Chapter Three
Lachlan
Icrossed my arms. “I'm not going.”
Cooper crossed his arms. “You have to. You're the best man.”
I snickered. “I think I know that. But…” I opened and closed my mouth several times, but nothing came out. I couldn’t find the words.
“So they'll have female strippers. Taryn knows how to party. It’s her gift to Stephanie. I think it’s a hoot.”
I growled. And not for the first time tonight. He’s driving me up the wall. How can anyone stand him?
“Perhaps when the stripper comes, we can leave for half an hour?” He squinted. “Although I can’t see why female strippers would be a problem…too soon after your breakup with Lydia?”
Lord save me. “Well, I just think we should leave the enjoying up to the women. So yes, probably best we leave.”
“I wonder what Dickens and Spike will do.”
Right. The bookshop owner and the mechanic.
Because, of course Stephanie would invite them.
And she doesn’t know about the strippers.
Taryn swore us to secrecy. “Maybe invite them to come with us? Or perhaps they might enjoy the show…” I didn’t know the men and therefore had zero idea what they might do.
“Still, it’s probably best we step out.”
“We can hang out in a small room together... just the two of us.”
I eyed him. He’s up to something…I just don’t know what. “Probably not best.”
He blinked in that I’m all innocent way that immediately turned me on and caused massive panic.
“Why? Can't control yourself?” Another blink.
“You're playing with fire here, Cooper.”
“And yet you love the idea of us becoming brothers-in-law.”
Jesus fucking Christ. “You’re riding with Stephanie. Think you can keep a secret that long?”
“Of course I can.” With that, he flounced toward the cars.
Yes, fucking flounced. With his bubble butt jiggling in just that way.
Taryn shoulder checked me. Well, with her being more than half a foot shorter, it was more her shoulder hitting my elbow. “You ready?”
“Will I ever be?”
She grinned. “Embrace it, big brother. You’ll never get to do this again.”
“See female strippers?” Stephanie was in Cooper’s car, and they were pulling out of the parking lot. “Well, that’s true—I don’t see you heading downtown to see naked women.”
“I’ll be in Toronto.”
Her eyes clouded for a moment before she grinned again. “Right. I’ll have to contact your senior partner and tell him that you need to get out more.”
“I’m not certain she will appreciate my younger sister interfering.”
She huffed. “Well, I meant you’re only going to one bachelorette party. This is my one and only. Steph’s my person, Lachlan. She’s it for me.”
I slung my arm around her shoulder. “And it’s so damn obvious. I’m happy for you.” My voice caught.
Her grin overtook her face. “We’re going to find you someone.”
I didn’t have time to argue before she dragged me by the arm to her SUV and we headed into the early night. Personally, I wouldn’t have picked Langley for a party, but that was because I wasn’t a fan of long drives. At least we’re not driving into Vancouver.
Stephanie and Cooper were picking up Dickens and Spike, but I suspected the trip home would look different. Somehow, Steph and Taryn would wind up in the same vehicle.
And knowing my luck, Cooper and I would wind up together.
Unless I could bribe Dickens or Spike…
Taryn chatted nonstop during the entire trip to Langley. What happened to my shy, taciturn sister? When did she blossom like this? I was thrilled for her, but also mourned that I hadn’t been here to see the transformation.
“So, what do you think?” She shut the engine.
Crap. We were already there, and I’d probably said about ten words. I cleared my throat. “Uh, well…”
She whacked my upper arm. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said.”
“I have.” Somewhere back around the 200th Street exit, she’d been talking about the significance of Alice in Wonderland.
As we’d driven over the Golden Ears Bridge, she’s been discussing how she’d balked at going traditional, but seeing how happy Stephanie was, her opinion was shifting.
As we’d driven through Ruskin, she’d mentioned Stephanie wanting to buy out the fashion business where she was a consultant and salesperson.
I’d made a note to figure out what financing and legal work would need to be done.
“Uh…”
“I was asking if you thought I should upgrade my snow-removal equipment. I’m usually so busy with the tow truck that I don’t have time to use it. But I think I’ll be using it more. The experts said global warming, but some winters we’re breaking cold and snow records.”
“Hence climate change.” I rubbed my forehead.
Force majeure clauses were becoming more frequent as climate made filming unpredictable.
I always worried for my clients until the final scene was shot.
“Do you want to take on more employees? Even contractors? That’s a lot of responsibility.
You’ve been a one man—sorry, one woman—”
“One person.”
“Right.” I laughed. “I’m too old for this.”
“Lachlan, you’re thirty-eight, not eighty-eight. You’re as progressive as they come. You just…regress sometimes.”
“Unintentionally.”
“Of course. You’re a good Millennial.”
I groaned.
She laughed.
We were both Millennials, while Cooper and Stephanie were both Gen Z.
Funny how we pronounced it zee even though we were in Canada and it should’ve been Zed.
But that wasn’t the point. “You’d be a good boss.
Would you do it with Maddie, Holly, and Amber?
” Taryn’s three best friends in high school had become her business partners.
Maddie was the mechanic, Amber was the accountant, Holly ran the reception desk and inventory, and Taryn ran the tow truck for the auto repair shop.
Taryn’s snow plowing was a side gig. One I’d hoped she could give up. Maybe diversifying was her way of doing that.
