Warnings and Wildfires

He lifts his chin and gives me a cocky smirk. “Thank you, darlin’.”

Rolling my eyes, I return my attention to the photo gallery. “These would be great promotion for the gym and Sully’s self-defense classes.”

“I keep telling him that. He doesn’t want to be a sell-out.”

My head’s spinning with ideas. And wondering if I could turn this into my Business Communications project that’s due at the end of the semester.

“What’s so exciting over here?” Sully asks, slipping an arm around my waist, effectively bumping his brother back a few steps.

“Jake was telling me about your modeling career.”

Sully shoots a dirty look at Jake. “Can’t you keep your mouth shut?”

“What? She found them on her own. Thought she might appreciate some context to all the shirtless photos.”

“Sully,” I say, resting my hand on his arm to draw his attention away from Jake. “These are great. I think you could do a lot with them to promote the gym.”

He’s shaking his head before I even finish the sentence. “Not you too.”

While his mouth is busy protesting, I swear I see a hint of interest glimmering in his deep brown eyes, so I decide to go in for the kill.

“You need more of a social media presence. These are definitely attention-grabbing.” I rub my hands together really warming up to the idea and all the possibilities. “We could do a series of short videos. Maybe once a week where you teach a quick self-defense move. Something to entice people to sign up for your classes. Or maybe—”

“Ease up there, Aubrey,” Sully says, touching his fingers to my lips.

Before he says anything, Jake pipes up. “You don’t want to whore out your man for new customers. I’d make a better face for the business anyway.”

“It’s not ‘whoring him out,’ it’s introducing him to potential customers,” I argue.

“But I’m the better-looking brother,” Jake insists.

“Debatable.” I add an eye roll which makes both brothers laugh.

Sully turns serious again and focuses his penetrating stare on me. “You’re excited about this idea, aren’t you?”

“I think it could be helpful.” I glance down, willing Jake to go away so I can talk to Sully in private.

“Give us a minute, Jake,” Sully says as if he’d read my mind.

“I have an ulterior motive,” I say once Jake’s out of hearing range.

Sully raises an eyebrow, inviting me to explain.

“I really do think it could benefit Strike Back. Plus, I’ve been struggling to come up with a project for my Business Communications class and this could be it.”

That must not be what Sully expected, because he stares at me for a few seconds without saying anything. “You feel that strongly about it? To risk your grade?”

“I don’t think it’s a risk at all.”

He nods slowly. “Okay. Whatever you need.”

“Yeah? You trust me?”

“Absolutely.”

I can’t help it, I’m so excited, I clap my hands and jump around in a little circle. “This is going to be great. I promise.”

“You got him to say yes?” Jake asks. Not waiting for my answer, he smacks Sully’s shoulder. “I’ve been nagging you to join the rest of the world in the twenty-first century forever. Suddenly a pretty girl asks and you’re all for it?”

“Looks like it,” Sully answers without taking his eyes off me.

I probably should’ve been more cautious when I told Aubrey I’d do whatever she needed to get her project off the ground. Because once I give her the green light, she’s relentless.

After I say yes, she’s on the phone with Trinity, securing a handful of photos to use on the website I’ve neglected for years. And by the time Aubrey leaves for her afternoon classes, she has an Instagram account with a week’s worth of scheduled posts ready to go.

By midweek, she has me agreeing to shoot five short video sessions to post to the YouTube account she apparently also set up at some point. I’m impressed and charmed by her enthusiasm. While I’ve been stuck figuring out the nitty-gritty details of running the business since the beginning, she has a really unique way of envisioning the bigger picture.

Jake seems equally bewitched. Probably because she talked him into doing his own series of videos.

“This is a lot more work than it seemed,” Jake grumbles as Aubrey directs him in the rearranging of equipment.

I have to smother my laughter. “But you’ve been asking me to do this for years,” I mock him with his own words and barely keep the grin off my face. “Welcome to the twenty-first century, little brother.”

“Yeah well, I follow lots of those fitness channels. Figured any idiot can post some clips and make some money. But more work than I realized goes into those little five or ten-minute segments.”

My brother can be a lot of things, pain in my ass, troublemaker, lady-charmer, but he’s not lazy. So his complaints only emphasize how much work Aubrey’s putting into this project.

A project to grow my business. Yes, she also secured her professor’s approval to use it for her project, but ultimately it will have long-term benefits for Strike Back. Which means a lot to me.

Watching the two of them bicker back and forth, but Jake ultimately doing whatever Aubrey asks him to do, is its own form of entertainment. For me anyway.

“Hey, come here,” I say when she sends Jake out on a break.

Her gaze darts around as she approaches. “Is this okay? I’m sorry I took over this room, but it has the best light—”

“Stop,” I say, cutting her off. “I wanted to say thank you.”

Pink spreads over her cheeks. “I haven’t really done anything yet.”

“You’ve done more in a couple days than I’ve managed to do in a few years. I’m blown away. And I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You know, it’s occurred to me that I haven’t taken you out on a proper date.”

She raises an eyebrow. “The Castle doesn’t count as a date?”

“No.” I wrap my arms around her a little tighter. “You’re not going back there, are you?”

“I have the feeling Griff won’t extend another offer any time soon. He’s too afraid of you.”

“What makes you say that?”

She ducks her head and laughs softly. “He came to visit me at the coffee shop the day after. Said it was out of respect for you, but I know fear when I see it.”

She’s teasing, but I’m too concerned about why Griff’s visiting her at her other job to laugh. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Honestly? I haven’t thought about it since.” She pokes me in the stomach. “I seem to forget about everyone else when I’m around you.”

I wrap my hand around hers, lifting it to my mouth to kiss her fingertips. “I can work with that.”

“Figured.” She tips her head back. “So when and where for this date?”

“This—oh, shit. I have Madison this weekend.” I’ve never forgotten one of my daughter’s visits before and I can’t say I’m feeling too good about that right now.

“Okay,” Aubrey says without hesitation. “Next weekend.” She reaches up and kisses my cheek.

“Break it up!” Jake hollers. “Let’s finish this, Aubrey,” he says.

She glances over at him and collapses into a fit of giggles. “Did you oil yourself up?”

“No,” he answers evenly. “It’s sweat. I banged out some push-ups in the parking lot.”

She shakes her head and points to the tripod holding her camera. “You’re supposed to save it for the camera.”

“Putting on a shirt wouldn’t hurt either,” I mention.

I should’ve kept my mouth shut because Jake uses it as an opportunity to show off even more. “Bro, we know you got the genes. If you work a little harder, you can look as good as your little brother.”

Unimpressed, Aubrey ro

lls her eyes. “Less yapping, more working,” she scolds.

Convinced she can handle him, I excuse myself to make a phone call.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The week seems to be ending a whole lot better than it began. I’ve made significant progress growing Strike Back’s online presence. Jake started teasingly calling me the gym’s Social Media Manager, which I have to admit I secretly love. I’m not positive I’ve earned the title yet, but I plan to.

“Can we talk?” Sully asks, shutting his office door behind him.

“Sure.” I’ve been trying to keep things professional between us at work, but I wouldn’t mind if he swept everything off his desk and threw me on top of it for an afternoon quickie.

He runs his knuckles over his chest for a few seconds. I’ve never really seen Sully nervous before. Oh, God, have I made too many changes? Stuck my nose too far in his business? Is he firing me? Or worse, breaking up with me?

“You already know Maddy’s coming to visit this weekend.” He glances at the clock. “I actually have to leave in a few minutes to pick her up from the airport.”