“I’m taking a fucking day off,” I say. My head is pounding, my mouth tastes like I licked the sidewalk, and my damn heart still hurts. I’m taking a day in bed. I deserve it.
“Millie got a call for a job asking for you specifically, asshole,” Cash says. “They heard about your cat gym for Amelia, and they want one in their house.”
“What the hell is a cat gym?” Sebastian asks. Clearly, he wasn’t around when Millie passed this message to Cash. I wonder what they were doing together?
Knowing Cash, they were just talking business because he seems to be able to turn off his emotions and attraction like a fucking robot.
“It doesn’t matter,” I say. “I’m not doing it.”
“It’s like a climbing gym installed onto a wall, but for cats,” Cash says. “Here. Like this.” I assume he’s showing Sebastian pictures on his phone, but I don’t care enough to lift my head and verify.
“You should have told me about this,” Sebastian says. “People love any kind of shit for their animals. Go do the job.”
“Free will,” I say. “I still have it.”
“What the hell is wrong with him?” Sebastian asks.
“He broke up with his girl,” Cash says.
“This the girl Deke was trying to set me up with? Levi told me you ended up falling for her yourself. Serves you right if she dumped your ass.”
That startles me enough to look over at my older brother, but he doesn’t look like he’s about to storm into the room and bash me. “How long have you known?”
“Only a few days,” Sebastian says. “I was looking at opening my own account and found out I already had one. I asked Levi to track down the scam artist, and he told me the whole story.” Sebastian shakes his head. “Fucking waste of time that should have been spent working for your family.”
“You joined a dating site?” I ask, feeling like I’ve slipped into an alternate reality.
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “My dating life is none of your business. Looks like you’ve been punished enough this time, but if it happens again, you’ll never survive the prank war I start on you.”
“Got it,” I say. “I’ve learned my lesson.”
“What happened anyway?” Sebastian asks. “I thought you’d sworn off romance.”
“He changed his mind,” Cash says.
“I was an idiot,” I say with a groan. “It fucking hurts.”
“We don’t have time for you to heal your broken heart,” Sebastian says. “I like this idea of cat gyms for you when we don’t need you at a job site. Get your ass out of bed and go see this client.”
“I thought you said there are always things for me to do at a job site.”
“He’s gone,” Cash says. “Get up and put some clothes on. You don’t even have to shower. I’ll drive since your truck isn’t here. At least you didn’t drive home drunk.”
“I walked. It was an extra-long walk because the sidewalk kept moving.”
“Jesus, are you still drunk? Doesn’t matter. Get up, sober up, and meet me outside.”
I sit up, my head throbbing. I don’t have the energy to fight this many yapping brothers. “Why are you going with me?”
“Because whoever heard about the cat gym you did for Amelia is probably one of her friends, and I’m not sure they aren’t luring you to their house to kill you.”
I manage to get myself out of bed and dressed. I don’t bother with a shower, because what’s the point? The sight of food makes my stomach roil, so I skip breakfast and go straight out to Cash’s car. He’s the only one of us without a work truck, and his sporty car is a two-door with no room for anything.
“Hope they won’t expect me to start work immediately,” I say as I slide into the passenger seat.
“Not likely.” Cash slots his phone into its spot on the console and starts the car. “Whatever happens, dear brother. I’m not risking my face if you deserve the punch.”
“Thanks a lot.”
