Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
J oey watched as Lucy rolled her suitcase behind her, Miles following with Lucy’s backpack slung over one shoulder, her laptop case over the other, while he carried her camera bag in both hands.
She was coming with them.
Joey hadn’t been able to wipe the grin off his face since she’d texted him less than an hour ago. She’d gone right to the wire time-wise on making her decision. The RV had arrived just a few minutes before her text, and he’d been sweating it, mentally creating a list of ways he could convince her if she said no.
Given the fact she was ready to go, he’d venture to guess she had packed last night, just so that she would be prepared one way or the other. That felt like something Lucy would do.
“Need a hand?” Joey asked as they approached the RV.
Lucy shook her head. “Nope. Miles is lugging the heavy stuff.”
Joey reached for her hand as soon as she was within arm’s reach, tugging her close to give her yet another kiss on the cheek. “I’m so glad you’re coming with us.”
She laughed. “So I gathered.”
Ten minutes after receiving her text, he and Miles arrived at the farmhouse, anxious to get to her lest she change her mind. Lucy had stepped out onto the porch and Joey had picked her up, spinning her around, then twirling her in a celebratory dance.
Miles’s response had been more subdued as he simply rolled his eyes at Joey’s antics, then gave her a stiff sidearm hug.
Joey had felt the strong urge to roll his eyes right back at his best friend because, while Miles had a good poker face, Joey saw right through it. Miles was happy she was coming. He didn’t want to be happy, but he was.
For a few minutes last night on that couch, Joey let himself believe everything was falling into place as Miles remained there, watching him kiss Lucy, before giving their girl one hell of a kiss himself.
Joey didn’t know what was better. Kissing Lucy or watching Miles kiss her. It all felt perfect in that moment because he’d been certain Lucy would join them on the road, and the three of them would take the first steps toward an incredible future.
He should have known better.
Because Miles’s damn phone buzzed, his Rhiannon-riddled brain kicked in, and he pushed Lucy away.
Joey’s initial reaction was anger. He couldn’t understand how Miles could be so fucking blind to what was standing right in front of his face. Rhiannon was the wrong woman, something that should be evident to his best friend. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times? Four times? Jesus Christ. There wasn’t a word strong enough to describe that level of absurdity.
However, his anger faded quickly when Joey realized he was to blame. Miles had told him he didn’t want to be part of a threesome, and Joey had done exactly what Tony had told him not to do—force him.
Patience had never been Joey’s strong suit, and he was as subtle about his desires as a hundred-person marching band parading through the middle of a living room.
He needed to stop pushing so hard, or he’d end up shoving Miles away. And in the process, he could lose Lucy too.
Miles and Lucy carried her things into the RV, and Joey started to follow, stopping when he heard someone calling his name.
Joey turned around, unsurprised to find Levi and Sam headed his direction. He would have been shocked if he and Miles made it off this mountain without at least one of her male cousins issuing “the warning.”
Joey, Tony, Luca, and Gio had warned off many guys when Layla was in high school and shortly after, letting them know their sister was to be treated with respect at all times or else. Fortunately, since he and his brothers were all well over six feet tall, and muscular, thanks to years of physical labor, they’d never had to come up with an actual “or else.” The threat had always been enough.
“Are you the elected representatives?” Joey joked.
Both men got it. Sam cracked a tiny bit of a smile, while Levi held steady, his stern expression firmly in place.
“We wanted to have a word with you before you left,” Sam started.
Joey nodded. “I would have lost respect for you if you hadn’t.”
Levi huffed out a grunt that could have been approval or a warning. “We’ve noticed you and Lucy spending a lot of time together the past few days. Neither one of you has exactly been subtle about your interest in the other.”
Joey had wondered why he was the only recipient of this stern talking to. Evidently, Miles was successful in his attempts to appear uninterested, even though Joey knew he was anything but.
Sam ran a hand through his hair. “I have to say, we were shocked when she stopped by our farmhouse last night to ask about taking off for a few weeks. Despite her comments about wanting to see the world, Lucy’s never taken a holiday in her life. I can count on one hand the number of times she hasn’t shown up to work, and all those absences were due to illness.”
“I’m aware of that. Lucy told us last night at dinner. She also shared her desire to travel. I’ll admit my initial invitation was impulsive, but the second I issued it, I knew I wanted her to come with us.”
