Page 66 of Brooke's Bliss
“Yeah, I heard about that,” Rye countered.“What’s Cleopaying you?I would bet it’s next to nothing.Does she know you design for aliving?You’re not supposed to be working in some rundown theater.”
Oh, this was going to turn into a Harper family smackdown.
All of Brooke’s relaxed air was gone, and she was stiffagain.“It’s not rundown.”
“Rye, I thought we were going to back off,” Max began,looking uncertain for once.
“I have backed off for two weeks, and she’s still with them.I don’t want anyone taking advantage of my sister,” Rye shot back.“She’s naïveand not used to saying no.Like she should to these two.And you did flake outon us tonight, Brooke.Henry and Nell came over so Poppy could play with thekids and we could go out to our very non-sexy anniversary dinner.”
“Whose fault is that?”Rachel asked, indignation clear inher tone.“Not Brooke’s.She’s not the reason we’re not having sex.”
“No, obviously that’s Max’s fault because he was afraid toget his balls snipped,” Rye argued.“But it was Brooke’s fault for throwing ahissy fit when she found out we were trying to take care of her.”
“By siccing a private investigator on her.”Shane couldn’tstay quiet, especially when he’d seen Brooke turn in on herself.“She’s notnaïve.She’s sweet natured, but she’s worked in a cutthroat business for awhole lot of years.”
“And look where it got her,” Rye pronounced.
Rachel sighed.“I told you this is not the way to handle it.Brooke, I knew about the PI.They were so worried about you.When you came homeat Christmas there was obviously something off, but you wouldn’t talk about it.It was wrong, but in their heads you’re still six and you need them to protectyou from the world.You’re an innocent virgin and they have to make sure yousomeday marry well.”
“I told you it’s likeBridgerton,” Shane whisperedto his brother who’d come over to stand beside him while they watched thethrowdown.
“What’s likeBridgerton?”Elisa Leal joined them.It was obvious she’d walked down from the station.She had a tablet in her handand was dressed for her job.Which was deputy of Bliss.She was Nate Wright’ssecond in command since Cameron Briggs had left to work with his partners.Shetook in the Harper family fight as though it was no big deal.She was used toBliss drama.
“Max and Rye are pissed that Brooke is choosing to spendtime with men they don’t approve of,” Bay supplied.“Us.I’m pretty sure he’sgoing to tell us if we want to marry her we have to come up with… What’s itcalled?Like a downy?”
His brother was the smart one?The genius?“Downy is afabric softener.You’re talking about a dowry, and we wouldn’t pay it.Theywould.”
“Wait?What?We would get to marry her and they would haveto pay us?”Bay asked.“And this was bad for us how?”
Shane bit back a groan.This was not going to end well.
* * * *
“Rye, you know I’m not a virgin, right?”Brooke wassaying.
Bay was confused, but he was used to that.Sometimes hedidn’t pick up on social cues the way he should.He was almost sure herbrothers should know the answer to that since they’d caught him with his pantsdown that first morning.Not literally.He’d had pants on, but there was zeroway he hadn’t spent the night in Brooke’s bed.Since there wasn’t any otherplace to sleep.
Was his brother pissed at him?
He shouldn’t have made that crack about what happened atKingman Ranch, but he also didn’t want Shane’s anxiety to get Brooke all riledup.No one was after them.All the talk about the weird things that happened onthe ranch was just that.Talk.Ranch hands liked to mythologize everything.
“I do not need to know anything like that.”Rye soundedawfully prim.
“Oh, but you did need to know everything a privateinvestigator could find out,” Brooke accused.
“He was worried about you, sweetie.”Rachel seemeddetermined to keep the peace.
Max chose to turn on the deputy.“Why the hell would you putout that there was a slasher after my sister?I ran all the way here thinking Iwould have to fight Jason or thatHalloweenguy.”
Elisa’s lips curled up.“Because sometimes chaos is fun, andI know Hal is listening even when the sheriff asked him to stop.I didn’texactly put it like that when I called Nate to let him know what’s going on,but I did know where Hal would take it.So here we are.Now I’d like to figureout what happened and why that light is out.”
“Because it needs to be changed,” Rye replied, obviouslyready to get back to the fight with his sister.
“It was on earlier.”Mel Hughes stepped into the parkinglot, and Bay realized their truck wasn’t the last vehicle left.There were two.Mel’s Chevy from like the eighties or something and a big SUV he would bet wasStef Talbot’s.“The lot was well lit when I parked here an hour ago.I had tomeet with my friend, Ash.He’s having some trouble with portals opening andneeded some advice.Hey, sweetie.I was about to come down and see if youneeded some coffee.I hate that Nate has you on nights.You know that’s whenthe worst alien sightings happen.Ash is worried about an invasion.”
Lord.This was about to take a turn.
“My guys brought me dinner and a big thermos of coffee sinceI can’t figure out Gemma’s monstrosity.Ash?I haven’t met him.Does he workfor the government?”Elisa grinned her father’s way.
