I doubt that. But she’s full of wariness. It’s as though she believes I’m going to hurt her and her grandpa, which bugs the hell out of me. Just what kind of dickhead does she think I am? I treated her well when we were together. Admittedly, I’ve been a difficult boss to please, but that’s only because she deserves it.
“Maybe so.” I drag out the words.
Kenny seems to rouse himself and blinks a few times. “Kat?”
Kat?Aspen’s grandmother isn’t around, but… Kenny’s looking at Aspen. A possibility flashes through my head.He thinks Aspen is Kat?
“Your brothers are waving at you,” she says.
She’s lying. They aren’t the type to wave. But now isn’t the time to talk about what’s up with Kenny. Not only would it be rude to do it in front of him, but I’m feeling too disquieted. “I’ll leave you two to your dinner. See you on Monday, Aspen.”And we’ll talk.
She nods goodbye before reviving her smile and turning to her grandfather.
When I finally get to the table with my brothers, they all stare. Everyone’s here, even Sebastian. Noah’s holding his phone, but for once isn’t looking at the screen. His eyes are glued to my face. If he’s reacting like this, the rest of my brothers must be dying of curiosity, except possibly for Emmett, who already knows a big chunk of what’s going on.
“Your new assistant’s hot,” Huxley says.
“I guess Emmett told you all who Aspen is,” I say, taking my seat.
“Uh-huh.” Huxley’s gaze is appreciative as he glances at her again. He’s in advertising, and he loves beautiful things, including women. He has the same look we all inherited from our father, Ted Lasker—the dark hair and square jaw—and he has the brain from his mom, too. He has no problem getting women, and the only ones he stays away from are the ones he’d have to marry if he slept with them. Namely, the women from the Webber family of Huxley & Webber.
“Shut up and stop eye-fucking her.”
Hux doesn’t seem bothered by my injunction. He’d be more scared if it had been Griffin, because Griff could kick all of our asses with both hands tied behind his back. “Don’t just want toeye-fuck her,” he says, giving Nicholas a significant look.
The idea of Huxley kissing and touching her makes my vision go red. “She’s my assistant!”
“And? It isn’t like she’s your wife,” he says, at the same time Emmett says, “Not for long, though, right?”
I give Emmett a hard stare.
“Hey, you’re the one who swore he was going to get her to quit in less than three months,” Emmett says. “Let’s get up to speed here.”
Sebastian shakes his head at me. “You know…a free meal probably isn’t the way to drive her off.”
I shoot him a fiery look.
He raises both hands. “Just sayin’.”
“She also got free champagne,” Noah puts in. “The 2008 Dom.”
Nicholas whistles. “That’s a great choice.” He knows his vintages, and he loves them. I have no idea why he never added a vineyard to the collection of businesses he owns.
“Expensive, too,” Griffin says.
“If you’re serious about winning the bet, you should’ve tossed her out of the restaurant,” Huxley says.
“I’m not that much of a bastard,” I reply.
“Yeah, you are. You act nice, but we all know that inner asshole is just waiting to emerge.” Emmett gives me a meaningful look.
“You’re just pissed that Amy still has to do the team-building exercise,” I say.
“Yeah, because you’re still mad at me about the time sheet thing.”
My brothers burst out laughing. Of course, Emmett told the others about that too.
But I’m too distracted to care because all my attention is devoted to Aspen. Something’s very wrong, and for the first time since she walked into my office, I wonder if I’ve misjudged her situation. I didn’t imagine the shadow of pain in her eyes when Kenny called her Kat. And he looked at her like she was the love of his life.
