“Took a cross-country trip with her best friend and shotgun-married a fracker from North Dakota.”
Adam laughed.
Jackass.
“Yeah, that was some bad luck. But you always picked girlfriends who wanted rescuing. Lisa was crazy needy, if I recall. Anyway, since then, you’ve hooked up with plenty of other women. Why not give Emily a try?”
“Hooked up.Nothing serious.” Levi couldn’t imagine only hooking up with Emily. “And I won’t try, as you say, because I learned my damned lesson.”
“What lesson? That not all relationships work out? That’s life. Happens to all of us.”
“You can’t tell me what happened with Lisa was normal.”
The shithead laughed again. “No, but it doesn’t mean things with Emily will turn out the same. She’s a nice woman.”
Levi frowned. “So were the others. Besides, the last thing I need is a sexual harassment suit filed against the club. I have to set a good example. I’m not dating Emily. Even if sexual harassment weren’t a concern, you said it yourself, I don’t know how to pick them. It wouldn’t work out.”
“Which is exactly why it might. Emily’s not your normal type. She’s not needy like the others. I don’t know her personally, but Esther says she’s smart and talented.”
Levi shook his head. “Stop trying to sell her on me. Emilyisa great woman, but I don’t want a relationship. And absolutely not with another Wright sister. Gotta focus on the club. She’s the only female I can handle right now.”
Adam blew out a breath. “I won’t tell Hayden you said that. She’s pretty set on you dating Emily. But I’ve done my duty to my fiancée and gotten the scoop on you two.” He stood. “We still on for golf Friday?”
“Maybe. I’ve got a company coming into town next week to check out the place. We’re in a bit of a financial strain and could use the big account. I need to prepare.”
Adam nodded. “Getting a feel for the place now, huh? You enjoying it yet?”
“No. Anything else you wanted to grill me about?”
Adam took a large swig of his coffee and set the mug on the table. “Nope. I’ll let Hayden know she was right.” He winked, and Levi contemplated throwing his brother out the door anyway. “See you on Friday.”
“I didn’t say if I’d make it.”
Adam paused on the threshold. “You’ll make it. You’ll need the break,” he said over his shoulder, then turned and left.
Was Levi’s attraction to Emily that obvious? If so, he needed to shut it down. He couldn’t afford a relationship. Particularly not one that involved his top-notch assistant, who was also his ex’s little sister. That was a bad combination for any man.
Chapter 10
The men from Shin Electronics, plus a few female employees, had arrived yesterday late morning safe and sound. Emily ensured the limousines were at South Lake Tahoe’s small airport on time, and once they’d made it to the club, the guests were encouraged to partake in the spa services she’d set up. By the time the meet-and-greet had rolled around, the Shin representatives were relaxed and enjoying themselves. The entire day had gone extremely well.
Thismorning, however, was another matter.
Emily raced down the hallway toward Levi’s office. She wore her normal dark pencil skirt, but had paired it with one of the tops her sister brought over a few days ago. And hell no, she didn’t wear any of the death-trap shoes her sister tried to ply her with, claiming they were the latest trends. Emily stuck to her sturdy three-inch heels with a bit of a platform. Nothing spiked. In other words, she could move in them. Which she was doing. Rapidly. Pumping her long legs down the corridor in a semi-sprint.
Esther was officially gone, and Emily should have moved her things to the older woman’s desk outside of Levi’s office. But there was something about taking over Esther’s place that didn’t sit right. Plus, Emily liked having her own office, small as it was. So she ran back and forth between her office down the hall and Levi’s whenever she needed to talk to him. Like now, when tonight was shaping up to be a disaster.
“Levi.” Emily burst into his office without knocking. She should have knocked, but that would have taken a half-second she didn’t want to waste.
He was standing in the center of the room, staring at a necktie, which he promptly dropped to his side, his face shifting from mild annoyance to alert. “What’s wrong?”
“The chef of our steakhouse is sick, our backup just quit, and Bran’s freaking out. Wait—why aren’t you ready? You need to meet the men in five minutes!”
“I’ll be there. Just need to make a quick run to Peak Attire.”
Peak Attire was the upscale, ridiculously overpriced clothing store inside Club Tahoe.
She scanned him. Levi filled out a suit like a muscular runway model. The only thing not on point was his necktie, which he still held in his hand. “You don’t have time. You’ll be late, and every impression counts.”
