Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“Wes, you remember Alex, don’t you?” Finn asked as they both walked up to me. Finn took his daughter from my arms and started to kiss her, making her laugh. A strange tension in my chest built as I watched them.
“I don’t think we’ve ever met,” Alex said, drawing my attention away from my brother and his daughter.
I reached out my hand and shook his. “I don’t think so. How did they recruit you into helping make decorations?”
Alex smiled and pointed to multiple buckets full of flowers. “They needed me for the flowers.”
I smiled. “That’s right. You work at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Are you the gardener there?”
Laughing, Alex shook his head. “No. My father is the head gardener there; I am the head of financial operations.”
“A numbers guy,” I said with a smile.
“That’s right. Finn told me you used to be a broker on Wall Street. I bet that was exciting.”
I nodded. “It is. I still work part time for them since I also work with Finn at our company. I can buy and trade securities anywhere.”
We soon fell into an easy conversation about stock market regulations. The more I talked to Alex, the more I liked the guy. Probably because we both liked numbers.
The doorbell rang and my sister Angie walked in, followed by Autumn, Rory’s other best friend. I smiled knowing that Rory must have invited Autumn to set her up with Alex. She was feisty, with her fire engine red hair, and not at all the type I could see Alex with.
“We are here for baby duty!” Angie called out as Presley ran to her aunt. Dropping to her knees, Angie hugged Presley and stood.
“Karleigh is about to fall asleep,” Finn said as he handed the baby to Autumn. She should sleep most of the time.
Autumn took the baby as if she had handled babies her entire life. “Don’t worry about us, Daddy, we’re going to nap, and Aunty Autumn is going to study for her test.”
“Test?” I asked.
Looking over at me, Autumn frowned. She wasn’t just best friends with Rory, but with Clare as well. She knew how much Clare and I bickered, and judging by the way she was glaring at me, I had a feeling Clare had told her about Mandy. Winking at her, I gave her my best smile, causing her to roll her eyes and turn away from me.
I laughed and turned back to see Alex talking to Rory. Frowning, I glanced back at Autumn and Angie who were both heading upstairs with the girls. If Finn wasn’t fixing Alex up with Autumn, then who in the hell was he fixing him up with?
The door burst open, and Clare practically stumbled in with her hands full of bags that smelled delicious. “I’m here! Sorry I’m late, I couldn’t figure out how to open the gas tank on my boss’s car!”
Finn smiled and made his way over to Clare. “Clare, we were worried you weren’t going to make it.”
She flashed him that beautiful smile of hers. “Sorry, my phone died, and I didn’t have a charger to tell you guys I was running late. Plus, the Chinese restaurant messed up on our order.”
Alex was by her side, then taking all the bags out of her hands. “Let me help you with all that food.”
Clare turned and widened her eyes slightly, then smiled. “Thank you, whoever you are!”
Laughing, Alex said, “Alex Montell.”
“Wait, the Alex who works at Isabella Stewart?” Clare asked.
A sinking feeling hit my stomach, and I looked over at Finn and Rory who were both beaming with pride.
Holy shit. They’re setting Clare and Alex up?
“Yeah, have you been there?”
Clare and Alex carried the bags of food into the dining room while they continued to talk.
“Yes! I love the gardens there.”
“My father is the head gardener.”
Clare gasped. “Shut up! I love flowers. I go there all the time. As a matter of fact, I just went to see the holiday garden. It’s so beautiful.”
He smiled. “Yeah, my dad has a green thumb.”
The way she smiled up at him made my stomach roil. “He really does. Do you like to garden?”
“Jesus Christ,” I mumbled as I turned and headed to the kitchen to get a beer.
“What’s wrong with you?” Finn asked as he took the beer from my hand after walking into the kitchen, making me get another one.
Popping the top off the beer, I took a drink, then pointed the bottle in the direction of the dining room. “That. How could you set up Clare with that guy?”
Finn laughed. “What do you mean? They’re perfect for each other. It was Rory’s idea. She said Clare has been in a funk lately, and she thought it would be a great idea to introduce them.”
“He doesn’t seem like her type.”
“And what exactly is her type?” Finn asked with an amused smile.