His Temporary Assistant

“Mind yourself.”

“Minded. Sorry, not used to you settled down, since it’s only been a week and all.”

Callahan chose that moment to slide up to us and start pulling my usual Harp. “Did someone say settled, Pres? In a week?”

“We are getting to know each other.” I thanked Callahan for the beer I intended to nurse all night, unlike my brother who already had two empties being taken away and it was just past seven.

“In a settled way,” Dex added. “Can I get another, my man?”

“Of course, if you intend to hang out here tonight.” Callahan tossed back his shock of dark hair, and the studs along the curve of his ear caught the light. “Otherwise, you know you’re reaching your limit.”

“Why am I surrounded by boring bozos?”

Callahan just crossed his beefy arms and waited. Dex knew the rules when it came to the tight ship that Cal ran at Lonegan’s. Dex just liked to bitch about them.

Added to that, Cal was a friend, so he was even more strict with Dex for his own good. Not that he usually crossed the line, but that was the thing with my brother. Occasionally, he tried to shimmy under them as if life was one big hokey-pokey.

“Yeah, I’ll be hanging out with Preston for a while. His woman’s on safari.”

“What?” I had to laugh. My brother was an idiot, but he was amusing.

Sometimes. Especially when I was riding on a Ryan high.

“Should we do your bachelor party tonight for expediency? I heard flights to Vegas are dirt cheap right now.”

Callahan’s brows lifted as he ran his fingers up and down the suspenders he habitually wore with his T-shirts. “Whoa, are you serious, dude? Last I knew you didn’t even date.”

“We aren’t getting married.” I knocked back some of my drink.

I saved the yet for my head.

“He was damn near a virgin. You know how it is the first time you get a taste of—”

I slapped him in the back of the head, and Callahan laughed before moving on to another customer.

“No beer?” Dex sighed, but he didn’t seem to annoyed at having to wait for his next drink.“Seriously, man, did you guys work it out?”

“Working on it.”

“She’s talking to you at least?”

“Yeah. We talked all last night and part of today.” I smiled as I curled my wrist around my glass. “In our way anyway.”

“Jeez, you really are like a teenager in love.” He shook his head. “I’m curious and mystified and a little horrified.”

“Good. Then you’re in the perfect frame of mind to talk business.”

He groaned and dropped back his head. “Didn’t you quit? Aren’t you ever off the clock? And you never told me what the hell happened to Stone.”

“He’s in Fiji.”

“Still?” He held up a hand. “Let me guess. He fell in love in a week too.”

“Actually, I think he did.”

“Man, whatever you guys are taking, do not give me any. I will never settle for the daily special when I can have the whole damn buffet. Yo, Brinkley.” Dex cupped his hands over his mouth as he called down the bar, catching the attention of many of the other patrons with varying results. Some amusement, some interest, some irritation—the usual responses to my brother. “I need lubrication if I gotta talk biz shit with the older bro.”

Five minutes later, he had his beer, and partly against his will, we were discussing the Donnelly case in much more depth than we had previously. We spoke in hushed tones and with many abbreviations so as not to be overheard.