Stud Muffin Read online

  Hey, I need 2 C U asap.

  Sighing, I tap out a response.

  Can it wait? Rly not in mood to talk biz right now.

  No. It’s important.

  Fine. Have it ur way. Be there in 20.

  I groan, putting my phone away. There are good and bad things about working for my brother. He’s taught me a lot, and that is something I’m grateful for. But still, part of me hates working for Oliver. He’s so ambitious, and sometimes it’s hard to keep up, present day included. I don’t know how he finds time for his family. He’s a machine.

  I leave the mall and get in my car. On the way downtown, I have my windows and rag top down on my convertible Jag and let the wind ruffle my hair. The moon is out, huge and orange in the sky. It’s the kind of night that would be magical except I’ve fucked things up again.

  It takes me just over twenty minutes to get to Oliver’s building. I gotta say it looks good. Mindy’s Place is on the first floor, and the small sign for his investment business is on the second floor of what’s still sometimes called the Flaming Dragon building. Despite the funky ass location name, business has been booming off the charts for Mindy. But right now, everything is dark and closed down. Parking out front, I go around the side and down the stairs to the basement, where I find the steel security door open and a dim light filtering underneath the swinging regular door.

  I push my way through the door and see that the only light on is the long LED that illuminates what Oliver likes to call the ‘laboratory’, the metal table where he, Mindy, or others try to find new recipes. Oliver’s standing, his chest and head slightly shadowed as he turns toward me. I expected that, but I’m not expecting the guy sitting at the table waiting with him.

  “Caleb?” I ask as he nods in greeting at me. “What are you doing here?”

  Caleb Strong, my childhood best friend and one of the few I knew who stuck around in this small town. I haven’t talked to him in a couple of days, and he gives me a grin that I’ve known for years, the one that usually means just wait and you’ll see. “I’ll let Oliver explain.”

  I nod and look over at Oliver, who gestures with his head. “Sit,” he commands.

  I bristle, as I always do when he uses this tone with me. “Dude, what the fuck? I’m not your servant.”

  I hate when he pulls the big bro shit on me. It might have worked when I was in my teens. But I’m a man now, and I don’t like being pushed around. Sure, he might have millions of dollars, and yeah, I work for him, but it’s nearly ten o’clock on a Friday night, and this isn’t the White House.

  Oliver, as usual, gives zero fucks. “Sit,” he repeats.

  I sit down just so we can get on with it. “I let him play big brother sometimes,” I tell Caleb, who only grins. He’s seen Oli and me bump heads before. He knows the game. I turn my attention to Oliver. “It’s Friday night. This couldn't wait?”

  Oliver shakes his head. “I’ve been busting my butt, but this concerns us all. I've been waiting months for an answer on this. You needed to know now so you can rearrange your schedule.”

  What the fuck is this? I mean, Oli’s always got a lot of projects going. He’s the sort of guy who loves having about a dozen irons in the fire, but he’s making it sound like a goddamn state secret. “My what?”

  “How did the look at the property go?” he asks, cutting in before I can complete my question.

  “No-go,” I reply. “The lady wasn’t looking to sell. She was looking for someone to talk to.”

  Oliver frowns. “Oh, really? And what about the Gallino deal? That one fell through as well.”

  “That was bad luck,” I say. “I couldn’t help the owner wanted to pull out at the last second.”

  “Maybe . . . what about the Doughtry project?” Oliver asks. “We actually signed the contract on that one, only to find out afterward that the property wasn't zoned for what we wanted to develop it for. Now we’re sitting on the damn thing for another year or more while we wait for someone to look over our application.”

  I shift in my seat, squaring my shoulders to display confidence. “We’ll still be able to get back our—”

  “I’m getting worried, Tony,” Oliver says, cutting me off. You started off hot, man, but lately . . .” His voice trails off, but I get the message.

  I can tell where he’s coming from. I used to be a major fuckup that loved to party. But those days are behind me. I’m not that guy anymore, with the credentials to prove it. Just lately, I’ve had a string of bad luck. “So I’ve hit a rough patch, Oli. Even you’ve told me that not every property, every business you’ve touched turns to gold.”

