by Toni Aleo
Why is she telling me this? I don’t care. I don’t even know the dude. Though, since being in Nashville for the last three days, I’ve noticed everyone overshares. And they’re so nice. Like, overly nice. Shea and I walked to breakfast yesterday, and we were waved at by almost everyone. I chalked it up to the fact that I was walking with the new face of the Nashville Assassins, but then later, I went to the supermarket by myself, and everyone still waved. It’s bizarre, but also kind of nice. It’s better than being flipped off like how it is back home.
It’s only been three days, but I already feel a load better. Even Mom mentioned how great I sounded on the phone. I feel it too, which is wonderful. I hit the ground running when I arrived. Shea’s condo is already our condo. It’s as if I took everything from Boston and brought it here. I’m good with that, and so is Shea. He hasn’t stopped smiling since I arrived. I know most people don’t understand, but we’re good. Even though he’s my brother, he is my chosen best friend.
“Shea tells me you’ll be in town for a while.”
Jackie’s words bring me back to the conversation. When Shea suggested I get a job with Jackie, I was hesitant. But then I remembered I was one proud chick, and I don’t take handouts well. Moving kicked my savings in the balls, so I need to build that back up. Plus, I like blowing money on things that sparkle. So, I need a job. If that job can allow me to afford things that sparkle, then I’m there. I just have to work with this chick. I smile as I nod eagerly. “Yes, the plan is to move here permanently.”
“Aw, y’all are just so close and all.”
I don’t think she likes me. I don’t have real evidence, but I don’t like the way she looks down on me. Or the quirk in her brow, almost as if I’m not good enough to be here. Yes, I haven’t been working in design long, but I graduated second in my class, and I can design the hell out of anything. None of that matters, though, because she really likes Shea, and I’m pretty sure she thinks she’s the one.
Sorry, sister, you’re not.
I like to think of Shea’s match from time to time. I’d love her, of course. She’d be fantastic and love me just as much. She wouldn’t be a Barbie either. She’d be drop-dead gorgeous, but she’d be normal. I see him with someone shorter, if only for the fact that he likes being the protector. She’d be the yin to his yang, but she’d be able to put him in his place. Yeah, I can’t wait to meet her. And one thing is for sure—Jackie McCory is not her.
I nod. “Yup, we sure are.”
When a knock comes to the door, her face changes to an expression of annoyance in one point two seconds flat. I swear her accent gets thicker as she hollers out, “I’m in a meeting, Mandy!”
The door opens, and in comes Mandy. But, wait… I’m pretty sure he’s not. Maybe it’s a nickname, and if so, he might need to change that. He’s way too hot to have such a feminine name. His gaze moves from Jackie to me and, whoa, nice eyes. They’re dark but have flecks of gold. His face is nice too, high cheekbones and a thick jaw. His nose is narrow but fits his face. He’s clean-shaven, and his hair is high and tight, giving him a classy look.
“Oh, it’s you, James.”
“Hey, sorry. Not Mandy. She’s in the back, chain-smoking,” he says, but his eyes haven’t left mine. He holds his hand up as he comes in. His lips curve, his eyes go a bit dark, and a shock runs through me. Oh, he is sexy. He pulls his gaze from mine back to Jackie. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“Of course she is,” Jackie moans. “What can I do for you?”
He clears his throat as I drink him in. He’s probably my height, lean, and looks damn good in that suit. He reeks of money, which isn’t really a turn-on for me. Most of the time, those guys are complete dicks. And if they’re not dicks, they’re way too safe for my liking. “I need the files on Gavorite, Lydel, and Marrett.”
She lets her head fall back. “I told Mandy to send them.”
He shrugs. “She must have misplaced them on one of her many trips outside.”
My cheek pulls up with a grin as Jackie gives him a pointed look. “Are you trying to tell me my assistant sucks?”
He blinks, his face like stone, but a grin is hiding in there. “Yes, massively. Fire her now.”
She rolls her eyes as she stands, getting the files.
