“It’s hot,” I warned, handing out delicious-smelling foil-wrapped packets. “Don’t think that this is you getting off punishment. After you clean, there’s a lot more trash that has to be hauled.”
“I know,” Billy said. “I am sorry, especially since Sadie’s nice.”
“But now you can date her!” Ellis said brightly as I handed him a fried chicken biscuit. “We were like your wing men. This was a happy accident.”
“What you did wasn’t an accident,” I chastised them. “You made your own choices.”
“But Sadie was really into you. She could be your girlfriend!” Ellis’s cheeks were bulged out like a hamster’s.
“And she’s an amazing cook,” Billy said happily as he bit into a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit. “This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten.”
“I can’t believe you gave them food after what they did,” Archer complained.
“I bought you some, too, though I’m shocked you’re up so early.”
“Aww, Parker!” Archer grabbed me and tousled my hair.
“Get off.”
“My baby brother isn’t an evil scientist after all.”
“I’m taking back the biscuit.”
“Biscuits.” Archer grabbed two out of the bag.
“One per person.”
“I’m letting you host the maker fair here for free,” he said, dancing out of reach. “This is the least you can do.”
“Great turnout,” Remy said as I handed him a biscuit. “I was talking to Sadie about some other events.”
It irked me that my brother was spending time with her.
“She has so many good ideas. She was showing me pictures of all these fundraisers and events she’s hosted. She’s been involved in several of these nonprofits. And she helped raise a hundred thousand dollars for a historical preservation nonprofit in her town. They had a whole skit planned during the fundraiser. It was in an old train yard, and they had people dressed up and telling stories about the history of the yard. They saved the building. She’s a great gal.”
My hand clenched. “Yes. And you better not go after her.”
Remy grinned and rocked back on his heels. “Someone’s going to snap her up if you’re not careful.”
“I have no intentions toward her. She’s my employee.”
“Hmm,” Remy said. “That’s how Mace met Josie and Garrett met Penny. It’s a small town. No one’s going to care if you marry your personal assistant.”
“Marry?” But that was what I wanted. Well, after I fucked her and made her wonder why she’d never had sex before. Then, yes, I did. I wanted the companionship, the partner, the loving wife who still didn’t mind calling me out on my shit.
I shook my head. “I haven’t even gone on a date with her.”
“I see you looking over there,” Remy said over my shoulder, making me jump. “Just go talk to her. Invite her out for a drink.”
“No.”
The rest of the day, I obsessed about Sadie. What if I was wrong and I had whatever sickness my father did? He was obsessed with blond virgins too. Maybe all I wanted was to sleep with her.
You’ll never know until you try. You are a billionaire. Your patents save lives. Go talk to her. Be a man.
After stewing for hours, I finally worked up the resolve to go talk to her.
Ellis played theChariots of Firetheme on his phone as I stood up. But after all of that, when I went over to her booth, it was empty.