Levi sighed. “Lucy loves this farm, and she loves us more than anything. We all know that. Just like we know…” His jaw clenched, and Joey got the sense the other man had been about to say something different than what he finished with. “She deserves to see more of the world.”
“She takes her responsibilities seriously— too seriously. This is the first time she’s ever asked for time to do something she really wants,” Sam added. “We couldn’t let her miss the opportunity.”
Damn. Lucy really did have an amazing family.
“Her dream to travel was the main reason I invited her along. That, along with the chance to record more episodes of her show. We’re driving back by here in three weeks, so it felt like a decent amount of time for her to dip her toe in the water, mark a couple of cities off that travel list of hers. And she can always fly home any time before that if she gets homesick,” Joey reassured them.
“We’re going to need your word that you’ll look after her, Joey,” Levi insisted.
“You don’t even have to ask. Lucy will be safe with me and Miles. I swear,” he vowed.
While Sam seemed convinced, Levi still looked uneasy.
“Levi—” Joey started.
“You said you have a sister, right?” he interjected.
Joey nodded.
“Would you feel good about putting her in an RV with two guys she’s known less than a week?”
Joey frowned because… Well, damn. He sure as fuck wouldn’t. His silence must have been enough of an answer.
Levi grimaced. “Yeah. That’s what I thought. But I’m going with my gut on this because it’s telling me that you and Miles are good guys and you won’t hurt my cousin.”
“We won’t,” Joey swore. God, if he had his way, he’d spend every day for the rest of his life making Lucy happy.
Levi nodded, just as Lucy and Miles stepped out of the RV.
“Okay, then.” Levi reached out to shake Joey’s hand, then Miles’s. Sam did the same.
The handshake must have been the equivalent of the Bat Signal going up because Storms started filing out of the farmhouse, joining them in the yard.
There were lots of hugs and laughs, and even a quick tour of the RV for Remi, who was dying to see inside.
None of the other men gave him or Miles the stink eye, which proved Joey had guessed correctly about Sam and Levi being charged with the task of laying down the law.
Joey was almost sorry to leave. While they’d only been on the mountain a short time, he and Miles had been truly welcomed and treated like part of the Storm family.
Finally, after everyone said their goodbyes, he, Miles, and Lucy climbed into the RV. Miles climbed behind the wheel, volunteering to drive the first stretch. Joey and Lucy waved from the windows until they made the first turn, the farmhouse and her family now out of sight.
Lucy gave Joey the passenger seat, while she claimed the one behind it.
For the first ten minutes or so, they were quiet as Miles maneuvered his way down the mountain. Joey stole a few peeks over his shoulder at Lucy, who was looking out the window with a pensive expression. Joey was slightly concerned she might change her mind and ask them to take her back home.
Which didn’t make sense to him. It was clear Lucy wanted to travel, so her reticence felt misplaced. Then he recalled this was her first trip, so she was probably just nervous.
“Can we talk for a second about how bougie this RV is?” Joey asked as he spun the seat around so he could see Miles and Lucy without having to twist his head at an awkward angle.
His jaw had hit the ground when the RV was dropped off, he and Miles marveling over how large it was inside. They’d seen pictures of it, but those hadn’t done justice to just how massive the thing was. The network had been careful to provide an RV that didn’t require them to get a special license to drive, but it looked like they were skirting the line.
It was a mammoth. The interior was cozy and spacious, with recessed lighting, a widescreen HDTV, comfortable seating, tile flooring, an induction cooktop, and tons of storage. Lucy had already claimed the bunk bed, maintaining she was the “hitchhiker” and the shortest. No amount of insistence on his or Miles’s part would change her mind.
Miles grinned. “I think it’s safe to say we’re riding in style. The refrigerator is even fully stocked.”
“No way.” Lucy spun her seat around, taking in the rest of the RV. Then she shook off whatever was bothering her, giggling gleefully. “I’m sorry,” she said, as if she had to apologize for laughing. “It’s just… I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
Miles chuckled, and Joey noticed that right after getting Lucy’s text that she was coming, his friend immediately started to relax.
“It’s definitely going to be an adventure,” Miles added.
They had mapped out their route this morning, opting to spend tonight in a campground by Claytor Lake. It was a nine-and-a-half-hour drive to Nashville, but they were only tackling about a third of that today. Given their late start, they figured they’d save the bigger portion of the driving for tomorrow. Lucy pulled out her phone to look at the campground as Miles took the on-ramp to I-81. Joey was tasked with serving as deejay, all of them marveling at the state-of-the-art audio system.
