Page 63 of Bargain With the Boss

That made sense. It was still confounding. Seattle was so very different from Crescent Cove. Or maybe it was just that I never had time to look up when I was home. There was work or entertaining for work. I rarely had time to see friends, let alone cultivate relationships. My team were the only people I was truly close to.

Xavier’s hand was at the small of my back again, but this time it felt different.

His thumb gently traced circles along my skin.

I should step forward, out of his reach, instead I swayed into his side. He led me up the stairs and we were seated quickly. We were in between the lunch and dinner crowds. And I was pretty sure the star of this Friday afternoon was the book event.

Inside, I was impressed by the dual levels of tables. There was a bar on both floors. A dozen tables were full leaving more than double that empty. The hostess led us up to the second floor and out to the deck.

The wind off the water kept it cool enough and we were seated in a shady corner. In the distance I heard the music and laughter from the event, but it was muted enough not to be annoying.

“Wine?”

It was a bit early, but I nodded.

The waiter came by, and I let Xavier order for us. I was just going to enjoy myself and stop thinking for once.

He folded his hands and leaned forward. “Tell me all the dirt on Jude.”

I laughed. “Not much to tell. We went to different schools.”

“Surely you have something to spill.”

I didn’t want to explain just how cold our house had been. There was very little laughter or fun. There were dinner parties,and we were trotted out for photo ops then we were to disappear just as quickly.

Our nanny was kind enough, but Mother had a list of approved entertainment and it had been hard to deviate from that.

Jude and I had been tight as children, but our mother’s rigid demands took their toll.

Xavier covered my hand. “Is it a sore subject?”

I slipped my hand away, laying them both in my lap. “You come from a household full of overachievers, don’t you?”

He sat back in his chair, looking out on the water. “I do. Luna was a light and made things better when we were kids. Who could ever be mad at her when she was always laughing and spinning—literally.”

He lifted a glass of water to his lips as if to wet them.

“You mentioned there was some tension between you two for a time.”

He met my gaze again. “My parents are traditional and conservative. Luna was anything but in a box. She’d been created to break out of it and make something beautiful with the confetti she’d left behind. It should have been celebrated.”

I couldn’t imagine being that free. This time, I was the one to reach out to him.“But now it is.”

“Because she’s forgiving.” He tangled his fingers with mine. “If I hadn’t bumped into her at a school function, I may never have been brave enough to mend our relationship.”

I frowned. “School? Oh, the teacher.”

He laughed. “Yes. My family gives a pretty healthy endowment to St. Agnes. I just so happened to be there as the Hastings mascot for all intents and purposes. You should have seen her. She’s got lighter hair than mine. She had this skirt on that had every color imaginable with a T-shirt practically shouting she was a witch. Let alone all the crystals shewas wearing. And her now husband was completely besotted, smiling at her like she was the sun.”

The softness in his eyes made my chest tighten. “Sounds like she’s magic.”

He nodded. “That’s pretty accurate. Seeing her started my wake-up call. I’d been so locked down with being everything my family wanted me to be that I’d allowed myself to cut off my sister. It was stupid and selfish. Then I found her on the floor of her apartment, and it scared the hell out of me.”

I sat up. “What?”

“Morning sickness is no joke evidently. She was so dehydrated that I almost brought her to the damn ER.”

“I didn’t realize it could be that serious.”