“Actually, she hates brussels sprouts. Or she did until I roasted them for her with bacon and Parmesan cheese.”
His scowl deepened. “Her favorite book isPride & Prejudice.”
I snorted. Jesus, did this guy know her at all, or was he just there to get in her pants? “Maybe in high school. Her tastes have…matured a bit.” That was an understatement, considering the book we were reading this week dabbled in bondage and some light breath play—not that I minded.
Okay, I minded a little. I’d had more blue balls since beginning our unofficial book club over the winter than I’d had since I was a teenager. But most midafternoons at the diner were boring as hell—especially prior to the increased business we’d been having the past couple weeks—and those books filled my time. And my jeans.
“Oh yeah?” Samuel asked. “What’s it now?”
Yeah, like I was going to help this guy figure out what turned Everly on. He was on his own. “Why the hell should I tell you?”
He lifted his brows and held up a hand. “Hey, man. This was your idea. Fine by me if you want to forfeit.”
My not answering his questions didn’t mean I was forfeiting. Only someone completely delusional would think they knew her better since they could recite the things she’d loved ten or more years ago. But there was no denying I knew her betternow.
No denying he knew her better then, either. Was this jackass someone from her past? That would explain the obvious comfort he had here…everything he knew about her…the nickname…
Everly was a serial monogamist who’d had three long-term boyfriends in her life—high school, college, and during her veterinary program. There was no way this was Jackass whom she’d been dating when she moved here. But… Fuck. Hadn’t high school guy’s name started with an S?
I didn’t respond to him and instead focused on the task at hand, all the while stewing over who this guy was and what the hell he was doing back in her life.
More importantly, why hadn’t she told me anything about him? She hadn’t mentioned that she was seeing someone…not even that she’d decided she was ready to date again.
Though from the apparent assmonkey this guy was, that wasn’t so surprising. She was probably embarrassed to mention him because she knew I’d make sure he was a good guy before giving my stamp of approval.
Okay, there’d be no stamp of approval. I’d hate every single man she brought by, even if he was a member of the Peace Corps and spent his days saving kittens from trees.
Everly was the kind of woman to be worshipped. She deserved someone who’d treat her right. Someone who’d happily give her everything she needed, just to see her smile.
And there was no fucking way it was this guy.
CHAPTERFOUR
BECK
Six-thirty in themorning was too fucking early to deal with my siblings. Especially after I’d spent last night in a pissing match with some fuck-head Everly hadn’t even mentioned in passing.
I’d worked on her dishwasher and disposal for about forty-five minutes, all while the shirtless asshat had looked on, not offering to raise a finger as he ate his cereal and fucked around on his phone. And then, when I’d finished up everything she’d mentioned—and even fixed a few things she hadn’t—I’d left him in her house while I’d returned to mine, hating every second of it.
He wasn’t a good fit for her, but I didn’t know how to tell her that. It wasn’t something we’d had to navigate in our friendship, but there was no way I’d be able to sit silently by while she kept seeing that cheesedick.
Doing as I’d asked, she’d texted just after 1 a.m. that she was safely behind her locked door and the sock-hungry dog was recovering comfortably.
It hadn’t been the right time to ask about Seth. To grill her on who the fuck the guy was taking up residence in her home like he owned the place. But it’d been swirling around in my head since I’d left her house, and I couldn’t seem to think of anything but that.
For once, my sister had agreed to hold the morning meeting in the diner—the resort’s recent brush with success seemed to have softened her slightly—and my siblings, save for Brady, gathered around the space. I’d been asking for this location switch for months. It only made sense to hold these meetings here instead of the main inn because… Well, because it was a hell of a lot more convenient for me since I lived just upstairs and since I was the only one who had to be somewhere on a schedule—7:00 on the dot—no matter how long Addison insisted on running her mouth. Never mind that Everly was the only person who’d notice if I was a few minutes late. My siblings didn’t need to know that.
Hoping to make this a permanent switch and not above bribery, I’d pulled out all the stops. The counter was covered with a huge spread, even though my brother Aiden—keeper of the resort and the budget—would probably have my ass for it. I’d needed to keep my mind busy last night after I’d gotten back from Everly’s and waited for herall goodtext, anyway, and nothing kept my mind occupied like spending time in the kitchen. I’d had a temper growing up and had been in too many fights to count. It was after one that’d landed me an in-school suspension for a week that my mom had guided me to cooking, and it’d stuck.
So, while stewing over Spencer lounging in Everly’s home while she wasn’t there—worse, while shewas—I’d spent a couple hours preparing muffins, banana bread, coffee cake, and blueberry scones. And from how my siblings had descended on the spread like a pack of wolves when they’d first stepped foot in the diner, I’d say they were going over pretty well.
Levi—youngest McKenzie boy and all-around recluse—sat in a corner all by himself, his brows drawn in a scowl, though I had no idea why. The lucky bastard had managed to get Addison to agree that he only needed to attend one of these stupid meetings per month.
She and Aiden sat at a table dead center, both ignoring each other and everyone else as they ate their baked goods, their attentions locked on their phones. And Ford sat at the counter on one of the barstools, his eyes bleary, no doubt thanks to another late night.
“Hit me,” he said, knocking twice on the counter, and I grabbed a mug before pouring him a cup of coffee. “Was last night the night?”
“The night for what?”
