Page 28 of Stay for Me
Jacob
Dinner with my siblings reminds me of the saying about a box of chocolates . . . we never know what the hell we’re about to bite into.
Tonight, I’m hoping it’s not one of those jelly-filled ones that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I’d prefer a mint chocolate that is smooth and warm.
I walk up to where my three brothers are standing on the porch. “Did we get kicked out already?”
Declan sighs and jabs his thumb toward Connor. “This one made a comment about his wife’s cooking abilities.”
I wince. “Bad move.”
“Thanks, genius.”
“Happy to help,” I quip back and look at Sean. “You’re out here too? What, did you agree?”
“Devney said something about my smirk.”
I laugh. “What was it I said at your wedding about you all being a bunch of fools? Notice that I didn’t get kicked out.”
Connor snorts. “Only because you haven’t been inside yet.”
“Or because I’m smart and won’t let a woman hold me by the balls.”
“If you had balls, we’d worry for you,” Sean replies.
“Says the man who got traded for the woman he loves. Balls. Gone.”
Sean rolls his eyes and takes a drink. “At least I have a woman who wants to touch my balls, how long is your dry spell, brother? A year? Two?”
I flip him off. I’m not having a dry spell. I’m focusing on my career and trying not to end up in a tabloid for boinking some chick who wanted to film it. After I got the role as the Navigator, my publicist, Catherine, and I had a long—and I mean ridiculously long—conversation about the women who will suddenly want anything they can get from me. I thought I had it all figured out, and then the release happened. She wasn’t wrong.
Which, of course, I won’t ever tell her.
Since then, I’ve had a strict no-dating policy until I’m at least through this role. So, like, ten years . . . yeah, I need to rethink that.
Not a snowball’s chance in hell I’m telling these fuckers that. “It’s a choice.”
Declan laughs. “Whatever you say.”
I turn to him with a smirk. “Didn’t your wife say I was the hot one?”
“She was joking.”
“Was she?” I tilt my head to the side. “Didn’t really sound like it to me.”
“Wait,” Sean breaks in, “Syd said that you’re the hot one? What the hell?”
Declan raises his cup while shaking his head. “Exactly my thoughts.”
“No, I mean I’m clearly the hot one out of you idiots.”
Connor laughs. “Yeah. Right.”
“You think you are, Duckie?” I ask with a chuckle as I call Connor by his hated nickname.
“Fuck off,” he replies.
“I’m even called Stud.”
