Rogue Beast (The Rourkes #12) - Kylie Gilmore Page 0,6
my cheek. “I gotta go before they call in the audience. Enjoy!”
She heads off, intercepted by my brother Sean halfway. She greets him enthusiastically like he’s just arrived, though he’s probably been here the whole time. That’s just how she is with him. Sean is damn lucky to have a woman who adores him heart and soul the way Josie does.
I’m ready for that big love like they have. If only I could find the right woman. Harper comes to mind as someone with potential. But I know better than to step in as her rebound. Those kinds of relationships never work out. It’s about luck and timing, mostly. Though I secretly wish it were about fate because then it would just happen, and nothing I did, no choice I make, would ever be wrong. Fate would take the wheel and bring me the One. Call me a romantic.
But I have good reason to be. The One is a real thing. I’ve seen it with my parents. My dad could’ve been king, living the high life in a palace on a beautiful island. Instead, he gave up everything to marry “the best woman in the world.” His words, which he often says to her and to anyone who’ll listen. That’s what I’m holding out for. When I know with absolute certainty that I would give anything to be with the best woman in the world for me, that right there is the One.
Sean bounds up the steps to the bleachers and slaps me on the back as he takes the seat next to me. He resembles me with short dark brown hair, a bit of scruff, except he’s got our mom’s blue eyes. “Hey, Beast, heard you met Harper. Lucky you, meeting a star your first time on set.” My older brothers nicknamed me Beast because of my muscles. Sue me for wanting to keep fit. Guess it’s better than my old nickname. Mom called me her teddy bear.
“Yup, lucky me,” I say.
“What’s the matter? Did she blow you off?”
I nearly choke on his choice of words. The attraction was intense. If she hadn’t told me she had a boyfriend, I would’ve sworn she was into me as much as I was into her. “No, we had a nice talk.”
He elbows me. “Nice, huh? That’s Beast code for you’re into her. You like the nice girls.”
“Doesn’t everyone?”
He leans back in his seat. “They’re not bad. You should ask Harper out. She and Josie get along, so we could double date.”
“She has a boyfriend. Well, she did. They just broke up.”
“Perfect. Step in there.”
I give him a sideways look. “Ever hear of rebound?”
“Ever hear of ask her out before the next hot actor comes along to turn her head?” He leans in, speaking in a conspiratorial tone. “This is a different world filled with nonstop beautiful rich people. You gotta move quick.” He would know. He runs the Royal Rourke Foundation US and mostly networks through Josie’s Hollywood connections to raise funds to better the Brooklyn neighborhoods we work in. It’s part of our family business mission to give back by creating parks, playgrounds, and other things to enhance the neighborhood in every development project we take on.
Still, the beautiful rich people angle doesn’t mean much to me. “If that’s what she’s into, then I’m not right for her anyway.” I’m a construction worker, nothing more, nothing less. Though sometimes looking at Sean’s awesome life makes me think about something different for myself. I’ve been working for my family’s construction business since I graduated high school and, lately, I’ve been feeling restless. I like working with my brothers, but I can’t help but think—is this it for me?
But what the hell else would I do with only a high school diploma and no marketable skills beyond tools? I can’t see myself doing what Sean does, networking his ass off to raise money for the charitable arm of our family business. Not that he needs my help. Besides, my family is important to me. Only one of my brothers has ever left the business, and he’ll likely be back. Family sticks together no matter what. My dad drilled that into us. He lost his family through banishment and wanted his new family, us, to stay close. I won’t let him down.
Sean socks me on the shoulder. “When did you get so mature? Aren’t you supposed to be sowing your wild oats?”