Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
It was a happy memory and as he opened the door, he greeted Arch with a big grin. “Good to see you, man.” He extended his hand for a bro handshake and then a quick manly hug—two claps on the back.
“I saw you drive past earlier,” Arch said. “Figured I’d better get a tour of the house before you head home to LA.”
Jay’s grin faded. Was that how Arch saw him? As somebody who was going to use this gorgeous waterfront place like a weekend getaway? The longer he spent here, the more he felt as though Carmel-by-the-Sea could be a fresh chapter for him, in this home he never would have dreamed would be his one day, back when he was a kid and had nothing.
“I figure I can do a lot of my business here and pop back to LA when I have to.” He paused and then grinned again. “It’s a lot nicer here, I think you’ll agree.” He took a step back and invited Arch into the Art Deco foyer.
As he gazed around, the expression on Arch’s face said it all.
“I am definitely paying you too much if you can afford this,” Arch said, laughing half in amazement. “I’m supposed to be the movie star and this is bigger than my place.”
Jay couldn’t help but feel a stab of pride, but he covered it with their well-worn banter. “Face it, bro, I’m better at business than you are.”
“That’s true. Also, I wouldn’t have the modest wealth I’ve managed to accumulate if it wasn’t for you.”
He grinned. “My thoughts exactly.”
He began his second tour of the day, noting that Arch was much less enthused by the built-in shelving in the library than Erin. He couldn’t wait to fill those shelves with books. When he got to the master bedroom, a massive space begging for an enormous bed, he took a good long minute to enjoy the view. “No place like home,” Arch said, gazing out at the ocean. “There’s just something about Carmel that nowhere else tops. Maybe it can even crack a tough LA nut like you.”
Jay wasn’t a sentimental guy, so he kept quiet, but inside he was thinking that Carmel-by-the-Sea had already hooked him. Was already reeling him in.
Turning to gaze around the bedroom, Arch raised an eyebrow and asked, “Okay, no bed yet. But where’s Miss November?”
Jay grimaced. “It was Miss April, and she’s no longer in the picture. We weren’t compatible.”
“Don’t tell me you’re turning over a new leaf?”
Somehow, Jay didn’t find the comment funny. In fact, it had been playing on his mind all morning, ever since Erin had teased him about dating lingerie models.
Arch said, “I was just joking, but you’re not laughing.”
All Jay could say was, “Maybe I am.” He looked around the room. “You’re the third Davenport I’ve had in my house this morning. Mila was showing it to Erin when I got back early from LA.”
Arch gave him a hard look, his earlier playfulness draining away. “I get that you just moved here and you’re single, but Mila’s all but engaged, and as for Erin, don’t even think about going there.”
Jay laughed easily. “Believe me, I respect my gonads too much to put them in jeopardy by going near one of your sisters.”
He said the words with conviction, but in truth he had to admit that for the first time since he’d met her, he’d seen Erin not as Arch’s cute and nerdy kid sister, but as an interesting woman. Which was weird. Too weird to keep thinking about. He wasn’t the kind of guy to wade into murky territory—not even in his own thoughts. No. He was confident about making fast decisions. They’d almost always been the right ones.
So why did it feel like his head and heart were playing tricks on him? And why wasn’t Arch’s warning having its intended effect?
He quickly changed the subject to something safer—business. “How are you getting on with Shock Tactics?”
Arch flexed his impressive biceps. “I’m working out like a maniac. Tessa was hard enough on me when she was helping my broken leg heal, but now she seems to have taken it upon herself to be my personal trainer, and that woman is tough as anything. She’s breaking me.” Arch said this with such affection that Jay couldn’t help but smile. They both knew Arch could have chosen any of the top personal trainers in the world to prepare for this role, but instead he’d chosen his new wife to take on the task.
“Whatever Tessa is doing, it’s working. You’re ripped. They’re barely going to need any prosthetics to beef you up.”
Arch nodded. “That’s the idea.”
“How’s the script looking? Have they made any significant changes after the table read?”
Arch shrugged. “It’s pretty good. Better than I thought it would be.”