Read Online Kiss of a Stranger (Lost Coast Harbor #1) by Lily Danes, Eve Kincaid - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lily Danes, Eve Kincaid
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hidden by the suit and his hair growing out, he almost looked respectable. Maybe they were just trying to figure out how the new guy could afford Armani.
He’d say this for Hastings. The man didn’t scrimp when it came to entertainment. The place glowed. Lights were strung across every surface, making the cold winter night glow. He’d flown in a jazz band from San Francisco and a caterer from the Napa Valley. This might be a party for the locals, but that didn’t mean a local was up to his standards.
The townsfolk were transformed, all dolled up for the fanciest night of the year. Gabe caught a glimpse of a clean-shaven Harold and made a mental note to give him hell on Monday. Everyone wore shades of blue, from the deepest navy to the palest sea foam, in keeping with the Winter Blues theme. Oliver had even included a royal blue tie when he sent over the suit.
“Hey, that fits great!” The man himself appeared next to him, his smile as open and guileless as ever. He examined the way the suit stretched across Gabe’s shoulders. “Except it makes me think I should work out more.”
Gabe forced a smile. Oliver was already in annoyingly good shape. Otherwise, Gabe might have given into the impulse to punch him by now. “You throw a hell of a party.”
Oliver’s brows shot up. “Me? Gods no. This is all my parents’ doing. My mom plans it and my dad makes sure the checks get signed. All I need to do is show up and pretend I’m not talking business all night.”
“This is your parents’ house?” People on the docks talked about the Hastings mansion. Gabe had assumed it belonged to their boss, aka the Hastings CEO.
“You think I have my own ballroom?” Oliver shook his head, laughing, and signaled to a passing server for two glasses of wine. Gabe waved his away.
“We grew up here. Me, Jared, and Clare. I know it’s a bit much, but it’s home. My great-granddad built this house and the company. He passed them both to my granddad, who gave them to my father. One day, I expect they’ll be mine.”
“Don’t you already have the company? That’s what it says on your business card.”
The other man’s smile didn’t slip. “You haven’t met my father. My mother demanded he hand the company to me when he had a stroke eight years ago. He agreed, but I’m not sure he’s accepted it yet, no matter whose name is on the letterhead.”
“Oh.” Gabe struggled to find words. If Hastings Sr. still clung to power, he might have been responsible for the guns.
Or maybe Oliver was trying to point him in a different direction while the lying bastard figured out what to do with Gabe.
His thoughts were interrupted when another man joined them. Though his hair was a lighter shade and his eyes were brown instead of green, it was obvious this was Jared Hastings. The brothers were the same height and they shared the same classic bone structure.
“Another wonderful party,” he slurred, looking around the room with scorn. He barely acknowledged Gabe’s presence.
Oliver eyed the man’s glass. “I hear it’s even more enjoyable if you drink champagne instead of double scotches all night long.”
Jared grimaced. “It’s the only way to bear these sanctimonious old assholes, all telling me what an institution my father is and what a great job you’ve been doing.”
“You could join me, you know. There’s room for another office in town. Let them talk about you next year.”
His brother laughed. The sound grated. “That’s what it always comes back to, isn’t it? An office. A suit. Nothing else is good enough for a Hastings.” Jared threw back the last of his drink. “Let me know if you ever have a job that won’t turn me numb with boredom.”
The man spotted another server and broke away without saying good-bye.
“My brother,” Oliver said, gesturing at Jared’s retreating back. “We’re all so proud of him.”
“He didn’t seem so bad,” Gabe lied. Jared Hastings acted like an entitled
He’d say this for Hastings. The man didn’t scrimp when it came to entertainment. The place glowed. Lights were strung across every surface, making the cold winter night glow. He’d flown in a jazz band from San Francisco and a caterer from the Napa Valley. This might be a party for the locals, but that didn’t mean a local was up to his standards.
The townsfolk were transformed, all dolled up for the fanciest night of the year. Gabe caught a glimpse of a clean-shaven Harold and made a mental note to give him hell on Monday. Everyone wore shades of blue, from the deepest navy to the palest sea foam, in keeping with the Winter Blues theme. Oliver had even included a royal blue tie when he sent over the suit.
“Hey, that fits great!” The man himself appeared next to him, his smile as open and guileless as ever. He examined the way the suit stretched across Gabe’s shoulders. “Except it makes me think I should work out more.”
Gabe forced a smile. Oliver was already in annoyingly good shape. Otherwise, Gabe might have given into the impulse to punch him by now. “You throw a hell of a party.”
Oliver’s brows shot up. “Me? Gods no. This is all my parents’ doing. My mom plans it and my dad makes sure the checks get signed. All I need to do is show up and pretend I’m not talking business all night.”
“This is your parents’ house?” People on the docks talked about the Hastings mansion. Gabe had assumed it belonged to their boss, aka the Hastings CEO.
“You think I have my own ballroom?” Oliver shook his head, laughing, and signaled to a passing server for two glasses of wine. Gabe waved his away.
“We grew up here. Me, Jared, and Clare. I know it’s a bit much, but it’s home. My great-granddad built this house and the company. He passed them both to my granddad, who gave them to my father. One day, I expect they’ll be mine.”
“Don’t you already have the company? That’s what it says on your business card.”
The other man’s smile didn’t slip. “You haven’t met my father. My mother demanded he hand the company to me when he had a stroke eight years ago. He agreed, but I’m not sure he’s accepted it yet, no matter whose name is on the letterhead.”
“Oh.” Gabe struggled to find words. If Hastings Sr. still clung to power, he might have been responsible for the guns.
Or maybe Oliver was trying to point him in a different direction while the lying bastard figured out what to do with Gabe.
His thoughts were interrupted when another man joined them. Though his hair was a lighter shade and his eyes were brown instead of green, it was obvious this was Jared Hastings. The brothers were the same height and they shared the same classic bone structure.
“Another wonderful party,” he slurred, looking around the room with scorn. He barely acknowledged Gabe’s presence.
Oliver eyed the man’s glass. “I hear it’s even more enjoyable if you drink champagne instead of double scotches all night long.”
Jared grimaced. “It’s the only way to bear these sanctimonious old assholes, all telling me what an institution my father is and what a great job you’ve been doing.”
“You could join me, you know. There’s room for another office in town. Let them talk about you next year.”
His brother laughed. The sound grated. “That’s what it always comes back to, isn’t it? An office. A suit. Nothing else is good enough for a Hastings.” Jared threw back the last of his drink. “Let me know if you ever have a job that won’t turn me numb with boredom.”
The man spotted another server and broke away without saying good-bye.
“My brother,” Oliver said, gesturing at Jared’s retreating back. “We’re all so proud of him.”
“He didn’t seem so bad,” Gabe lied. Jared Hastings acted like an entitled
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