Page 43 of The Maxwell Brothers
“I like the sound of it.” Her expression morphed into a grin.
“You like that this might not be a good idea?” I double-checked.
“Yes. I think you need that. And I think I do too. My mom reminded me that some things are worth the risk. So here I am, taking a risk.”
She kept surprising me.
She traced one finger around the button of my shirt. It made me want to hoist her up on the counter and bury myself inside her.
“If you do that, I will kiss you so hard that you’ll forget we’re not alone.”
She dropped her hand, flashing me a sheepish smile. “I’ll save that for when it’s just the two of us, then.”
CHAPTER 12
TATE
One week later,on Tuesday afternoon, Declan strode into my office with a grim expression.
“I’ve got news. Malcolm is filing a lawsuit.”
“On what grounds?”
“Loss of business opportunity. Since the Halsey Group also planned to lease the adjacent building to open the spa, they’re now claiming that if Gran doesn’t go through with the lease, it’s going to be damaging for the business.”
“Goddamn it. That fucker!” I exclaimed, rising from my chair. “So, what are we doing about it?”
Declan cocked a brow. “Youare doing nothing.Iam taking care of the lawsuit.”
I groaned, tipping my head back. “I can’t do nothing, Declan. Telling me that is a recipe for disaster.”
“I’m on top of it,” Declan said. “The question is, how do we tell Reese? I just got the paperwork.”
I glanced out the window, taking in the skyline. “I’m going to put Luke on this.”
He was the closest to Reese and Kimberly. Growing up, they were in completely different camps, with Luke considering girls the enemy even though they were close in age. Duringsummer vacation, when Reese and Kimberly were staying with us, they ran away from home. Shortly after that, we realized Luke had disappeared too. He’d gone to find them, and he’d succeeded. They just hadn’t found their way back. When the police discovered them, we were all relieved. The three of them were inseparable for a month afterward, and they remained very close.
“I’ll be in my office if you need me, but be careful how you break the news to the others. Don’t egg them on,” Declan said.
“What do you mean?” I asked impatiently.
Declan grinned. “You have this way of rallying everyone to follow you even when your ideas are shitty.”
“That happens very rarely,” I pointed out.
“What? That people do what you tell them to do?”
“No, that my ideas are shitty. Most of them are good.”
“Remember that one time when you convinced us to put fart bombs under the biology teacher’s seat? Just because you wanted to be the one with the ideas for once instead of Luke.”
Okay, so that was not my proudest moment.
I pointed at him. “Exactly—in school. I’m much wiser now.”
“Right. Whatever you do, don’t involve Tyler.”
“I won’t,” I said with a straight face. Our brother had a hockey career to focus on. But I didn’t promise I wouldn’t get involved.
