Page 76 of Book Club Confidential

“Nepotism,” he joked. “She’s a corporate attorney and got wind of this event happening in the area, so she pitched my place to a client, who made it happen.”

Kate’s brows rose. “So your sister is a goddess who controls my world. Got it.”

He laughed, and Kate joined him. “Please don’t call her a goddess to her face,” he said. “Her ego is already big enough.”

A server delivered Hallie’s drink, and she pumped the straw a few times before tasting. The group watched and waited as she sipped and savored, expression temporarily unreadable. When she nodded and took a much longer drink, Sam visibly relaxed.

Tessa refocused on the bomb Sam had dropped. “Your sister represents one of the entities hosting this event?” Who are they? she wondered. Then, casting her gaze around the rooftop, Are they here?

Sam squinted, considering. “I’m not sure, but if I’m being honest, I didn’t ask questions. I was too thrilled for the business. Now that I know it brought Kate back around, I’m sending Big Sister free lunches for the rest of the year.” He tore his attention from Kate and scanned the area. “We’ve been spotted,” he warned. “She’s like Beetlejuice. You can’t say her name too often, or she’ll appear.”

A tall brunette in a black satin jumper strode into view, stopping only when she reached Sam’s side. “Hello, Brother.” She smiled, and the resemblance was uncanny. Each with their long, lean bodies, eyes the color of raindrops, and hard, sharply angled faces.

“Vera,” he said. “This is Kate, and her friends—” He looked up, helplessly, and the color flamed again in his cheeks. “I’m so sorry. I don’t recall—”

“Hallie,” Kate supplied, pointing at Hallie. “And Tessa. My closest, dearest friends.”

Vera offered polite nods to all, before giving her brother a close appraisal. Satisfied with what she saw, she turned to Kate. “Has he told you he’s your biggest fan?”

Sam slid his eyes in his sister’s direction. “Thank you for that. Do you want her to think I’m one of those S words?”

“A shithead?” she guessed.

Their proper British accents added another level of humor to the exchange, and Tessa laughed.

Kate looked shyly away, and Tessa scrambled to redirect the conversation for her friend’s sake.

“We hear you’re a corporate attorney,” Tessa said. “Very impressive.” She forced herself not to think about Xavier and the last three days he’d spent in conversations with lawyers, or the reason for it. Her interest was pointless now. Whatever went on at Hello, Marketing had nothing to do with her anymore.

Her clients and coworkers, the extended family she loved, was out of her life for good.

She only had herself to blame. Yes, Xavier had been cruel, but she hadn’t been her usual self. A month ago, she’d have easily agreed to take on the added workload and assist Peyton with the L and L pitch. Xavier would’ve been happy with her, not threatening to fire her.

She’d started this. She needed to accept it and move on. She also needed a plan, because the moment this night ended, it was back to reality for Tessa.

“Sam opened Fox and Hound with his love of puzzles and mystery books in mind,” Vera said. “Personally, I like a good legal thriller, but Sam has always gone straight to the whodunnits. Anything to challenge his busy mind. I’m still shocked when I remember he left engineering to open a restaurant.”

“You own this place?” Tessa asked.

Sam nodded.

“You studied engineering?” Hallie asked, her mouth turned down in disbelief.

“Yeah.” He gave a soft self-deprecating laugh. “I didn’t think there was any money for me in the restaurant industry, and I had big dreams for my life.”

“He was never interested in anything other than food,” Vera said. “While his schoolmates got internships in their field, this guy kept working at pubs and local restaurants.”

“So you chased your dream,” Kate said, a note of hope in her voice. “And it all worked out.”

“It certainly did,” he agreed.

“Hallie is an amazing chef,” Kate said.

All eyes turned to Hallie, and she blanched.

“Really?” Sam asked. “Where are you working?”

Hallie narrowed her eyes at Kate, who smiled pleasantly back. Within minutes Sam and Hallie had fallen off a ledge into a deep discussion about produce and the local farmers’ market.