He looks over at me and smiles, his white teeth gleaming. “Hire her. She looks way more qualified.”
I snort. Is that his pick-up line?
“That’s Shea Adler’s sister. She’s here to replace Tammy as my partner in crime.”
His eyes widen. “That’s why I thought I knew you. Y’all two are twins.”
Y’all two? It’s a whole different language down here. “Guilty,” I say, and his eyes glide over me like warm honey. Heat gathers between my legs and…all over, actually.
“I’m James Justice.”
“Grace Adler.”
His lips curve even more, and the sweetest little dimple appears at the side of his mouth. “So I was right. Way too qualified for Mandy’s job.”
“Maybe,” I say with a shrug.
Jackie holds out the files, and he takes them, though his eyes stay on me. He taps the files to his palm and then nods. “Well then, thank you for these, Jackie. Fire Mandy. And hey, maybe I’ll see you around.”
I shrug once more, pursing my lips. I hope they’re still nice and glossy. “Maybe.”
He leaves after that. Hmm, interesting. When Jackie sits down, she leans on the desk. “The job is yours if you want it.”
“Oh.” I mean, I know I’m awesome, but I had started to feel like she wasn’t going to give me the job. “Let me ask you something before I accept.”
“Sure.”
She folds her perfectly manicured hands together, and I take in a deep breath. “If you and Shea break up, what does that mean for me?”
She blinks twice and then leans back, a slow grin spreading over her fake face. “I know where I stand with you brother, Grace. I know what we’re doing—he is very honest. Do I hope he’ll fall desperately in love with me? Of course I do, but I’m not naïve. We’re enjoying each other’s company, but that doesn’t mean I can’t hire a damn good designer.”
I don’t believe her for a second, which means one thing. I’ve got to get in here, learn everything I can, make some contacts, and get ready to be on my own.
’Cause she’ll fire me the moment Shea kicks her out of his bed.
That Night.
“I’m under the impression she thinks she’s got her claws into you. Though, she did say she’s not naïve.”
Shea glances over at me from his matching recliner, sipping a beer. “She’s a decent enough girl. Just not my girl.”
I shrug as I kick back in my own recliner, holding my beer loosely in my fingertips. This is how I picture a perfect night. SportsCenter on the TV, a beer, my recliner, and my brother. All that’s missing is some KitKats. Life would be really good then.
Since leaving the office of the Planning Guru with my new planner and business cell phone, I’ve felt a few different emotions. Excitement for the opportunity, nervousness because Jackie could and will drop me the moment Shea drops her, and I am actually a little embarrassed to say this…but I’ve been thinking about that James guy since I left. He was yummy.
“So, you know James Justice?”
Shea glances over at me. “Yeah, he’s a good buddy.”
“I met him today,” I say, looking down at my beer bottle.
“Real nice guy.”
A silence falls over us. I want to ask questions, but I don’t want to seem interested. Because I’m not. He’s hot, but I doubt I’ll ever see him again. When Shea clears his throat, I look over at him as I lift my beer to my lips. He’s pulling at the label on his beer. Crap, he’s nervous.
“What?”
He doesn’t look at me; he just keeps pulling at the label. “I have a question.”
That doesn’t seem bad, but his face is all twisted up. “Okay.”
“Don�
�t take this wrong, okay? I love you, and I’m so glad you’re here. Honestly.”
He finally looks at me, and I raise a brow. “Okay,” I draw out, trying to read what he is going to say, but he looks away.
“What happens when I do meet the one?”
Oh. “Well, that came out of nowhere.”
He smiles shyly. “Grace, you moved in and made this place yours.”
“Hey, it’s both of ours!”
He gives me a dry look. “No, it’s yours. I’m just going with it, and I’m not trying to start a fight.”
I raise a brow because that’s what it feels like. I thought he liked the design.
“I thought you’d only stay until you got on your feet, but I feel like that isn’t your plan. You’ve moved in, and I really don’t see you leaving.”
I blink. “I thought I was moving in with you.”
