intriguing my new landlord might be.
CHAPTER FOUR
KRU
Bayshore is awaking slowly the next morning.I’m drawing deep gulps of the fresh air as I make the short drive from my rental in a nearby neighborhood over to the new building.Satisfaction prickles through me as I cross the small, sleepy town.
