Dirty Deeds by Stella Rhys

20

ALY

Opening your restaurant has transformed the Stanton Family name from just a company to a brand. Tell us a little about the journey it took to get here.

Chewing my nail, I stared at the email interview on my laptop like it was a Calculus test from high school. It was an easy enough question. I had sought out specific jobs to get close to specific people – basically network my way into knowing how to run a business.

I totally knew the answer to this question. I just had no idea where to start because twelve hours later, I was still reeling from what happened last night. I was still processing the fact that I’d had sex with Emmett Hoult – and woken up without an ounce of regret. Disbelief? Sure. Nerves? You bet.

But no regret.

And because of that, I’d made it through only two questions of this interview so far – and I’d started it well over two hours ago.

“I’d exchange assignments with you, but you know the answers better,” Evie said, grinning at her laptop as she did the scheduling for next week.

Tuesdays at the restaurant were slightly less busy than weekends, which meant that instead of the office, we did our work on the floor at the little corner table between the raw bar and window.

Peering over the top of her screen, Evie smirked.

“Also, you don’t deserve to have the best sex of your life and get all your work done for you the next morning. That’s entirely too much good fortune in a short period of time, and we don’t want to spoil you,” she said, giggling when I looked up and shook my head at her. “Seriously though, can you give me the details of how he made you come with just the head of his dick? I need to know the logistics of that. For science.”

“First off, no. Second, can you not talk about his dick so loudly in front of our staff? I think that might be blatant sexual harassment,” I said, nodding at poor Teddy behind the raw bar. He was an oyster-shucking ace but he was also a shy nineteen-year-old kid who was blushing furiously while trying to pretend he couldn’t hear us.

“Okay, I’ll whisper,” Evie whispered. “So, like, was he using his dick like a vibrator against your clit, or – ”

“Evie!” I hissed. “How was your night last night?” I asked hastily.

“Oof. Talk about a boner-killer. Well, as you know, we were out of frozen pizzas,” Evie started, tapping away on her keyboard. “But we did agree on something the therapist emailed us. He said something about how Mike and I need to hang out together with each other’s friends, because watching your significant other interact with other people is supposed to remind you of what you love about them or whatever. So whenever you and Emmett are ready, I’ve got a double date with your names on it,” Evie said. But then she snorted. “Unless you’re still recovering from last night’s double date.”

“It was definitely… a doozy.”

“Yeah, I’d think so, because it’s got you using the word ‘doozy,’” Evie laughed. “I want to thoroughly make fun of you for that but I’ll give you a break.”

“How weirdly merciful of you,” I teased.

“Well. I figure you’re gonna need it considering who just walked in.”

I squinted at Evie for a second but then my face fell.

Crap.

I knew without looking around that it was Britt. One, she always came around ten-thirty on Tuesdays. Two, she had an insanely loud voice that she showed off with pride. I stiffened as I waited for her to prance over and say hi, but luckily, I only heard her greeting whichever client she’d come to have a meeting with.

“You’re safe for now,” Evie said under her breath. “Though I can feel her cattiness brewing.”

It sounded like a typical Evie joke but I could honestly feel it too. Aside from the palpable heat of Britt’s eyes on the back of my head, I could see through the reflection in the raw bar that she kept looking my way. It was no surprise at all that she strutted over to our table the second she wrapped up her meeting.

“Good morning, ladies,” she smiled, perching her butt on a stool in front of the raw bar.

I usually saw her wearing sexy but work appropriate outfits to my restaurant, like skintight blouses and tiny pencil skirts, but today Britt had on a peach-colored sundress with the wide V-neck cut damned near down to her navel. I almost wanted to ask her where she bought her boob tape because it was a miracle that she’d yet to have a wardrobe malfunction.

“Morning, Britt. Hitting the club soon?” Evie asked, wiggling her eyebrows at Britt’s dress. Britt looked down her front and waved a hand in the air.

“Oh, this thing? No, no club for me, doll. I’m actually going to have a meeting with Emmett here in about twenty minutes.”

Ah. Well, that explained that. I smiled at Britt, knowing well that she expected me to ask what she and Emmett were meeting about, but I didn’t feel like giving her the satisfaction of making me feel out of the loop. Besides, I could guess that it was probably for Emmett’s gala.

