“We do,” Mandy agreed.
“I don’t like her,” Grady said irritably. “I just don’t want anything bad to happen to her.”
Mandy held up her hands in mock surrender. “Fine.”
“I don’t like her.”
“I believe you.”
Grady sank into a chair, sighing. “You don’t believe me.”
“Yes, she does,” James said.
Mandy shook her head, her blonde hair brushing against her shoulders. “No, I don’t.”
“See.”
James flicked Mandy’s arm. “I told you not to push this. You just can’t help yourself from meddling, can you?”
“I’m not meddling,” Mandy protested, rubbing her arm.
“You’re meddling. Grady will make his own decision about this. You can’t influence him.” James dropped a kiss on the spot by Mandy’s elbow where he had flicked her.
Mandy rolled her eyes. “She looks like a lilies kind of girl,” she offered. “Buy her some lilies. Women love flowers.”
“What kind of girl are you?” James asked. “I mean, what kind of flowers do you like?”
“I’m old school,” Mandy replied. “Roses are nice. Just not red ones. I don’t like the color red. I like those new blue ones that I keep seeing.”
James placed his tongue into his cheek. “I’ll keep that in mind for the next time I’m in trouble.”
“Some women like flowers even when a man isn’t in trouble,” Mandy pointed out.
“Hey, I made you chicken and stars.”
“Duly noted.”
“Will you two stop?” Grady asked. “All this fake hostility is starting to bug me. If you’re going to do it on the desk, I’d rather not catch the pre-show.”
Mandy shifted, turning her attention to Grady. “If you like her, you shouldn’t fight it. Look what that did to your brother.”
James groaned. “I knew this would come back to bite me.”
Mandy ignored him. “You’re just going to drive yourself crazy, Grady.”
Grady blew out a sigh. “Where is she? Is she upstairs?”
“Finn took her back to her place,” James said. “She rushed out of the house so fast this morning she forgot to change out of her pajamas. I sent him with her to make sure the house is safe.”
“You sent Finn to her house?” Grady was back on his feet, an emotion he wasn’t familiar with tightening his chest.
James was taken aback. “Was that wrong?”
“What do you think they’re doing?” Grady asked, his tone reflecting worry.
Mandy smirked. “I think you should go and find out.”
“Don’t,” James warned, extending a finger in her direction. “You’ve done enough.”
“Seriously, why is he still over there?”
“He’s working from there today,” James said. “He called about an hour ago and said that Stu was there upgrading the deadbolt.”
“And he’s just going to work there all day? From her house?” Grady was positive now. The emotion he was feeling was jealousy.
“I don’t think anything is going on,” James said.
“There better not be,” Grady grumbled, moving toward the door irritably. “I think I’ll go and take over, just to be on the safe side.”
James watched his brother, a mixture of amusement and mild concern flitting across his face. “Okay.”
Grady was almost to the front door when he heard Mandy chime in again. “Don’t forget the flowers!”
“You’re such a pain,” James said.
Grady didn’t hear the rest of their conversation. He had a reporter on his brain – and a brother to evict from her house.
They’d better not be naked.
Fourteen
Stu’s dilapidated gray van was pulling away from Sophie’s house when Grady pulled up. Grady waved distractedly, killing his engine, ultimately pocketing his keys as he exited the truck.
Sophie’s car was parked in front of the house, with Finn’s SUV sitting idly a few feet behind it. The sight of their cars together was enough to push Grady over the edge – although he had no idea why. It was just so … cozy.
He stalked to the front door, banging on it loudly. Sophie opened it a few seconds later, her face registering surprise when she caught sight of him. “Oh. I thought you were Stu coming back because he forgot something.”
Grady pushed his way into the house, ignoring her mumbled protests, stalking through it until he found Finn sitting at the dining room table.
“Hey,” Finn greeted him, obviously not sensing his brother’s mood. “You finally showed up to work, huh?”