10 Signs You Need to Grovel (Bower Boys) by Kelly Siskind

Author:Kelly Siskind [Siskind, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Montlake
Published: 2023-01-30T13:00:00+00:00

EIGHTEEN

I’m exhausted from little sleep but also pumped full of optimism. I’m excited to tell Sadie about Duke and see Max outside of the hikes, something we’ll hopefully do more often after I confess who I am Monday. I probably should’ve called, told Sadie I’m stopping by, but it was early and I was on the buzzed side of eager.

So here I am, driving down her street, checking the house numbers, my heart knocking a nervous beat. When I spot number thirty-seven—a blue Victorian home with white trim—on this quiet residential street, I’m seriously moved.

Sadie did this. Earned a living on her own. Fostered a beautiful relationship with her grandmother and used her inheritance to build this picture-perfect life.

Except.

Is that . . . ?

Sadie didn’t mention that Joseph was still in town, but that’s definitely his muddy truck parked on the street. Or maybe he came back so they could plan for that video meeting with Sarah Lim next week.

I park across from his truck and squeeze my steering wheel, practically crushing it. For coworkers who run an online business, he demands an awful lot of face time. I know seeing art in person is different than looking at images online, but is it really necessary?

He comes out of the front door, and I duck. He has an overnight bag in hand, as well as a large tube slung over his shoulder, likely filled with rolled artwork. The door closes before I glimpse Sadie, and I sink lower. Except screw that. I have no reason to hide. There’s no one else on the street. If Joseph has his sights set on Sadie, it’s time he learns he has competition.

I hop out of my ozone-depleting Camaro and slam the door. He glances at me but doesn’t seem to recognize me from when he picked Sadie up at the hike. Must be the missing yellow gym-bro shirt. I opted for a threadbare gray V-neck tee today. It shows off my harder lines without suctioning to my chest. While I’m not as handsome as this guy, with his strong cheekbones and model lips, I’m taller and thicker and am happy to flex my arms as I lift my sunglasses on top of my head.

I nod to him. “You work with Sadie, right?”

He closes his trunk and studies me. “You’re the witness protection ex, right?”

Okay, then. If Sadie gave him that background, the pair must be close. “I am.” I cross my arms, giving him a prominent view of my biceps. “I thought you left.”

“I did. Then I came back. There’s been some ongoing work, and I hate online chats. Plus it’s always great to see Sadie and Max. You have a fantastic kid.”

Now I have to add nice to Joseph’s list of attributes. “I do, thanks to Sadie.”

He leans on his car and crosses his arms too. Unlike me, his stance doesn’t read like Big Man Posturing. More like he’s settling in for a friendly catch-up chat. “She’s an amazing woman. Smart and kind.

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