taking pleasure in one another’s company.
He hadn’t thought it possible, but he’d genuinely enjoyed Harper so much that he’d successfully ignored the situation with his mother and James.
Monday morning came and went as it always did. He concentrated on work and decided not to answer any of Derrick’s calls, letting his brother stew about the Friday meeting Dylan had been late to.
The days passed, during which Dylan couldn’t stop thinking about Harper and that club. He was more than curious about Freddy too. He thought he’d seen a spark between her and Harper and wanted to know if they had a history. Thoughts of Harper also prevented him from dwelling too much on his mother and James, both of whom kept surprisingly distant.
By Thursday evening, he’d ignored the family long enough that they’d finally come to him.
He let himself in to his condo, turned on the lights, and saw Derrick sitting on his couch looking annoyed. Well, tough shit.
It surprised him that it had taken a whole four days for someone to pay him a visit. Dylan understood Gage and Derrick being occupied by work and their girlfriends. But at least his mother should have checked in. Then again, she had James now, he thought with a sneer.
As soon as he thought it, he chastised himself for having the emotional maturity of a ten-year-old.
Dylan felt a deep sense of embarrassment that he still couldn’t seem to accept his mother having a steady man in her life. Hell, he’d known James for years. The guy was smart, decent and had always admired Dr. Barbara Warren. She could do much worse. Dylan loved her and should have been happy for her, but her coupling only pointed out how alone he truly was. God, was he really that selfish?
Ignoring his twin as he set down his briefcase, Dylan moved to the kitchen and poured himself a cold glass of tea. He’d come to the decision that he would join his mother’s and James’s office. It made financial sense, and it would allow him the freedom to segue into his own practice. Now he just had to learn how to deal with them .
“Hey, dickhead. I’ve been waiting for you,” Derrick fumed from the kitchen doorway.
“Oh, that’s the buzzing I’ve been hearing.” Dylan pretended fright. “You startled me. I thought I had some kind of infestation.”
“Ha ha. You’ve ignored me long enough. Now tell me. How did it go? I can’t call Natalie and ask, and I can’t seem to get ahold of Harper either.”
“Who?”
Derrick paled. “Oh shit. I forgot to mention him, didn’t I? Was he there?”
Dylan walked up to his brother and slugged him in the gut.
Derrick’s breath whooshed out and he bent over to clutch his stomach.
“That’s more like it.” Dylan felt better. “You not only gave me the wrong time for the meeting—which was at eleven forty-five, not noon—but you didn’t mention Harper. And, yeah, he was there. Luckily, he’s a decent guy and covered for us.”
“He knew we’d swapped?” Derrick wheezed.
“Yeah.” And he more than made up for it with a weekend of nonstop, amazing sex. Dylan cleared his throat. “He and I worked things out, but you owe him a big thanks. You never mentioned him before.”
Derrick winced as he straightened. “I meant to. Harper’s a great guy. He helps when Natalie gets her panties in a bunch. He’s smart too.” He frowned. “Why are you asking?”
“Because you should have told me he’d be there. As it was, I think only the fact that he respected you allowed me to get out of there in one piece. Natalie’s not that bad, but I wouldn’t want to piss her off.”
Derrick nodded. “And that secretary. Scary.”
“Marly’s actually very nice. She wears Vintage perfume, by the way. So mention it the next time you see her. Which is at eleven forty-five next Friday. Not noon.”
“You think Marly’s nice?” Derrick blinked, then smiled. “Way to go, bro.”
“You’re welcome. And we’re even.”
“Yeah yeah. Sure.” Derrick
He hadn’t thought it possible, but he’d genuinely enjoyed Harper so much that he’d successfully ignored the situation with his mother and James.
Monday morning came and went as it always did. He concentrated on work and decided not to answer any of Derrick’s calls, letting his brother stew about the Friday meeting Dylan had been late to.
The days passed, during which Dylan couldn’t stop thinking about Harper and that club. He was more than curious about Freddy too. He thought he’d seen a spark between her and Harper and wanted to know if they had a history. Thoughts of Harper also prevented him from dwelling too much on his mother and James, both of whom kept surprisingly distant.
By Thursday evening, he’d ignored the family long enough that they’d finally come to him.
He let himself in to his condo, turned on the lights, and saw Derrick sitting on his couch looking annoyed. Well, tough shit.
It surprised him that it had taken a whole four days for someone to pay him a visit. Dylan understood Gage and Derrick being occupied by work and their girlfriends. But at least his mother should have checked in. Then again, she had James now, he thought with a sneer.
As soon as he thought it, he chastised himself for having the emotional maturity of a ten-year-old.
Dylan felt a deep sense of embarrassment that he still couldn’t seem to accept his mother having a steady man in her life. Hell, he’d known James for years. The guy was smart, decent and had always admired Dr. Barbara Warren. She could do much worse. Dylan loved her and should have been happy for her, but her coupling only pointed out how alone he truly was. God, was he really that selfish?
Ignoring his twin as he set down his briefcase, Dylan moved to the kitchen and poured himself a cold glass of tea. He’d come to the decision that he would join his mother’s and James’s office. It made financial sense, and it would allow him the freedom to segue into his own practice. Now he just had to learn how to deal with them .
“Hey, dickhead. I’ve been waiting for you,” Derrick fumed from the kitchen doorway.
“Oh, that’s the buzzing I’ve been hearing.” Dylan pretended fright. “You startled me. I thought I had some kind of infestation.”
“Ha ha. You’ve ignored me long enough. Now tell me. How did it go? I can’t call Natalie and ask, and I can’t seem to get ahold of Harper either.”
“Who?”
Derrick paled. “Oh shit. I forgot to mention him, didn’t I? Was he there?”
Dylan walked up to his brother and slugged him in the gut.
Derrick’s breath whooshed out and he bent over to clutch his stomach.
“That’s more like it.” Dylan felt better. “You not only gave me the wrong time for the meeting—which was at eleven forty-five, not noon—but you didn’t mention Harper. And, yeah, he was there. Luckily, he’s a decent guy and covered for us.”
“He knew we’d swapped?” Derrick wheezed.
“Yeah.” And he more than made up for it with a weekend of nonstop, amazing sex. Dylan cleared his throat. “He and I worked things out, but you owe him a big thanks. You never mentioned him before.”
Derrick winced as he straightened. “I meant to. Harper’s a great guy. He helps when Natalie gets her panties in a bunch. He’s smart too.” He frowned. “Why are you asking?”
“Because you should have told me he’d be there. As it was, I think only the fact that he respected you allowed me to get out of there in one piece. Natalie’s not that bad, but I wouldn’t want to piss her off.”
Derrick nodded. “And that secretary. Scary.”
“Marly’s actually very nice. She wears Vintage perfume, by the way. So mention it the next time you see her. Which is at eleven forty-five next Friday. Not noon.”
“You think Marly’s nice?” Derrick blinked, then smiled. “Way to go, bro.”
“You’re welcome. And we’re even.”
“Yeah yeah. Sure.” Derrick
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