CHAPTER TWO #2
Levi’s boots tap on the floor behind me, and then his heat is at my back.
“You’re setting up a profile on a dating site?
I thought you were declaring a moratorium on romance.
” I did say that. But mostly to get him to stop whining to me about how much he likes Gentry and how sad he is that she hates him.
I might have also pretended I fell in love and had my heart broken during the two months we were living in separate towns.
I lied to my brother. I’m not proud of it. But he did stop mentioning Gentry around me.
I scroll back up and scoot to the side so he can see what I’ve done. He leans in closer to look.
His laugh is sharp and hard. “He is going to murder you.”
“He’s going to thank me. Dude needs to get laid. He’s been a huge dick since Skyler dumped his ass, and I’m sick of it.”
“What are you going to do if someone decides to date him? Are you going to tell the poor woman this is a setup?”
“Hell no,” I say. “You know me better than that. This is a well thought out, finely tuned operation.”
“Uh-huh.” Levi looks over at Cash. “You part of this?”
Cash shrugs. “Can’t do any harm. Sebastian is miserable.”
“This isn’t going to fix that. When he finds out, I want you to tell him I had nothing to do with it.”
I grin. My plan is so awesome. “Unless he loves it and is deliriously happy, then you want credit for it?”
Levi drops his head, chin to chest, and lets out a long sigh before pinning me with a calculating look. “If this actually works and Sebastian is actually grateful, I’ll cook dinner for a week for both of you.”
Levi’s a great cook, and I’m going to love eating his meals, so I nod.
“And…” he says.
I go back to the dating app, looking it over to make sure everything’s perfect.
“If Sebastian doesn’t find happiness with a new woman, you two will do my laundry for a month, including folding it.”
“Two weeks,” Cash says.
“Four weeks,” Levi says. “I don’t have that much laundry.”
“Fine,” I say, without looking up from the screen.
“And get your own computer,” Levi says. “I need mine.”
“Done,” I say with a final keystroke. I throw my arms in the air in a V for victory, baby. I lean forward and rub my hands together. “Let the matches commence.”
“Great,” Levi says. “Now, put the app on your phone so you won’t need my computer again.”
Levi takes a step back at the look on my face, as I say, “I don’t need the app on my phone, brother. I set up the account with your contact information.”
His hands fist at his sides in his baby brother rage. “Why in the hell would you do that?”
“Because it’s your computer,” I say, like the answer is obvious. “Not that I’m going to tell you the password. You just need to review the matches you get via email and forward the most likely candidates to me. I’ll set everything up.”
Levi runs his hands through his hair and grips it hard. “How are you going to do that when it’s my contact information on the account and my computer is with me in Colorado?”
I force myself not to cackle with glee. This is the best part of my plan. I just wish I could be there to see his face when he figures it out. “That’s not for you to worry about, Levi.”
“Whatever,” he says like he doesn’t care. He definitely cares. I can tell. “Can you two please leave my room? I have some work I need to get done.”
“What work?” Cash asks. Levi’s got a side job he thinks he’s keeping secret. We just haven’t figured out what it is yet. “I thought you’d finished up work so you could head out of town tomorrow.”
“There are a few loose ends I need to tie up.” He makes a sweeping gesture. “Go find somewhere else to work.”
“This is the cleanest room in the house, and the only one where we can’t hear it when Ryland and Sebastian start fighting about something.”
“Should we be worried about that?” Levi asks.
“It’s fine,” Cash says, all serious. “They’re just stressed about drumming up business here as the weather cools, and you know they both get grumpy when they don’t have sufficient alone time.”
“Plus, Mom called this morning to say she and Dad are moving to Catalpa Creek next year,” I say. “They want us to find them land and build them a house.”
Levi’s eyes widen, and he grabs the doorjamb like he needs the support. “Are you fucking with me right now?”
“Wish I was,” I say. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m glad they’re going to be living close again, but you know how they get when we’re doing a build for them.”
“I still have nightmares about Mom’s she shed,” Cash says with wide eyes.
“I thought they were happy in Aspen Cove,” Levi says. “They have so many friends there.”
“They have friends here too,” I say. “And tons of family. It really is the best move for them.”
Levi nods, but he looks worried. I don’t know why. As the baby of the family, Mom and Dad spoil him rotten, and he always gets the biggest piece of pie for dessert at family dinners.
“We’re going to have to brainstorm a plan of action for how to fit them into our schedule when I get back,” Levi says.
“I’ll work on some ideas while I’m gone, but it’s going to take a lot of late nights and careful planning if we’re going to get the business off the ground here and get their house built. ”
Cash looks over at me, brow creased. “I told you to wait until he got back.”
He did say that, but I’ve got a big mouth and very little filter. I’m working on it. Sort of.
“It’s fine,” Levi says. “I’m not going to stress over it. I’ll just work on some ideas, maybe start on next month’s schedule.”
“Yeah,” I say, kicking myself. “You were right as usual, Cash.”
“Do they have their house on the market yet?” Levi asks, massaging his left temple. “I’ve got a list of great realtors—”
“We’re on it,” I say. “Trust us.”
Levi crosses his arms over his chest, giving us that look he gives us when he thinks he’s the more mature and capable brother. He’s got an ego that comes from being the spoiled wittle baby.
“Don’t call them,” Cash says. “We’re on top of things, Levi. Go have fun and don’t think about work or anything going on here. You need the break.”
I nod in agreement. Levi’s leaving to be in his best friend’s wedding, with his best friend’s sister, Gentry.
“Family meeting,” Sebastian bellows from downstairs. “We need to clear some shit up.”
“Fucking great,” Cash says as he straightens his papers. “I’m blaming Ry for this.”
I snap Levi’s laptop shut and hand it over. “You should get out of here before he realizes you’re back.”
Levi stuffs the laptop into the bag next to his desk. “Let me know if it’s anything important?”
“It won’t be,” Cash says. “It’ll just be Sebastian trying to fix his miserable mood by lecturing us on the importance of sticking to timelines and working as a team.”
Levi hesitates. “We need an actual office and an office manager as good as Stanley.”
I hate family drama and the stress of getting this business going in this new town. I wish I had a wedding to escape to. “I offered her so much money to move with us, but she wouldn’t do it, man.”
“Maybe I should stay,” Levi says. “I saw a couple of properties last week that might work for Mom and Dad. We could talk about it before I go.”
Cash stands and gives him a shove toward the window. “If you get into that right now, you won’t be leaving tomorrow. Get out of here before he comes up looking for us.”
I slide the window open, and Levi climbs out of it.
“Just don’t let him do anything too unhinged,” Levi says from the tree he’s slid onto.
“We’re on it,” Cash says. “Trust us.”
After Levi’s gone, we shut the window and head down to the meeting. It’s a shitshow as usual, but at least we’ve got a plan now to improve Sebastian’s mood.