Jaimie: Fire and Ice (The Wilde Sisters 2)

“Sous chef. Right. In one of those the-house-salad-costs-fifty-bucks watering holes.”

Lissa bit her lip. That wasn’t exactly accurate, but this wasn’t the time to try to explain it.

“Right,” she said briskly. “So the thing is, I got the chance to, uh, to kind of go on location.”

“With a movie crew?”

“Yes. No. It’s complicated. The main thing is… Heck. What did you say? You changed jobs, too?”

Jaimie took a deep breath. “I’m back in accounting.”

“Is that good?”

“It’s very good. I wasn’t cut out to be in real estate.” She hesitated. “And I moved. I’m living in Manhattan.”

“New job, new digs. What kind of apartment? Better than that hole in the wall Emily lived in. No wonder she wouldn’t ever let us see it.”

Jaimie licked her lips. This was the hard part.

“I’m living on Fifty- Seventh and Fifth.”

Lissa chuckled. “Right. And I’m living in Malibu.”

“I’m serious, Liss.” Pause. Breathe. Go for it. “I met somebody.”

“You met—”

“A man. He’s—he’s amazing. He’s wonderful. And—and he asked me to live with him. And I am.”

Silence.

“Liss? Did you hear me?”

“I heard. I’m just trying to figure out what to say. I thought you gave up men after you caught Donny Holloway making out with that redhead under the stands after that football game.”

“Will you please be serious? That was high school. And I didn’t give up men. I just got busy with school, with prepping for the CPA exam, with my career—”

“Who is he?”

“I told you. He’s wonderful. I can’t wait until you meet him. I’m figuring on bringing him with me to Emily’s wedding in, what, two weeks?”

“What does he do?”

“He used to be a soldier.”

Lissa laughed. “The boys will love him.”

“And maybe some kind of, you know, spook. Like Caleb.”

“Maybe?”

“He doesn’t talk about it much.”

“Exactly like Caleb. Our brothers are liable to make him an honorary Wilde.” Lissa’s voice softened. “Are you in love with him, James?”

Jaimie shut her eyes, opened them again.

“Maybe.”