Crave (His Second Chance with Heiress Bryn Christmas Duet #1) - Z.L. Arkadie Page 0,38

disappointed.

I cringed, praying Alana would use her impeccable communication skills to not make Jamison feel like the cruddy jerk who I’d probably made him out to be.

“Not in a bad way either. Just in a realistic way,” Alana said, and I held in a sigh of relief. “And by the way, Bryn, Alex has a new girlfriend named Mia.”

“Here we go,” Alex said. I pictured him rolling his eyes.

“And Mia doesn’t like to pick up her dog’s poop because she says it’s biodegradable and good for the earth. In New York City, the earth is concrete. She’s gotta know that, right?”

“I picked it up, okay?” Alex groused.

“But it wasn’t your dog. It’s her dog. Her poop.”

“But I picked it up.”

“That’s not the point, Alex. When you’re not around to pick up her dog poop, she’s letting her dog drop a deuce and leaving it on the sidewalk for someone to step in. I mean, like, who the hell does that? And you know what? We were supposed to walk our dogs with you and me, not with you, me, and her. And she talks too much. And her dog wants to eat Lilly. She’s like a little woman with a big ol’ pit bull. What’s that about, Bryn? Daddy issues, right? Serious, fucking… her dad wanted a boy. Daddy issues.”

Alex remained silent. I looked at Jamison with wide eyes. His wink told me he wasn’t made uncomfortable by their bickering. I wanted to explain that it was normal for Alex and Alana to bicker that way. They were close. I’d always known they were attracted to each other, but Alex was from a small town in Ohio and Alana had grown up in Queens. I knew for a fact that he considered her one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen, with her swan’s neck, heart-shaped face, pouty lips, and mysterious eyes, but her rough edges intimidated him.

Alana had commented several times that Alex was good-looking, too, but soft. I’d seen several of her boyfriends, and none of them ever seemed tougher or manlier than Alex. So I had no idea what in the hell she meant by soft. I’d asked her once, and she blew me off, saying, “It’s unexplainable. He just is.”

Finally, Alex sighed. He usually took his time to come up with the right response for Alana. “Then I won’t bring her anymore. But just don’t bring what’s his face to happy hour anymore.”

“Who’s what’s his face?” Alana snapped.

“I don’t know his fucking name, but he’s too loud.”

“Rain?”

“Maybe. That’s it. And who names their kid Rain?”

“Deal,” Alana said. “No Mia from you. No Rain from me.”

“Deal.”

Awkward silence lingered until Jamison asked if either of them had ever been to Vail. Alex had, Alana hadn’t, and Jamison and Alex shared their favorite ski spots in Colorado.

The restaurant looked like a Western lodge, with wooden walls, tacky old-West artwork, and no windows. Regardless of the unsightly decor, the restaurant was full. Conversation flowed easily during dinner, especially after Jamison asked each of my assistants what their first impression of me was.

“At first, I thought, Shit, I might be bi? Bryn’s got this Fuck me, please thing about her. Like, she’s too hot to not crave. But now, screwing her would be like incest.” She thumbed over at Alex beside her. “But Alex over here has had a crush on the boss from day one.”

Alex grimaced at Alana. “Have you been day drinking again or something?”

She glanced at Jamison, embarrassed. “I don’t day drink, and you know it.”

“Then stop talking like you’re smashed or something.” Alex leaned toward me, waving his hand. “That’s not true, Bryn. I’ve always had the utmost respect for you. Sure, you’re beautiful. Any guy with eyes can see that. But that’s it.” He looked back at Alana. “Plus, she’s down-to-earth. That’s her best quality besides being wise—too wise for a dope like me.”

Alana raised a finger. “I second that. I didn’t even know she was a Christmas until one of our clients mentioned it.” Then she patted Alex on the back. “And, dude, you’re not a dope. You’re soft but not a dope.”

Alex shook his hands in frustration. “You keep saying that. What in the hell does that mean?”

“I’m ready to hear that answer as well,” I said.

After setting her gaze on me, Jamison, and then Alex, Alana huffed. “He doesn’t go for the hard kill. He goes for the soft ones like Mia.”

Alana and Alex maintained firm eye contact for a few seconds,