For the first couple of hours, they took turns suggesting songs, anxious to share their favorites. Joey grinned when Lucy sang along loudly to Noah Kahan’s “Dial Drunk.” Because none of them had eaten lunch prior to hitting the road, Miles pulled over at a rest stop so that they could stretch their legs and make sandwiches. As they ate, the three of them sat around the table, engaging in a heated discussion about Star Wars movies, debating which were the best and whether the newest generation lived up to the reputation of the old.
Miles had glanced at his phone a couple times while they were making lunch, frowning at the screen. If Rhiannon was texting, it appeared his friend wasn’t responding. Or perhaps she wasn’t texting at all, and that was what was bothering him. Both those scenarios sucked.
Joey wasn’t sure where Miles’s head was regarding his ex because history seemed to be repeating itself. Miles said he wasn’t interested in resuming a friendship with her, but that was certainly ringing false, given their regular communication. Miles also seemed to believe Rhiannon wasn’t interested in getting back together, but Joey wouldn’t bet the farm on that, given how often she was texting and calling.
As far as Joey was concerned, if Miles was as over the woman as he claimed, he should tell her to lose his number. Maybe not that harshly, but it was clear her texting and calling was blurring some lines for Miles.
In the middle of the meal, Joey pulled out his phone, firing up the video camera, panning around the table to show their first meal in the RV. He was certain the video wasn’t interesting enough to be used as an outtake for the show, but that wasn’t why Joey was recording it.
He wanted to preserve this memory for himself. Wanted to be able to look back one day at what he prayed was not only the beginning of a road trip adventure but of a lifetime one. Miles and Lucy were smiling, hamming it up for the camera, cracking jokes. They looked good together. Really good.
After a minute or two, Joey flipped the camera, reaching out to pull Lucy closer so that she was in the frame. “So tell the fans, Lucy Storm, what are you most looking forward to as we start this big adventure?”
Lucy tapped her chin, playfully considering the question. “I think I’m most excited about meeting new people and seeing new places.”
Joey nodded, then flipped the camera back around. “And you, Miles?”
“I’m looking forward to the food. Hot chicken in Nashville. Barbeque at Sparks.”
“Oh,” Lucy said excitedly. “I want to change my answer to that.”
Joey laughed. “Too late.”
Lucy grabbed his phone, pointing it at him. “And what are you looking forward to, Joey?”
Joey didn’t hesitate for a second as he gave them his honest answer. “Spending time with my two favorite people.”
Lucy smiled and said, “Aww.”
Miles smirked, shaking his head. “Ass-kisser,” he muttered.
Even though they were finished eating, none of them made a move to clean up so they could get back on the road.
“So you grew up in Philadelphia and Baltimore?” Lucy asked Joey.
“I did. But Philadelphia is the only city I call home.” There must have been something in his tone that gave away his feelings for Baltimore.
“Not a fan of Baltimore?” Miles asked, clearly surprised. The two of them had spent a good bit of time there, usually visiting Layla and her partners, always taking the time to stop at Pat’s Pub for a pint and a chat with the Collins clan. It made sense that to Miles, all of that looked like Joey enjoying time in his old stomping grounds. But the truth was, he went back for the people, not the place.
“Baltimore is fine. The only reason we ended up there was because Dad was offered a really good job when I was eleven. It was one of those too-good-to-pass-up deals. Believe me, that was the only reason he would uproot us and leave his beloved Philadelphia.”
“Never met a bigger Philly fan,” Miles admitted. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the guy dressed in a shirt that wasn’t emblazoned with the name of one of his Philly sports teams.”
Joey chuckled. “Tell me about it. I had to take the old guy shopping for a dress shirt to wear to my cousin Elio’s wedding to Gianna. He bitched the entire time and bought the thing under duress, insisting Elio wouldn’t mind if he wore his Flyers jersey.”
Miles frowned. “Elio played for the Baltimore Stingrays.”
“He sure did, but Dad insisted that Elio’s allegiance to ‘that other team,’” Joey air-quoted, “ended the second Elio retired and moved home.”
