Page 44 of The Love Ambush (The Sullivans #1)

Levi

“L evi,” Deacon bursts into my room, and I slam my laptop shut.

Of course, he clocks that and slows his mad dash. “What were you doing? I won’t judge. I’ve been looking for something new and spicy to watch.” He waggles his eyebrows. “If you know what I mean.”

“Unfortunately, I do. What do you want? I’m in the middle of something.”

He presses a hand to his chest. “Is that the way you greet your favorite brother after not seeing him for weeks?”

“You’re not my favorite brother.”

His phone vibrates, and he immediately swipes it open and reads. He frowns and shakes his head. “Poor thing,” he mutters.

“Got a new girlfriend?” I ask.

His head jerks up. “What? No.” He frowns and stuffs his phone in his back pocket. “She’s Sebastian’s match. I have to respond every time she messages so she doesn’t lose interest.”

“Uh-huh. No chance of her running into Sebastian around town and asking him an awkward question, is there?”

“His picture on the site is just of his giant beard and his abs. Unless he walks around town with his shirt off, there’s no way DogPerson will recognize him.”

“DogPerson? You don’t know her real name?”

He shakes his head. “She doesn’t want to share personal information.”

“A local?”

“Yeah. She works with animals, and she has a four-year-old little girl. She won’t say more than that because she doesn’t want me, I mean, Sebastian, to figure out who she is.”

“Dude.” It suddenly hits me why her username sounds so familiar.

I scroll through my phone to find an email I got a few weeks ago.

“That’s got to be Asher’s sister, Amelia.

She’s an animal control officer.” I hold up my phone to show him the email sent from Amelia, with the address DogPerson158@gmail.

She had an electricity question about her house.

I’ve never met Amelia in person, but I’ve heard a lot about her from our cousin, Clover, and Clover’s husband, Asher.

His eyes go wide. “Asher’s sister? He’s never mentioned a sister. What’s his last name?”

I roll my eyes. “Aldridge, man. Which you’d know if you had a conversation with him. All you ever do is challenge him to a race or an arm-wrestling competition when you see him.”

He relaxes. “So his sister’s name is Amelia Aldridge. That’s weird, but at least they aren’t the same person.”

I stare at him. What the hell is he talking about? “Her last name is Burns. She’s divorced.”

He goes pale and lists to the left like he’s on the verge of passing out. “No fucking way. That can’t be right.”

I get up and grab his shoulders, holding him upright. “Are you okay?”

“No, I’m really not.” His gaze goes distant. “Wait. Was this Amelia at Asher and Clover’s big race last year?”

I shrug. “Probably. Do you remember her?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe.” He steps out of my reach, swallows hard, and forces a smile. He’s not fooling me. He’s still pale and swaying. Something is very wrong. “It doesn’t matter. Will Sebastian go for someone who’s already part of the family?”

That cannot be what’s freaking him out. “I don’t think that’s going to be the part he takes issue with, man. She’s an in-law. It’s not even in the neighborhood of incest.”

He blows out a breath. “Good. He’s looking for you, by the way. Wants to talk to you about the budget on the Kilpatrick build.”

Sebastian wanting to talk about the budget could be a two-second or a two-day conversation. I don’t have time for either. I need to fix things for Gentry, or she is never going to forgive me.

The very thought makes me want to punch myself in the face, so I take it out on my brother. “Cover for me or I’m going to tell him about your evil schemings to fix him up with his cousin-in-law.”

Deacon looks as shocked as if I slapped him. “Levi. Et tu?”

I pack my laptop into my bag and grab my keys and wallet from the desk. “Where is he?”

Deacon crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m not afraid of you, Levi, but Sebastian scares the shit out of me. You want me to cover for you, you’re going to have to do more than threaten me.”

I’m probably over-reacting. I probably have time to talk to Sebastian.

It’s not like Gentry’s father is going to show up on her doorstep today.

But no amount of logical reasoning is making me feel better.

“I’m in love with Gentry Lendew, but I fucked up.

I need to fix it now, or I’m going to have to move to California to avoid bumping into her and breaking my heart over and over again. ”

He stares at me for a long moment before his face splits into a huge grin. “Why didn’t you say so? Of course, I’ll cover for you. I’ll help you serenade her or line her street with flower petals if you want.”

Some of the tension that’s been making my chest ache since Gentry said we were done eases. “Thanks, Deacon. You’re an asshole, but I love you.”

He slaps my back. “Love you, too, dirtbag. Sebastian is in the front room. I’ll distract him while you sneak out the back.”

