NaughtyBoys Galley (2 page)

I dreaded working in that restaurant because the wives of Sam’s colleagues liked to drop by just so they could be snide to me. Normally those bitches would never set foot in the type of restaurant where I was working, but they started coming just because they wanted to see how far the wife of a partner in the firm had sunk.

I found the housekeeper vacancy by accident. A live-in housekeeper sounded like a solution to all my problems. And it was in Bellwood.

Nate covered my hand with his and squeezed gently. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to pry. It’s just we haven’t met in a long time, and I’m dying to know everything about you.”

“Maybe some other time?”

“Yeah. Some other time,” he echoed. “How about I show you to your new quarters?”

“You mean I got the job? Just like that?”

“If your cooking is as good as I remember, then yes, we’d be happy to have you back. It’ll be just like the old times.” Nat clasped his hands in delight, looking excited. “I can’t wait to tell Luke and Jamie about this. They’ll be ecstatic! We’re getting tired of eating Jamie’s horrible food or eating out. Between us, he’s the only one who has the guts to venture beyond a grilled cheese sandwich or macaroni and cheese. Luke can’t cook for shit, and I burn water.”

“Wait, Luke and Jamie live here, too?”

“Unfortunately. Luke joined the Marines after high school, and I got a scholarship to Harvard Law.”

“Harvard Law? That’s amazing.”

“I was actually living in Midtown West for a few years, you know?”

“In Manhattan?”

“I was with Goldman Sachs for a while. Got married for the wrong reasons, then divorced for the right reasons.”

I blinked. “Not you too? Why?”

Nate smiled and patted my shoulder affectionately. “Some other time. Don’t want to ruin this reunion with sappy life stories, do we?”

I couldn’t help but smile.

“Shall we?” He offered his hand. “I’ll give you the grand tour of our ‘Fortress of Solitude.’”

I finished unpacking the last suitcase Nate took out of the Chevy. The horrible weariness weighing on me since I left New York completely evaporated. I guessed because I’d been reunited with dear childhood friends. I felt in good hands, and that small blessing lifted my spirits considerably.

After everything was put away, I scanned my new apartment with bubbling excitement. It had one bedroom, a kitchenette, and a decent sized bathroom with a tub. It was slightly bigger than the place I’d rented while I was waitressing. Nate said the apartment was originally a storage space for his computer equipment. He ran his own security firm from the house, while his four employees manned the Manhattan office.

That explained the high fence and cameras. When the brothers decided to get a live-in housekeeper, they’d added a separate entrance to the apartment for both theirs and the hired help’s privacy. I had a tiny yard and a parking space beyond the window of my kitchen sink. It wasn’t much, but it was more than I was happy to have.

I spent the next two hours unwinding in the bathtub, recovering from the heat. Donning my only clean dress, I proceed to the kitchen to cook dinner. Nate came down to check the commotion.

“Oh. I’m making dinner.” I poked my head out from the refrigerator. “You need to do some grocery shopping, though. Even Martha Stewart can’t make magic supper with only lettuce, ketchup, and a pack of hotdogs.”

Nate chortled. “I was thinking we could go out to eat or something. Besides, it’s Jamie’s turn to shop.”

“I thought you guys were bored of eating out.” I dusted off my hands and undid the apron. “Why don’t I go shopping?”

“But you just got here. I bet you’re tired.”

“I’m fine. I just had a long bath.”

Our conversation was cut short by a scream from the door, and before I knew it, something big, blond, and muscular swept me off my feet. “Miss Leezee!”

Only one person called me that name. Jamie Cody. The last time I saw him, he was a scrawny, hyperactive six-year-old with an imaginary friend named Fred. The Jamie before me was… oh, my… I couldn’t believe my eyes. How could he turn out so handsome?

“You’re killing me, Jamie,” I gasped. His hug was like a boa constrictor.

“Sorry.” He stood towering before me.

“How do you get so tall, too?” I marveled. “And big! You were so skinny when you were little.”

“I worked out,” he answered nonchalantly. Jamie’s eyes were like Nate’s—vivid blue. Jamie leaned toward me. “If you’re thinking ‘where else is he big,’ you guessed it right.” He winked.

Nate punched him on the shoulder. “Don’t mind him. He’s a pervert. Jamie’s the infamous Bellwood horndog.”

“Don’t tell her that.” Jamie shoved his brother. “Nate’s just jealous. He’s a bitter old man. Do you know that his ex ran away with a shriveled old dude? But the bastard is a billionaire. Figure that.”

