Read Online Dream Lake by Lisa Kleypas - Free Book Online Page A

in love with another man. The betrayal had been a cruel and ironic surprise, coming from someone who had always bolstered Zoë’s self-esteem. Since then, she had gone two years without any kind of romantic involvement. She didn’t trust her instincts where men were concerned. And a man like Alex Nolan was obviously beyond her ability to handle.
    “I thought he was handsome,” Zoë finally managed to say, thinking of Alex. “But not very approachable.”
    “I get the feeling he doesn’t like women.”
    “You mean he’s—”
    “No, I don’t mean it that way—he’s straight by all accounts. He has sex with women, but I don’t think he likes them.” Justine paused and shrugged. “Of course, that doesn’t have anything to do with remodeling the cottage. So if I call Sam and he says Alex is still on his game, what do you think? Would you have any problem with him doing the work?”
    “Not at all,” Zoë said, although her stomach did a little flip at the thought of seeing him again.
    “No,” Alex said flatly, when Sam told him about Justine’s call. “I’m too busy.”
    “I’m asking as a personal favor,” Sam said. “She’s Lucy’s friend. Besides, you need the work.”
    The ghost lounged nearby as the two brothers applied a resin medallion to the ceiling of the second-floor landing. “He’s right,” the ghost told Alex, who sent him a scowl.
    “I don’t give a shit,” Alex muttered. He was on a stepladder, pressing the adhesive-covered back of the medallion to the drywall above, while Sam stood below with a makeshift padded wooden support.
    “Take it easy, Blowtorch,” Sam said mildly. “It wouldn’t hurt you to earn some money.”
    Alex struggled to contain his exasperation. He was still getting used to the idea that just because he could see and hear the ghost didn’t mean anyone else could. “Tell her to get someone else to do it.”
    “There is no one else. Every other contractor on the island is booked up for the summer, except you. And Justine was trying to ask me with her usual sledgehammer subtlety if you were even capable of handling the job.”
    “Remodeling a lake cottage?” Alex was indignant. “Why couldn’t I handle that?”
    “I don’t know, Al. Maybe it has something to do with the impression people have gotten lately … that if your life was graphed in a pie chart, half of it would be ‘shitfaced’ and the other half would be ‘hungover.’ Yeah, you can give me the evil eye, but it doesn’t change the fact that someday soon, you’re going to be too drunk to work and too broke to drink.”
    “He’s right about that, too,” the ghost commented.
    “Screw you,” Alex said to both of them. “I’ve never missed one damn day of work for any reason.”
    Sam wedged the padded support beneath the medallion, while Alex checked the pencil marks on the ceiling to make certain the resin hadn’t moved.
    “I believe that,” Sam said quietly. “But you’re going to have to go out there and prove it to everyone else, Al. From what I can tell, your 401(k) is now a 501(k).”
    “What does that mean?”
    “Your net worth is now located in the pocket of your Levi’s.”
    “I still have the Dream Lake development. I just need to find new backers.”
    “Great. In the meantime, this little cottage of Zoë’s is right on Dream Lake Road. You’ve probably driven past it a hundred times. So you can take a couple of weeks to fix up her place, and—”
    “Zoë?” Alex asked sharply, descending the stepladder. “I thought you said it was Justine’s cottage.”
    “Justine was the one who called me about it. Zoë’s going to live there with her grandmother, who’s got some kind of Alzheimer’s. You remember Zoë, right? The sweet-faced blonde with the nice set of … muffins.” Sam grinned as he saw Alex’s face. “Help me out. She’s one of Lucy’s best friends. Do it so I can reap the benefits of Lucy’s gratitude.”
    The ghost stared at Alex with