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“What?” I throw my hands up. “I’m a badass tattoo shop owner. I should be living life on the edge.”
Zoey, who’s nursing her infant son, Oliver, sips her cranberry juice. “There’s no reason not to enjoy being single, Jordan. Just remember, whenever you’re ready to settle down, rockstars, architects, it doesn’t matter. You can have it all. A committed relationship and hot sex are not mutually exclusive. Trust.”
I look at my girlfriends, all of whom are younger than me by a few years, and feel a bit emotionally stunted. I guess that’s what you get for entering the dating world a decade after settling for a guy because good enough seemed better than taking a risk. “How do y’all do it? Have a killer relationship and a thriving love life?”
“Confidence, Jordan. We love our men, but we work hard not to lose ourselves in their lives. Equality is key, even if there are periods of imbalance.” Alex leans back in the booth. I love her attitude so much. She gave my brother a run for his money until he wised up and put a ring on it. I can't wait for their wedding.
Zoey, who’s had her own ups and downs with her husband, Ty, chimes in, “Communication. No holding anything back, no matter how intimidating it might be.”
“Don’t forget, you’re the catch.” Fiona, who’s known her husband since birth, grips my hand. “Any man would be lucky to have a tryst with you.”
With all this sisterly love, I feel a renewed sense of purpose.
“So, what’s first on this list of yours?” Zoey tries to cover her mischievous grin.
I laugh, feeling lighter already. “For me to know and hopefully for none of you to find out. But trust me, it’s going to be tantalizing. You’ll know from the glow on my cheeks.”
The night continues with more laughter and more secrets shared. I realize how lucky I am to have these women in my life, each strong, independent, and unapologetically themselves.
As we say our goodbyes, my mind is clear.
Peter Vander may have reentered my life, but he doesn’t control it. I’m about to embark on a journey of my own making, one tryst at a time.
And this time, I’m playing by my rules.
Chapter five
Peter
Three Weeks Later
Outside The Salty Siren, the anticipation of seeing Jordan has my entire body buzzing.
In a few minutes, I’ll be under her skilled hands, completing the next phase of the tattoo, which means considerably more than ink on skin. It’s a bridge to a past I thought I’d lost.
My phone vibrates. I glance down to see my mother’s name flash on the screen. Fuck. Her timing is impeccably bad. Taking a deep breath, I press the green button, bracing myself for the usual family drama.
“Peter, thank God you answered. We need to talk about your brothers.” She’s frantic, but that’s nothing new.
My temples throb with aggravation. “I told you I was done.”
“It’s not only Lance. Kent’s involved too.” The phone is silent until she whines, “I didn’t want to call, but there’s nowhere else to turn.”
I clench my fist, trying to keep my voice steady. “Mom, I’m not bailing them out. They’re grown men. They need to face the consequences of their actions.”
“But they’re your brothers, Peter. You can’t abandon them.” Her desperation tugs at my heartstrings.
Except, I can.
The risk of being affiliated with them is too great. The background check for Project SoHo is insane, including financial transactions over the past few years. I don’t want anything to tie me to my hoodlum brothers other than the blood we, unfortunately, share.
For once, I’ve got to put myself first.
“Family?” I pound my fist against the side of the building. “Those two make shitty life choices time after time and my own mother expects me to come to their rescue. No. Fuck no. I’m not doing it.”
There’s a pause on the line. I can almost hear her seething. “You think you’re too good for us, don't you, Petey?”
“Oh, you’re onto the next tactic. Great.” I roll my shoulders back. “Here’s what I’m willing to do, Mom. I’ll deposit two hundred and fifty thousand dollars into your bank account in exchange for putting an end to this fuckery once and for all. Use it however you want. Bail Kent and Lance out of whatever trouble they're in, I don’t give a shit. If you’re smart and save it, you’ll have a slush fund. I’ll have my lawyer send a contract tomorrow.”
