“The burgers are excellent. Pity it’s out of my way.” I turned around and licked my lips when I realized we were only inches apart.
“I’ll lure you back here,” he said confidently.
“How?”
“Do you really want to know, or rather I surprise you?”
“Hmm... now that you mention it, I do like surprises.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. We’ll see each other soon, Heather. One way or another.”
I was caught up in his flirting game again. How had that happened? Thursday, I thought a little flirting couldn’t do any damage, but now I was wondering if I hadn’t started something I couldn’t stop.
He smiled, winking at me before I left. My stomach flipped a few times. I pressed my palm against it, but all that accomplished was to make me aware of how erratic my pulse was. Yeah, I’d definitely started something I had no idea how to stop... or if I even wanted to.
Chapter Six
Ryker
I intended to talk to Owen, a fellow fund director, first thing the next morning, but he was out of the office until later in the day. At noon, I met with my siblings and my cousin Hunter for lunch.
We had “working” lunches once or twice a week. It was the perfect opportunity to catch up. All our offices were located in Manhattan. My brother Cole worked with my cousin, Hunter. They ran one of the most successful real estate development companies around.
A few years back, we’d started having work lunches because it was the only time we had to talk about our joint charity project, the Ballroom Galas.
The gala season ran from September to June, and we had events periodically. There wasn’t a set number of galas—it depended on how many projects we were donating to and how much each event raised. The March ball was approaching fast.
We called these meetings family councils because the galas were a family affair, and we took great pride in it. Tess, Skye, and I were in charge of the organization, Cole and Hunter brought in the donors. I couldn’t invite clients, because that would be a conflict of interest.
In the beginning, it had been a hell of a lot of work setting everything up, but now it ran like a well-oiled machine, which meant that our family councils were actually catching up time.
Cole and Hunter were already in the meeting room we always met in when I arrived, sitting on opposite sides of the rectangular glass table. I decided to sit next to my brother.
“Where is Josie?” I asked Hunter.
“She’s got another meeting and couldn’t make it.”
“Ah, the perils of being a successful lawyer,” I said.
My sisters came in just after me, dropping into chairs on either side of Hunter.
“The delivery app says our food will be here in fifteen minutes,” Tess said. “In the meantime... who has news?”
“Or even just juicy gossip would do,” Skye added. I considered mentioning Heather, then immediately decided not to. I wasn’t ready for everyone to chime in with their opinions.
I schooled my features to appear neutral and shrugged. “Nothing on my front.”
Skye pouted. “Come on. Tess and I could use some distraction.”
My thoughts went to Heather again. Did she have family here? It didn’t seem that was the case from the way she spoke.
“Why don’t we focus on the upcoming gala?” I said. It was just one week away.
“Because everything is ready. There’s no open issue.” Tess grinned. She was onto me.
Cole cocked a brow. “You keeping secrets, Ryker?”
Hunter grimaced. “Don’t do that. Didn’t work too well for me and Josie.”
I had no clue why I thought my subject change would go unnoticed.
Skye was the only one who wasn’t pouncing on me.
“You’re definitely keeping secrets,” she said after a few seconds, flashing me a shit-eating grin.
“Girls, why so mistrusting?” I grinned, looking between the two of them.
“I don’t know... something in the way you’re trying to shift focus from yourself. You usually do the opposite,” Skye said.
Cole nodded. “She has a point.”
Our food delivery arrived just then, and we all dug in. We had a mix of the best New York had to offer, at least from what was in a five-block radius: pizza with goat cheese, burgers with onion rings and jalapenos, as well as kale salad and sweet potato fries.
I was suspicious that no one pressed the issue while we ate, but when I rose from the table, about to leave, Tess asked, “See you on Monday?”
“Yes.”
We had a no-secrets policy in the family, and this was the first time I wasn’t honoring it. I had a hunch that was going to change the upcoming Monday. I’d missed the last one because I went to the repair shop with Heather.
After lunch, I headed straight back to the fund. Cole called me on the way.
“Forgot to ask, want to go have drinks tonight? I can be your wingman,” he said.
“Ha! Name one instance when you were my wingman. More like the other way round.”
“Happy to prove you wrong tonight.”
I grinned. We always gave each other shit about this. But I wasn’t up to going out tonight. The thought of picking up a stranger held zero appeal.
“Nah, not in the mood,” I replied.
Cole was silent for a beat. “Damn. I’m having a real déjà vu right now.”
“To what?”
“Hunter refusing to go out and then breaking out of the bachelor pack.”
I chuckled. “What are you, channeling our sisters right now?”
“I’m a quick learner. Putting two and two together.”
“Cole... don’t you have a real estate empire to run?”
“I can always find time to annoy you.”
“Glad to know, but I’ve arrived at the fund, and I have no time to be annoyed right now.”
“No problem. We’ll pick up later.”
“I’m sure we will.”
Grinning, I disconnected the call before entering the fund building. I’d started as an intern and climbed the ladder ever since. I spent so much time here that it should feel like a second home by now, but I was still not used to the marble floors and granite counters of the reception area, nor the mahogany desks and leather chairs. It was all over-the-top, but our clients were heavy hitters. They needed to feel at ease.
In my free time, I was a guy with a guitar, singing for his own amusement. At work, things were different. As an analyst, I’d been one of the most sought-after on Wall Street, which was why I’d shot up the ranks to director before I’d even hit thirty. I brought in heavy-hitting clients, making the company money and earning exorbitant bonuses.
The receptionist told me Owen was back, so I headed straight to his office. He worked closely with the PR team, trying to put out the scandal.
I’d prepared a convincing pitch for Heather, because I wanted her to get this gig. I’d seen the way she’d shrunk into herself when she mentioned the rent issue, and fuck if I’d allow it.
A little voice at the back of my mind told me that Heather should be off-limits. She was a single mom, and I was the opposite of what she needed.
But ignoring that voice was far too easy.