Brothers of Paradise Series

“God, I was trying so hard to be alternative.”

“Yes,” he says, and hands me the remote. With his free hand he shifts my legs so they lie over his. “But now you can just be you.”

PARKER

It’s been three days since the conversation in Jamie’s house, on that couch, and I haven’t forgotten a single word she said. Nor how she looked when she said them. She’d turned inward, like a house shutting up for winter. It wasn’t natural. Not for Jamie.

Not for the teenager who was afraid of nothing, and not for the woman who’d splashed me in the ocean just a week ago. Who had grown into her workouts in an impressively short period of time. The woman who is a brilliant mother to the cutest little girl.

I hate her ex.

The hatred is heavy to hold, weighing me down in bed at night. I picture him in my head, though I have no idea what he looks like, and conjure up scenario after scenario. Things he must have said to Jamie. The worst of my musings are the two of them in bed, and the comments he might have made, until I have to throw the cover back and stalk around.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Last night it had resulted in little to no sleep, and my mouth is tight when I park the Jeep outside the yacht club. I wonder what made her leave. I wonder if Emma misses him. I wonder about a lot of things that I have no answer to, and no chance to learn, not until Jamie is ready.

The restaurant is in full swing when I step inside, preparing for lunch, and I duck into the back office right away. The new website Jamie created has been a roaring success and I’m tentatively putting in larger orders for the caps, T-shirts and mugs. But when I arrive at my desk, there’s something waiting for me.

Something that’s lying on my laptop.

It’s a large, lightly cracked chocolate chip cookie. It has M&M’s in it that look an awful lot like the rainbow sprinkles I’d gotten Emma at the gelato shop.

Next to it is a scribbled note, written on a ripped-off piece of legal pad. Captain, thank you for being so understanding. Emma and I baked yesterday. Enjoy!

I look at the cookie for a long moment before I take a bite. A bit salty, and too dry, and perhaps the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten.

Jamie’s working today, and seeing her is the best kind of torture, walking through the restaurant in her uniform. Every now and then she’ll send me a look over her shoulder that slays me. It’s the kind of look a man would go to the ends of the Earth for. It says hello, and I like you, and you and I are an item… but no one here knows. It’s a look that promises kisses in the dark.

Jamie passes by my office half an hour later and only stops long enough to give me a wink before dancing off toward the restaurant. The gesture makes me grin.

Time, I’d told her. I’d promised to give her all the time in the world, and I meant it, but by God I hoped we wouldn’t need it.

It’s past lunch when I hear a familiar tapping on the door. “What now?” I ask. “Another cookie?”

Jamie rolls her eyes, so like her old self, and smiles. “No, your brother and his girlfriend are here.”

“My brother?” I say. “Do you mean Henry? Faye’s his wife, but they’re not meant to get back until next Friday for the White Party.”

She shakes her head. “Rhys.”

“Rhys is here?”

“Yes,” Jamie says, smile widening. “Last time I checked he was still your brother.”

My grin widens. “Sassy,” I say, and get up to follow her. “Thanks for the cookie, by the way. I loved it.”

She smiles at me over her shoulder, and fucking hell, there’s that look again. We have a secret, it says, and I like you, and I imagine her giving it to me in bed. “Ahoy, Captain,” she says.

I press a hand over my chest and groan. “You kill me.”

Jamie chuckles and leads the way to the restaurant. And, lo and behold, my older brother is there. Rhys is leaning against the wall and flicking through the contents of his DSLR camera. Next to him is Ivy, her light blonde hair in a casual ponytail, looking down at the screen with him.

“That one,” she says. “You have to include it.”

“The light could be better,” he says. Then he notices me and lowers the camera, a familiar half-smile on his face. “Hello, little brother.”

I pull him in for a hug. “Only Lily is allowed to be called the little sibling.”

“That’s for older siblings to decide.”

“Hi, Parker,” Ivy says and hugs me too. She smells sweet, cloyingly so, and I can’t stop the cough that escapes me.

She gives an apologetic smile. “Sorry. It’s this perfume brand I’m working with. They want me to endorse them, but I wanted to test the scents first.”

“They’re god-awful,” Rhys says.

Ivy gives a happy little shrug. “Well, I won’t write that back in the email to them, but… yeah, they’re not good. This one is called Spiced Honey, and now I’m stuck wearing it all day.”

“I don’t get your job at all,” I say honestly.

Ivy laughs. “Most days I don’t either!”

I take a step back and gesture toward Jamie. “Rhys, look who’s back in town.”

My brother looks at her for a long moment. “Jamie Moraine?”

“Yes. It’s nice to see you, Rhys.”

“It’s been a long time,” he says. “Ivy, Jamie went to school with us. She was Lily’s best friend.”

Was. I doubt it was deliberate, just as I doubt Jamie missed it. Ivy introduces herself with a bright smile. “It’s a pleasure,” she says. “You work with Parker?”

“Um, yeah. I’m a waitress here.”

“She’s also overhauled the website, designed the graphics for the new menu. See that?” I say, pointing to the cabinet in the entryway. It has a stack of the new caps inside, resting artfully on top of coiled rope. “Jamie’s idea. We sell them now.”

Ivy looks inside the cabinet. “These are so cute! I want to get one of these.”

Rhys is still looking at Jamie. He must have heard some of it from Lily, but I don’t know how much. The two of them always stay in contact when he’s abroad. “How long have you been back?” he asks.

“Two months, now, I think. Give or take,” Jamie says. “Your brother was kind enough to give me a job.”

“That’s all lies,” I say. “I didn’t have a clue she worked here until I saw her in the restaurant.”

Rhys snorts. “Doesn’t surprise me. He’s never been particularly observant.”

“More lies,” I say. “Did you come to town just to insult me?”

“Oh, you know that’s just a bonus.” He lifts his camera up. “I came to do you a favor.”