Page 34 of Bargain With the Boss

“You should not. If you want a nice salad we’ll go to The Mason Jar one day. Today, we’re being very bad and eating all the calories.”

“Listen to her, sweetheart.” Apollo laughed as he started building a literal picnic basket. “When Claire wants something, there’s no changing her mind.”

“Exactly.” Claire beamed at him, taking the handle as he put it on the counter. She took out her phone and paid before I could even protest and we were back outside with a wave. She ran around the car and put the basket in the back. “I’ve decided you’re my new best friend.”

I huffed out a startled laugh.

“I know, I’m a little bit much. At least that’s what Heath says.”

“Is that your boyfriend?”

Her laugh was rich and loud. “God, no. He’s my brother.”

“Ahh, the heir apparent?”

“Exactly.” She sighed. “You don’t know how nice it is to talk to someone who understands.”

As my brother was the same, I knew it all too well. But part of me didn’t want to explain who I was. Things always got different when people found out who I was. But then again, we didn’t have many stores on the East Coast. Perhaps no one would actually care for once in my life.

Claire turned up the tunes again as the song switched to a Taylor Swift anthem.

We flew toward the lake with the wind lifting our hair around. The sun was shining and the air was warm. I tipped my head back and closed my eyes letting Taylor belt out about her reputation.

For once I didn’t care about mine.

I was just Sydney, and no one gave a damn about A Home You Love.

When we pulled up to a massive Cape Cod style house, my jaw dropped. Claire wasn’t just rich, she was wealthy. Instead of going into the house, she dug into her bag and pulled out one of her bikinis and pair of checkered shorts in a matching navy.

Doing the same, I grabbed the tank suit that I hadn’t been able to resist. I pulled out the sarong in filmy raspberry and the shorts then followed her down to the boathouse by the pier.

She was right off the water, and the view stopped me in my tracks.

Nothing but water and a cloudless sky.

“C’mon, Sydney!” She waved me into the boathouse where old school lockers lined one wall. “Aren’t these cool? Heath totally stole them his senior year at Crescent Cove High.” She pointed to one farthest from us. “That one was his stinky locker from the gym. My father didn’t let him go to college for football, so it was his little rebellion.”

“Do I want to know how he got all these out?”

She grinned and opened the door. “Probably not.” She handed me a bottle of SPF 50. “Think we both will need this.”

Grateful, I took it. “Any chance you have a hat too?”

She nodded and moved down a few lockers. “This is where I hide all my fun clothes. Our parents never come into the boathouse.” She handed me a simple pink ball cap with CCH on it and a pair of flip flops. “Never been worn.”

“Thanks.”

She nodded to a door. “You can get changed in there.”

Excitement and a few nerves bubbled up inside me. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d done so many impulsive things in one day. The suit molded to me, pushing up my decent breasts until there was all sorts of cleavage I wasn’t used to.

I tugged on the shorts and stared at my reflection in the tall mirror.

Instead of the serious twenty-eight-year-old, I looked young and relaxed.

I should check my phone. I should check in with my team.

But I ignored my phone in my bag and stuffed my dress on top of it. When I returned to the boathouse Claire was already in her bikini and shorts from Ember’s shop.