Page 71 of Player For Hire

Dahlia—owned a design studio with her friends.

Amberly—a web designer.

Iona—worked her ass off for a designer from the city.

Hell, even my brother owned a business.

Duncan wasn’t here today, but even he had shot to podcast fame from starting off as a starving sportswriter.

Me, I was a fucking bartender with a studio apartment no bigger than a thimble. And that was only because of my aunt.

The truth of what I had to offer had never been at the forefront of my mind. I’d always sailed through life doing just enough to get through the day. I was just what Naomi had been expecting.

A good time.

Jimmy spotted me and frowned, then he crossed to me. “What’s up?”

“Nothing.”

“That look on your face says otherwise.” He drew me toward the desk, away from the laughter and good-natured smack talk that usually boosted my mood on a Sunday afternoon.

Trivia Sunday was easy and fun.

My job was easy and fun.

My life was easy and fun.

Until Naomi.

Jimmy glanced over to the hallway. “Oh. Well, shit, little brother.”

I turned and there she was. The pink in her cheeks was still high, but the fragile girl next door was gone. She lifted her chin and went over to meet Iona at the snack counter.

“Guess it had to happen sooner or later.”

I snapped my attention to him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Us Banks men don’t go for the easy women. Well, when it matters. When Brian told me you were into your neighbor, I figured she would be the usual distraction.”

My hands fisted at my sides.

His grin widened. “Not just a distraction at all, huh?” He folded his arms and leaned against the desk. “Did I ever tell you how I met Shan?”

“Yeah, she fixed your fuse box at the shop.”

“That’s my girl, the electrician. Ball-buster with all those brothers.” He shook his head. “They still hate me, but it sure doesn’t stop them from eating all my damn pizza, though.”

I snorted. My brother bitched about the family he’d inherited when he married Shannon, but I’d never seen him happier. Family suited him, while I’d been content to make my own with friends.

“But that wasn’t the first time I met her. Just easier to tell people that story than a one-night stand in Cabo.”

“What?” My eyebrows shot up.

“Yep. When Richie got married at that all-in-one resort.”

“I didn’t know you had it in you, Jimmy.” My brother had been the responsible one for as long as I could remember. After our mom died, a lot of crap had fallen on his shoulders until our dad had gotten his head straight. Even then, he’d skipped college to help raise me.

He laughed. “You and me both. But she left me the next morning after she rocked my goddamn world. Didn’t think I’d ever find her again—and she walked in my damn pizza shop, man. I recognize the look.” He shrugged. “I’ve seen it in the mirror.”