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And he popped back into view. “Boss?”

“What do you think about the shopping center?”

“What do you mean?” Mason asked as he stepped farther into the office.

“Do you think it’s a good deal?” Jesse asked. He’d hired Mason right out of business school. Mason was older than moststudents since he’d started so late but had good sense and worked hard. Mason had worked for two years, saving every penny he could until he was able to afford community college. Since their stories were so similar, Jesse had taken the chance on the young man. He was glad he had.

“You really want to know my opinion?”

“I asked, didn’t I?” Jesse reminded him.

“Then no. I don’t think you should invest,” Mason answered.

“Why? Break it down for me,” Jesse ordered.

“The investment company as a whole is a bad bet. They go in and build then quickly sell. They don’t care about the communities that they’re building in. There are even rumors that they aren’t above using questionable methods to get the land they want,” Mason said.

Jesse knew about the quick turnovers but not the latter. “I didn’t come across that.”

“It’s buried deep,” Mason told him. “Just some threads online that I came across while I was researching them for you. Nothing has been proven.”

“But you think it might be true?”

“I don’t know,” Mason replied. “That’s why I didn’t put it in my report.”

“You should have,” Jesse told him.

“It’s not business-related,” Mason said. “My professor would have failed me if I had added it to the report.”

“Your professor is an idiot. I want your opinions added to the reports. I trust your judgment.”

“Thanks, boss. I appreciate it,” Mason said.

“I need to go.”

“Your new boyfriend awaits,” Mason teased. “Do you want me to cancel the call?”

Jesse considered. “No, I’ll tell them myself that I’m passing on the deal.”

“Got it, boss.”

Jesse strode from the room and toward the elevator. He answered emails from his cell as he rode down to the casino level. He sent one last email to Jacob, letting his brother know they were passing on the New York shopping center. Jacob wouldn’t care. Jesse took care of the business side of their money, allowing Jacob to concentrate on the job he truly loved.

Pocketing his phone, Jesse exited the elevator when the doors opened.

He strode through the casino, heading toward the coffee shop located on the other side. Jesse waved to the employees that he passed but he was a man on a mission. Usually, Jesse would stop and talk. He received a few questioning looks but ignored them. By the time he was turning the corner where the coffee shop came into view, he was nearly out of breath.

Jesse really needed to find a quicker way to the coffee shop.

Laughter reached him as he approached the entrance.

Lake was leaning against the counter as Dom sat beside his arm and Ezra was laughing from the espresso machine. Itappeared that Lake was trying to tell a story but Dom and Ezra wouldn’t stop laughing.

Jesse stepped up behind Lake and wrapped an arm around his stomach, pulling him back.

“I really hope that’s Jesse or I am going to have some explaining to do.”

Jesse nipped Lake’s neck. “You would have more than a little explaining to do.”