Call You Mine (The Baker’s Creek Billionaire Brothers #4) - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,20

liar.”

Oh, yes, Henry. I’m one of the best liars in the world. I trained for that. If only you knew.

I check the time. “I’m meeting the guys in Happy Springs. We’re going down to Portland. I’ll be back around one, maybe two in the morning.”

“No!” Vance’s voice booms throughout the kitchen.

Everyone jumps. I give him a lazy glance. “Come on, Dad. I promise not to break curfew.”

“He’s right, kid,” Pierce, who always has to follow the fucking rules, sides with him.

These assholes are so fucking predictable. I’m getting bored. I need a challenge.

“Fine,” I groan. “If you can’t trust me, it’s all the same. The music store opens at nine. Maybe I can leave for Portland at seven tomorrow morning if Vance allows it.”

“You’re a fucking pain in the ass!”

I take the warm tortillas out of the oven, plate the meat on a platter, and put everything on the table.

“Ready. Make sure to go easy on the tomatillo salsa. It’s hot. The red one is mild. The guacamole doesn’t have any jalapeno. We don’t want Blaire to have acid reflux.”

“Have I ever told you that you’re my favorite, kid?” She kisses my cheek.

I grin and wave at them. When I reach the door, Hayes asks, “Aren’t you going to have dinner with us?”

I shake my head. “Nope, I’m going to have dinner with the guys. I’ll be back within an hour or so.”

It doesn’t take me long to drive to the cabin I own. It’s between Happy Springs and Baker’s Creek, near the river. The guys are already there waiting for me. I exchange cars. One of the rookies from The Organization is with them—the decoy we use so no one notices my absence. He’s about my height. Slightly skinnier, but he can pass as me. No one has noticed my absence while I’m in Seattle. We have a routine that’s worked so far.

The timing on when to leave the mansion tomorrow morning is key. Pierce and Leyla wake up early to feed the animals. Aren’t I lucky that the guys are trained to be invisible?

Tomorrow, one of my brothers will be pissed that I didn’t sleep in the house. They’ll bitch that I’m putting everyone in jeopardy. I’ll argue that they are wrong. They have no proof. It’s my word against theirs.

See, Dad. You can’t dictate my life. You lost the right when you abandoned me.

Chapter Nine

Grace

My phone rings just as I’m about to leave the house. It’s Beacon.

“Yeah?” I answer, closing my eyes and waiting for him to psych me about tonight.

I’m still unsure what’s happening. Either I have a blind date, surveillance, or…God knows what my brother planned.

Seth said, “Dress nicely. Imagine the most romantic date of your life. Just make sure to leave your knives behind.”

He didn’t let me ask for any more information. It’s not a surprise party because there’s a family reunion at my parents’ tomorrow. Everyone I know is going to be there.

“Ready for tonight?”

“Yep.” That word doesn’t even make sense. I could say yes or no. Something more specific, but I don’t want to say anything out loud. I am tired of the nonsense. I should get a break since tomorrow is my birthday.

“You don’t sound excited.”

“I’m skeptical,” I respond. “Seth was too cagey about it. He might just be playing some stupid prank—or giving me the blind date from hell.”

Beac snorts.

“Do you know what’s happening?”

“I have an idea,” he responds. “Are you ready?”

Before I have time to answer, there’s a knock coming from the backyard’s glass door. When I turn around, I see Beacon on the other side with a big grin. When I slide the door open, I jump into his arms.

“It’s you.”

“Happy Birthday!”

“You’re here.” I hug him tight because I was already dreading my birthday without him.

Plus, it’s been a couple of weeks since the last time I saw him. I’m helping Seth with the Bryant case in Denver. I don’t have much time to fly to Seattle—much less to go to Baker’s Creek to visit Beacon.

“I wouldn’t miss your big day,” he assures me. Before I can remind him that my birthday is tomorrow, he says, “You have me up until tomorrow at three when Seth has to fly me back to Portland.”

When I look toward his backyard, I realize the deck is illuminated. The patio table is set too. There are streamers, a banner that says Happy Birthday, and balloons.

“How did you manage all that?”

“Your brothers,” he answers. “I’m cashing in all the favors they owe me.