Razed (Barnes Brothers #2)(46)

Aida

Zane slid his brother a glance. Zach shrugged. “I didn’t do it. I’ll ask Abby, but I don’t think she did it, either. She would have mentioned it.”

Zane handed the card to Javi. “Well, whoever did it, that was pretty nice of them. This was the thing you were talking about back at the wedding, right?”

“Yeah.” Javi stared at the card, hard. “I . . . seriously, man. It wasn’t you, boss?”

“No. I . . .” He paused as Keelie jogged in, grabbed a bottle of water. “Please tell me Little Tom isn’t feeling queasy again.”

“Nah. He’s just thirsty.” She paused, looked at Javi and Zach. “What’s up?”

Javi waved the card at her. “Somebody set up a fund for thousands of dollars at my baby’s school. We thought it was Zach and Abby, but they say no. I dunno who else could have that kind of money. It would be like fifty grand or more, and they said they’ll renew the grant as deemed appropriate.” His face brightened. “Hey . . . hey! Sebastian! He was there!”

“No, he wasn’t.” Zane shook his head. “He’d wandered off by then. And hate to say this, pal. If he’d done it, he’d have his name all over it. In bright, sparkling letters.”

Keelie took the card, read it. Then she shrugged and passed it back. “What does it matter who did it? I gotta get going. If I take too long, Little Tom will get queasy.” She flashed a smile at Zane.

It hit him, right in the gut.

She was gone before he could give in to the need to grab her, plant a hard kiss on that pretty mouth.

“The big guy.” Zane ran his tongue across his teeth. “He gets queasy.”

“He passed out on Keelie once.” Javi shoved the card in his back pocket and grinned at Zane. “Was sitting up in the chair and Keelie had to hold him there when he started to slip out of it. She threatened to kill me if I took a picture of her.”

“You’re an ass, Javi,” Zach said, sighing.

“Yeah. That’s why you love me.”


*

“So have you hit anyplace since you got in town?” Zach asked.

It was two hours earlier than planned, but some of Zach’s appointments had cancelled. That worked out better really, because Zane hadn’t had time to figure out what he wanted to cook and he still needed to do that, go to the store. This would take up an hour or so and then he’d be free to focus on Keelie.

“Nope.” Zane swapped out his regular glasses for sunglasses as Zach climbed inside the convertible. Zach had the top off and the sun seemed way too bright and it was way too high in the sky for Zane’s liking. But then again, it had taken him until two a.m. to fall asleep. Being curled around Keelie’s naked body had been both pleasure and pain—he hadn’t wanted to miss a moment of it. “I did some driving around earlier, but I was looking at houses.”

“Houses. You can use the loft, you know. It’s paid for. Save you money while you’re building the studio up.” Zach scowled, his hair already escaping the band he’d used to pull it back. “You need to be careful how much money you go throwing around.”

Zane managed not to laugh, although it was hard. The idea of Zach lecturing him on money was hilarious.

“I appreciate it, but I got it under control.”

“I’m serious.” Zach gave him a narrow look before he pulled out of the parking lot. “The first couple of years are rough for small-business types. And I had money to fall back on.”

“Zach? I appreciate the concern, but I got this.” He slumped in the seat and squinted as the sun proceeded to shine directly in his eyes. “Just two places, right?”

“Yep. We can hit the one farthest out first—it’s the one I think Abby just likes because she likes it.” Zach grinned. “If that makes sense.”

“Since when you do you make sense?” Zane swiped through a recipe website on his phone, careful to keep it angled away from his brother. He might have to put up with some razzing from his brothers over the fact that he knew his way around a kitchen—and enjoyed it—he wasn’t in the mood to listen to Zach’s ribbing him about digging around for ideas on what to make for dinner.

“I ran that idea for the discount thing by a couple of my regulars. They like it. You going be here long this time?” Zach hit the road, driving like he’d spent most of his formative years as a stunt double, not a child star on a sitcom.

Zane set his jaw and managed not to brace himself as Zach took a corner at a speed that really should have sent them spinning out of control.

“You realize they have speed limits for a reason, right?” he said calmly. “And if you hit anybody going this fast, you’re going to do damage.”

Zach grimaced and slowed down. “I’m not going to hit anybody. And you didn’t answer me.”

“A few weeks this time. I’m waiting for my stuff to get here, put what I don’t need in storage. I had a call from my real estate agent—somebody made an offer on my place, sounds serious.”

“That was fast. Is it fair?”

Zane shrugged, eyed the road, decided it was safe to look away. “Yeah. It’s a little lower than I’d like but the economy sucks.” It was also more than Zane had paid, but he’d been adding on and upgrading, so he was coming out on top. Plus, the house was paid off. Maybe Zach had money coming in from the show and syndication, but Zane actually understood the language of money. The game of it. He’d paid his house off two years ago and once he moved here, the only real debt he’d have would be the studio.