9. Brody
NINE
“Where the hell have you been?” I ask, glancing up from my laptop as Hayden strolls through the door with the biggest Cheshire cat grin spread across his face.
“Out to dinner at Lush…with Bree.”
That gets my attention. I slam my laptop closed and cross my arms over my chest. “What were you guys doing there? Celebrating her signing away her coffee shop?”
“Fuck you,” Hayden quips, his smile disappearing.
“Wait a second.” I stand, suddenly pissed off and jealous, but mostly pissed off. “Are you telling me you went on a fucking date with Bree tonight?”
“And if I did?”
“Then I’d say you’re a dick because you know damn well this isn’t going to end well.”
“I’ll figure something out,” he says with determination in his voice.
I shake my head and scoop up my laptop so I can head to my room. Before I get halfway down the hall, he calls out my name, so I turn around.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think she got your calls and messages.”
I quirk a brow.
“She mentioned you tonight. Didn’t say your name, but I knew she was referring to you. Said the guy she went on a date with and thought she hit it off with, never called her. When I was asking her about herself, she tried to keep it light and not mention her kids, but it slipped, and when I asked her why she tried to hide them, she said she thought maybe shit got too deep too quick with you because you never called, so she was trying not to make the same mistake with me.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.” I called and texted, and she never responded. “Why are you telling me this?” I ask. “You obviously like her, and now that I know, you know I’m going to go to Heart’s and talk to her.”
He nods. “Yeah, I know.” He sighs. “I really like her, but it was clear in the way she spoke that she really liked you too. Yeah, I want her, and tonight was amazing. She kisses like a fucking dream. And she’s so damn sweet and sexy.”
“Yeah, I know,” I agree. “I tried to play it off like her not answering me wasn’t a big deal, but the truth is, I haven’t been able to get her off my mind. It’s taken everything in me not to go to Heart’s and ask her what went wrong because I honestly thought everything went perfectly.”
“I get it,” Hayden says. “And after hearing her tell me about her late husband, I would give anything to be the next guy she gives her heart to, but I want her to choose to give it to me. To give it to the man she’s fallen in love with, and if that man is you, I couldn’t live with myself knowing the only reason she didn’t choose you is because of a miscommunication.”
“So you’re okay with me going there and asking her out on another date?”
“Yeah. I told her we’d take shit slow. She was with the same guy for years, so she needs to date. She deserves to get out there and find herself, find the man who she wants to be with.”
“And if it’s me?”
“Then I’ll be happy for you.” He shrugs. “But it might be me.”
“Until she finds out that you’re trying to steal her coffeehouse from her,” I point out, joking but also serious. “Then I’ll be there for her.” I wink playfully, lightening the mood.
Hayden chuckles. “And when she finds out that you’ve known all along?”
“Nah, that shit has got nothing to do with me.”
“Doesn’t it, though? You know about it… that makes you guilty by association.”
“Fine, then I guess I’ll tell her what I know.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” he growls. “I said I’m going to handle it.”
“Your dad won’t stop until he removes her from that property.”
“If she won’t sell, he doesn’t have a choice. I’ll just have to convince him that we’re better off finding somewhere else to build the wellness center.”
Holy shit. This sounds nothing like the Hayden I know. “You really fucking like her.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Okay.” I nod. “Maybe you can pull that off.” Hayden is nothing if not determined and stubborn as hell when he puts his mind to something. “But you don’t think she’s going to be pissed when she learns the only reason you met was because you were planning to convince her to sell her family’s fifty-year-old business?”
“And once she learns we’re roommates, you think she’s going to let that go?” he volleys.
“No, I’ll have to grovel like crazy,” I admit with a smirk. “But at least I’m not the man trying to singlehandedly destroy her life. There’s no way she’ll pick you over me.”
“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see,” he says. “May the best man win.”
“Oh, I plan to…” Because the prize—it’s her goddamned heart, and I have every intention of it becoming mine.
“Welcome to Heart’s! How can I…?” The second Bree sees it’s me, her words fade away, and her eyes narrow into thin slits, telling me what Hayden said was the truth. For whatever reason, she thinks I didn’t call or text her.
“What do you want?” she asks, popping her sexy hip out and dropping her hand onto it.
“You.”
“Obviously not, or you would’ve called or texted.”
“I did.” I pull out my phone and open it up to the thread where my messages went unanswered. “But you didn’t respond. Which is why I’m here. Any reason you didn’t reply? I mean, if you didn’t want to see me again…”
“I did,” she says, shaking her head. “I thought you didn’t. I never got a single message or call from you. I swear.” She pulls out her phone. “What’s your number?”
I give it to her and a few seconds later, my phone rings. Only her name doesn’t come up, but a number that’s almost identical to hers, aside from one digit. “It’s a one.”
“Huh?”
“The last digit. I thought it was a two.” I open her contact and show her before I slide my phone into my pocket. “I had a good time with you, and I called the next morning to see if you’d like to go out again. When you didn’t answer, I left a voicemail. Then later, I texted…twice, but apparently I wasn’t calling or texting you. I should’ve come by sooner, but I figured it was your way of saying you didn’t want to see me again.”
“I would’ve responded,” she says. “I thought you not calling was your way of saying you didn’t want to see me again. I know things got kind of…deep. I was venting, and then I dropped the kid bomb and that I googled you. And for a second, I went all woe is me…” She laughs nervously. “Honestly, I wouldn’t have blamed you for running for your life.”
