by Erika Kelly
He smoothed a hand over her ass. “You always have the best ideas.”
“Don’t I?’
“I think I see them,” someone said.
“Hello? Brodie? Rosie?” a deep male voice called.
“Shit.” Brodie knelt, yanking up her pants.
She swatted his hand away. “I got it.” She tipped her chin to his jeans. “Button up. No need to scare your future sisters-in-law.”
“In the kitchen,” Brodie called.
“Oh, my God, I love it here.” Callie entered the structure first.
“Good location,” Fin said. “I like it.”
All three brothers and their loves came and spread out, commenting on the various features of the house.
“Who’s that?” Delilah stood at the bay window at the front of the house. “Um, guys I think some tourists wandered onto your property.”
Callie came up beside her. “No, that’s Skylar. You guys, are you expecting anyone? Sky’s bringing people here.”
Before he took off to see, Brodie cupped her chin, pressed a soft kiss to her mouth, and said, “Let’s keep the news to ourselves for a bit.”
“What news?” Fin asked.
“Fin.” Brodie didn’t even turn to him.
“What?” Fin said. “You know what he’s talking about?”
“No idea,” Gray said.
“What’s going on?” Knox said.
Reaching for her hand, Brodie led her to the front of the house, where three people dressed in western wear came up the path. Each wore Stetsons—the man’s black, the womens’ red—jeans, and cowboy boots.
But there was something about the regal air… “Papa?” She dropped Brodie’s hand and ran outside to greet her family. Opening her arms, she raced toward them, gathering all three of them into a group hug. “What are you doing here?”
“We wanted to be here for the opening of your store tomorrow,” her mother said.
“I can see why you like it out here so much,” her sister said. “I saw an actual moose.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” She pulled back.
“We wanted to surprise you.” Her mother cupped her chin. “And we want to be part of this journey with you, darling.”
A knot formed in her throat. “Thank you, Mama.”
Her father stroked her hair. “You look radiant. I can see how well this place suits you.”
Rosalina turned to the rest of the family. “This is my family. Prince Albert, Princess Sophia, and my sister Genevieve.”
Handshakes and names were exchanged, before Fin said, “So, what’s the news?”
Brodie elbowed him in the gut. “Later.”
“You have news?” her mother asked.
Brodie was about to say something, when Delilah noticed the ring. She lifted Rosalina’s hand. “Are you kidding me right now?”
“What is it?” Knox saw the ring. “They’re engaged.”
“You’re getting married?” Callie said.
Everyone moved in closer, touching, reaching for hugs, and she got completely swept away in their excitement.
Her father reached for her, pulling her into his arms. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I love you, Papa.”
He released her to shake Brodie’s hand. Around them, everyone spoke over each other, celebrating the news. Brodie had an arm around her, and her mother didn’t miss the location of his hand on her belly. She glanced up, a question in her eyes.
Rosalina nodded. “And I guess it’s the right time to add one more bit of news…we’re also having a baby.”
“You’re what?” Her sister practically jumped into her arms. “I’m going to be an Auntie.”
“I’m going to be a grandmother?” Her mother looked stunned.
“Well, look at that,” Callie said. “The brother the least likely to settle down is the first one to have a baby.”
Brodie snugged Rosalina against him, kissing her cheek, and whispering, “I’m the luckiest damn man in the world. I’ve got everything I could ever want right here.”
Thank you for reading THE RELUCTANT BOYFRIEND! It’s the fourth book in The Bad Boyfriend series:
THE WORLD’S WORST BOYFRIEND
THE HEARTLESS BOYFRIEND
THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND
THE RELUCTANT BOYFRIEND
Have you read the Rock Star Romance series? Come meet the sexy rockers of Blue Fire:
YOU REALLY GOT ME
I WANT YOU TO WANT ME
TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT
MORE THAN A FEELING
And Erika Kelly’s super passionate Wild Love series:
MINE FOR NOW
MINE FOR THE WEEK
MINE FOREVER
Look for the next Calamity novel—Skylar and Jinx’s story—coming soon! Sign up for my newsletter to find out when it goes up for preorder and come hang out with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and Pinterest or in my private reader group.