“It’s for Emmett’s gala,” Britt said importantly.

Yep. Exactly.

“Ooh. What gala?” Evie cocked her head. I knew she was genuinely curious because she found Emmett’s wealth to be so very fascinating. “Why, Aly, that sounds very fancy,” she said, grinning at me. Britt cooed.

“Oh, you’re so cute! Yes, I guess you could call it ‘fancy.’ It is black tie, so you’ll definitely have to save up a few paychecks for your dress, Aly,” she winked at me.

Aaand there it is.

The first dig. Evie and I had predicted it so the second we heard it, we glanced at each other and shared a satisfied smile – which was kind of twisted, but that was just us.

“I mean we’re definitely going all out for this one,” Britt nodded, once again carrying the conversation all by herself. “The cause means a lot to him, as you know,” she nodded at me then quickly furrowed her brow. “Or maybe you don’t know. Do you know what the gala’s for this year?” When I didn’t answer right away, she smiled. “It’s for heart disease. Because his dad died of a heart attack when he was eighteen.”

“Yes. I know that.”

“Really? Were you at the funeral? Because I don’t think I saw you.”

I couldn’t help my surprise. “You were at Uncle George’s funeral?” I blinked then caught myself. “I mean – George.”

Britt’s eyes went wide. “Wow. Your families are so close you call his parents aunt and uncle?”

I chewed my lip, knowing well that Britt was setting me up. Still, I answered, “Yes.”

“Yikes. Then why didn’t you go to the funeral? Emmett was such a mess that day. It was so, so sad. I mean – to have your father and grandpa die within days of each other? So horrible.”

I blinked.

Wait. Holy shit. I didn’t even know that his grandfather died within days of his dad. What the fuck? Did I know and forget? Or did I just not know at all? A deep frown furrowed my brow, and guilt panged in my stomach as Britt went blithely on.

“Poor thing. His life, his whole family – it was such a horrible mess,” she said, wearing an exaggerated pout. But in a snap, she perked right back up. “But hey, look at him now! Sexy, successful and sleeping with a new girl every week.” She tossed a wink at me. “Wonder what adventures next week will bring. Right?”

Evie bristled. “Something tells me he might’ve just found a girl to stick with for awhile,” she said defensively as I kicked her under the table.

“Oh, bless your heart. You don’t know about his ten-day rule then, do you?” Britt smirked. “Don’t worry. Just ask him – he’s pretty open about it.”

“Totally. Will do,” Evie said with irritation, engaged in some fake-smile stare-off with Britt as my brain tried to catch up with everything she said.

I had a feeling I’d normally be rattled by whatever ten-day rule Britt was talking about, but I was too busy stunned by what she said about Emmett’s dad and grandfather. I’d always assumed George Hoult Sr. had died of old age, but apparently, he’d died within days of his son. Then there was Britt’s claim that Emmett’s life had been a “horrible mess” for years after.

Damn.

My heart twisted at the thought of easy breezy Emmett going through suffering of that magnitude. His only worries back then were his three favorite things: football, friends and girls. I could hardly imagine what he was like in the face of hardship.But whether or not I could imagine it, it didn’t change the fact that it happened, and that Emmett had been through a world of pain since I was gone. He just didn’t show it.

And I was an asshole for assuming his life was never anything but easy.

“Oh, look!” Britt chirped. “Speak of the devil.”

I heard the chime of the door swinging open and before even turning around, I watched Evie’s eyes and mouth pop open.

“Holy fuck – hot, hot, hot!” she mouthed furiously before I turned around and felt my breath hitch in my throat.

Because not only did Emmett look sinfully good in a plain white tee and blue jeans, just looking at him reminded me of everything we’d done last night. Maybe it was because he was wearing the shirt I’d slept in. But it was probably more to do with the fact that his blue eyes locked on me with such intensity I could feel a hot prickle dance over my skin.

“Hey,” he grinned at me, the sound of his voice flooding me with a sense of ease.

“Hey.” I’d set out a plan to be calm and cool when I saw him, but I couldn’t help the giant smile that spread my lips. “How… are you this morning?” I asked awkwardly, not knowing what else to say. We both somewhat snorted at my question before he gave an answer.