  “I know,” Oliver says, then he chuckles. “Remember when I told you about my sure-fire plan on investing in that deal in Montana? I fucked that one up royally, so I know you can’t be perfect.”

  “Exactly. Hell, I even got you that Lakeside deal for a helluva bargain. So what are you so worried about?”

  “Relax, Tony,” Oliver says, “I know what you’re getting at. And I don’t think that. I respect you too much to beat around the bush. I don’t think you’re just slacking off. That’s why I want to send you to Hawaii.”

  I frown in confusion. “Hawaii?”

  “There’s a property there,” Oliver says, and for the next twenty minutes, he fills Caleb and me in about the place. Caleb knew the gist but not details. “Here’s the bottom line. Gavin and I both want to invest, to turn the property into something that can set both of our families up for life. Tony, if this deal goes right, the Steele family is going to have ‘fuck you’ money for generations.”

  “I’m glad you have faith in me,” I say confidently. Oliver’s worry about my slipping back into my old habits has me irritated and wanting to prove him wrong, regardless of whether he says he doesn’t believe that. I’m not a fuckup, nor will I ever be again.

  I’ll go there, break this bad luck streak, and put all of that to rest.

  Oliver looks relieved that I agreed so readily. “Good . . . because Mindy’s pregnant again. It’ll be a huge weight off my shoulders.”

  The news hits me like a punch in the chest. I’ve loved being Uncle to Oliver’s two children. “Congrats, man! When did you find out?”

  “About two hours before I found out about the Hawaii deal,” Oliver says. “It was like a double-whammy.”

  “Damn, that must be something,” Caleb says. “I can’t imagine having kids right now.”

  Oliver grins. “They’re a handful, that’s for sure.” He clears his throat, his gaze returning to me. “So yeah, I’d be going with you if not for that. But I’m counting on you to make this happen, brother.”

  “Don’t sweat it. The deal is as good as done.” I nod at Caleb. “And what role does he play in all of this?”

  “I’ve hired him for Steele Solutions. He’s smart, and he’s helped me on some other properties that needed rehabbing. He’s got an eye for creative ways to solve problems as I’m sure you know from your complete disregard for rules for most of your lives. He’s going to be your wingman, not for chicks like you used to do, but for this… With the two of you working together, you should have no problem closing this deal.”

  Chapter 3

  Hannah

  “Does this make me look fat?” I ask Roxy, stepping out of the dressing room. It’s a black dress that hugs my curves, but it’s still professional and businesslike.

  “You look like every horny office worker’s wet dream.”

  I roll my eyes even as I agree with Roxy. I do look smoking in this. We’re inside Neiman Marcus, checking out new outfits for me. I checked the weather, Hawaii’s total tank top and short shorts weather, which I already own, but I need a couple of tropical weight business outfits that won’t break the bank. I don’t know what this Wesley Mobber guy is like, but I want to make sure I look my best. “Come on, seriously, Rox. Do you think this is too sexy?”

  Roxy stares at me for a moment before leaning so far forward in her seat to get a good look
at my butt that I think she’s gonna fall and faceplant. She taps a finger to her lips. “Hmm, I seem to recall a certain person always talking about my big ass, but it looks like you’ve been on a Krispy Kreme vacation lately. Got a little more sand in your hourglass.”

  I scowl. I know she’s joking, but she’s right. I’ve been eating unhealthy lately, and while it hasn’t been Krispy Kreme, I have done my fair share of late-night Taco Bell runs. But I haven’t put on more than five pounds. At least I think . . . I’ve been avoiding my scale. “Hey! I’ve been busy and I’ve gotten in too much of a habit of picking up something quick to eat! It’s not fun cooking for a party of one.”

  Roxy laughs. “You know I’m just playing. You look beautiful, and you’ve filled out in all the right places, actually. Besides, I’m not one to talk. I’ve found a couple of new lovers by the name of Ben and Jerry. Jake doesn’t mind. He’s freaky like that.”

  I laugh. Roxy knows how to make me feel good. “Yeah, but you have a reason. You’re pregnant.”

  “Speaking of which,” Roxy says, rubbing her belly. “I’m having urges now. Baby’s saying we want some Chinese, and I saw a Panda Express in the food court.”

