Page 14 of You Make Me Feel
“Tell them to calm down,” I say. “This is going to take time. We don’t rush because rushing leads to mistakes.”
Finding pieces that have disappeared off the face of the earth can be a little like running a criminal investigation. Early mistakes will send you in the wrong direction, and before you know it, you’ve wasted months chasing shadows.
Larry lets out a sigh I recognize. He’s starting to get anxious. I don’t even have to see him to know he’s already tearing up a piece of paper.
“You’ve got this, Larry,” I tell him. Because he needs to believe in himself.
He exhales, a faint sound coming through the line. “I know. I just… don’t want to screw it up.”
“You won’t. Talk tomorrow, okay?”
“Yes, boss.”
I shake my head, a faint smile pulling at my lips. Then I slip the phone into my pocket as I reach the door of the one place I’m not sure I’m welcome at all.
Books by the Sea. Sadie’s shop.
There’s a closed sign hanging on the door, but through the glass I can see my brothers – two of them, at least – standing and talking to a group of other men. Hudson’s laugh carries across the room. Asher’s leaning against a table, arms folded, looking like he owns the place.
Technically, this isn’t a book club. Not according to Hudson, anyway. They call it “a meeting.” Or “Catch-ups.” Or sometimes “beer night.”
But when Hudson called to invite me, I heard Skyler laughing in the background about him recruiting another victim for theBro’s Book Club.
Which, apparently, is what all the people on the island call it.
Hudson spots me the second I walk through the door, the bells above it chiming. He grins at me. “Perfect timing. Stick the beers in the back fridge, would you?” He points toward the door behind the counter. “We’ll start in five.”
“Ay ay, captain,” I say, touching my fingers to my temple.
The door behind the counter leads to an office that smells faintly of paper and lemon cleaner, the soft hum of the old refrigerator at the back of the room is the only sound.
Until there’s a yelp.
My eyes widen when I see Sadie bent over, her head underneath the table. And for a second all I can do is look at the roundness of her ass, clad in a short skirt that displays the smoothness of her legs.
I let out a long breath, pulling my gaze away.
“Ouch,” she says, rubbing her head where I guess she bumped it. “You scared me.” She stands, her eyes widening when she sees me standing there. “Oh, it’s you.”
I try not to smile at just how hostile that sounds.
She has makeup on. And a short blue dress. Her red hair tumbles in curls over her shoulders, clashing with the navy fabric.
I slide on a neutral expression – the one I have when I’m bidding for a client – and hold up the beers I brought in. “Hudson told me to put these in the refrigerator.”
“It’s over there.” She inclines her head at an old, rusty fridge that has absolutely seen better days. Then shetouches her head again. “And I’m fine, in case you were wondering.”
“Want me to kiss it better?” I ask, immediately regretting it.Don’t flirt with women who hate you, Fitzgerald. You know better than that.
“I’d rather die, but thank you.” She smiles sourly at me and it makes my throat feel tight.
The woman is absolutely breathtaking. And I mean that from a purely uninterested point of view. It’s not a debatable fact. With her auburn hair, green eyes, and that mouth that seems just a little too large for her face, she’d make a great artist’s model.
Shame she hates me, really.
I walk to the refrigerator, and she follows me with her eyes, like she’s afraid I’m going to turn around and kiss her the way I offered. And then, when I bend to slide the beers into the shelf, I catch her looking at my ass.
It’s only fair. What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander and all that.
