“Never heard of it.”
“It doesn’t exist—yet. Dillon and Oscar bought a bunch of houses out at Lost Lake, old cabins, and they hired me to fix them up. We’re going to rent them out.”
“We?”
“I’m an investor, too.”
“Interesting,” she said. “So what’s the situation?”
“Eight out of ten cabins are now in good shape. The other two will be done by spring. Since now’s about when people start getting sick of the weather and start booking their summer vacations, we need a property manager who’s also good at marketing, who knows the vacation market and who can run a website and deal with people. We need someone we can trust. So...you basically.”
“So Dillon’s going to kill you because you fucked me instead of offering me a job?”
“Right. I was supposed to talk to you about it. I didn’t do that. Now Dillon’s pissed at me because he thinks you won’t take the job because we’re sleeping together. You and me, not me and Dillon.”
“That’s ridiculous. I wouldn’t turn down the job just because you and I are sleeping together,” she said. “And I’m truly flattered that you both think so highly of my skills.”
“So you’ll take the job?”
Joey laughed and kissed him. He was so cute with water dripping off his hair and beard she couldn’t help herself.
“Absolutely not.”
“Worth a shot. But we can keep fucking, right?”
“Absolutely yes.”
9
JOEY HAD HER first sex regret with Chris later that evening while driving to dinner. She regretted not eating something after all the sex she’d had with Chris that afternoon. Nearly seven o’clock and her stomach felt like it was trying to eat itself she was so hungry. Next time she would plan things out better. In the future when picking sex over food, they would take the time to eat after. Had to keep up their strength, after all.
Dillon had asked her to meet him and Oscar at a brewery near his office that evening and she hoped and prayed that it was one of those micro brewpubs that also served food. Lots and lots of food. When she arrived, Dillon and Oscar had already gotten a table. They waved her over and Dillon stood up and embraced her.
“Welcome home,” her big brother said as she fell into the comfort of his arms. “You’ve been gone too long and I hate you.” He felt the same—annoyingly taller than she was. And smelled the same—way too expensive cologne. But the smile on his face was different than the old tight, stressed-out fake smile he used to wear. Tonight’s smile was broad, genuine, happy. And she had a feeling it was all thanks to the man sitting at the table next to him.
“Hawaii is as close to Portland as Portland is to Hawaii,” she said as she pulled out of the hug to smile up at him. “And I hate you, too. Can I meet your fiancé now as I already like him better than you?”
“Jo, this is Oscar, the love of my life until he gets old and wrinkly. Oscar, Joey, my sister, who is currently the bane of my existence. Which is only fair as I was hers for a couple years.”
“Twenty-five years,” she said. “Hi, Oscar. You are way more handsome than Dillon. Are you sure you don’t want to hold out for someone hotter?”
“I heard his sister was taken,” Oscar said as he stood up and dropped his napkin neatly on the table. She couldn’t fault her brother for falling for Oscar. He was over six feet tall, dark-skinned, dark-eyed and wore a suit better than James Bond. “So second best, it is.”
“Oh, I like him,” she said.
“Hands off,” Dillon said. “I mean, after you hug him.”
“My pleasure.” She reached out and hugged her brother’s too-elegant fiancé, and the hug he gave her in return felt like family already. “It’s so wonderful to meet you finally.”
“And you, too.” Oscar let her go and they sunk comfortably into their chairs, friends already. “Dillon said the wedding would only officially be on once we met and I had your approval.”
“Are you nice to him?” she asked, pointing at Dillon.
“His well-being is my number-one priority,” Oscar said.
“What’s your number-two priority?” she asked.
“Food.”