Now it was her turn to sigh. And she did so heavily. There was even some impressive heaving of breasts. “You know, you’re going to have to get over your idiot ex eventually.”
“I am over him. But there were lessons to be learned there.” I leaned forward and smacked a kiss upon her cheek. “Thank you, but I don’t want to date your younger, exciting rock’n’roll dude. My next boyfriend will be someone loyal and dependable, staid and ever so slightly safe and boring.”
She just wrinkled her nose.
“My dream man will be home every night in time for dinner. Isn’t even on any social media. He’ll enjoy such pursuits as stamp collecting, bird spotting, and macramé.”
“Woo. Party time,” she said flatly. “Sounds like we’ll be checking him for signs of life.”
“Right? It’ll be great.” I smiled. “Plus he will be totally a hundred-and-ten-percent into me. Think I’m a mighty and benevolent goddess, worship the ground I walk on. That sort of thing.”
“You do know it’s possible to find a decent man who thinks you’re a queen, but doesn’t bore you to sleep, right?”
“Eh. Why risk it? Besides, I could do with more beauty sleep. Sleep is under-rated.” I neglected to mention how a certain someone had managed to successfully get me off to sleep just yesterday. But Ziggy definitely wouldn’t fit my new monotonous requirement for all future boyfriends. Not a chance.
“When it all goes to hell and you eventually come to your senses, don’t say I didn’t try to rescue you from a life of tedium, crafts, outdoor activities, and bad sex,” said Lena with a pout. She had a great pout. Almost as good as mine.
“And quiet adoration. Don’t forget the quiet adoration.”
With a huff of disgust, she marched back into the main room. And in doing so, walked straight past Ziggy and Bon. Two bodyguards who were more than close enough to have heard every last word we’d just said. In fact, Ziggy was now staring straight at me. Shit.
“Hi.” I raised a hand. “Having a nice time?”
“Yes, miss.”
“Great.”
The big man standing next to him cleared his throat.
“Miss Cooper, let me to introduce my brother to you,” said Ziggy, pulling on the cuff of his shirt. A nervous habit, perhaps? I don’t know.
Bon stepped forward with his hand out, every bit as tall, dark, and handsome as his brother. But with a hint of the devil in his smile. “Pleasure to meet you, ma’am. I’m a big fan of your work.”
“Thank you. Are you a bodyguard too?”
“I am,” he said and there was something in his tone. “I was hoping I’d get the chance to work with you, but Ziggy tells me he has it covered.”
“Ziggy has been great.”
Bon slapped his brother on the back so hard Ziggy winced. What the hell was going on here? Sibling rivalry or something? As an only child, families with more than one kid kind of fascinated me. I looked like Mom so it wasn’t about having someone I resembled. But I’d never had anyone around my own age to bicker about the silly everyday stuff or to lean on when times were tough. Someone who grew up with me and came from the same background. Not that I suffered. Mom and Gran are and were my bedrock. But it would have been nice to have a brother or sister.
“I’m sure you both get asked this all the time, but I take it your parents were big music fans?” I asked.
Ziggy nodded. “Mom’s a rock chick from way back. Bowie and AC/DC are her favorites.”
“We were pretty much raised on that music,” said Bon. “And hey, at least there weren’t five other kids in the class with the same name.”
“True enough. And years later, here you both are, surrounded by rock’and’roll.”
Ziggy opened his mouth to speak, but Bon got in first: “Yeah, but not in the way Mom was hoping. She was trying to bring up a couple of boys who could wield axes in the musical sense.”
“I see. Not axes in the actual sense, like you two.”
“Exactly.”
“Except by axes he means guns,” said Ziggy.
I nodded. “Gotcha.”