“Shut up, Jamie.” Nate shoved his younger brother.

“You shut up.”

Watching them like that reminded me of old times. I guessed they hadn’t changed much. Men are just boys with bigger shoes and mustaches.

“Say, Miss Lisiewicz, you look just as puurty as I remember,” said Jamie. He scrutinized me from head to toe. “You’ll always be my angel, you know that?”

“She’s Marsh now,” Nate corrected.

“You’ll always be my Miss Lisiewicz.” He spread his arms. “Ah, I forgot to give you a kissie. Remember Jamie’s kissie time?”

I almost burst out laughing. Among the brothers, Jamie was the most affectionate. He always hugged and kissed me. Maybe because he’d grown up without a mother, he saw me as a surrogate.

Jamie pulled me into his arms and embraced me tightly, but it wasn’t the same feeling anymore. His scrawny arms had become toned with muscles, and his sweet kiss had become hot with lust. I was startled. And when he said, “I love you, Miss Lisiewicz, if Luke won’t marry you, I’ll marry you,” I froze.

Luke, the oldest, had a crush on me when he was growing up. I was seventeen at that time, while he was nine. And he always said to me, “When I grow up, I’m going to marry you.” And then, Jamie always chirped up, “If Luke won’t, then I’ll marry you.”

At that time, they were both adorable, but hearing it from a grown man was different.

“Stop it!” Nate smacked Jamie. “You’re creeping her out.”

I smoothed out the awkward moment with a laugh. Jamie joined me, but I think he did that just to humor me. Our laughter died away when we saw Luke come home. He was stunned when he saw me, and I was speechless too. If Nate and Jamie had grown to be such good-looking men, why would Luke be any different?

Standing before me was a tall, handsome man dressed in a law enforcement uniform. His hair was cut short, military style, and his firm, toned body was a testament that he was born and bred a soldier. His eyes were the brilliant green I remembered, but they were hardened as if he’d been to hell and back.

“Simone?” he started, uncertain.

“Hello, Luke,” I said, then nudged Nate. “You didn’t tell him?”

“He didn’t pick up his phone,” said Nate, shrugging. “Not my fault.”

“Good lord, it is you!” Luke strode across the room and gave me a bear hug.

I couldn’t breathe again. “It’s… shoo… goohd to shee… yoo… thoo…”

“Cut it out, Luke. You’ll suffocate her.” Nate smacked Luke’s shoulder.

Luke quickly released me. “I’m sorry.”

I gasped a breath. “That’s okay. You boys have grown so much.”

“What do you mean, ‘you boys’? You’re only eight years older than me.” Luke furrowed his lush eyebrows. “I’d say you haven’t changed much.”

“I’ve gotten fatter.”

“I like you this way. You were way too skinny back then. Now, you’re just perfect.”

The sliver of a thrill found its way into my heart. It felt nice being complimented by a strapping young lad. I’d gained fifty pounds over the years, and that was part of the reason Sam had turned his attention to a younger women. In the last fight we’d had, Sam called my ass ‘as big as a footstool.’ Damn, that hurt. It wasn’t as if I was lazy or letting myself go or anything. Not all women once they reached their late thirties could maintain their figure like they were seventeen.

“So, what brings you here?” Luke asked me.

“Nate just hired me as the housekeeper.”

“Oh?” He turned to Nate. “That’s good news. What happened to your husband? Didn’t you marry Sam Marsh?”

Jamie cleared his throat immediately while Nate made a “cut off” sign.

“Oh. I’m sorry.” Luke gave me a tight hug again. “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you. I’m so glad to see you again.”

I was a bit lightheaded when he let me go.

“When did you arrive?” Luke asked.

“This afternoon.”

“I see. I suppose you’re hungry. Why don’t we go out to eat?” he suggested.

“I thought you guys were tired of eating out. I don’t mind cooking,” I said. “I need to do some grocery shopping, though.”

“Are you sure?” Jamie asked. “It’s been forever since we had a good home-cooked meal.”

“No problem, at all. Really.”

“I’ll drive you to the grocery store then.” Jamie beamed.

“No, allow me,” Luke interjected. “I’ve still got my keys and all.”

“I got my keys, too,” Jamie protested.

“Simone and I need to catch up. You kids stay home.” Luke put his foot down. “Come, Simone.” Luke herded me to the door. “So, how long has it been? Twenty years?”

