I Love How You Love Me (The Sullivans #13)(41)

“A fabulous store downtown called Indulgence.”

The name pricked through Dylan’s brain. “Mia’s best friend owns that store. Colbie Michaels. Actually, Colbie Bryant now that she’s married our friend Noah.”

“Wow, that’s amazing,” Grace said, smiling even wider now. “She was so nice. And I could have easily bankrupted myself in her store.”

“Mia said her stock was great, and I can see she wasn’t kidding.” He’d also heard from both Mia and his brother Rafe that Indulgence sold some seriously sexy stuff beyond dresses and shoes. Had Grace bought anything else?

Dylan couldn’t wait to find out, after he finally had a chance to strip her out of her pretty new dress.

By then, Adam’s date had pulled out her phone and looked up the store’s website. “Oh my God, Indulgence is having an evening sidewalk sale. Tonight only!”

Dylan could barely hold back his grin as his brother returned with their drinks, a glass of wine for Grace and beers for each of them. He’d been thinking a little karmic payback was in order for the way his brother had been so pleased to walk in on them in the boathouse a couple of days ago.

Adam turned to his date with his most charming smile to hand her a glass of champagne, but she was already saying, “I’m afraid I won’t be able to stay.”

He frowned, still holding out the glass of champagne for her. “Why not?”

She looked a little guilty for a moment before she shrugged. “You’re a great guy, but I think we can both already tell that we just don’t have the kind of spark that would last beyond a night or two. Not like Dylan and Grace,” she said with a nod toward the two of them. “Anyone can see that they’re the real deal. You and me, we’d just be a fling. I’m sure you’d be a great one-night stand, but I’m thinking it’s time to start holding out for Mr. Right instead. I’ll see myself out.”

She was gone so fast she nearly gave his brother whiplash. “What the hell happened while I was getting everyone drinks?” Adam asked them.

Dylan finally lost the battle with his laughter. “Trust me, you don’t want to know. It will only make you feel like less of a man than you already do. So, who do you need Grace and me to talk to?”

He had to admire the way his brother pulled it together so fast. Adam had always been good at compartmentalizing. Work rarely bubbled over into the rest of his life. And emotions never tangled with sex. Although, Dylan figured it was a big part of the reason why his brother’s date had decided a dress sale would be a better way to spend the night.

Making the rounds ended up taking more than forty-five minutes, but Dylan greatly enjoyed listening to Grace talk about the history of the Maritime Museum and the important part the building had played in shaping the Seattle waterfront. He could see light bulbs going on over the heads of the board members as she spoke so eloquently about the history all around them. No one had ever made Adam’s job of pitching for an historic renovation so easy.

“You’re amazing,” Adam said as he led them over to a gray-haired couple standing by the corner window.

“Once Dylan told me what you were trying to do, I have to admit I studied up a little.”

“A little?” His brother was full of admiration. “You could write a book on the place.”

Dylan thought he saw a light bulb go on over her head then. “You’re right—there are so many interesting stories about this building and the men and women who have come through here over the years. Romantic ones, too, like Mr. and Mrs. Callam meeting and falling in love here.”

“When I get the project,” Adam said, “I’m going to push for you to do a companion book.”

“That sounds amazing,” she said, but he could see that the lingering connection with his brother worried her, too. Because for all that she might want to believe in honesty, in romance and lasting love, her brush with the Bentley family had taught her just the opposite.

It was up to Dylan and his family to give her back her faith in truth and love again. Fortunately, if anyone could do it, the Sullivans could.

Dylan’s cell phone rang with Rafe’s ring tone, a call he’d been waiting for.

“Is it your mother?” Grace immediately asked.

Knowing what a big deal it was for her to leave Mason with anyone, he gently stroked her cheek. “It’s Rafe. And even though I’m sure Mason’s doing great with my mom, why don’t you give them a call while I talk to my brother?”

“And here I didn’t think I was being nearly that obvious.”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know your kid is safe. My mom used to check in on us a half-dozen times when they’d go out. Granted,” he said with a grin, “that might have been because we had a history of doing things like jumping off the roof and starting huge bonfires in the backyard.”

Her easy laughter warmed him as they both drew out their cell phones and headed to the deck that faced the water. While she called his mother to check in, he dialed Rafe. Unfortunately, everything his brother told him over the next several minutes made the fury that he’d barely shoved down earlier rise up again. Hotter than ever.

Grace’s smile was a mile wide when she turned to him after they’d both hung up just seconds apart. “Look at the cute picture your mom took of Mason playing the piano. Doesn’t he look like such a big boy? And so proud of himself for making music all by himself.”