Page 8 of Tempting Levi
Hunt Cade might have been that guy. If he hadn’t been Levi’s brother. And eighteen. And completely not ready for anything serious.
Once Jared entered Lisa’s life, things turned around. She’d been happy for the last three years, and Emily wouldn’t be surprised if they got engaged.
Just because Lisa found happiness with Jared, that didn’t mean her guilt over Levi had dissolved. There were some things not even Lisa’s bubbliness could hide. She had imploded her relationship with Levi, and Emily knew her sister had felt guilty ever since.
“Hey, Em.” Jared wrapped his arm around Lisa’s shoulder and kissed her cheek. “I hear you have a new job. How’s it going at Club Tahoe?”
“So far so good.” No need to inform her sister and Jared that Emily’s crush on Levi was still firmly in place. Or how distracting working with him was going to be. She’d never shared her secret crush with Lisa, and she wasn’t about to do it now.
Jared looked down at Lisa. “What would you like? Mango martini? Raspberry mojito?”
Emily drank the last of her wine and headed for the couch, where she’d left her workbag. “I’ve gotta go. I have to work tonight if I’m going to pull off a major investor push next week.”
Lisa swigged the last of her wine and absently held out the glass to Jared, who grabbed the bottle and poured her more. “No idea what an investor push is, but I’ll take your word for it.”
There was no question Emily and Lisa were different. Lisa was sweet and flashy, and Emily was reserved. Lisa liked fashion, while Emily stuck to jeans and flats when she wasn’t working. Emily liked numbers, and Lisa was only interested in numbers when they added up to the amount she needed for the Gucci purse she lusted after. But despite their differences, they had a strong bond. They disagreed a ton, but never over anything important.
Emily planted a kiss on Lisa’s cheek while her sister flirted with Jared from across the counter.
Just when Emily thought her sister wasn’t paying attention, Lisa spun around. “Hey, Em, try to get Levi to let his guard down and relax a little.”
For a moment, Emily didn’t know what Lisa was talking about. Get Levi to drop his guard?Her?That had been Lisa’s job back when they’d dated. “I’m not the right person, Lis.”
Her sister cocked her head to the side. “I don’t know. You two are more alike than you think.”
Lisa had lost her mind. Emily wasn’t flashy. She was nothing like the women Levi dated. “Even if I were his type, which I’m not, he’s yourex. I’d never touch that.”
Only fantasize about it.
Lisa rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean itthatway. Not romantically, but in terms of”—she swirled her hand in the air—“cracking the granite that’s formed around him. Levi and I were too different. But you—you might be just what he needs to soften.”
“Is this granite the stony exterior he built after you crushed him?”
Lisa frowned.
“Sorry—but not sorry.”
“I didn’t put granite around that man. It was there before we even started dating.”
“Noted. I’ll try to keep the company from crumbling and chip the granite off your ex. Anything else?”
Lisa actually looked up as though considering. “Nope, that’ll do for now.”
Emily swung her bag over her shoulder and considered bringing up something else she’d been meaning to talk to Lisa about. Her sister worked at a clothing boutique on the strip and actually knew something about fashion, unlike Emily, who stuck to the same work outfit—dark pencil skirt, button-up top. “Before I go, do you think you could help me find better clothes? Club Tahoe is classy. I don’t know…I want to look nice.”And not be entirely overshadowed by Levi’s beauty.“You know how much I hate shopping, and you’re so much better at it.”
Lisa set her glass on the counter with a ping. “Oh, sister,yes.I’m all over that.”
Emily flinched. “Shit, don’t go crazy. Remember, I’m more conservative than you.”
Her sister cackled. “Understatement. But I’ll be good.”
The smile on Lisa’s face didn’t reassure Emily. “Maybe I should do it myself.”
Lisa flew out of her chair and across the room faster than Emily thought possible. She pushed Emily toward the door. “No, no, I’ve got this. You go work. Stay up all night if you need to. Let me take care of the clothing.”
“But—”
“Bye!” Lisa shoved Emily over the threshold and slammed the door in her face.