I let him go down the stairs ahead of me, then hurry down on light feet. I make it to the kitchen and am reaching for the knob to the back door when a gruff, familiar voice shouts my name.

I could still run. He probably won’t catch me.

“I’m faster than you, and I’ll shove your face in mud if I catch you,” Sebastian says.

I turn to find him leaning against the door jamb between the kitchen and the main hallway. He smirks. “Sneaking off to your other job?”

I’m so shocked I fail to cover my reaction. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He steps into the room. “You aren’t as covert as you imagine you are, Levi. I’m pissed you didn’t tell me yourself, but I don’t have a problem with you making extra money on the side. As long as you’re available when I need you, and I need you now.”

Despite the feeling of urgency making me shift from foot to foot, having my big brother tell me he needs me gives me all the warm and fuzzies. “This isn’t about my other job. This is about Gentry.”

Sebastian rolls his eyes. “Couldn’t you seal that deal on your trip?”

Again, I’m shocked.

Sebastian grunts. “Knowing what all you chuckleheads are up to is how I keep this company running so smoothly. This crush you’ve had on Gentry has been distracting you, and it’s fucking with my business. If she hasn’t thrown you a bone yet, she’s not going to.”

I wince. “Such a gentleman.”

“I’m not trying to impress you with my chivalry. I need your help, and that’s more important than some woman who thinks she’s too good for you.”

“She is too fucking good for me,” I say. “But apparently, she likes me anyway. The problem is her deadbeat father has shown up and is causing trouble for her and the kids.”

His scowl settles into a look of concern. “What kind of trouble?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. He’s had no contact with any of the kids for four years, and now he’s talking about moving back here and living with Gentry and her sisters.”

Sebastian grimaces. “That sounds suspect as fuck.”

“Which is why I need to figure out what he’s up to. The sooner, the better. While I appreciate that you and the business need me, I’m guessing it can wait one more day.”

He runs a hand over his full beard, nodding. “I can grab Deacon. He’s not doing anything. He can sit on her house and keep an eye out for any issues.”

“What are you? The secret police?”

“Fuck you.” Sebastian’s scowl returns full force. “I’m offering to help. Clearly, you need it. Gentry got any money he could scam off her?”

“No. In fact, her brother, who’s been sending her money every month, just told her he’s cutting her off. Gentry’s going to be struggling.”

“Unless her father really means well,” Sebastian says.

I just give him a look. Our parents are some of the best people in the world, but doing remodels and new construction for couples, we’ve seen a lot of shit.

Sebastian nods. “Right. Well, what the fuck are you doing standing around? Get the hell out of here and help Gentry.”

I stare at him. Sebastian isn’t really an asshole, but I figured he’d at least give me more shit before he let me leave. Or he’d get five minutes out of me to talk about the business.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he says. “I’m not the dick you all seem to think I am. Unlike you, I can understand the trials and tribulations of caring for younger siblings who act like teenagers all the time. Gentry must be in hell.”

“Ah,” I say, feeling oddly relieved. “There he is.”

“Get out of here before someone else wants something from you. But as soon as you get things resolved for Gentry, you get your ass back to work. You’re helping her, not romancing her. We don’t have time for that.”

I bite back a smile and salute him. “Thanks, boss.”

He rolls his eyes. “Fuck off before I change my mind.”

I hurry out of the house with a smile. The drive to the library is quick, and I don’t waste any time parking and hurrying toward the sliding doors of the building.

I’m about ten steps from them when they open and Gentry steps out, her arms full of books, with Emily and Sophie following, their own arms equally full.

“Hi, Levi,” Emily waves, her smile wide.

Gentry’s head jerks up from where she’d been looking down at the books she’s carrying, and her expression flashes with pain for just a moment before she forces a smile.

“Want some help?” I ask.

“We’ve got it,” Gentry says.

“I want some help.” Sophie hands me her pile of books. “These are all Emily’s anyway.”

“Almost half of them are yours,” Emily says.

I shuffle the books into a manageable pile and spin to follow them. I swear Gentry’s walking as fast as she can to avoid talking to me.

I hurry and catch up with her. “How are you feeling?”

She groans. “Like I drank way too much last night and made a total fool of myself.”

“You didn’t. You were adorable.”

“Well, don’t expect to ever see me that way again. I’ve sworn off alcohol.”

She stops next to her car and sighs. “Um, I can’t…” She turns. “Sophie, can you get my keys from my bag?”