Page 8 of Summer Waves

“Hi,” she smiled. “You must be the owner that Jacob has talked about.”

“That would...,” I cleared my throat. “Yes. That would be me.”

The woman held out her hand, and I shook it. Her hand was soft. She wore pink nail polish.

“I’m Bethany, Jacob’s sister,” she said sweetly.

Fuck, even her voice is perfect.

“I’m Giovanni Russo,” I replied with a smile.

“Love the name.”

“Thanks.” I was calm on the outside, but on the inside, her compliment had made me likeJell-O.

“You’re Tony’s older brother, right?” I nodded in fear of sounding like a total idiot. “You guys don’t look alike.”

“Hopefully that’s a good thing for me,” I blurted with a little bit too much attitude. I was mortified by my tone, but she surprisingly laughed.

“It’s a good thing,” she nodded. “Not to be mean to Tony, but I see him as a little kid. He was always over at our house. He’s like the other brother, I never wanted,” she teased.

Tony knew about Bethany?

Tony and I were eight years apart. When I went off to college, he was just starting middle school. But I came home for holidays so he could have mentioned Jacob’s smoking hot sister. That little shit was going to catch hell when I saw him next time.

“Yeah. He’s the brother I never wanted, too,” I joked, in hopes of easing my nerves.

“I’m sorry that Jacob has you coming over to me to tell me that he works here,” she giggled. “I told him, I believed him, but he was determined.”

“Yeah, he originally wanted me to call you.”

She groaned and rolled her eyes, making me laugh.

“He seems like a good kid,” I added.

“He’s getting there,” she smiled. “Thank you for giving him a chance and hiring him.”

“Well, I had a feeling if I didn’t, he wouldn’t have ever left my house,” I teased. She covered her mouth and giggled.

“Yeah,” she lowered her hand. “You’re probably right. He really wants me to buy him that surfboard.”

There it was. The reason why Jacob so desperately wanted a job. Must be a super expensive board if a job wasn’t going to cover it. Or maybe he just didn’t want to use his money on it and was having Bethany spend her money.

“Why are you frowning?” Bethany’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

“Sorry. I was just thinking how he better not be using you.”

Bethany’s eyes widened and her cheeks reddened. I had somehow embarrassed her. I racked my brain for reasons of how I did. My own eyes widened and I groaned when I realized I had come across as protective of her.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

“No, it’s okay. It was sweet,” she smiled. “And, it’s his birthday present.”

“Ah. Gotcha,” I nodded and looked around the room.

“Oh. I’m sorry, I’m keeping you from work,” Bethany sighed. I quickly turned and looked at her.

“No. You’re not,” I blurted. She laughed at my expense and I once again found myself groaning.

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