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“Are you close to your parents?” he asks.
“I am. They live in Ireland now, but yes, I’m close to them.”
Archer nods and rubs a hand over the back of his neck as if he’s weighing his options. I’m happy to wait him out, to see what’s what.
“I think you and I could be friends,” he says at last, surprising me. “As long as you don’t make Stasia cry, and I don’t have to break your legs, we can be friends.”
I cock a brow and feel a smile flirt with my lips. It’s the same threat I often make to my brothers: breaking their legs. “Making her cry out in anything other than immense joy isn’t my plan, Mr. Montgomery.”
“Call me Archer,” he says. “And never mention my sister crying out ever again.”
I laugh as he reaches for the door handle. “Deal.”Chapter Six~Anastasia~They walk in, smiling. At least, no one’s bleeding. Or swearing.
“Is the dick-measuring contest over?” I ask as I pull a casserole dish out of my cabinet and let the door slam shut a little harder than necessary.
“Don’t be angry,” Kane says as he crosses to me and pulls me in for a hug. “It’s a brother’s job to see what’s what.”
“Well, he’s seen,” I reply and narrow my eyes at my brother, who’s just standing by the kitchen island, grinning.
“Whatcha cooking?” Archer asks.
“Mexican lasagna,” I say, resigned to feeding not just Kane but Archer, as well. I’d hoped for a quiet dinner and maybe some sexy time before Kane left for the evening, but it seems plans have changed. “And, yes, you can stay.”
“I’m hungry,” Archer says.
“You’re literally always hungry,” I reply with a laugh, shaking my head as I pull tortillas out of the pantry and set to work building the casserole.
“Do you watch sports?” Kane asks my brother.
“In my family, it’s pretty much required,” Archer replies and explains to Kane who our cousin is.
“You’re related to Will Montgomery?” Kane turns to me.
“His dad and our dad are brothers,” I confirm. “So, yes, sports is a thing in this family. Are you a football fan?”
“I prefer what you call soccer. But, yes, I like American football, as well.”
“Rugby,” Archer says with a grin. “That’s a hell of a game.”
“I played for a time,” Kane says, and then all I hear is static noise as the two men have deep, meaningful conversations about teams and players and missed shots.
Honestly, I’m not a huge sports person. I love Will, and I enjoy watching him, but the rest of it? Let’s just say I don’t stay up to watch Sports Center every night.
Just as I pop dinner into the oven and turn around, I find the two of them…gone.
“What in the world?” It’s like they’re long-lost friends and suddenly attached at the hip. I follow voices to my bedroom and feel my eyebrows climb into my hairline.
Archer and Kane are standing with their backs to the room, at my window, staring out at the view.
They’re roughly the same height. Archer is a bit broader in the shoulders, but they’re slim and fit. Dark blond hair on my brother, and dark brown on Kane.
But they’re standing with hands in their pockets, chatting like old friends.
“I knew I had to renovate this building when I bought it,” Archer says. He’s giving Kane the grand tour of my apartment. “You should have seen it. It was a mess. Stasia asked if she could rent the space for her shop and apartment, and I wanted to make sure she was more than comfortable. She chose the industrial look for the living space, and I think it fits for downtown Bellevue.”
“Agreed,” Kane says. “Do you own a lot of properties in the area, then?”
“I do. Mostly commercial,” Archer says. “I owned a commercial fishing company and sold it off about five years ago. I decided to reinvest in real estate. It’s been a good decision for me.”
“Especially in the Seattle area.” Kane nods, still looking out the window. “Who did the work here? I like the woodwork. It reminds me of what my builder did in my home.”
Archer laughs. “Montgomery Construction. Will’s oldest brother, Isaac, owns the business. But it was Mark Williams, another family connection, that did this woodwork. He’s talented.”
“Aye, and he is. He did mine, as well.” Kane shakes his head. “It’s such a small world, isn’t it?”
“Should I leave so you guys can keep growing this bromance you have going on here?”
They both twirl and grin at me. Archer rolls back on his heels. He knows he’s irritating me.
Archer never cares about that.
“You were busy with our feast,” Kane says as he crosses to me, takes my hand, and kisses my fingers. “Archer was kind enough to show me around.”
“That was nice of him.” The sarcasm is thick in my voice. “Dinner will be ready in ten.”
