“Until two days ago, you lived in Texas. Why would he ask you? Except, wait…the moment you do show up in town, he asks you to join the board of the new foundation he and Grayson are starting.”
“Hey, you’re welcome to it. I want nothing to do with that.”
“Except he asked you, and you know damn well that means you take the job or no one gets it.”
Loyal shook his head. “Dad isn’t going to scrap the foundation simply because I won’t be the CFO. Why don’t you talk to him? Tell him you’re interested.”
“Dad doesn’t listen to me. He’s too busy with the campaign. When he’s not doing that, he’s pointing out everything the rest of you are doing. Or he’s offering Grayson millions of dollars to open a veteran’s foundation.”
“You want me to talk to him?”
Merit gave a huff of frustration. “I don’t want to be the damn CFO, Loyal. I just want to be asked for once.”
Before he could reply, Carly arrived with their burger baskets. As if a switch had been flipped, his brother sat back and flashed the curvy redhead a charming smile.
“Can I get you guys anything else?” she asked.
“I’ll take another beer and your phone number,” Merit said smoothly.
She laughed and tilted her head toward Loyal in silent inquiry.
“Water, please. And an empty dish for ketchup.”
“Coming right up.”
Merit pushed his fries aside and squirted ketchup into the space he’d created in his basket. Then he set the bottle on the table between them and laughed at Loyal’s grimace. “You’re going to dip them in the ketchup anyway, so why so anal?”
“I don’t like soggy fries.”
“It all tastes the same.”
Loyal waited for his empty dish.
He debated returning to their conversation about the CFO position and the foundation, but he wasn’t so sure he wanted to get into that subject any deeper. Besides, his brother was busy digging in, and then Carly came back. She gave Loyal his dish and Merit her number.
“Enjoy,” she said before heading to another table.
His brother gave him a triumphant grin as he pocketed the slip of paper, then took a big bite of his burger and spoke with a full mouth. “You never did say who said you’re an ass. Was it Roxanna?”
That was not a subject he wished to return to, either, so he chewed one of his crispy French fries without answering.
His brother laughed. “Good for her. You deserve it.”
Yeah, in hindsight, he did.
After he washed his food down with a drink of water, he asked, “Do you really think she’s psychic?”
Merit shrugged. “I’ve never had her give me an official reading, but Celia did, and she said the stuff she told her was spot on.”
“She probably got information from Asher.”
“Nope. Cece said it was stuff no one knew. And there’s the fact we’ve all seen Rox read Asher to a tee.”
“They do call themselves best friends,” he pointed out before taking a bite of his burger.
“She had Honor pegged with the whole not believing in love thing.”
Loyal scoffed and swallowed. “Which is why she’s now engaged to our brother.”