doing the man bodily harm. “Who the hell gets involved in a venture with a twenty-two-year-old girl who has no college degree and little life experience outside of this town? My sister isn’t a world traveler like you, Nick. She’s not a heavy hitter in the world of finance.” The whole thing felt so slimy. “And now I know that you’re cast from the same mold as your old man.”
Nick sat on a bale across from him. “Santana, your sister isn’t the little girl you think she is.”
“Watch it, or your tongue will find itself out of your mouth.”
Nick scowled. “Would you quit giving me shit? For your information, while I may not be a Navy SEAL, I’m pretty confident I can take you.”
Santana was so surprised he laughed out loud. He shook his head at his wiry, suit-wearing cousin. Nick had been on his way out to catch a flight—-private jet, of course—when Santana had waylaid him, determined to beat his hide blue for taking advantage of Sierra. “I don’t think so. You could try, but it wouldn’t end well.”
Nick shook his head. “I don’t want to fight with you. Look, drive me to the airport. I’ll explain it to you.”
“You’re the boss-man.” He meant to sound dismissive, but Nick’s attention was on his cell phone.
“Thanks. If you drive, I can get some of these calls out of the way.”
“I’m not a flunky. I’m not a driver, either, or a taxi service. I’m a hand.”
“I know, sorry. Anyway, you want to hear about your sister and her escapades, give me a ride. Otherwise, this chapter will have to wait until next week.”
“Would your highness like me to pack a cooler of water bottles and your favorite adult beverage?”
“Thanks.” Nick had already turned toward the Range Rover. Santana told himself that his cousin wasn’t a man on whom sarcasm worked well, and grabbed a couple of water bottles out of the barn fridge. Nick tossed him the keys. “Where is Sierra, anyway?”
“At home with Joe. I think they’re looking through some wedding books, last I checked.” Disgruntled, Santana got into the driver’s seat. “I’m not wearing a cap, I’m not carrying your luggage, and I’m not doing anything except driving you to the airport.”
Nick glanced up, strapping himself into the seat belt as he looked at Santana. “A driver’s uniform would look good on you. I always think it’s good to play the part, don’t you?”
Santana was about to bean him, until he saw Nick’s eyes twinkling. “You’re a laugh a minute. Where to?”
“DFW. I’m heading out to London for a couple of days.”
That would give him a nice distance to pick apart the lies Nick was probably about to tell as a cover story. He drove through the center of Star Canyon, astounded when he saw Sierra and Emma dragging a mannequin from a truck bed. The girls hoisted it up, carrying it down the street toward Sierra’s shop like it was some kind of trophy. “Just a second.”
“No problem.” Nick eyed the women. “Glad to see Sierra is taking this bet seriously.”
“You shut up until I get all the information out of you I want. I’m not happy with you at all.” Mannequins weren’t cheap, and Sierra was pouring money into a losing venture. He pulled in front of the store and got out. “What are you doing?”
“Carrying our sacrifice to the moon goddess. What does it look like?” Sierra demanded.
“Let me.” He took the mannequin from them, holding it in one arm. “Open the door.”
“What are you doing with him ?” Sierra asked.
“What are you doing with her ?” Santana asked Emma. “Why aren’t you at the clinic?”
“It’s my lunch break.”
“My sister is getting you involved in a questionable scheme.”
“I don’t do questionable schemes,” Nick said, coming inside the empty shop. “Why is it questionable? Isn’t Sierra reliable?”
“Does she look reliable?” He pointed to the eyebrow ring, the tat, and the wild hair.
Sierra smacked his finger away.
Nick sat on a bale across from him. “Santana, your sister isn’t the little girl you think she is.”
“Watch it, or your tongue will find itself out of your mouth.”
Nick scowled. “Would you quit giving me shit? For your information, while I may not be a Navy SEAL, I’m pretty confident I can take you.”
Santana was so surprised he laughed out loud. He shook his head at his wiry, suit-wearing cousin. Nick had been on his way out to catch a flight—-private jet, of course—when Santana had waylaid him, determined to beat his hide blue for taking advantage of Sierra. “I don’t think so. You could try, but it wouldn’t end well.”
Nick shook his head. “I don’t want to fight with you. Look, drive me to the airport. I’ll explain it to you.”
“You’re the boss-man.” He meant to sound dismissive, but Nick’s attention was on his cell phone.
“Thanks. If you drive, I can get some of these calls out of the way.”
“I’m not a flunky. I’m not a driver, either, or a taxi service. I’m a hand.”
“I know, sorry. Anyway, you want to hear about your sister and her escapades, give me a ride. Otherwise, this chapter will have to wait until next week.”
“Would your highness like me to pack a cooler of water bottles and your favorite adult beverage?”
“Thanks.” Nick had already turned toward the Range Rover. Santana told himself that his cousin wasn’t a man on whom sarcasm worked well, and grabbed a couple of water bottles out of the barn fridge. Nick tossed him the keys. “Where is Sierra, anyway?”
“At home with Joe. I think they’re looking through some wedding books, last I checked.” Disgruntled, Santana got into the driver’s seat. “I’m not wearing a cap, I’m not carrying your luggage, and I’m not doing anything except driving you to the airport.”
Nick glanced up, strapping himself into the seat belt as he looked at Santana. “A driver’s uniform would look good on you. I always think it’s good to play the part, don’t you?”
Santana was about to bean him, until he saw Nick’s eyes twinkling. “You’re a laugh a minute. Where to?”
“DFW. I’m heading out to London for a couple of days.”
That would give him a nice distance to pick apart the lies Nick was probably about to tell as a cover story. He drove through the center of Star Canyon, astounded when he saw Sierra and Emma dragging a mannequin from a truck bed. The girls hoisted it up, carrying it down the street toward Sierra’s shop like it was some kind of trophy. “Just a second.”
“No problem.” Nick eyed the women. “Glad to see Sierra is taking this bet seriously.”
“You shut up until I get all the information out of you I want. I’m not happy with you at all.” Mannequins weren’t cheap, and Sierra was pouring money into a losing venture. He pulled in front of the store and got out. “What are you doing?”
“Carrying our sacrifice to the moon goddess. What does it look like?” Sierra demanded.
“Let me.” He took the mannequin from them, holding it in one arm. “Open the door.”
“What are you doing with him ?” Sierra asked.
“What are you doing with her ?” Santana asked Emma. “Why aren’t you at the clinic?”
“It’s my lunch break.”
“My sister is getting you involved in a questionable scheme.”
“I don’t do questionable schemes,” Nick said, coming inside the empty shop. “Why is it questionable? Isn’t Sierra reliable?”
“Does she look reliable?” He pointed to the eyebrow ring, the tat, and the wild hair.
Sierra smacked his finger away.
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