“I need to find the right…” Her voice trailed off. “Is that…?” She squealed.
A grin spread across my face. “You think your three closest friends weren’t going to come?”
“I didn’t ask because…” She swallowed.
“They’re thrilled about the idea of watching female strippers. Amber’s talking about getting tips she can use with her next boyfriend.”
Which made Taryn laugh, because Amber was the most conservative of the three women.
She leapt out of the car and was across the parking lot like a shot.
I was slower in exiting the car.
Taryn hugged Amber first. When she moved on to embrace Holly, Amber headed my way.
“Good surprise?” She arched an eyebrow at me.
“The best. She really believed the three of you were too busy tonight to make it. Even put on a brave face.”
Amber snagged my arm. “You’re a good big brother.”
“Well, I don’t know about that.” My plan to bail at the first sight of strippers had me pausing. Had I really agreed to duck out with Cooper?
Taryn snagged Maddie and gave her a massive hug.
An SUV pulled up, and Cooper, Stephanie, and two men piled out. The tallest of all, a man with short midnight-black hair, removed his sunglasses. Even from this distance, his crystal-blue eyes were clear.
A blond man, slightly shorter with blond hair, curled into his side. His blue eyes, hair color, and height all matched Cooper’s.
And yet I felt little attraction to either man—and not just because I never poached on someone else’s property. No, I wasn’t attracted because my entire being was aware of Cooper. My cock even twitched at the thought of him touching me. Of us doing fun—and very naughty—things together.
Amber tugged my arm. “Have you met Dickens and Spike?”
“Spike who is your competition?”
My companion laughed. “Sure, we both operate auto-repair shops. Plus, Spike has his bike-repair shop. I’ll be honest with you, Lachlan—just in case Taryn hasn’t been blunt.
There is a certain segment of the population who will never accept a woman mechanic.
Will never respect a female estimator, or that someone with tits can be a tow truck driver.
” She scrunched her nose. “Some of those people—”
“—assholes—”
“—well, yeah. Some of those people might accept a woman as an accountant, but I’m very much behind the scenes.
Maddie, Taryn, and Holly put themselves out there.
If Spike is too busy, he might direct someone our way.
If we’re swamped, we can offer a solid referral to Spike knowing whomever we send will be taken care of.
Mission City is enough for two auto-repair shops.
Especially because we draw clients from as far as Maple Ridge, Abbotsford, and Langley. ”
“Women trusting women.”
“Ten years in business without a single complaint to the BBB. We’re obviously doing something right.”
The two men approached, with Dickens extending his hand. “So, you’re the big brother we hear so much about but have never met.”
Dickens was younger than both Taryn and me, so we hadn’t been to school together. And, truthfully, I hadn’t spent much time in the bookshop he’d inherited from his parents.
Spike was about my age, but he’d come from the north coast. I couldn’t remember where. He was new to Mission City.
I shook first Dickens’s and then Spike’s hand. “That’s me. But here to support.” I glanced at Amber before gazing over at the men. “You do know what you’re getting into.”
Dickens threw his arm around his husband’s shoulders. “We’re big on new experiences. Stephanie’s a good friend, and she invited us. Taryn called to warn us that things would get…spicy.”
We laughed.
“And we figure we can always meander over to the bar.” Spike offered me a smile I couldn’t quite interpret. “We’re all good.”
Amber bumped my arm. “And we are as well. A little spice never hurt anyone. Next time, though, we’re going to a male strip club.”
Dickens vibrated with excitement. “Oh, now I have to say that sounds like fun.”
Spike rubbed his neck as his cheeks reddened a bit. “Uh…yeah…”
“All in fun.” Amber sidled up to him. “Now, I hear we’re going to be competing for the same apprentice.”
A glint appeared in his eyes. “Karine is a damn good student. She’s going to make an amazing mechanic.”
Amber grinned. “I agree. May the best shop win.”
They headed back toward Steph and Taryn and the rest of the MATH crew. Which stood for Maddie, Amber, Taryn, and Holly. All four women had excelled in mathematics and sciences and had happily created the name for their company.
Dickens offered a wry smile. “Watch out for Amber.”
“I’d think you’d be warning me about Spike.”
“Uh, no. My husband’s a pussycat. He just doesn’t let many people see that side.”
“So you think…Karine…will wind up at MATH?”
“I think she’ll have two very competitive offers. I’ve seen what the young woman’s capable of—any crew will be lucky to nab her.”
“But an environment dominated by women might be more welcoming.”
“Oh, Spike doesn’t put up with any misogynist bullshit from his workers. He’d love to add a female mechanic to diversify and perhaps attract a few more women customers.”
I arched an eyebrow. “To steal from MATH?”
He chuckled. “They’re pretty busy. Keep up, Big Bro.”
“I do. Honestly. But business is always so competitive.”
“True. But people will always need mechanics and, to my ever-loving relief, they’ll always want books they can hold in their hands. Now, shall we join them?”
“You realize we need our heads examined.”
He cocked his head. “You not into gorgeous women? I mean, each to their own—”
Shit. “No, I love women. All women. Just…the objectification…”
“Sure. Except the dancers have free will. They choose to be there.”
I certainly hoped they did.
God knew, I didn’t.