“I’m not running anywhere,” I tell her. “Unless it’s toward you.” I wink playfully, and she throws her head back with a laugh.
“Go out with me tomorrow?” I could take her out tonight, but tomorrow is Saturday, which means, if I go for tomorrow, I’ll get the whole day with her.
My question sobers her up. If I didn’t know she went out with Hayden last night, I’d think she was reluctant to go out with me, but because I know what she doesn’t, I recognize the guilt. She likes us both.
“We’re not like dating, right?” she asks, then cringes. “It’s just casual, getting to know each other?” Ahh, so she’s trying to justify dating us both. Fuck, she’s so innocent and adorable.
“Yeah, casual.”
“Okay,” she says, smiling softly. “Then I’d love to go out with you.”
“Perfect. I’ll pick you up at nine? Is that too early?”
“No, I’m a morning person. Should I dress a certain way?”
“Whatever you’re comfortable in. We’ll be doing some walking.” She mentioned on our date the other night that she loves to try out different bakeries, and since we discussed her possibly putting her products into other businesses, I think the perfect date could be checking out various places.
“Sounds good.” She grins, her twin dimples popping out, and I wish I didn’t need to get to work so I could spend the day just staring at her. But since I have a business to run, I head to the office after buying a coffee and muffin.
I spend the morning going through a bunch of emails, dealing with a contractor who’s pissing me off, and having a meeting with the architect I have handling the new club that Hayden and I are partners in.
“Mr. Fields,” my assistant says, “your lunch is here.”
“Perfect. You can bring it back. I’m free.”
“How’d the meeting go?” Hayden says, walking through the door a few minutes later with our lunch in his hands. He sets it down on the table I have in the corner of my office. “I told Hillary I’d bring it back for us so she could head out to lunch.” He takes our boxes out while I finish my email and hit send.
“Good.” I shut down my laptop and go over to the table to join him. We try to have lunch together a couple of times a week since we’re working on several projects together. “Everything is on track, and the grand opening is scheduled as planned.”
“Nice,” he says, opening his box of food and digging in. “I’ll need the income from this place to replace my current income.”
“What?” His tone is light, indicating he’s joking, but something underneath says he’s also serious.
“I met with my dad today and tried to pitch finding a new building for the wellness center. Even came prepared with several other options. Some better than the current building. But he’s so damn stubborn.” He spears his noodles with his fork. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.” His eyes meet mine, silently begging for advice. Even though we’re at odds over Bree, he’s my best friend, closer to a brother, so I’ll always put him first.
“What do you need from me?”
“I don’t know.” He sighs. “I just…I really like her. We’re going out Sunday.”
I laugh softly.
“What?”
“Nothing… It’s just, well, we’re going out tomorrow.”
He shakes his head and chuckles. “That must be why she said she couldn’t do tomorrow.”
“Yep, so what are you going to do about your dad? Because you know she isn’t going to agree to be bought out.”
“For now, I’m going to drag shit along. If she won’t sell, there’s nothing I can do. He’s just pissed he isn’t getting his way.”
“This could mean your sister gets that position.”
“Yeah, hence me saying I need the income,” he deadpans. “Because there’s no way I’m working for her. She’ll let the position go straight to her head.” He mock shivers. “I’d rather quit than work for Gretchen.”
“You could always come work alongside me,” I tell him, not for the first time. His family issues are nothing new, something I’ve been listening to for as long as I’ve known him. I don’t know why he puts up with them, except maybe he feels like he has something to prove, which is such bullshit because he’s a thousand times better at what he does than his sister and dad combined.
“Yeah? Will that offer still be on the table when Bree chooses me?”
I snort out a laugh. “Hey.” He glances up at me. “You’re my brother for life. No woman will ever come between us, not even sexy as fuck women with curves for days, mesmerizing blue eyes, and the most perfect dimples.”
“Remember that time in college when we fucked that server? What was her name?”
I know exactly who he’s talking about, but I couldn’t tell you her name. “Started with an M, I think.”
“Maybe,” he says, leaning in and looking at me. “And then the other chick from our business class.”
“Lauren, I think.”
“Lina,” he corrects.
“Fuck, I can’t remember. That shit was a long time ago.”
He sucks his lip into his mouth, obviously thinking hard about something, and I stop eating to give him my full attention. “What if Bree were willing to be with both of us?”
For a split second, I can picture it. Her riding me from on top while I suck on her nipples, massaging her clit. Hayden pounding into her from behind, gripping those luscious hips.
It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve shared a woman. During freshman year, shit got crazy, and somehow, we ended up having a threesome with the server at the local pub we frequented. It was the hottest thing I’d ever experienced.
After that night—and word got out about what we did—women practically lined up at our door, wanting both of us. After being with a few women, I confided to Hayden that I thought I might be bi. I was scared that he’d run, but instead, he pulled his shirt over his head and said, “Let’s find out.” I learned that night that while being with a guy could feel good and natural, I preferred the female body over the male.
After we graduated and moved into our condo, we both got busy with work, with being adults, and our threesomes stopped. I’ve been with a few women over the years, but none of them have held my attention. Until Bree…
“She’d never go for it,” I tell him. “Besides, I want more with her. More than some hot threesome. I want her heart.”
“Same,” he says, forking his food into his mouth and dropping the subject.