Page 2 of Tempting Levi
His lawyer flushed. “No, but as you said, she looks—ah, young. I assure you, she’s of age.”
Levi stared at the girl once more. On closer inspection, her legs were thin, but shapely, feet encased in heels that highlighted her calves on up to a very fine ass. “Jailbait,” he muttered.
“Sir, again, I don’t think—”
“Right.” Levi waved him off. “Don’t call her that. Fine. Set up a meeting with Ms. Wright in my office tomorrow.”
“But she’s here now, Mr. Cade. Don’t you wish to meet her?” His lawyer wasn’t calling him sir anymore, but he clearly struggled with calling him by his given name.
“Not today.”
“Of course, Mr. Cade,” Samuel said, but he didn’t seem pleased.
Ms. Wright glanced over, and Levi swallowed. There was something about this girl that put him on edge. She wasn’t his ex, that was for damn sure, but his ex’s face popped into his head every time he heard the name, and that was irritating.
“Tomorrow will be fine.” Samuel gave a shooing gesture to the other lawyer and Levi’s new assistant.
A light frown marred her pretty face, but she walked out with the other suit.
“If you don’t mind me saying.” Samuel folded his hands in front of him. “Your father was an acute businessman, but there’s always room for fresh blood.” He smiled, and it appeared genuine. “Club Tahoe will blossom beneath the management of the Cade sons.” The last sentence was less sincere, ending on a slight wince.
Blossom?Interesting choice of words for a grown man.
Neither Levi nor his brothers were qualified for the positions they now held at Club Tahoe, but he’d be damned before he let this place fall to pieces or be run by someone other than a Cade. His father had built the resort, sacrificing everything for it, even the love of his family.
He glanced at his phone.“All that matters is that the customers are happy. And that my brothers and I don’t screw things up.”Speaking of which…“I’m off to an appointment. I’ll be unavailable for the next two hours.”
No need to tell Samuel that Levi had an appointment at the Fireside Lounge. The lawyers were so far up his ass they probably already knew his habits.
* * *
“We’re doing what?” Wes was the third-oldest Cade brother, behind Levi and Adam, born right in the middle of the five of them.
“Hosting Korean businessmen. Shin—something. Huge company that owns about two dozen others.” Levi took a deep swig of his ale. “You think you can take them out on the course?”
Wes threw up his hands, glaring. “Sure, why not. In between running the pro shop, managing the grounds, and batting off the hands of horny rich women slipping their numbers in my khakis during lessons. Jesus, Levi, you think you can talk to us before you make these sorts of plans? The pressure to pull this shit off falls on all of us.” Wes leaned back heavily in his chair, running a hand through his hair. He was the darkest of the five of them, with hair the color of their mother’s dark brown.
Levi stared at Wes. “Am I the CEO of this enterprise, or not?”
Wes glared. “Only because you’re the oldest. It sure as hell isn’t because you’re business-minded. Why Dad put you in charge instead of Adam is a mystery.”
Adam was the Cade son who’d actually pandered to the old man. Did whatever their father had asked of him. Until their father’s last request placed Adam at Blue Casino, the local competitor giving their club a run for its money. Not just a run; Blue Casino could very well put Club Tahoe out of business, if Levi and his brothers weren’t careful. But that didn’t mean Adam would help them out. The bastard.
Adam had had some sort of epiphany during his foray at Blue Casino while scouting out the competition. He’d decided to remain there, and for some reason, their father, who was the master of manipulation, hadn’t minded. Rumor was the old man had turned soft the last year of his life, when he’d learned he wouldn’t live much longer.
Two parents dying prematurely—that was some shit-poor luck. But Levi and his brothers would survive like they always did. In any case, Adam was off the list of sons their father could prevail upon postmortem to run Club Tahoe.
“You know Adam’s not an option,” Levi said. “He’s been promoted at Blue Casino and his fiancée works there. We’re the ones who didn’t have jack going on.”
“Speak for yourself,” Wes muttered. “I haven’t given up on the tour.”
No, Wes never acknowledged his rotten streak in golf. It started at the end of college, when he was in his prime, and had persisted. Wes had become an assistant pro at Club Tahoe a couple of years back. After their father’s death, he started running the club as the head pro and gave lessons. He was probably the most qualified out of the four of them for the positions they held, all things considered. But Wes never stopped reminding his brothers that it was only a matter of time before he began his real career as a tour pro.
Levi stretched out his legs. “In any case, Dad knew which one of his sons had the charisma, the magnetism, the strength to lead—”
“Are you two finished?” Bran said, then swigged the last of his beer and flagged a waitress. She immediately turned and headed their way with a brilliant smile on her face.
Bran was the second youngest, and though he looked like his brothers—broad shoulders, Cade height—he had dark blond hair he kept longer than the rest of them, withGQgood looks and bright blue eyes that hit the ladies like an arrow.
