Page 87 of Mine to Love

“The Maine office?” Holden lets out a low whistle. “You’re barely there. The only person who...” Holden freezes, his eyes widen and then he covers his mouth.

“What?” Nick kicks back the rest of his beer and sets his empty glass on the bar top. “Who’s been visiting your office?”

“No one’s been visiting.”

“I don’t get it.”

“You dumb shit.” Holden smacks Nick on the backside of his head. “Reese.”

“Reese? As in Emerson’s best friend? As in your employee?” Nick gives me a shit-eating grin. “Well, I’ll be...”

Holden turns serious. “How long?”

“None of your damn business.” I finish my beer and tip my chin to the bartender, signaling another round.

“It sure the hell is. I want to know how long my wife’s been keeping this secret from me.” He takes out his phone and starts to dial.

“You’re more concerned about Emerson not telling you than you are me sleeping with my employee?”

Holden pockets his phone. “Fine. I’ll talk to her tonight. You and Reese, huh? Is this serious? Because if you mess things up, Emerson is going to hate you, and then I’m going to have to hate you.”

“Damn, you’re whipped.”

“Find yourself a woman to fall in love with and you will be too.”

I pick up my new beer and chug a third of it.

“Holy shit.” Nick slaps me on the back causing beer to spill down the front of my shirt. “Our little brother’s in love.”

“I’m not in love,” I mumble, wiping at the beer stain.

“Don’t fight it. We’ve been there. Done that. You only look like a bigger ass than you already are.” Holden clinks his mug against mine. “She feel the same?”

I lift my shoulders. “We don’t talk about it.”

“Too busy having sex on your desk?” Nick asks with a grin.

“Enough. Don’t embarrass him.”

“Not our thing. Embarrassing you, however, that’ll be fun.”

I regret opening up to my brothers, not that I said anything. Hinted at office sex and the rest sort of spilled out. Or rather, they filled in the holes, and I can’t deny any of it.

We order round after round, enjoying ribbing and one-upping each other like the good old days. When our waiter cuts us off, we promise we won’t drive and order a final round.

“My wife is home and too tipsy to pick us up,” Holden says with a grin. “That means she’s going to be extra horny.”

“How about your girl, Reese?” Nick asks me. “Or has she been out with Emerson?”

“I’m guessing she’s in the same condition.”

“Lucky bastards.” Nick drains his beer. “Wish Sky wasn’t three freaking hours away.”

It’s almost midnight. Acadia Falls is too small to have taxi service, and there aren’t many Ubers either, especially in late September.

“Since you’re staying with Mommy and Daddy, maybe they can come get us?” I smack Nick across the shoulders. “Kiss my ass. You’re the one who’s been staying with the parents when he’s in town.”

“Correction.” Holden fist pumps Logan. “He’s been staying with Reese.”

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