Excerpt from Skylar and Jinx’s story
Where are you, Griffin?
Skylar James shifted her grumpy little boy to her other hip, as she pulled a blouse off the free-standing rack in her office. “I’ve got another one for you to try.”
Her client’s hand reached out from behind the curtain. “Oh, good. I’d like to lose a little more weight before I wear this one.” She exchanged the shirt she’d just tried on for the new one.
Her son shifted restlessly in her arms. He hadn’t been sleeping well, and he’d refused to nap today. He was the sweetest boy in the world, so she hated to see him uncomfortable. Was he coming down with something…maybe an ear infection?
She reached for one of the new toys he’d gotten for his birthday. “Do you want to play with this until Uncle Griff comes?” Her oldest brother had gotten him a train set that he’d promised to set up this afternoon.
Her son shook his head, rubbing his eyes with the back of a chubby little hand.
“As soon as Uncle Griff gets here, he’s going to take you home and set up the tracks. Won’t that be fun?”
Again, he shook his head. Please don’t have a melt-down in front of my client. Skylar never mixed work and family, so she had to keep Rocco as happy as possible. An idea struck. She crouched in front of her stereo system, replacing the playlist she kept to inspire her clients with Rocco’s favorite CD.
As soon as the Springsteen song came on, she bounced along to it, relieved to see her son’s shy smile. He buried his face in her neck, and she whispered the lyrics in his ear, “You pick up little dynamite, I’ll pick up little gun.”
Her client stepped out of the dressing room, beaming. “I love it.” Helen faced the tri-fold mirror. “How do you do it?” The recent divorcée wore slim-fitting jeans for the first time, and she looked fantastic. “You always get it right. You’re magic, Sky. Pure magic.”
“Well, you’re easy to work with.” Skylar grinned. “You do exactly what I say.”
The woman laughed. “I do. And look at the results.” She turned to see her backside in the mirror. “I haven’t looked like this in twenty-five years. Eat your heart out, Craig.”
Her son squirmed, and if she didn’t let him down, he’d pitch a fit. “I don’t know, Helen.” Seamlessly keeping up the conversation, she lowered Rocco to the floor. “Do we really care about him? If you think about it, what you’re really angry about is that he messed with the vision you had for your future, but I know you don’t want to spend the rest of your life with a cheater who doesn’t appreciate you. We’re moving on.”
“You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I just wish…”
Helen’s pain was clear in the pinch around her eyes and mouth. Skylar had suffered her own disappointment, but she’d only been twenty. Her experience paled next to this woman who’d raised two children and devoted nearly thirty years of her life to a marriage that had ended disastrously. “You wish he hadn’t turned out to be a cliché, but he did. He is. And now you’ve got a whole new futu
re filled with possibilities. It can be whatever you want it to be.” She reached for another shirt on the rack. “Okay, one more shirt to try, and then I’ve got the perfect dress for your date.”
Helen’s smile flattened. “Remember when I said I was ready to date?”
“Nuh uh. No cold feet.” She watched Rocco toddle off to the bathroom. Leaving the door wide open, he pulled down his shorts. Oh, no. He needed her help—he’d only recently learned to use the toilet. To keep her client from noticing, though, she had to force herself not to look.
Come on, Griff. It wasn’t like her brother to be late. He owned a busy motorcycle repair shop, so he always had a dozen crises to manage. Usually, though, he’d call their mom or one of their brothers to step in. He’d never left her stranded. He knew what her business meant to her.
“I’m just thinking,” Helen said. “Now that I’m looking so much better, maybe I’ll meet someone at Calamity Joe’s or the Tavern. I don’t have to go out with a stranger I met on an app.”
“Except that we’re only using the app to get experience, so that when you bump into the right guy, you’ll be comfortable and relaxed.”
Oh, God. Instead of climbing onto the step stool, Rocco aimed high, missing the toilet completely. Thankfully, Helen couldn’t see the little yellow puddle forming.