He takes a deep breath and then holds up a hand. “Yes, of course, you are, but what happens when I meet her? Will you be okay?”
My heart hurts a bit. “Are you looking for her?”
He smiles. “Eh, not really, but I get around. She could fall in my lap.”
“True.”
“Or better yet, what happens when you do?” he asks, and when he flashes me a grin, I can’t help it, I laugh.
“Shea, be real. You’ll find someone before I do.”
“I don’t think so. I think you’ll go first.”
I laugh ruefully. “No way. Men and I don’t mix. Something always goes wrong.”
“But what happens? We can’t all live together with our spouses. I bet you anything they’ll already hate our relationship.”
I look away then, really thinking it over. “Well, that won’t work. We’ll have to find people who love us both.”
“That hardly ever happens. You’ve heard the horror stories of in-laws.”
I have, and I refuse to live like that. “Fine, we’re a package deal. They don’t like it, we move on.” He gives me an incredulous look, and I blink. “I don’t know. Shit, are we weird?”
He’s holding in his laughter. “I think Dad has been telling us that for years.”
I snort as I lean my head back, our laughter dying down. “I guess when all that happens, we’ll know.”
“Know what?” he asks, his brows nearly touching.
“That we’re adults.”
He smiles widely. “I think that’s what we are now.”
“Nah, it’s all a lie.”
He chuckles softly, and I smile as I watch him. I’ve always wondered how I’ll love anyone more than Shea. It’s a beautiful thing to have someone who just gets you and has your back no matter what. With most men, I have to put out for even a fraction of the support and love Shea gives me. His words don’t fall on deaf ears. But, he’s wrong thinking I’ll go before he does. Shea’s a catch, and when he meets the one, he’ll be knocked on his ass for sure. He’s a hopeless romantic, while I’m not. Sometimes I feel like I’m not lovable. Which is why I’m drinking beer with my brother on a Friday night. In our condo. In our recliners like two old biddies.
Yup, I’m a real catch.
March 31st
As the door shuts on Shea’s best friend and another player on the Nashville Assassins, Alex Welch, I fall back in my recliner with a heavy sigh. Shea moves across the living room to place his guitar against the wall. When he told me he was going to start playing, I remember laughing out loud. I was sure he didn’t have a musical bone in his body, but I was wrong. He actually sounded good, but I think that’s mostly because Alex is a god. I don’t say that lightly. Alex is absolutely gorgeous, dark hair, bright-blue eyes, and a body to kill for. But it’s not only his looks. He’s hysterical but serious at the same time. Add in the fact that his wife and his girls are his world, and he makes single girls like me green with envy.
I want an Alex Welch.
Someone who would die for me but who looks as if he could break my heart at the same time.
“His wife is the luckiest woman on the earth.”
Shea scoffs, shaking his head as he turns to face me before heading across the living room toward the kitchen. “She has to deal with a lot. Girls claiming they’re sleeping with him and shit. He has to treat her like the queen she is, or she’ll take him for everything he’s worth.”
When he laughs, I smile. “But it’s more than that.”
“Oh yeah, he loves her. Like soul-mate love. It’s refreshing.”
Good Lord. Shea looks so silly, shrugging and acting all shy. I snort. “Shea, be real. All that is totally fake.”
He rolls his eyes. “Says you. I actually can’t wait to meet my soul mate.”
“She doesn’t exist. We just find someone we don’t hate and stay with them until they cheat on us.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it,” he says to me, his face blank. “Mom and Dad are made for each other.”
“That’s a fluke.”
“Alex and Mary Ann.”
“Whatever,” I say, still not believing that stupid soul mate shit. If soul mates were true, where the hell is mine? Where is Shea’s? By now, we should have met at least someone who sparked the idea that they could be the one, but neither of us has. We’re both still screwing around, and I’m getting cheated on left and right. So yeah, where is my soul mate?
