The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska #1)(72)

Gritting his teeth, Graham looked away. “You didn’t come all the way here to mess with me about my love life or lack thereof. What’s the deal?”

“I don’t know. My folks are acting real weird, and they told me I had to come. There’s some benefit or something I’m supposed to represent the family at.”

“Lucky you.”

“You think I like going to that crap?”

No, Graham knew Jax didn’t. There was a reason they were sitting in Rick’s instead of eating up at the resort.

“By the way, they said to ask you if I saw you—”

“No way. Hannah brought it up the other night too. I’m not opening a second location, and definitely not at the big house.”

Jax hit him with a calculating look. “It could help the foot traffic at your place.”

“Low blow, man, using intimate knowledge of my misery to advance your mother’s agenda.” Graham shook his head. “I’m not hiring employees. The last thing I need is someone depending on me. It makes being undependable too hard. No, but thanks.”

“Hey, I told them you’d say no, but you know how Ma is when she wants something.”

“Yeah, I remember.” They had constantly been in trouble with Jax’s mom when they were little. “The woman has eyes on the back of her head. So you go to this thing, watch some rich morons spend their money to save whatever the cause of the month is, catch some fireworks, and then what? Are you staying for a while?”

Jax frowned. “I don’t know. My gut says to get out and back to New York while I can. Have you seen the guest list this week?”

This time, Graham was the one who snorted. “Since when did I ever pay attention to who’s up there?”

“It’s a lot of money. Too much money. And the timing? I know the fourth is big around here, but my gut tells me this isn’t all about some fireworks. But everyone I talk to seems closed lipped about it.”

A door swung open at the far side of the pool hall, catching Graham’s eye. As Zoey appeared from the bathroom, she smiled at him, a real smile that reached her eyes even from across the room. Yeah, he probably was screwed when it came to her.

Funny how it didn’t bother him half as much as it should.

“You have the dumbest-ass look on your face,” Jax teased. “That woman’s got you by the balls.”

Graham didn’t bother to deny it. “Remind me to tell you how hard she kicked me in them. I still pee too far to the left.”

When she sat back down, Jax turned his focus on her, eyes bright with curiosity. “So, Zoey. Since my buddy is totally smitten with you, I’d love to know more about you. The good stuff, not the bullshit stuff.”

He was a direct guy, Jax. Unfortunately, Jax had always had a thing for the shy, sweet type.

“He’s going to try to steal you from me,” Graham warned her. “He started with my favorite trading cards when we were kids, then spots on the school’s sports teams. Jax actively tried to seduce every girlfriend I’ve ever had.”

“And you’re still friends?” She raised a skeptical eyebrow.

Leaning forward on his elbows, Jax aimed a lazy smirk at her. “He didn’t tell you what he did to me.”

When Zoey leaned forward too, taking a long sip of her water, Graham groaned. He recognized that sparkle in her eyes.

“By all means,” she said. “Enlighten me.”

*

They’d lingered in Rick’s too long.

By the time Zoey realized what time it was, she had to rush Graham back to his truck so he could get back to work. Even though Zoey was worried about him arriving late to open for the dinner shift, Graham didn’t seem in any hurry, spending too long telling her goodbye in the parking lot. As goodbyes went, it was beyond satisfactory if far more discreet than their morning in the booth.

Zoey would take it.

Lana was deep in conversation with Hannah and Quinn when Zoey walked through the lobby, but she caught Zoey’s eye, holding up a finger to ask her to wait.

Finishing whatever they were speaking about, Lana hustled over. “Were you just out with Jackson Shaw?”

“Yeah, he’s a friend of Graham’s. Why?”

Lana pursed her lips, glanced at the man leaning on the front desk, talking to Grass, then flapped her hand. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll catch up with him later.”

“You’ve been very mysterious this entire trip. Are you ready to spill the beans?”

“Let’s get to the room, then we’ll talk.”

Patiently, Zoey waited to grill her friend until they had ridden the elevator to their floor and safely closed the hotel room door behind them. Bending over sideways, Lana pulled the four-inch stiletto pumps off her feet.

“Oh, I’ve wanted to burn these since I put them on this morning.”

“Then why did you wear them?”

“Power shoes, dearest. Men have power ties; women have power shoes. I had a lot of people to talk to today, and I needed all the power of persuasion available to me.” Tossing her purse on the counter, she rolled her shoulders, then twisted her neck to ease the strain. “In answer to your question, my mysteriousness is not drama so much as discretion. And if I tell you, mum’s the word.”

“I’m mum.” Zoey perched on the kitchenette counter next to Lana’s purse. “Swearsies realsies.”