“I hate when you’re right.” Grabbing the blouse, her client smiled and snatched the curtain shut.
Skylar tapped out a text to her brother. Are you almost here? I’ve got a client and Rocco just peed on the floor! Before she even hit Send, though, the salon door opened.
“Oh, thank goodness.” She started for the bathroom to clean up the mess but jerked to a stop when she saw it wasn’t her brother. “Jinx?”
The big, broody guy who did custom-paint jobs on the bikes at her brother’s repair shop was hot. Unruly dark hair brushed broad, powerful shoulders, and his amber eyes had a way of studying her that said, Wonder what you taste like.
“I love, love, love this one.” Her client came out of the dressing room and did a little twirl. The silky blouse billowed out and then landed gracefully on her hips. “Oh, hello.”
Giving the woman a brief nod, Jinx said, “Hey.” He scanned the small room, double-taking on the bathroom.
Where her son stood in a pool of urine.
God.
Before she could ask why he’d come by, Jinx headed for the bathroom. She wanted to stop him, but she figured it had to have something to do with Griff. Maybe he was waiting in the car?
She had no idea, but she had to pay attention to her client. “Yes, I love it. It’s just perfect for you.”
Except…what if Jinx called her son out for missing the toilet? What if he ridiculed him? Her body went hot, and her skin prickly.
“Does it come in different colors?” Helen asked. “I’d love to see it in red. But, then, you said red was too harsh for me. Maybe pink?”
She couldn’t let Jinx humiliate her son. If he made even a single crack about the smell in there or if he told Rocco big boys don’t pee on the floor, Skylar would kick Jinx’s ass out—even in front of a client.
But, to her utter shock, Jinx dropped to a crouch, pulled up Rocco’s shorts, and then lifted him in his arms. Turning on the faucet, he helped her little boy wash his hands, all the while chatting quietly with him.
She was stunned.
“Unless you think pink is too young of a color.”
“I’m just going to put this out there.” She kept on eye on the bathroom, but it seemed the loner was pretty good with kids. “The only thing that matters is how you feel when you’re wearing something. If pink makes you feel like your best self, wear it. Forget the rules or fashion advice. If you feel sexy and powerful in a shorter skirt, then wear it. You love long hair? Grow it out. It’s all about empowering you. As for pink, I think with your coloring, it might wash you out, but the only way to know for sure is to try it.”
Rocco’s giggle had her shooting a look over to him. With one of her hand towels, Jinx mopped up the mess, all while talking quietly to her son. Making him laugh.
She didn’t know what the broody artist was doing here, but she couldn’t have been more grateful for the way he’d handled the situation and treated her sweet boy.
The swish of fabric drew her back to her client. “If you want to try pink, I can find you something,” Skylar said.
The faucet turned on, and Jinx washed his hands. A moment later, he dried them and reached for Rocco’s hand. “Come on, buddy.” He led him to the corner of her salon, where she had a red tub filled with toys, a small white bookcase, and a little art table with two child-size chairs. “Show me what you got for your birthday.” Huh. So Griff wasn’t waiting in the car.
Rocco didn’t have an ear infection, and he wasn’t getting sick. The truth was, she had a pretty good idea why he was grumpy. Tomorrow, he’d be staying with his dad’s family. Since their son had bailed on Skylar, his parents couldn’t make too many demands, but they did ask him to attend their twice-annual family reunions. One in the summer, when the family had its annual reunion in San Diego, and the other between Christmas and New Year’s when they went skiing in Aspen.
Rocco might only be three, but he knew what was going on. He’d seen the suitcase she’d started packing. He knew he was going away, and he hated being separated from her. Seeing the other side of his family for two random weeks a year was torture for him. But it was the only time he saw his dad.
It sucked, being a broken family.
“No, I think you’re right. Pale colors do wash me out.” Helen broke into a big grin. “I can hardly believe this is me.”
