“Name it.” She poured them both a coffee, and placed one in front of him.
“I want to know what is going on between you and Pixie. No bullshit. No lies.”
She tensed up, licking her lips, and averting her gaze, which he found interesting.
When she went to open her mouth, he held his hand up. “I’d think twice about lying to me. It’s one of the many things I can’t stand.”
“I don’t really know what to say.”
“The truth.”
Suzy let out a breath. “We, um, I don’t know if you’d call it seeing each other, or not.”
“Are you dating?” How old was he? God, he felt like Pixie’s damn father rather than his brother.
“No. We haven’t been on any dates. We connected.” She rubbed at her temple. “I don’t feel comfortable telling you without Pixie being here.”
“Something has happened.”
“We slept together,” Suzy said. “It was supposed to be one time, and it hasn’t stayed one time.”
“How long?”
Her gaze went past his shoulder, and he saw her working it out. “Nearly a year, I think.”
“You’re not pregnant.”
“No, of course not. We’re careful, and wear protection.”
James smiled. “I wouldn’t mind having a little nephew running around.”
Suzy paled. “I don’t want to have any kids.”
“You don’t?”
“Not yet, not now, and I don’t think Pixie is the kind of guy you rely on for that.”
“Wow, I think you underestimate Pixie.”
“He passes responsibility on faster than anyone I know,” Suzy said. James couldn’t argue with that. “I appreciate you coming and all. Offering me a job.”
“And you’ve got it.”
“Pixie and I, we didn’t want to tell anyone. Nothing is really going on. I mean, when he gets bored I’m sure he’ll move on, and I don’t want people looking at me with pity in their eyes.”
“They won’t.”
“They will. I’ve seen what happened with Leo and Paul. I don’t want to have to deal with that, or I will leave, for sure.”
He chuckled. “Then I won’t say anything. I’ll mention that I know to Pixie though. I don’t like lying to my brother.”
“He doesn’t seem to like lying either. It’s always easier for him to avoid the truth.”
James finished his coffee, enjoying talking to her. “I better head out. You start tomorrow, and I’ll take you on a tour. Pixie will probably be there to assist.”
“He likes to be hands on, doesn’t he?” she said, then blushed.
“I’m not that intimately connected to my brother, Suzy. I’ll take your word for it.”