“You know I’m right,” he calls to me as he heads to the front door. I didn’t hear the doorbell, but when he opens it, Jackie enters in all her fake glory. She goes up on the balls of her feet to plant a wet kiss on my brother’s lips. I turn my attention to the TV as soon as she pushes him to the wall. I want to laugh; Shea says he wants his soul mate, but he’s still getting dirty with Jackie. Then again, if he can keep that up until I learn everything about her business, that would be great. Jackie may be really annoying and fake as all get out, but she’s a genius when it comes to party planning.
“What do you want to do tonight?” I hear her ask, and Shea’s chuckle makes me gag.
“You know what I want.”
Horndog.
I shake my head as I cuddle deeper into my blanket. I consider leaving, but I’ve already taken my bra off.
“You’re impossible,” she says, and her voice is closer.
I glance up to see her coming toward me, and I brace for the interaction. It physically pains me to have a conversation with her. She talks down to me at work and makes me feel stupid when I don’t know something. I’m holding my own because she will get me far, but I don’t like her. But since she is my boss, I put on a bright smile.
“Hey there, Grace.”
“Hey.”
“Don’t have plans tonight?”
Before I can answer, Shea sits down and pulls her into his lap, kissing her shoulder. “Grace never has plans.”
“Jerk. I do too,” I throw at him, but he’s too busy with Jackie’s ear. “Just not lately. Still moving in and stuff.”
“Well, the condo looks amazing. I should have you do some stuff for James.”
James. Hm. I’ve thought about his fine ass from time to time the last couple days. I haven’t seen him or anything, but I’ve been sort of hopeful I would.
“I would greatly enjoy that,” I say with a smile, but she isn’t paying attention to me.
Jackie giggles softly, leaning into Shea, and I roll my eyes. I’m sure they’re going to get up to head to the bedroom, but Jackie glances over to me. “I never asked if you had a boyfriend…”
I scrunch up my face in confusion. “I don’t. Why?”
She giggles once more, and I’m considering throwing cold water on my brother. “One second, love.”
He doesn’t look happy about that, but he nips at her jaw, a blinding grin taking up his whole face. “Fine.”
Jackie’s face is flushed when our eyes meet. “Would you be willing to be set up?”
My brows furrow more. “With whom?”
“James Justice.”
Shea stops mid-kiss. “Wait, what?”
> Jackie meets his intrigued gaze. “They met the other day, and he has called me daily, wondering if I’ve talked to her about him. I haven’t brought it up because we’ve been at work, but we’re not at work right now.”
No, you’re here for a booty call. But again, since she’s my boss, I can’t say that. “James Justice? The real estate guy?” I feign confusion so neither of them senses that James may be on my radar.
“Yeah,” she says, throwing her legs over one of Shea’s knees so she can hold his face in her hands. I want to say they look good together. She’d be a great trophy wife. She’s gorgeous, but she isn’t Shea’s. I know that doesn’t make sense, and I think that means I believe in the whole soul mate nonsense. Maybe I do, but only for Shea and not for me. If I did, someone would actually have to want me for something more than sex.
Which is probably why James has been asking about me. If I know anything about rich men, it’s that not only are they shallow, but they also only want women for one thing. Loads of sex—and mostly butt stuff that I’m not into. I wouldn’t mind hooking up while I’m here. Be better than spending my nights in the recliner watching Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. That show makes me feel like I can be a detective, and that can’t be good. I don’t need to know the ways not to get caught for committing a crime.
“He has been talking about you nonstop, wanting to know everything.”
“No way,” I laugh, and Jackie nods.
Shea makes a face as she speaks. “So that’s why he called me the other day and invited me to dinner. He even said to let him know if I want to bring anyone so he can make the reservation. He wanted me to invite you.”
I side-eye him. “I doubt it.”
“No, he did. He wanted your number, but I didn’t want to give it to him without making sure it was okay with you first. Then I didn’t know if you were dating someone, so I wanted to ask,” Jackie says before she turns to make googly-eyes at my brother.
What in the world? “I mean, he’s good-looking, and we were checking each other out, but if he was digging me, he should have said something.”