“Well, you worked hard for it.” As an image-consultant, Skylar had relationships with make-up artists, boutiques, personal trainers, and therapists to get her clients holistic make-overs. Helen had joined a gym and signed up for kickboxing classes. Damn right she looked good. “Okay, let’s try this dress, and then I think you’ve got a good start with a new wardrobe.”
But instead of taking the dress, Helen’s gaze remained fixed on her reflection, the joy slowly leaking out.
“What’re you thinking right now?” These kinds of mood swings happened a lot with her clients. Reinventing yourself was an emotional experience.
With glassy eyes, she gazed at Skylar. “The thing is, he didn’t just take my future. He took my confidence.”
Oh, man, did Skylar know exactly what she meant. She’d felt the same way when her baby daddy had left without a backwards glance, leaving her to raise Rocco on her own. She got up on the platform. Standing behind her client, she set her hands on Helen’s shoulders. “Look at yourself. Craig didn’t cheat on you because you’re not attractive or interesting or funny or sexy or smart enough. He cheated because money and his job title gave him a false sense of his worth. He cheated because the eighteen-year-old boy in him looks in the mirror and sees gray hair and sagging skin, and it makes him panic. He cheated because he’ll do anything to feel young again.”
“You’re right. I know you are.”
“And we both know that the woman he’s dating is only with him for the nice jewelry, expensive trips, and fancy dinners. More importantly, he knows that. He’s willing to trade integrity for the fleeting and superficial happiness of getting to sleep with a hot twenty-something. You didn’t lose weight and buy new clothes to be attractive to him. You did it because you’re gearing up for a whole new future. Right now it hurts, but once you get a few miles down the road, you’re going to see him as nothing more than a shallow, entitled, morally bankrupt ex-husband. So, try on this dress and see if it makes you feel like your best self, and then wear it tonight, so that even if it’s the worst date you’ve ever been on, you can know that you’re taking charge of your life and your future, and Craig can’t impact you anymore, ever again.”
Tears spilled down the woman’s cheeks, and she fell into Skylar’s arms. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” She pulled back, swiping the moisture away. “I
don’t think I could’ve done this without you. You’ve been so strong and positive every step of the way.” Taking the dress, she stepped back into the dressing room.
Wow. She needed this job to support herself and her son, but boy was it rewarding. The moment she stepped off the platform, she found Jinx watching her with an intensity that made her uncomfortable. He held a wooden block out to her son, who squatted in front of a stack of them.
She wanted to shout at him, What? Why do you always look at me like that? He’d been working at Griff’s place for a year now, and he hadn’t hidden his interest in her. But she’d made it perfectly clear she wasn’t dating.
When the next Springsteen song came on, Rocco shot up, and his little butt started swishing like a metronome. He loved this one, and she couldn’t help laughing. But, then, Jinx stood up and start rocking out, and Rocco dissolved into a fit of giggles.
She couldn’t believe it. She’d never seen this side of the loner artist.
Jinx reached for his little hands, and the sight of this huge, inked man and her little boy electrified her heart. This is what he needs.
Dammit, Eddie. How could you hurt him like this?
How could you leave him to grow up without a daddy?
But then Jinx grinned at her, and sadness whipped instantly into anger.
Because she finally got it. The reason Jinx was here.
He didn’t dance. He didn’t smile. He didn’t joke around. He certainly didn’t play with three-year-olds.
He was using her son to get a date out of her. He’d probably heard Griff say he was on his way over to babysit, and Jinx had grabbed the opportunity to win some points with her.
Well, screw him. Just as she was about to shut off the music and kick him out, her client called to her.
“Can you give me a hand?”
“Of course.” She’d deal with Jinx Costello later. You bet your ass I will.
Nobody hurts Rocco. Not on my watch.
Stepping into the dressing room, she found the back of the dress gaping, so she zipped it up. “Look at you.” Helen didn’t like her “droopy” breasts, but she didn’t want to mislead prospective dates with padding, so Skylar had found a really great plunge bra. The wrap dress accentuated all her assets. “That looks fantastic.”