  Before I can reply, Cassie comes out of the dressing room beside me in a two-tone, two-piece bikini. I brought her along for the shopping trip as a chance to get to know her as more than Myra’s Minion, and I’m sort of regretting it. She nearly talked our head off on the way here, starting with telling Roxy how much she loves Heartstopper, Roxy’s hit song, as soon as she realized that my friend really is that Roxy.

  “Wa-la!” Cassie says, throwing her arms up and doing a little twirl. “How do I look?”

  Roxy places a hand over her mouth, trying to contain the giggles. “My God, leave something to the imagination. I think I can see your uterus.”

  “Brings a whole new meaning to ‘camel toe’,” I agree. “I don’t know if I’m looking at a muffin or an apricot. By the way, speaking of fruit, that split peach ass of yours is a total no-go.”

  Cassie places her hands on her hips and huffs in exasperation while stomping her feet. “Dang it! I really liked this one, too!” With another twirl of her barely covered butt cheeks, she goes back into the dressing room.

  I shake my head after she closes the door. “Lord, help me. Was I ever that young?”

  “She seems like a nice girl,” Roxy whispers. “A little cheeky.”

  I make a face. Roxy’s puns are horrible. “Yeah, she’s nice. But she talks so much that she drives me nuts. You saw how she was in the car on the way here. It’s just how she is, talk, talk, talk, then flash those dimples, and boom, she gets away with it.”

  “I hear you guys talking about me!” Cassie yells over the dressing room door.

  “We’re just talking about how sweet you are,” I say. “How you bring so much to the office.”

  “Mhmm. Sure. By the way, I do have more than dimples! I’m just smart enough to know when and how to use them for the biggest bang for my buck.”

  Roxy chuckles. “She seems fun.” Leaning back, she rubs her belly and sighs wistfully. “Hawaii. I sure wish I could go, but Jake would never go for it with my being pregnant. He’s turned into a mother hen worrying about me. If I say I want to go to Hawaii, he’d have a fit.”

  “Well, I’ll live it up for you,” I say, turning to look at myself in the mirror and running my hands along my side. Roxy’s right. I do look good in this. “You definitely don’t want Jake worrying. And I promise, I’ll bring back lots of good photos. Besides, this trip is supposed to be mostly business.”

  Roxy’s eyes narrow and she gives me a look that reminds me that regardless of whether she’s a budding pop star on hiatus or not, she’s got as much brains in her head as junk in her trunk. “Oh, yeah, tell me about that again.”

  “Honestly, I still don’t know much. This rich man owns a piece of land that could potentially be worth who knows how much if it’s developed right. He’s apparently open to selling, but only to someone he approves of. He doesn’t really need the money. He just wants to see it in the right hands. What those right hands are, we have no damn clue. My boss seems to think I can charm him though,” I say, still trying to wrap my head around it. Myra’s file had a ton of information on the property itself and damn near a biography on Mobber, but not much on the development plans for the property, although I’ve got my ideas. “I guess she’s sending me for my personality.”

  I expect a wisecrack from Roxy, but she surprises me. “I’m sure you’ll come through. Who wouldn’t like you? Besides, I’ve never known you not to be able to wrap a guy around your finger in two minutes flat.”

  I think about the information on Wesley Mobber and shake my head. “I don’t know if he’ll be susceptible to my charm. Something about him . . . he’s just . . . unique.”

  “Whatever, it doesn’t matter. You’ve got this,” Roxy says with conviction.

  The doors to the dressing room bang open again, and Cassie comes out, twirling for us on one pointed toe. Her suit’s certainly different. She’s gone with a white monokini that doesn’t look too bad. At least half of her ass is covered.

  “How about this one?” she says with that dazzling smile I both admire and get frustrated by. She sashays around, her hands on her hips like she’s working the runway.

  “Much better,” Roxy and I almost say in unison. “I won’t be embarrassed to actually be seen in public with you in that thing.”

  Cassie lets out a squeal of delight. “GREAT! Now I get to try on my party dress.” She disappears back into the dressing room.

