Brody called an emergency meeting down at The Sloppy Pelican and asked me to come along. I had to fight the urge to hold his hand on our way in, and even as we waited for everyone to congregate in the back, it was a struggle not to wrap my arms around his body—that body that I own nightly. Brody and I are all but leashed to one another at the house, so asserting some self-control when I’m around him requires more than a littleeffort.
“Hey”—Levi nods my way—“you meeting up with someone for lunch thisafternoon?”
“Just you.” I plant myself in the seat next to Brody. “I came along with Brody for themeeting.”
My brother inches back a notch, the look on his face decidedly confused. “Raven, how do you have time for all of this? You’ve got to be inundated with job offers bynow.”
Low rushes at me with her vanilla-scented perfume and offers me a hug before falling in the seat on the other side of me. “What’d I miss?” She rubs her hands together as Lex and Axel take their seats aswell.
“Nothing,” I whisper to Low. “But keep your ears wide open. This gets goodfast.”
My brother shoots me a look as if to saythis conversation is far fromover.
“All right.” Brody grinds his eyes shut with his hand. “There’s something that’s happened in my personal life that I wanted to share with you. It’s nothing that affects The Pelican or my time here. I want you to know I’m just as devoted to this place, if notmore.”
Levi groans, “If you tell me you eloped with my sister, I might be moved to skewer your balls off and serve them to that girl who keeps hounding me about you in her nextdrink.”
I glance to Low, and she shakes her head vigorously as if to contest the fact she toldhim.
Holy hell, my brother has always been a mind reader, but this is downrightfrightening.
Brody looks to me with a sweeping glance and shakes his head at my brother. “Dude, would you just let metalk?”
Nice move, Wolf Man. Duck and evade just like when they were kids wrestling it out in thebackyard.
Brody tips his head back, and I can tell he’s currently wrestling with himself over something, and a part of me fears it’s his sudden need to divulge our every last dirty detail. I give him a hard kick from under the table, and Levi lets out ayelp.
“What’d you do that for?” My brother glares at me a moment while doubling over, rubbing hisankle.
“Oh.” I jump in my seat. “For grilling poor Brody when you can see he’s having a toughtime.”
Brody sheds an easy grin my way, and it feels so natural. “I’m ready to spill.” And he does. He tells everyone about his outings with his grandfather, about his death, his will. Hisbillions.
“No way.” Axel rakes his fingers through hishair.
Levi shakes his head. “And your parents—are theypissed?”
“No.” He winces. “They’re hurt, but they understand that I was simply trying to obey his wishes. Colby”—he gives an exasperated glance to the ceiling—“now she’spissed.”
A light round of laughter circles the table, and Brody takes a breath. “But I’m not changing. I’m still me. Some things might change.” He glances my way before looking back to Axel and Levi. “I think it’s safe to put all talks about expansion back on thetable.”
Levi grins, but he’s shaking his head. “No. We’ll getloans.”
“And you’ll get them from me.” Brody flashes a quiet grin and melts the panties right off my body in the process. “Don’t worry, sweetie.” He winks at my brother. “I’ll give you a decent interest rate. So count your lucky stars. We’re prequalified for that franchise we’ve beenplanning.”
“This is great.” Axel shakes his head in disbelief. “I’ll get you connected with a good financial adviser. I’d hate to see you spending all your money atonce.”
Lex lets out anoofas if someone socked her in the gut. “And the girls are going to come out of the woodwork.” She blinks my way. “And some girl is going to think she’s hit the jackpot, and she’ll never look for a job at thatrate.”
My eyes grow wild. Swear to God, I’d kick her good if I could. And why is she so interested in my employment status, anyway? I scowl over at her for judging me. I’ll teach her. I’m the one who’s in charge of her surprise bachelorette party, lest she forget. No strippers, she says? I’ll make it twenty. Not out too late, she cried? We’re shutting the place down and coming home at sunrise. Lex is so uptight I’m sure she needs a night at the strip club just to loosen those joints. Not that Axel is lacking in the looks department, but she probably demands that the poor boy turns off the lights and leaves his shirt on while they get underneath the sheets. What awaste.
“I’m not worried about the girls.” Brody thumps over the table with his knuckles. “I’ve already got one on lockdown. We’ve been seeing each other for awhile.”
GAH! Abort! Abort! Do not venture into big brother slaughterhouseterritory.
I can’t help but shoot wild eyes his way, my lips pulled back inhorror.
“Relax.” He knocks my elbow off the table with his own. “You’ll meet her soonenough.”
