AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jack lifts a brow, stripping off his biker jacket. "Don't you work for me?"
"Not for long," I remind him. I've finally saved enough to buy half of this place from him. Come this time next month, I'll be part owner of The Golden Mug, and Jack will have one less business to worry about. Eventually, I'll own the whole thing. Jack has already agreed to sell it to me when I'm ready. He actually offered to sell it to me on credit, but I refuse to take a handout from anyone. When the ink dries on the deal, I want to know it was because I earned it, not because it was given to me.
My brother, Nash, won't be thrilled when he finds out I plan to buy Jack out. I've been in Silver Spoon Falls for two years, and my brother still thinks I'm too young to be on my own. I know this because he tells me all the time. He's convinced I'm going to come running back home to Washington at any moment.
The world is too big for you, Aspen.
You belong at home where I can keep an eye on you, baby sis.
I'm moving you back home if you don't answer your phone, Aspen Marie.
I love my brother to death, don't get me wrong, but if I could legally beat him with a broom, some days, I think I would. He's always been my best friend. But he's also infuriatingly overprotective. I'm not the sad little girl who needs her big brother to protect her from bullies anymore, as much as he still likes to believe I am. And I'm not moving back in with him.
This is my home now. Texas is in my blood.
"Fine." Jack shakes his head, holding up his hands in surrender. "I'll just sit here and drink my coffee like a good boy and let you do all the work like usual." He swipes his cup off the counter and makes a show of taking a drink. "Why do I even bother coming here anymore?"
"Because there's a giant spider in the bathroom, and I am not dealing with it?"
"How big is giant?"
I hold my hands a foot apart to demonstrate. I may be exaggerating slightly, but not much. The thing is huge.
"Yeah, fuck that." Jack shudders. "I'm not dealing with it."
"Oh my god." I glare at him. "Why do you even bother coming here anymore?"
"Your guess is as good as mine." He smirks, swiping his cup from the counter to take a drink.
I take back everything I said. My boss sucks.
"Aspen!"
"I swear to God, Jack," I growl, marching out of the stock room half an hour later. I drag the back of my hand across my forehead, pushing damp tendrils of hair out of my face. Why is it always so hot back there? "If you don't stop shouting my name like the freaking roof is on fire, I'm going to lose my ever-loving min…" I trail off, coming to a dead stop in the middle of the doorway as my gaze lands on Jack. Well, not on Jack but on the gorgeous man standing beside him.
Noah Diamante, AHL superstar. The man is drop-dead gorgeous. His olive skin and razor-sharp jawline are enough to make women do crazy things. And don't even get me started on his smoking hot body or those penetrating green eyes that make my stomach turn flips.
My brother has played hockey my entire life. None of his teammates ever gave me the butterflies until he played with Noah on the Yellowjackets a few years ago. Noah blew out his knee a few years into his NHL career and got sent down to their AHL team—the Yellowjackets—to recover. Unfortunately for me, Nash got called up to the Capitals, and we moved back to Washington before I ever got the chance to actually meet Noah, but I've been following his career ever since. I'd heard that he was making the move to Silver Spoon Falls to play for the Falcons. I might have even done a little happy dance.
But that was before Nash called to tell me he asked Noah to keep an eye on me. As if I haven't lived in this town on my own for the better part of two years. As if I want one of my brother's friends—even one who looks like Noah—meddling in my life. The absolute last thing I need is for Noah to report all my business to Nash.
He'll never leave me alone, then.
Dear Baby Jesus, is there a return policy on older brothers? Asking for a friend.
"There you are." Jack beams, oblivious to the fact that I've been rendered stupid at the sight of Noah in his tattered jeans and dark t-shirt. Seriously. Couldn't Nash have sent Quasimodo, at least? "Noah is here to see you."
Noah? Noah? Oh my God. How are they possibly on a first-name basis already? I wasn't in the stock room that long.
"Hey." Noah shoots me a grin. And hello, ovaries. Nice of you to join us. "You probably don't know who the fuck I am, but–"
"Noah Diamante, first-line left defenseman for the Falcons. You played hockey with my brother on the Yellowjackets during your first year on the team. You're consistently one of the top defensive players in the league, though you haven't managed to outscore Slaney yet." Why am I babbling? Mouth, please shut up.
"You know hockey," he says with an easy smile, clearly impressed. "Nice."
"It happens when your older brother plays," I mumble.
His smile grows. "I can see that. Nash said you knew your shit."