“It’s a fair point. I’m sure Elio wouldn’t have minded the jersey,” Miles added. “He only had eyes for his bride that day. Never seen a guy so in love, with his wife and his daughter.”
“That’s because Sofia is so stinking adorable,” Joey added, grinning when he thought about Elio and Gianna’s one-year-old daughter. “And while Elio wouldn’t have cared, Nonna would have had Dad’s head if he’d shown up in a jersey. I was trying to save Dad from one of her long-winded lectures about proper attire.”
“How long did your family live in Baltimore?” Lucy asked.
“Five years.” Joey was delighted that she was interested in learning more about them.
“And what made your dad decide to come home?”
Joey sighed. “My mom died.”
“Oh, Joey.” Lucy leaned closer, reaching out to touch his knee. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“Cancer,” he said. “I think that’s probably why I’m not fond of Baltimore. Too many bad memories in that city.”
Lucy squeezed his knee. “I’m sure there are.”
“I spent most of my last year there at Johns Hopkins. After she passed, my dad was struggling to deal with five grieving kids on his own. Nonno and Nonna told him to come home, and he did. That was the summer right before my junior year of high school.”
“That’s a hard time to move,” Lucy observed.
Joey shook his head. “It wasn’t that bad. I reconnected with friends from elementary school, and I was back home with my cousins. I’d missed the hell out of them. And best of all, after we came back, Dad and my uncle Renzo opened Moretti Brothers Restorations. Which set me up for,” Joey waved his arms around, gesturing at the RV, “this sweet life.”
“Guess we have something in common. We both lost our moms when we were young,” Lucy pointed out.
“Miles told me about the car accident,” Joey said. “About Nora.”
Lucy took a sip of water. “It was a bad time for our family.”
Joey nodded. “I’m sure it was. Grief is a bitch. Takes a long time to shake her off.”
“Yeah.” Lucy was quiet for a moment, but she bounced back quick, a smile crossing her face. “You know…I looked up your bio online after that first season of ManPower . Both of your bios, actually. I was curious about the two of you. When I saw that you were offered the hosting gig after Moretti Brothers was featured on a couple episodes of another cable show, I watched them. Seeing you with your brothers reminded me so much of how my cousins are together. By the way, how bad was the Levi and Sam speech?”
Miles looked confused. “Speech?”
Joey chuckled. “Levi and Sam were elected representatives for the Storm men, sent to make sure I minded my manners.”
Miles blinked a few times, and Joey could almost read his thoughts, could see him wondering why he hadn’t gotten the same warning.
“Were they mean?” Lucy asked, concerned.
Joey shook his head. “I’ve had worse. Hell, I’ve given worse. They just wanted to make sure their sweet, innocent, impressionable baby cousin was safe.”
Lucy’s eyes narrowed. “Please tell me they didn’t use those words.”
Joey considered drawing out the joke, adding a few more words that would get under her skin, but Lucy looked annoyed enough to fire off a text to both men if he didn’t let them off the hook. “I might have inferred those words.”
Lucy slapped his arm playfully. “You’re in for a rude awakening if that’s how you see me. Like I said, when I watched those shows with you and your brothers, I saw shades of my cousins. You guys are all birds of a feather. Oh, and FYI, I think Aunt Claire might have a crush on your brother Tony. She watched the shows with me, and she fanned herself every time he came on the screen.”
Joey laughed loudly. “It’s the hair, isn’t it? Fucker always gets all the attention because of that hair.”
Lucy smirked. “Right. It’s just the hair. It has nothing to do with his firm, muscular body or his?—”
“You can stop there.” Joey reached out, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to hold her in place so he could tickle her, when she tried to continue listing his big brother’s attractive attributes. Then he cast a glance in Miles’s direction. “Our girl is thinking about other guys, Miles. Seems like we should do something about that.”
“Not other guys,” she argued. “Just Tooonnny.” She drew out his older brother’s name, working overtime to make it sound dreamy.
To Joey’s surprise, Miles stood from the table with a grin. “I think you’re right. We’d better take care of that.”
Lucy’s gaze traveled from Joey to Miles, though there wasn’t a trace of nervousness there. If anything, she looked turned on.
Joey just hoped it was him and Miles pushing those buttons and not thoughts of his brother.
“I’m a free agent,” she taunted, shaking off Joey’s arm and rising from the table. “I can look at Tony if I want. After all, he has that chiseled jaw and?—”
“Hmm,” Joey interrupted, shaking his head. “Thinking about my brother. Yeah, that’s not gonna work for us, honey.”
