Nick nodded. “Check in with me when you get in.”
“Sure.”Fuck. Now, what did I do wrong? Or is he just keeping tabs on me?
Avery thrummed his fingers on the armrest, silently calculating debits and credits. He’d been over every balance sheet, profit and loss report, and budget they sent over so many times, he had them memorized.
Thump, thump, thump, thump. Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Maybe he’d pissed off Whitaker’s accountant. Fucking guy didn’t know his liabilities from his assets…or his ass.
He felt the moment Jo woke. Every muscle in her body stiffened. Her head snapped up, those stunning blue eyes rounded, and her cheeks were stained a pretty shade of pink. The softness around her mouth tightened as she braced one hand on his stomach and propped herself up.
He grunted, his abs contracting to support her slight weight. “Hey, sleeping beauty.”
Her frantic gaze darted around the room, then zeroed in on him. “Sorry.”
He grunted again when she pushed off him, missing his dick by a fraction, and one of her boots connected with his shin as she climbed awkwardly to her feet.
“Fuck.”
“Sorry. Sorry.” Tugging her sweater into place, she looked down at him, mortification written all over her face. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
Avery levered the recliner upright and ran a hand over his face. She wasn’t the only one tired. He glanced over his shoulder. His dad was kicked back and snoring in the other recliner, but everyone else had disappeared. “It’s okay.”
“I was up at three to get the mille-feuille going.”
Palming the back of her knees, he drew her between his thighs. “Jo, it’s fine. It added to the illusion.”
“Right.” But the pink of her cheeks flushed red, and she backed out of his grasp as Spencer entered from the front hall, Marcus on his heels rubbing his hands together, both wearing coats.
“It got chilly out there,” Spencer said, blowing into his hands.
“We were seeing Nick off,” Marcus said easily as they headed for the kitchen, but Avery heard the hitch in his brother’s voice he got when he was lying.
Since when did Nick need seeing off? More likely, they were talking about something they didn’t want him to hear. Something concerning the company? Or did it have something to do with the ass chewing he’d probably get from Nick tomorrow? Or just the new bond they’d formed.
Face it, dude. You’re odd man out now.
Shaking off the twinge of whatever the fuck he was feeling—anger? jealousy? isolation?—he turned back to where Jo stood. “You ready to go?”
’Cause he sure as fuck was. He stood, his legs stiff from sitting in one position too long.
She nodded. “I’ll get my things.”
“I’ll start the truck.”
The wind out of the north had picked up for one last freeze before spring took over, and he’d left his coat in the truck. Just as well. He needed to cool down. But she’d freeze in the flimsy blue jean jacket she brought, so he pulled the truck closer to the house and took a moment to fire off the money he owed her for the day.
When he returned to the kitchen, Melody and Charlotte were arguing over who was keeping the remaining petit fours, Marcus shoved the last bun thing into his mouth, and Spencer was hording all the cookies. They were his favorite, too.
“One macaroni for the road.” He snatched one from the box and bit into it before Spencer could close the lid.
“Macaroni?” Marcus laughed. “It’s macaron, dumbass.”
“Language,” Mom chastised with a chuckle and hugged Avery close. “Thank you for bringing Jo. She’s a pleasure.”
He winked at Jo and smiled as she turned red again under his mom’s praise. “She’s all right.”
Jo rolled her eyes. “I see how it is.” She wagged a finger. “I put some aside for you, but maybe I should give them to Spencer.”
