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“No. I just got back from my hike.”
“All right. You finish off here, and I’ll whip something up. Troy and I went to Eugene this afternoon, and I have some stuff to tell you.”
“You did? Why?”
“I had to pick up an order there for my subscription boxes. The artisan had a family emergency and had to fly out tonight. I dragged Troy along to help me. But while we were in Eugene, we went to talk to someone about your replacement, Jodi, at the Veterans Center. I’ll explain once you’re finished here.”
Before I can stop her, she pulls the shower curtain aside and steps out of the bathtub.
And I’m left mentally cursing that I didn’t take advantage of shower sex while she was in here.
I go into the kitchen to find Simone stirring something spicy in the wok. Her hair is tucked behind her ears, the ends damp. Her tank top and denim shorts reveal acres of smooth, lightly tanned skin.
Seeing her like this takes me back to high school. Back to when I first noticed her as more than Aiden’s little sister. She’d been wearing a similar outfit and had resembled every teenage boy’s fantasy times two. Every heterosexual guy at school wanted her—but they weren’t dumb enough to admit it in front of her brother.
Now, she looks like every man’s fantasy, the fantasy only I get to act on.
Her lips curve into a hint of a smile. “I’m making chicken stir-fry. Hope that’s okay.”
I pick up a thin slice of carrot from the cutting board and pop it into my mouth. “That’s more than okay. So you wanna tell me what you found out about my replacement?”
“Jodi’s boyfriend lives in Maple Ridge, so she obviously wants to be here because of that. Turns out Richard Diegel put in a request for her. He’s her boyfriend.”
“That would explain why he wanted her in Maple Ridge. But the PT clinic director would be the one deciding who replaces me, not Diegel. Do I think his girlfriend was motive enough for wanting me to lose my job? No. I think Diegel just took advantage of the situation.”
Simone turns off the stove. “That’s what Troy and I thought, too. What about funding for his clinic? Do you think that would be enough of a reason to want you fired?”
“Yes. But I honestly don’t believe he’d try to get someone fired to increase the chance of him getting more funding. If someone royally fucked up and put his patients at risk, then yeah, he would push to have them removed. But Diegel likes to win because he outsmarted the competition. He loves the challenge. Planting drugs in someone’s house is beneath him.”
I remove the plates from the cupboard. Simone scoops the stir-fry onto them. By the time we’ve finished dinner and cleared the dishes, it’s time to head out to Barside Brewery, where we’re meeting my brothers and our friends.
We arrive at the bar to find Garrett, Jerome, Kim, Troy, and Emily at one of the pool tables in the back. Jerome is surveying the balls on the table, pool stick in hand.
A hey-there smile stretches on Emily’s face. “Zara’s on her way. She got held up at the café. And I have some news.” Her smile brightens. “I landed my first client! The bride and groom are getting married in December. They hired me to be their wedding coordinator.”
This is all directed at Simone. So while Simone and Kim get excited over Emily’s news, I join my brothers and Jerome at the pool table.
I slap Garret on the arm. “I see you dragged yourself away from your latest thriller long enough to join us.”
He throws me a dark look I recognize.
“Plot issues, huh? Maybe you should’ve joined me on my hike this afternoon. Then you wouldn’t be stuck.”
“If I’d known you were hiking, dumbass, I would’ve been racing you up the goddamn mountain.”
“And we both know I would have won.”
“Not so sure about that. But at least I would have solved my problem. What about you?”
There’s no fooling my brother. He knows why I run up the tough inclines that most people prefer to hike. Well, he might not know the exact reason this time, but he gets it.
“Anything you want to discuss?” he asks.
I shake my head. He also knows me enough not to push it.
For now, anyway.
“The usual?” My question is directed at Simone, who’s busy talking to Em and Kim.
