Page 22 of Hale Yes
A smile crests my lips. “Distinct possibility, though I would have treated you well and let you out of your cage for bathroom breaks at least twice a day.”
“Well, aren’t you sweet,” she drawls sarcastically. “Though I am a little sad I don’t get to work with Dr. Bell. She’s brilliant.”
“And what am I? Chopped liver?”
“Meh, you’re okay,” she teases, “but I do think we may have found someone who’s actually smarter than you, boss.”
“We’ll see,” I say mildly, though after reading Nicolette Bell’s extensive resume, I think Abigail may be correct.
And I’m surprisingly okay with that.
“Everything go okay with the interview?” Remi asks when he wanders back into the living room with two glasses of fine scotch.
“Yep, Abigail likes her. I just emailed Dr. Bell an offer, so we’ll see what happens.”
My brother hands me a glass and settles into the black recliner adjacent to my seat on the couch. “How’s Phoenix doing?”
I think about my twin as I take a sip. The liquor tastes warm and buttery-smooth going down. “Seems like he’s doing well. He has one of us keep Reece every Tuesday, but he’s kinda tight-lipped about where he goes on those nights.”
“Probably getting some pussy,” Remington remarks, crossing his legs at the ankles. “God knows he needs it.”
“Maybe, but it’s weird. You know how he is. He’d tell me if he were hooking up with someone. Phe has never been shy about his body count.”
Remi shrugs. “Could be that he’s getting serious with someone and wants to see where it goes before telling the family.”
“Could be,” I admit, “though he swore he’d never get serious about anyone again after Bea.”
My brother’s nose wrinkles at the mention of Phoenix’s former fiancée. “I know what happened was fucked up, but I’m glad we never have to see her again.”
“Amen, brother,” I say, lifting my glass in a toast.
“I hear we signed one of the players from the women’s new football league to do a campaign for us.”
I nod. “Yeah, Houston’s getting a team, the Dragons, so Phoenix thought it would be good to get one of the players from our home team. Jordie McNamara is her name.”
Remington takes a sip of his drink. “I think that’s a smart move. Women’s sports are on the rise, and it seems like this new league is going to be very popular. And Jordie is fantastic.” At my raised eyebrows, he chuckles. “Don’t look so surprised. I watch more than the golf channel.”
I laugh with him. “There have been women’s football leagues for years, but this one has the full backing of the NFL, so I think you’re right.”
“This is a good opportunity for Hale Cosmetics and for Jordie.” Remi pauses and rolls his eyes. “As long as Phoenix doesn’t try to fuck her.”
My head tilts to the side in thought. “He won’t. She’s way too young for him.” I lift my glass to my lips and drain the contents. “Now what are we eating tonight?”
The vibe of the London steakhouse is almost Gatsby-esque with its boisterous elegance. I cut into my Scottish grass-fed fillet, swirl it through the truffle mustard, and take the first bite.
Remington smiles at my quiet moan. “Good, huh?”
Swallowing, I nod. “Very. It’s been a while since I had a steak.”
My brother’s knife slices through his Japanese Wagyu as smoothly as if the meat was a slab of warm butter. “Did you get the glitch worked out with the samples today?” he asks before placing a small hunk of steak into his mouth.
I take a sip of my delicious red wine. “I should have it sorted by Monday. I’ll head up to the lab in the morning.”
“I knew you would. So what’s going on at home? Anything new?”
“Perri got home this week, and Reecie learned how to wipe her own ass.”
Remington covers his mouth with his linen napkin, but it barely muffles the snort. “Sounds like cause for a party.”
