“Can she really skate?” Liam asked, sounding uncomfortable.
“Like a champion,” Micah answered.
Liam shook his head in confusion. “I thought she needed me.”
“She did. She still does, as a supportive sibling. She just doesn’t need you to tell her what to do anymore. But she doesn’t want to hurt you, so she’s never going to tell you that.” Micah hesitated before adding, “I’d still like to help with the restaurant. It means a lot to Tessa, and it means something to the community.”
Liam shook his head again. “Dude, when I said I didn’t need your help, I meant it. I haven’t fixed up the place because it’s always so busy, but it’s not from lack of funds. I make damn good money consulting and from royalties, and the restaurant pulls in a really good profit. Tessa and I don’t spend much money because we’re always working. I didn’t want my sister picking up extra jobs, but she said she was bored. I thought it was what she wanted. Even after we renovate, we’ll both have a sizable amount of money in the joint business account, and we have equal interest in a house here that’s paid for. She’ll be far from broke. I’ll break our funds apart and deposit her money into her account. I guess it’s the only way she’s ever going to understand that she’s well set up, and so am I. And I’ll get the renovation work scheduled now that it’s past tourist season. I’ll talk to my sister and make her understand that she has a sizable savings this time.”
Micah nodded and crossed his arms in front of him again. “Good. Because the first two times we met, one of us was naked because of her side jobs. I don’t want her meeting another unclothed guy again unless it’s me.”
Liam reached for him. “Are you fucking her?” he growled.
Micah batted Liam’s hand away. “Don’t do it, man.” He met Liam’s angry stare with an equally irritated expression of his own. “It’s none of your business what’s happening between me and your sister, but for the record, I don’t plan on leaving her. Ever.” He stressed the last word through gritted teeth. “I care about her like I’ve never cared about any other woman.”
Liam circled Micah for a moment before grinding out, “I don’t trust you.”
Micah smirked at Tessa’s brother. “Maybe not now. But you will. Tessa wants to see you doing what you love. Do you want to go back to what you were doing before, full time?”
“Hell, no. I loved my job, but this restaurant is our legacy. Amesport is home for me, now. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. I wouldn’t ever go back to the city. Too damn crowded.”
Micah nodded. “Good. Maybe you should tell your sister that. She thinks you sacrificed everything for her.”
“I didn’t sacrifice anything,” Liam grumbled. “I want to be here.”
“Liam!” A female voice called from the entrance of the restaurant right before a bubbly brunette came waltzing into the kitchen. The woman stopped for a moment, her expression turning from a carefree smile to a frown. “What happened to you? You’re bleeding.”
Liam held up a hand. “I’m fine. Can you finish doing the lobster meat for the rolls?”
“Um . . . sure,” she answered cautiously, moving slowly over to the prep area.
Micah watched as Liam’s eyes followed the female, a woman who obviously worked in the restaurant, the big guy’s eyes softening as he stared in the direction of the prep area.
“She’s attractive,” Micah said quietly enough that the brunette couldn’t hear him.
“She’s young,” Liam answered, tearing his gaze away from the woman and back to Micah.
“Over twenty-one, I’d say,” Micah observed.
“Not by much,” Liam replied unhappily.
Micah pulled out several tickets that he’d asked his assistant to send him, and handed two to Liam. He put the rest back into his pocket as he said, “Maybe she’d like to come to New York to watch Tessa skate. Here are two tickets for the charity performance. I hope you’re coming.”
Tessa’s brother snatched them from Micah’s hand. “Of course I’m coming. I just hope you’re right or I will kill you,” he grumbled.
“Tessa’s excited about performing again. Try to be happy for her instead of being a damn buzzkill, will you?” The last thing Micah wanted was for Tessa to be wondering how her brother was feeling on her big night.
He turned to leave the restaurant, but Liam again reached out a large hand to detain him, this time lightly grasping his forearm.
“You sure she can do this?” There was concern in Liam’s voice now. “What if she falls on her ass?”
“Then she’ll get back up and keep skating,” Micah replied, shaking Liam’s hand from his arm. “Just like she always has,” he added, walking toward the front door.
Micah wasn’t about to let Liam know he had the same fears. He didn’t want Tessa to fall, either, because he didn’t want her hurt. But he damn well had the confidence that she could handle herself on the ice, even if she stumbled.
He’d had to rein himself in many times, but he realized that he couldn’t hold her back any more than he’d like being kept from what he loved.
If she thinks I didn’t know the difference between a double jump and a triple jump, she’s wrong.
Micah knew she’d pulled off that triple in the rink, but that was the moment that he realized he couldn’t stop her from doing what she loved because of his irrational fear of her getting injured. Yeah, he’d had to grind his teeth, but he was trying to set her free, not keep her confined in her small comfort zone.