Undeniably Asher (The Colloway Brothers Book 2)(31)

Molly, our regular waitress, sees another person has joined us and heads over to take Luke’s order. But instead of talking, she stands there looking at Luke before looking around at the three of us. I understand why. I almost laugh when I remember the Sesame Street song that I used to be so fond of when I was a kid—Silence, haters.

Luke is definitely the one thing here that doesn’t look like the others. He’s dressed in black from head to toe, complete with well-worn black boots and a leather jacket. Hell, he looks like he belongs with an MC versus sitting with three businessmen dressed in tailor-made suits. The only thing he’s missing is a patch and the name of his club on the back of his bomber. He fits Sons of Anarchy to a fucking “T.”

“Hi, darlin’,” Luke drawls, winking and placing a hand at the small of her back. “I’ll take a coffee, black. And bring the pot. Come back in a few and I’ll be ready to order.”

“Uh, okay.” She slowly turns and walks away, but looks back several times, brows drawn, trying to figure out this conundrum. For the year we’ve been coming to this little hole-in-the-wall diner on the corner, down the block from our office building, Molly has never seen us with a fourth to our little party. She knows we’re all brothers and knows we own GRASCO Holdings. Hell, she even knows Gray is engaged. She should probably be invited to the fucking wedding. She’s practically family. I’ve not spent as much time with one single woman since I kicked Natalie’s ass out as I have with Molly. I’m hoping to change that with Alyse, though.

“Luke, how’s the relo going?” Conn asks.

“It’s coming. I found some cheap office space on the south side of town. I need to hire another guy because Johnny doesn’t want to relocate from Dayton to Chicago. Then need to figure out a place to stay. It’ll be a while yet before I make the move official.”

“I thought Livvy’s portion of the lease was in your name?” Gray asks, taking a sip of his coffee. “You just renewed it a couple months ago. Why don’t you stay there? You’re responsible for the rent on it anyway, unless you sublease it.”

Huh? Something else I didn’t know. How many ways is Luke tied up with Livia, soon-to-be Mrs. Gray Colloway? Gray seems completely neutral on the issue, like we’re talking about paint color or something. I wish I knew what the hell happened with those three.

Luke shrugs noncommittally. “Been thinking about it, but I’m not sure I want to room with a chick. Especially that one. She’s a little high strung.”

Gray laughs. “She is that. But she’s also pretty hot.”

Luke smirks. “Don’t get me wrong. I’d worship at her church any Sunday. I’m just not sure I want to live in the temple full-time.”

“Mmmhmm,” Gray hums, eyeing Luke like he knows he’s full of shit. Luke flips him the finger and I almost sigh because things seem to be getting back to normal slowly but surely between the four of us. It’s nice.

Molly comes back with Luke’s coffee and we place our orders. Most of our breakfasts here are spent in harmless flirty banter with Molly. She’s a cute enough blonde, probably mid-forties. Never been married. We tip her well and she takes good care of us. This time, however, it’s almost like Conn, Gray, and I don’t even exist. She cannot tear her eyes away from Luke. He’s playing her like an expert bassist as we all watch and laugh and learn.

“Wow. You’re smooth,” I tell him when Molly finally leaves.

His face turns serious. “Had to be in my line of work.” That’s the first time Luke has said anything about his past and suddenly the mood at the table takes a sharp dip.

“So,” Conn starts, looking at me. “You’ll never believe who I saw Saturday night.”

“Who?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood. “That little redhead that you’ve been trying to deny you’re dating?” Not since Nora Cantres, the redheaded beauty that Conn had a thing for in high school, have I ever seen him settle down with one woman. She broke his fucking heart our senior year when her family moved and she broke it off. I’m pretty sure he liked her more than he tried to let on and she jaded him for a future Mrs. Conn Colloway. Which is too bad, because Conn would be a great husband and father. If he’d just let himself find the right woman.

You should take your own advice, Ash.

“I’m not dating her. I fucked her. You know my rule, Ash. In and out. Anyway…” He pauses, looking at me pointedly. My senses are now flashing bat-phone red, because I know that look. I know what he’s going to say, but I have no idea how it can be as she doesn’t even live in Chicago. To my knowledge she still lives in Detroit and Conn came back to the city on Friday.