Lighthouse Way (Huckleberry Bay 1)

“Good. We need a place like that in town, too. Anyway, I’ll keep you posted on everything and let you know when I have the paperwork for you to sign.”

“Appreciate it, man.” I wave at him and get into my car, shooting an email to my financial guys, alerting them of the purchase of the garage. Before I can pull out of the small parking lot, I get a text from Apollo.

Apollo: You home?

Me: Headed there now.

Apollo: I’ll meet you there.

Ten minutes later, I pull into my driveway and see Apollo sitting on the rickety front steps, waiting for me. He stands when I get out of the car and walks toward me.

“What’s up?” I ask the other man.

“Listen, this is going to be awkward, okay?” He looks…frustrated. Not angry, not scared, but frustrated.

I narrow my eyes and lean back on the car, shoving my hands in my pockets.

“Okay.”

“I know she’s an adult and can take care of herself. Hell, she’s one of the strongest people I know.” He starts to pace in front of the porch, and I watch him for a moment before replying.

“I assume we’re talking about your sister?”

He rubs the back of his neck in agitation. “Of course, we’re talking about my sister. I saw you holding her hand and the way you look at her.”

“How do I look at her?” I’m more than intrigued now. I do believe we’re having the protective-older-brother talk.

Fascinating.

“Like you want to eat her alive,” he says and shakes his head, muttering as he walks away from me.

“Well, that’s an accurate assumption.”

He fists his hands and firms his chin as he walks back my way. “Maybe this won’t be awkward, after all. I know your reputation, Wolfe. You always have a different woman draped on your arm. You’re used to women who know the score. Whose only ambition is to snag the attention of a rich driver like you. That’s not who my sister is.”

He’s not wrong, so I calmly nod in agreement. “No, that’s not who she is. And thank Christ for it. Because if she were that person, I wouldn’t be the least bit interested in her.”

“I don’t want you to play with her while you’re here and then toss her aside when you’re done with both Luna and this town.”

“Okay.” I blow out a breath and stare at the other man. “I’m not going to punch you for that, but I want it noted that I want to.”

He simply raises his eyebrows, not intimidated by me in the least.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I say at last. “I can’t race. Ever again. So, this is where I’m staying. And as far as your sister is concerned…you’re right, she’s a grown woman. I understand that I just got here and haven’t seen her in more than a decade. I definitely don’t know her anymore. But I took one look at her, and there was just something there. A click. As if something shifted into place. And I’m not going to ignore it. She’s the one thing that makes me feel good in this shitshow of a life. And if she wants to see me, I’ll for damn sure keep seeing her.”

“If you hurt her—”

“You’ll kill me and make it look like an accident?”

He just nods, and I can’t help but smile.

“I haven’t worked out how I feel about her yet—not all the way. But I can tell you this: I’m damn smitten. If anyone’s going to get hurt here, it’ll be me. Because I’m completely taken with her, and I want to see where it goes.”

He sighs. “Yeah, okay. How long has this been going on, anyway?”

“About a day,” I say and watch as he tips his head back and laughs. “I just got here, remember? And, yeah, I get what you said about my reputation. But just remember that not everything is as it seems in photos. I’ve been a jerk, sure, but I didn’t leave a long line of pining women behind me.”

“Good to know.”

Apollo turns and takes in the house, the conversation apparently satisfactorily finished.

“So, what are you going to do with this heap of a house? No offense.”

“None taken, it is a heap. I think I’ll tear it down and start over,” I reply as I step up beside him and examine the house along with him. “But I’m impatient. I really want the garage to be built first so I have a place to store my cars and work on some custom projects.”

Apollo nods slowly. “You could build a nice, big barndominium behind the house and then live in that while the house is being rebuilt.”

I stare at him with a frown. “What the fuck is a barndominium?”

“All the rage,” he says and pulls his phone out of his pocket, tapping the screen. “I did all of the electrical on one about thirty minutes from here this past spring. Here, check it out.”