AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She—though, I guess she could technically be a he—had been so trusting and unsuspecting, I’d suddenly lost the killing nerve. I’d rushed at her, chasing her off, and spared her life. Then I’d sprung the trap myself so she couldn’t.
Since that day, the other traps had disappeared, but this single one remained with a steady supply of cheese for Jacqueline to pilfer from whenever she grew hungry. I guess you could say her little metaphorical electric chair had in essence become her feeding bowl.
As I placed the ice against Brick’s wound, he hissed from the cold and jerked his hand free. “I’m fine, Kaity. Seriously. No broken bones.”
Nodding, I cleared my throat and tossed the ice before sitting at my desk to bring up the file Lana had sent me yesterday. “So, what do I owe the honor of this visit?” I asked distractedly as I added the new numbers accounting had sent over, only to frown when I realized they actually hadn’t sent the memo to Lana this morning. It was dated two days ago.
Figured.
“Just checking in on my favorite little sister.” Brick perched himself on the edge of my desk to watch my fingers fly over the keyboard. “What all-important task does the ogre called my mother have you in such a hurry to work on now?”
“Hmm? Oh.” I saved the revisions and pushed print. “Quarterly market reports for the meeting.” When Brick only blinked, oblivious, I helpfully added, “The one in twelve minutes.”
“Damn, is that today?”
“Yep.”
When I stood to retrieve the printed pages, Brick slumped off my desk and into my chair so he could drape himself over the backrest and feign a faint as he arched his neck, hung out his tongue, and let his arms flop limply to his sides.
“I suddenly don’t feel so well.”
After Lana had taken over JFI, she’d put Brick in charge of the Purses department and his older brother, Hayden, in charge of Shoes. Both stepbrothers earned a nice fat salary that made me more envious than I cared to admit. So it always itched at my craw when Brick made a fuss about attending the monthly meetings, because at least he was getting paid and was allowed to go to them.
Shrugging as I scanned the printed pages to check for accuracy, I said, “Maybe a fight won’t break out this time.”
“Bite your tongue. Those fights are the only things that make the meetings worth attending. One better break out.”
With an amused smile, I fed the reports into the copy machine and instructed it to make seventy-six copies. I’d never actually attended a JFI meeting myself—since I wasn’t of the paid-employee persuasion—but I had definitely heard about the notorious arguments that took place during them, usually between Lana and Nash. “Well, I’m sure you’ll get your way.” I turned to Brick with my full attention. “Now, seriously, what did you need from me?”
He set an ankle over one knee and eyed me with amusement. “What makes you think I need anything? Maybe I just missed you. It’s been weeks since we last talked.”
Tapping my chin, I squinted his way. “Hmm. No, that’s not it. It must be something I won’t want to do. You’re being especially sweet and even went out of your way to set my mousetrap for me.”
An irritated crease formed between his eyebrows and he opened his mouth as if to argue, only for his shoulders to collapse. “Okay, fine. You got me. I need someone to take to the company Halloween party this weekend.”
I blinked, confused. “And you want me to set you up with someone I know?”
One thing was certain about Broderick Call-Me-Brick-Or-Anytime Carmichael; he’d never had problems securing his own date. And besides, I basically had no female friends to set him up with, except maybe Mabel, my neighbor across the hall. But I’m guessing he wouldn’t go for the seventy-five-year-old, retired lunch lady type, even though she routinely tried to convince me she’d been a dancer in Vegas during her younger years. So why the heck would he ask me for help?
“No,” he said, scowling. “God, no. That’s the thing. I actually want to avoid that nonsense. I just ended things with Sabella in Belts, and she’s turned clingy and possessive. So I’m taking a break from women for a bit.”
“Then…?” I frowned, still uncertain what he wanted.
He sighed, defeatist-like. “I want you to go with me.”
“Me?” What? I shook my head, beyond confused. “Why?”
“I can’t show up stag. I have a reputation to uphold, and I’m guessing you don’t have a date for the party anyway, right?”
“Actually,” I started, because I hadn’t even planned on attending the party, but he kept talking over me.
“So, why don’t we just go together? We’ll find you a costume to cover your face so no one will think I’m lame for bringing my sister, and Sabella will keep her distance, assuming you’re a real date. Win-win for both of us.”
“Uh, how is that a win for me?” Being forced to appear at a social event I hadn’t even wanted to attend so one of my stepbrother’s castoffs could glare jealously at me the entire evening wasn’t quite my idea of a win.
“Because,” Brick drawled, lingering on the word as if he were about to pull an ace from his sleeve. Then he winked. “I heard Christopher Elton’s going. As Prince Charming.”
“Christopher…?” My face heated with ten tones of embarrassment, even though I desperately tried to maintain my dignity. But, oh Lord. “How… What… I mean, why would you even mention that name?”
