Page 16 of You Make Me Feel
“What good stuff?” my brother asks, frowning.
“Whatever it is you do here that you don’t want your wives to know about. Gambling, drinking? I don’t know. Secret fight club?” I grin, because the image of Hudson and Asher beating the crap out of each other is quite enticing. What third born kid wouldn’t enjoy seeing his older brothers punching each other to death?
Asher gives me a flat look. “We’re not sixteen.”
“Could’ve fooled me.” Honestly, the only book I want to read right now is face down under my chair. The rest of this seems a little boring.
Across the table, Hudson clears his throat. “Okay, settle down, children. Romy’s about to join us.”
“Romy?” I ask. “Who the hell is Romy?”
“She works here with Sadie,” Asher says, like I’m a complete idiot. “But she also runs the book club.” He points at the ceiling as Hudson presses a button and a white screen starts to roll down, Hudson’s laptop projecting onto it.
“Why aren’t we doing this at the hotel?” I whisper to Asher. “Surely the video conference facilities there are better than this.”
“Because our wives have spies everywhere. But Romy promised us secrecy.” Asher shrugs. “And I’ve done a scan of this room. No listening devices anywhere.”
Of course he has. Asher owns a security company after all.
“Why don’t you want them to know what happens here?” I carry on, because this is so confusing.
“I’ll tell you later,” Asher says. “Romy’s about to speak.”
Sure enough, a woman appears on the screen. She’s young and slightly familiar. And has the biggest smile on her face.
“Hello gentlemen,” Romy says. “Sorry I couldn’t be there in person tonight. I have a class in the morning so this will have to do. Now, did you all do your homework?”
I look around. Every single one of the men have serious expressions on their faces as they nod. My brothers included. Even West, who always finds fun in everything, looks like he’s hoping for an A grade.
“So, what did you all think?” she asks. “Was I right? Is this Asher’s book?” She holds up a black hardback book, with red flowers at the bottom and white lettering for the title.
Rebecca.
Then one by one they all take their own copies out. Hudson’s is annotated with a lot of little sticky notes. Parker has a different version. I can see ‘abridged’ written across it. As for Asher, he’s frowning. Like he has a lot to say.
“I think you might have got it wrong this time,” he tells her. “This guy is nothing like me.”
Romy grins. “That’s what Hudson said aboutPride and Prejudice.”
“Wait, what? You each get a book? Why?” I look at Hudson.
“Oh, hello. You must be Zach,” Romy says. “I’ve heard a lot about you. And I already know what your book is going to be.”
I frown, because I don’t like the sound of this at all. “What book?” I ask. “I’m not sure I want a book. And how would you know what mine is anyway?”
She shakes her head. “Spoilers. We do one book at a time. And this one is Asher’s. So tell me, why don’t you think it suits you, Asher?”
“Because the guy is a weak asshole. And has a dead wife. Mine is very much alive.” Asher lifts a brow.
“He also has a lot of secrets,” Hudson remarks.
“And a lot of money,” Parker adds, grinning at Asher.
“Plus he spends a lot of time pushing the woman he loves away,” West adds. “Ring a bell?”
“Shut up, Gatsby,” Asher tells him.
I lift a brow. West is Gatsby? Now I’m really intrigued.
