Page 19 of My Ex-Boyfriend's Brothers

“Do you want to hire an employee to help you with the business eventually?” Luke pointed to a path that led around the side of the lodge. With mountains looming large in the distance, the morning promised a beautiful, warm day.

“I mean, sure. Of course. It’s not easy to do everything on my own. It’s just not my focus right now.” I glanced up at him. “I’ve heard rumors about you, Luke. No one has ever said you were a sucker in business. Why are you turning down the discount I offered and trying to pay me more?”

His smile was secretive. “I do what I want, Maggie.”

I grunted. “Now you sound like Jackson.”

His laugh was a happy one. “That’s not always a bad thing.”

17

***Maggie***

“This is a pretty big wedding to tackle on your own.” Luke looked down at my feet and frowned. “Your feet are hurting, aren’t they?”

I frowned back at him. “No.”

He raised his eyebrows.

“Fine. Yes, they are hurting.” I sighed. “And it is a big wedding to tackle on my own, but I’m doing just fine.”

“Wait right here. Don’t move.” Before I had a chance to respond, Luke jogged back towards the front entrance of the lodge.

I stared after him, wondering what he was doing and why I was frozen in place, exactly where he’d told me to wait. Needing to feel like I wasn’t his good dog, I shifted to the side and crossed my arms. I didn’t know what I was thinking, or why I thought moving a few inches was somehow showing him, but it was what it was.

Luke came jogging back just a minute later. He wasn’t even winded as he knelt in front of me with a pair of slippers. He smiled up at me as he gripped the back of my right calf. “Up.”

I lifted my foot and let him slip my heel off just to slide the fuzzy slipper on. The only thing nicer than the soft slipper was his warm hand on my skin. I watched as he repeated the action with my other foot and then stood up, my heels in his hand. I didn’t know what to say. He’d gone back to the lodge to find me comfortable shoes. The act was so kind that I could’ve cried.

“My assistant has a friend who happens to be looking for work. He’s a personal assistant but he’s handled event planning before. He’ll be here this afternoon.” Luke glanced down at my heels and scowled. “They make shoes like this that aren’t painful. You shouldn’t be walking around in pain. No matter how good they make your legs look.”

I felt like I’d just fallen into a different reality. I held up my finger to stop him from saying anything else. “Why are you telling me about the guy looking for work?”

“You need help. I could tell you were feeling overwhelmed this morning. Dealing with Brad is a lot when you’re not his ex and it’s not his wedding. Devon will help during the wedding and if you like him, I’ll hire him on full time for you.” Luke pressed his hand to my back and led me further away from the lodge.

“I’m sorry?” I stopped walking. “You’ll hire him on full time?”

Placing my shoes down on a bench beside us, Luke moved closer to me and nodded. “You need help. I found help.”

“You found help.”

He tugged me along. “I found help. There’s no reason for you to do this all on your own. If Brad had agreed to pay you what you’re worth to start with, you could’ve hired someone to help you from the start, but since my little brother is a cheap asshole, I’m taking care of it.”

“Luke.” I growled out his name when he wouldn’t stop walking. “Luke!”

He looked back at me with an exasperated sigh. “I’m trying to take you on a date, Maggie. The vineyard is empty this time of morning and as someone who’s been waiting around for six years to get you alone, I’d really like to experience that.”

I gaped up at him. “You’re taking me on a date.”

He gave me a slow smile that transformed his stern face into something magnetic. “Trying to.”

“You didn’t ask.”

He shook his head. “You might’ve said no.”

“You got me shoes that don’t hurt my feet and hired someone to help me with the wedding and you’re taking me on a date.” I licked my lips. “Am I getting everything?”

“Pretty much.”

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