Roly and I smile at each other. “Tuesday night it is.”
Nick laughs at himself and pats me on the shoulder. “You’ve got some good ideas, Elijah. Keep them coming.”
Not gonna lie, that smile in combination with the firmness of his grip on my shoulder makes me think about how that grip would feel elsewhere on my body, and just like that… I know what I’m going to be jacking off to tonight.
Chapter Seven
Nick
“Hello. Is anybody here?” Evie’s voice echoes through the nearly empty gym.
“Over here, Evie.”
My extremely curvaceous sister-in-law, with her trademark lavender hair in a long braid down her back, walks into the gym space like she owns it, carrying in one hand about half a dozen boxes of pizza.
“Why do you insist on bringing pizza to me when you know I don’t eat carbs?” I say, mock seriously.
“Because I always want you to have the option of carbs,” she says, a smirk forming at the corner of her lips. “And you do eat carbs, just not when anyone is looking.”
“Okay, yeah, but only you know that. It’s a secret.”
“I know, and it’s so dishy. Like… I’ve broken down a Navy SEAL and am now enabling his bad habit.Love it.” Her smile is brilliant, and I am so happy that she is in my sister’s life. They didn’t quite get along when they first met, but according to Scout, Evie never let her get away with anything, which is probably why she fell so hard for a girl with purple hair.
“So, how are you doing, my love?” she asks, flicking my hair off my forehead.
“Good, mostly. You know how it is, running your own business. Nothing is as easy as you think it will be, everything twice as hard. Then again, I don’t think you could pay me to do anything else.”
She leans over the counter dramatically, a show of agreement and camaraderie. “Hopefully that new hire of yours is making things easier.”
“Well, he shows up on time and gets a lot of work done. I think we’re beginning to be able to entrust him with more responsibilities.”
Her eyes narrow as she hears the thing in my voice I was trying to hide. “But…”
I bite my lip, then flick my thumb against the metal of my leg. Ever since I was honorably discharged for my combat injury, she’s been the only person who could crack my head open like a walnut and get me to confess things. Only tequila has more vault-opening power.
“Oh.” Her voice is soft, and her tawny eyes shine as she smiles up at me. “Isn’t that a good thing?”
I consider lying to her, telling her that her assumptions are wrong. But I know my sister-in-law very well, and she wouldneverlet me get away with that. So, I save myself some grief and shrug. “I don’t know, Evie. It feels hella problematic.”
“Problematic, how?” she asks, her voice kind.
“He’s my employee. And he’s ten years younger than me.”
She tilts her head. “I’m Scout’s employee. Do you think less of her for falling in love with me?”
I rush to deny that. “No, of course not. I’m so happy she got out of her own way. And I’m glad you’re family now. You know that.”
“Exactly. And do you really feel that ten years is that much of an age difference?”
I lift a shoulder. “It’s enough.”
Pinning me with a look, she shakes her head. “Try again. Why’s it so problematic, Nick?”
God, her eyes are a truth serum.
“Because I’m lonely, okay? I love what I’m doing, and I’m so grateful for Roly, and even how much your brother has been helping… it’s been amazing. But I’ve got an itch that a one-night stand isn’t going to scratch, and I don’t think he’s a one-night stand kind of guy anyway.”
“He interested in you?”
