from her beautiful eyes. I’m just about to step into The Sloppy Pelican when my phone rings. It’s Teagan, so of course I pick up. After Emilia passed, I never let a call slide from either Teagan or Shep. You learn to value family—especially when pieces of it are stripped from you.
“What’s up, kiddo?” I head over to the old oak barrels set out near the valet parking that most people utilize for selfies. That and the pelican himself seated on the roof are the two fan faves when it comes to social media.
“Dad just came out of a meeting with someone named Abby Wilcock.”
“Wilcox.” I cringe at my sister’s innocent mistake. Pretty much anything of a sexual nature has me cringing when it comes to my baby sister. “She’s a—friend.” It’s probably best my dad see her as an acquaintance of mine rather than an employee. If I want to off this girl to Collins Enterprises, I need to market the crap out of her. I know for a fact Abby gets under Lex’s skin. And knowing that Abby has sent out a proposition my way more than once makes me that much more eager to give her the boot. I would have fired her if I didn’t think she were an opportunist who didn’t find a sexual harassment lawsuit against her employer something beneath her.
“Dad wants to know if she’s a nutcase or if he should give her the keys to the kingdom.” I can practically see her sneering as she says it, and it strangely warms me. Teagan is still the cute little girl in pigtails in my mind’s eye, so listening to her strain my father’s eloquent speech through a childlike sieve makes me want to chuckle.
“Give her the keys.” My father has spent the last year snapping up prospective entrepreneurial pursuits, and I’m guessing Abby has concocted one herself. “I’m sure whatever Abby presented him with is solid.” Aside from being a tad too flirtatious she’s got a good head on her shoulders and a degree to back it up.
“You sure?” Teagan balks at the idea. “The girl looks like a serious ditz.”
“She’s not. She’s a great person. Dad will be lucky to have her.” A brief visual of Abby linked arm in arm with my father flits through my mind. Crap. That’s the last developmental deal I want him to close with her. “I’m sure they’ll work great together.”
“Whatevs. Tell Lex I said hi. I’m emailing her a few last minute changes. Oh, and if you’re wondering what to get me for my official Freedom Fest, give yourself a night off next Friday. There’s no way I want you around my friends and me. No offense, but having an overprotective big brother breathing down my neck will sort of cramp my style with the boys.”
A laugh rumbles from me. “That won’t be a problem. Lex specializes in all-girl events. In fact, she’s working on a big no boys allowed sign as we speak.”
“Very funny. I’m hanging up now. Love you!” And she does just that, hangs up.
The Sloppy Pelican is the last place I want to be with Lex tonight, but as fate and my lousy scheduling would have it, The Sloppy Pelican demands our presence. There simply isn’t anyone to cover Lex’s shift. Abby called in and that stretched my already skeleton crew to beyond the grave. So here we are. Lex in that short skirt, that blouse that highlights her curves, those high heels that make her legs look as if they go on forever.
A hand swats me over the chest, and I look over to find Brody crossing his arms.
“You’re drooling.”
“You would be too if you spent half a minute staring at her. But don’t or I’ll have to beat you into tomorrow.”
“Funny,” he grunts, giving a sullen glance around. “Man, I miss this place.”
“It doesn’t miss you.” I bounce a dry smile on my lips. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in a corner somewhere counting beans?”
He groans as he folds his arms over his chest. “I’m all numbered out. It’s time to outsource this crap. Hire a real accountant. Hell, hire an entire fleet of them. I’m tapped. I can’t make heads or tails out of anything. Just when I think I’m getting somewhere the asshole telling me what to do shoves it back in my face. It’s an exercise in futility. I’m done. I’m back. You can walk right out. I’ve got this, dude.