“Yeah. They desperately need help. The human power kind. It’ll take them months to get the bare basics, and they’re already functioning to help the local community. So, I was thinking we could help them organize an auction.”
Lex laughed. “What, like a bachelor auction? They’re so overdone.”
“No. Well, kind of. An auction where we offer skills. Let’s say Noah is up, and someone wins a bid?—”
“The only person allowed to bid on and win me is Lior,” he huffed.
Adam chuckled. “I think it’s safe to say Lior doesn’t need the skills you have to offer.”
Noah’s chin practically hit the floor.
“I’m talking about business. You can help someone with advice on how to start a business or make the best of networking opportunities.”
“Or how to work with your family without committing murder,” Noah added.
I laughed so hard it came out as a snort.
“Don’t think you’re getting out of it, Hartley,” Adam said, elbowing me.
“What? What do I have to offer?”
His gaze softened. “You have so much to give. You run one of the busiest restaurants in the city. If nothing else, you could teach someone about time management, problem-solving, or customer service.”
I kept my eyes on his, lost for words. He noticed those things? I mean, he’d worked at the restaurant growing up, just as his brothers had, but none of them wanted to make the restaurant their career. I’d thought he’d disconnected from it.
Lex grabbed his beer, tilting the lip forward. “I think it’s an excellent idea. And it means we don’t have to stick to single people because with everyone getting engaged and married in secret, there can’t be many singles left in the city.” He laughed but then stopped himself when he realized what he’d said. “Oh fuck. I’m so sorry, Adam. I didn’t mean…”
Adam’s earlier easy smile was replaced by a more somber expression. “I know you didn’t mean it. You’re right. Both you and Adam have someone. Even Tanner had a secret Vegas wedding at the same time as Noah. But I’ll argue there are still plenty of single guys out there. Me, River, Drew, and West for a start.”
Lex and Noah lifted their bottles, and the three brothers clinked them together.
“Oh fuck,” Noah said all of a sudden. “Gotta go. We’re spending the weekend at the museum house, so I have to meet Lior in his office. Tomorrow, we’re having lunch with his mom, so I’ll run the idea past her. She knows everyone who’s anyone. We’ll have a list of people to auction off skills before the end of the weekend.”
“Hey, don’t forget Sunday lunch at Mom and Dad’s,” Lex said.
“We won’t be able to make it,” Noah said.
“We will,” Adam added. “Right, River?”
“Um…sure.” Great, having dinner with the Spencer clan after kissing their straight son senseless will be super fun.
Unless I gave Fir the day off and worked instead. Adam raised his brows at me like he could tell what I was thinking.
By the time we got home, it was late, and after being up at three in the morning to go to the fish market, I could barely form a coherent thought, let alone try rehashing the kiss from a week ago.
The scent of roasting chicken and baked bread wafted through the Spencer family home as Adam and I stepped inside and were greeted by a chorus of familiar voices.
I’d been part of this family for as long as I could remember. I’d been to more Sunday lunches with the Spencers than I ever had with my mom. Because of her shift work as a nurse, we always picked a random day of the week and made it our family lunch, but while it was great to have that time with her, it lacked the loving chaos of Adam’s family.
Hearing the noise of a table being set in the kitchen and Adam’s mom singing to herself made me miss my mom.
A lump formed in my throat. I’d been so close to losing this. If Adam had married Victoria, she would have taken my place at the table. Not that Carla and Jack would ever not want me here. But with my strained relationship with Victoria, I wouldn’t have wanted to make their family dinners awkward, which would have meant missing them more often than not.
I’d sat through a few we’d both attended and had found an excuse to leave early every single time.
“I’m going to see if your mom needs help,” I said to Adam, who went straight to the living room.
“You’re such a momma’s boy,” he teased.