Behind us, Jamie called his brother a dickhead.

“I need my purse.”

“Nah. Who’s going to arrest you for leaving the house without carrying proper identification? Me?” Luke laughed. “C’mon. You need to tell me everything about yourself, Simone.”

Driving to Bellwood’s only grocery store, Luke grilled me about my failed marriage. I felt like I was being interrogated. Other than that, he was actually a good listener. His jaw tightened when he heard how Sam had brought his girlfriend to the divorce negotiations.

“What a prick!” he spat.

“Yeah, I lost it, too,” I admitted. I told him that my rash decision had led me into my financial trouble.

Luke looked royally pissed. “He didn’t try to amend your situation? He just cut you loose?”

“Well, it was kind of my fault.”

“I can understand why you reacted that way. But as a man, Sam should know better. Don’t you two have assets together?”

“The house is under both of our names. Our summer house in Newport too. Then there are some stocks and bonds.”

“And he didn’t try to offer you any of that?”

“Why would he? He got out of this divorce cheap.”

“Do you want me talk to Sam? Put some sense back into him?”

“No!” I was mortified. “It’s just money. I already put it behind me. I’m fine with the way I am now—really.”

Luke reached for my hand and squeezed it. His hand was large and calloused—a soldier’s hand. But strangely, it brought me warmth and comfort.

“How about you?” I tried to change the subject. “Nate said you were stationed in Iraq.”

“Yeah, I was an Army Ranger. Then I worked for an oil company as a private contractor for a while, but I’m getting too old for that shit.”

“What are you talking about? You’re only twenty-nine.”

“Iraq makes people old really, really fast.”

“Did you ever find a nice girl and settle down?” I was curious.

“I did. For a while.”

Huh? What was with the past tense? “And?”

“Same old song and dance like everybody else. In the end, we got divorced.”

“Why?” I wished I could take that one back. My question sounded so needy.

Luke made a gurgling sound in his throat. “I wanted a kid to complete our family. Sera didn’t. One day when I came home for R and R, she slapped me with divorce papers. Apparently, she’d been seeing a friend of mine behind my back, and what hurt the most, she got pregnant by him.” Luke drew a long breath. “That was a low blow, you know? She didn’t want to have a child with me, but it was okay with another guy.”

“Oh, Luke. I’m so sorry.”

“That’s all right. It’s all meant to be.”

“But still.”

“I guess we’re all unfortunate in the love department. Did Nate tell you he got divorced too?”

“Not exactly. Jamie kind of blurted it out.”

“Stacy dumped Nate for a billionaire. The SOB was three times her age! True love, huh?”

I sighed. “Money makes people do stupid things.”

“Fuckin’ A. Jamie’s the one who never got married.”

“And why’s that?”

“I thought it was obvious. He wanted someone like you. He moped a lot when you eloped with Sam. He kept talking about you all the time, even when we were growing up. ‘Til this day, I think he still has a photo of you in his wallet. I think he photoshopped your picture with his recent photo.”

“That’s just silly.”

“Creepy, if you ask me.”

We laughed.

Luke eased out the truck as we glided into the parking lot. Marty’s General Store had turned into a national chain grocery store.

“Wow! This is new,” I said.

“This has been here for, I don’t know, five years, maybe?”

“Nice improvement.”

“Listen, Simone.” Luke halted me. “I know you’re upset right now with your whole situation, but I can assure you, it gets better with time. Trust me, I’ve been there. Nate too.”

I bit my lip. “Thanks, Luke.”

“And we’ll be there for you. We’ll make you forget about Sam.”

“That’s so sweet.”

Luke pulled the collar of my blouse and kissed me. I was expecting a nice, friendly kiss on the cheek, but instead I got a full lips, fervent kiss. I froze. Jamie had kissed the corner of my mouth earlier, but Luke aimed for the gold. My heart stopped beating for long seconds, and my brain was scrambled in my skull. The warmth of his kiss awakened my cold heart. Sam was the first man I’d had. And there was no one else. Being kissed by another man reeled me into another realization, a different shade of passion, a different flame of heat.

Luke threw me his killer smile before getting out of his truck. I was still dazed. What did that kiss mean? Was it a pity kiss? A distraction? Or was Luke still harboring his childhood crush on me?

I’d never been so confused in my life. I tried to act normally while shopping and later cooking, but I could never see Luke in the same way again.