That Second Chance (Getting Lucky #1)(41)

I level with him. “Don’t be a dick.” I catch Ren’s worried gaze. “Call him Rogan, and eat whatever the hell you want in the house. There are no rules.”

“Do you know that for sure? Have you read the fine print?” Rogan pushes, a spark igniting under his ass I haven’t seen in a while. My guess is it’s from seeing his older brother squirm. I’m usually levelheaded and unfazed, but around Ren I turn into a hot fucking mess.

“Oh, I read the fine print,” Ren says, a forkful of crabmeat ready to be consumed. “It said Rogan Knightly is a jackass.”

Rogan’s eyes widen right before the smirk on his face grows. I snort and turn back to my food, liking that Ren feels comfortable enough to stand up for herself against Rogan.

“I think you just took one hundred dollars off your rent,” Rogan says before taking another bite of his salad.

“Is that all it takes? Insult you and get money off rent?” She chuckles. “If I would have known that, I would have started insulting you the minute I signed the lease.”

“It’s a onetime insulting discount. Don’t get carried away.”

“Noted.” She nudges my elbow. “So the restoration committee is coming together this weekend?”

“Yeah,” Rogan cuts in. “You should come help out. You get free scones and coffee, plus you could meet some new people, other than this guy.” Rogan jabs his thumb toward me. “It might help knowing someone other than a Knightly. Jake is cool; he’ll be there.”

I grind my teeth together, seeing what my brother is doing.

“He seemed very nice. And you’re fixing up the picnic tables this time?”

I move my jaw back and forth before answering, trying to ease the tension building up right below my ear. “Yeah. We’ll be hosing everything down, touching up paint, weeding, basic crap like that just to make it more presentable. Jake will be washing his truck.”

“Oh, cool, and you need help?”

“They can always use an extra hand,” Rogan says, butting in once again.

“Then count me in.”



After Rogan leaves to meet with a contractor, I move to sit across from Ren rather than by her side. She tilts her head to the side, sipping from her soda, studying me across the table as I munch on my waffle fries. I always get a large order—I’ll work it off somehow.

“You know, it’s oddly unsettling how much you and your brothers look alike, Reid especially. Those are some strong genes your parents have.”

“Reid is like a mini-me, always has been.”

“Yeah, and Brig has that whole bad-boy vibe.”

I snort. “He’s the complete opposite. Don’t let the tattoos and black pants deter you. The guy is a total softy and a romantic. Always wants to be in a relationship.”

“Is he right now?”

I shake my head. “Can’t seem to hold anyone down.” I don’t mention why; the reason is too unbelievable to say aloud.

“That’s a shame. He seems like a nice guy. What about your other brothers? Are they taken?”

I lift a brow in her direction. “Why, fishing for a date?”

Her cheeks turn an adorable shade of crimson. “No, just . . . curious, I guess.”

“All single.” I pop another fry in my mouth.

“That’s really hard to believe. You seem like a bunch of guys everyone would be after.”

I bite my tongue, wanting to tell her to just wait until she starts talking to some of the single girls in town. In person we might seem like a catch, but everyone knows what lurks in our past. Not even the desperate and divorced want to come near us with a ten-foot pole. I may welcome the solitude, but it’s been hard on my brothers.

I rack my brain for an easier response. “We’ve all known each other so long it would be like dating your brother.”

Kind of the truth, maybe . . . or they’re all so scared of the “curse” that no woman will even look at us in a romantic—or just plain sexual—way.

“Oh, I never thought about it like that.”

She sips on her drink some more. I take the opportunity to change the subject. “Do you miss California?”

She shakes her head. “Not even a little. I mean, I miss my parents, but not California. It was so smoggy in LA, and packed full of people. I know there are tons of tourists here, but the friendly locals and the atmosphere balance it out. Plus it will die down a little with the season change, right?”

“Yeah, with school starting soon, the vacation season will slow down. We’ll still get a steady flow of people coming in and out, but nothing like you see now.”

“That’s good to know.” She pauses. “I’m a little nervous about classes starting up soon. I’ve had a few meetings with the principal and school board, but nothing too serious. I saw my classroom yesterday, and I’ve starting thinking of ways I can make it my own, but I’m more interested in the kids. Are these small-town children going to be brats?” She chuckles but also looks serious.

“Nah, they’re pretty good, and do you know why?”

“Why?” She smiles over her straw.

“Because everyone is in everyone’s business in this town, so if little Johnny Parker acts out during algebra, you can bet your ass that his parents are going to find out about it, and he’s going to get in trouble.”