“And those dreamy eyes,” she added, ignoring him.
Miles chuckled darkly as he crossed his arms. “You’re poking the bear, Luce.”
“Oh yeah?” Lucy tilted her head. “And which one of you is the bear?”
“Tread carefully, little girl,” Miles warned.
There was no missing the way Lucy’s nipples made an appearance, the tight nubs poking through her T-shirt or the way her eyelids slipped lower at his words.
Joey wiggled his eyebrows, enjoying the game. “We might need to teach her a lesson about teasing us.”
Miles snorted.
When Lucy offered him a fearless, wicked grin, Joey knew he was in trouble.
“Have you ever considered letting your hair grow longer?” she asked.
Miles barked out a laugh, clearly amused by her jab.
“Lucy.” Joey laced his tone with a sensual threat.
She tapped her chin. “No. I guess that wouldn’t look good on you. Hair like Tony’s requires special bone structure.”
“A chiseled jaw?” Miles tossed one of her own descriptions back at her, just to get under Joey’s skin.
“I don’t need long hair to be hot, honey.” Joey stood and took two steps toward her as Lucy moved away, inching closer to Miles. While the RV was roomy, a game of cat and mouse wouldn’t last long.
Lucy glanced at Miles, as if seeking help, mistakenly thinking he was on her side because of his jest. He remained where he was and shrugged. “I told you not to poke the bear.”
“A gentleman would protect me,” she retorted.
He reached out and tugged her against him. “Who said I was a gentleman?”
She looked up at Miles, her cheeks pink, her breathing shallow. Joey could already cut the sexual tension between them with a knife when she added more fuel to the fire, stroking her free hand over her chest.
“I warned you about that bro code,” Miles murmured, his comment piquing Joey’s curiosity. “I gotta have my boy’s back.”
Lucy lifted her hand from his chest, shoving her pointer finger into Miles’s pec.
“Poke, poke, poke,” she teased, letting Miles know she’d decided he was a bear too.
Miles laughed, catching Lucy off guard when he gripped the wrist of her poking hand and twisted her until her back was flush against his chest, his arm wrapped loosely around her upper body.
Joey seized the opportunity, moving until he was right in front of her. Lucy squirmed in Miles’s arms, but he soon realized she wasn’t seeking to escape as much as she was trying to drive his friend crazy.
Given the way Miles stiffened, his jaw clenching, he’d guess her “struggles” were having the desired effect. Her ass was rubbing right against his friend’s crotch.
Hell, Joey was fighting his own arousal, and if either of the people in front of him looked down, they’d see he was losing the battle, his erection pressing against his jeans.
Joey caught Miles’s gaze. “Hold her hands. I think we need to show our girl what happens when she teases us.” He started tickling her before Miles could capture her wrists. Not that it took his friend long to restrain her.
Lucy squealed with laughter, struggling in earnest to get away as Joey tickled every part of her that he could reach.
“Tell us we’re hot,” Joey demanded.
She shook her head, even as she gasped for air, laughing louder. “Never!”
Joey doubled his efforts, driving his fingers into her waist, and when Miles lifted her arms over her head, he dove in, tickling under her arms.
“Tell us we’re hot,” he repeated.
Lucy put up a hell of a fight, twisting to the left and right in an attempt to free her hands before she finally relented. “Fine! You’re hot!”
Joey stopped tickling her, his hands resting on her midriff. “Say it again.”
She narrowed her eyes, but her wide smile proved she wasn’t annoyed. Rather than speak, she wiggled her wrists until Miles released her. Then she reached out, pinching the hair of his beard between her finger and thumb, using it to pull him closer.
“You’re hot,” she whispered when their faces were just an inch apart. She backed her words up with a quick, hard kiss before releasing his beard.
Then she twisted around, cupping Miles’s cheek in her palm. “You’re hot too.” She gave Miles the same kiss.
While her lips on his had guaranteed Joey’s blue balls, Miles appeared to double down on his efforts to resist Lucy’s appeal.
The grumpy ass returned. His smile faded and a crinkle appeared between his eyes. “You’re going to be trouble, aren’t you?”
Lucy, the irrepressible, perfect woman, shrugged unapologetically. “What can I say? You poked the bear.”