“Great. Better than ever,” he said before Britt cut in.

“Ibuprofen works wonders,” she said for reasons I didn’t completely understand. “Now that you’re feeling ‘better than ever,’ Emmett, are you ready to start our meeting?” she asked, innocently clasping her hands in a way that required her to push her cleavage together. Emmett looked at her then nodded at her table.

“I’m early. I’ll meet you there soon,” he said, prompting her humph sound as she marched off. When he turned back around, he smiled at Evie. “Sorry for being rude. I’m Emmett.”

“Yes, Emmett Hoult. I’m Evie. I’ve heard all about you,” she said, putting true emphasis on the word “all” and earning another kick under the table.

Emmett laughed. “Well, I hope it’s all good things.”

“Mm, it’s been a mixed bag.”

“Okay, Evie,” I interrupted before turning back to Emmett with a shy smile. “Hey,” I murmured. “What’s up?”

“Wanna order sushi and watch the Empires game tonight?” he asked.

“Oh.” My eyes fluttered. I hadn’t expected him to reply with a full-on plan, but I guess it didn’t sound half bad. “Yeah. Okay,” I said brightly to hide the fact that I wasn’t particularly jazzed about these plans. “That sounds like… a nice, relaxing night.”

He smiled. “Sure. Well, I’ll let you work then,” he said, giving Evie a goodbye nod before turning back to me. “See you back home.”

“See you,” I said slowly, trying but failing to think of something better to end our conversation on. I mean the conversation we had was technically fine, but I couldn’t help the sudden knots in my stomach.

“What?” Evie frowned, easily reading my expression.

I shook my head to wave it off but eventually caved. “Was that weird just now?”

“Was what weird?”

I wiggled my lips. I didn’t want to admit it but I was suddenly worried by how casual Emmett was. I’d been just about losing my mind over him all morning. It felt like I’d become a new person – that everything in my world was about to be different. I was so sure that what happened between Emmett and me last night was turn-your-life-upside-down crazy, but apparently, I was alone in feeling that way.

Maybe I’d just over read things.

The thought crossed my mind just as Evie arched an eyebrow.

“Aly…? Still waiting.”

“Oh! It’s nothing. I mean I know this is gonna sound stupid,” I whispered hastily. “But I just thought he’d have… more to say to me?” I cringed at myself as I shrugged. “And be more excited to see me? Oh God, I sound like an idiot.”

“Stop it,” Evie scolded. “You don’t sound like an idiot. You’re just over-thinking things because you like him.”

I wrinkled my nose. My instinct was to deny it but there was no point anymore. I liked Emmett Hoult – to the point that I was getting irrationally jealous that he was sitting with Britt right now and not me. Good Lord.

“He was totally excited to see you before. Don’t hold it against him that he didn’t have an over-the-top reaction. Boys are just like that,” Evie said. “I mean Mike definitely is,” she muttered before pursing her lips for a second and frowning at me. “Was it what Britt just said? About some ten-day rule?”

“No,” I said emphatically, though I wasn’t sure if I was telling the truth.

“Are you upset because you were expecting him to want to do something bigger than delivery and TV? Like, were you expecting a more formal date?”

I blinked. “I don’t think so.” But now that you mention it, kind of.

Evie wiggled her lips. “I don’t know, Aly… I guess it’s just hard to follow a night like last night. You know?” She shrugged. “Maybe he’s tired. I mean the man did work last night. He pounded two orgasms outta you. I’m sure that’s no easy feat.”

Teddy cleared his throat at the raw bar.

“Okay, for the most part, I agree with you, but ya gotta stop,” I whispered, though I did manage to laugh at my best friend. “We’re gonna get sued for sexual harassment, so let’s just… stop talking completely for a bit.”

“And what? Listen to Britt fawn all over Emmett like a frickin’ cornball?” Evie made a face. I paused as we both took a second to easily eavesdrop on their meeting.

“Emmett, you know I’m going to be dressed to the nines for this party. I’m gonna look so good you’re gonna have to help me swat the men away.”

One line from her and we looked at each other and closed our laptops.

“You wanna work in the office?” Evie asked.

I nodded. “Yeah. Let’s do it.”