Page 48 of Kiss and Tell

Joey didn’t know what was better. Kissing Lucy or watching Miles kiss her. It all felt perfect in that moment because he’d been certain Lucy would join them on the road, and the three of them would take the first steps toward an incredible future.

He should have known better.

Because Miles’s damn phone buzzed, his Rhiannon-riddled brain kicked in, and he pushed Lucy away.

Joey’s initial reaction was anger. He couldn’t understand how Miles could be so fucking blind to what was standing right in front of his face. Rhiannon was the wrong woman, something that should be evident to his best friend. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times? Four times? Jesus Christ. There wasn’t a word strong enough to describe that level of absurdity.

However, his anger faded quickly when Joey realizedhewas to blame. Miles had told him he didn’t want to be part of a threesome, and Joey had done exactly what Tony had told himnotto do—force him.

Patience had never been Joey’s strong suit, and he was as subtle about his desires as a hundred-person marching band parading through the middle of a living room.

He needed to stop pushing so hard, or he’d end up shoving Miles away. And in the process, he could lose Lucy too.

Miles and Lucy carried her things into the RV, and Joey started to follow, stopping when he heard someone calling his name.

Joey turned around, unsurprised to find Levi and Sam headed his direction. He would have been shocked if he and Miles made it off this mountain without at least one of her male cousins issuing “the warning.”

Joey, Tony, Luca, and Gio had warned off many guys when Layla was in high school and shortly after, letting them know their sister was to be treated with respect at all times or else. Fortunately, since he and his brothers were all well over six feet tall, and muscular, thanks to years of physical labor, they’d never had to come up with an actual “or else.” The threat had always been enough.

“Are you the elected representatives?” Joey joked.

Both men got it. Sam cracked a tiny bit of a smile, while Levi held steady, his stern expression firmly in place.

“We wanted to have a word with you before you left,” Sam started.

Joey nodded. “I would have lost respect for you if you hadn’t.”

Levi huffed out a grunt that could have been approval or a warning. “We’ve noticed you and Lucy spending a lot of time together the past few days. Neither one of you has exactly been subtle about your interest in the other.”

Joey had wondered why he was the only recipient of this stern talking to. Evidently, Miles was successful in his attempts to appear uninterested, even though Joey knew he was anything but.

Sam ran a hand through his hair. “I have to say, we were shocked when she stopped by our farmhouse last night to ask about taking off for a few weeks. Despite her comments about wanting to see the world, Lucy’s never taken a holiday in her life. I can count on one hand the number of times she hasn’t shown up to work, and all those absences were due to illness.”

“I’m aware of that. Lucy told us last night at dinner. She also shared her desire to travel. I’ll admit my initial invitation was impulsive, but the second I issued it, I knew I wanted her to come with us.”

Levi sighed. “Lucy loves this farm, and she loves us more than anything. We all know that. Just like we know…” His jaw clenched, and Joey got the sense the other man had been about to say something different than what he finished with. “She deserves to see more of the world.”

“She takes her responsibilities seriously—tooseriously. This is the first time she’s ever asked for time to do something she really wants,” Sam added. “We couldn’t let her miss the opportunity.”

Damn. Lucy really did have an amazing family.

“Her dream to travel was the main reason I invited her along. That, along with the chance to record more episodes of her show. We’re driving back by here in three weeks, so it felt like a decent amount of time for her to dip her toe in the water, mark a couple of cities off that travel list of hers. And she can always fly home any time before that if she gets homesick,” Joey reassured them.

“We’re going to need your word that you’ll look after her, Joey,” Levi insisted.

“You don’t even have to ask. Lucy will be safe with me and Miles. I swear,” he vowed.

While Sam seemed convinced, Levi still looked uneasy.

“Levi—” Joey started.

“You said you have a sister, right?” he interjected.

Joey nodded.

“Would you feel good about putting her in an RV with two guys she’s known less than a week?”

Joey frowned because… Well, damn. He sure as fuck wouldn’t. His silence must have been enough of an answer.

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