  Roxy shakes her head. “I sure wish I were twenty-one again,” she says wistfully. “I’m gonna have a hell of a time getting the baby weight off so I can go on stage again. Her, you can bounce a penny off her butt.”

  “Ha!” I laugh, looking over at Roxy. For a woman who says she’s only having fun with singing, she sure takes it seriously, but I know it’s because she loves it. “Speaking of butts, how’s everything going with yours?”

  “I’ve already scaled back on singing at Club Jasmine, and no more dancing. Taking it slow, doctor’s orders. Jake is having a blast at the company, and his little sister, Sophie, has been kicking ass her senior year of high school. So all I need to be is a lady of leisure—sit on the couch and eat bon bons while watching my stories,” she says with a faux snooty affect.

  I shake my head, laughing. “I’m jelly. Are you hoping for a boy or girl? It’s going to be a girl,” I predict. “Knowing your family, you’re gonna have a little princess on your hands.”

  Roxy grins and bites her lower lip. “I hope so too. Of course, Jake is hoping for a boy. A boy would be great, but I do want a little girl.”

  I head back into the changing room, and we continue trying on outfits. At Cassie’s and Roxy’s insistence, I even grab up a new bathing suit, a string bikini, but it does cover a lot more than what Cassie was trying on. I don’t think I’ll do much swimming, but maybe I’ll get in the water at least once. After getting everything we need, we head to the food court and catch lunch.

  As expected, Cassie is in her element, talking the whole time, and Roxy tosses me gazes here and there over the gigantic milkshake she somehow thinks goes with sweet n’ sour pork. After we clean up, we leave the mall. Roxy insists on driving, and we talk about the upcoming trip. But Roxy catches me off guard when she brings up a sore topic.

  “Think you’ll be needing protection?” Roxy asks as we come up on a stop light.

  “I know I will!” Cassie chirps from the backseat.

  I ignore her and give Roxy an appalled look. “How many times do I have to tell you? I’m through with men. This trip will be about business, and business only.”

  Roxy shakes her head as the light turns green and she takes us across the intersection. “Are you sure? I don’t think you are. You can’t be celibate for the rest of your life.”

  I turn my nose up, wanting this to be over. “I just might, yeah. I’d rather wea
r an iron-locked chastity belt than to deal with the assholes I’ve had the past few months.”

  Roxy sighs. “You’re so going to end up like Good Girl.”

  “Huh?” I ask, knowing she’s talking something pop culture. You know, the thing I’ve been too damn busy to keep up with.

  “It’s that movie with Jennifer Aniston,” Roxy explains, “where she works as a store clerk and then ends up screwing this young guy’s brains out because she’s sexually repressed and is as horny as a monkey on ecstasy? That one. That’s gonna be you.”

  I laugh, I can’t help it. “You’re fucking crazy.”

  Cassie sits forward in her seat, poking her head between us. “How about just getting a Mr. Rabbit and calling it a day?” I give her a look, and she asks sweetly, “What? At least with rechargeable batteries, he’ll never let you down. Always hard and ready to jam.”

  Damn, sweet little Cassie might be a freak. I feel a long-missed sarcastic grin creep to my lips. “Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.”

  Cassie bites her lip naughtily and grins. “I might be.”

  Roxy glances at Cassie as she turns a corner. “So what . . . never mind. I’m not even going to ask.”

  We exchange amused glances as we pull up to Cassie’s apartment building.

  “Wow, thanks for letting me come along, girls,” Cassie says. “So I guess I’ll see you at the airport Sunday! It was so awesome meeting you, Roxy!”

  “Nice meeting you too!” Roxy says, smiling at her. “Hey, when you get back, stop by Club Jasmine. I’ll get you VIP tickets to a show, if I can still sing!”

  “You were right,” Roxy says when Cassie’s gone. “She’s a talker, but she’s sweet as can be.”

  I nod, grinning for a second before I go more serious. “So . . .”

  Roxy glances over as we turn out onto the main road again, her brow furrowing. “Talk to me, babe. What’s going on?”

  I sigh. “Just . . . there’s a lot of pressure. I mean, the whole damn division is resting on my shoulders, and numbers don’t mean anything to this man. I’ve got a lot on my plate.”