Read Online Surprised by Love: A Contemporary Romance (The Armstrongs Book 4) by Jessica Gray - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jessica Gray
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outside the terminal.
“Wow! You don’t look bad, Bro.”
“Thanks for the flowers, Doug. I told you, I needed civilization.” Patrick gave his older brother a knock in the shoulder.
“I’m surprised they even let you into the country,” Douglas told him, continuing their normal banter with each other. He’d missed his brother. Because Patrick travelled so much, they didn’t get a chance to see each other often.
“Hey! I am not looking that bad.”
“Well, actually you are.”
Douglas admitted without envy and jealousy that even though Patrick was the same height as him, cresting 6’2”, he was more muscular.
While Douglas spent his days working in his office behind a desk all day, Patrick was always on the move. He worked outdoors and had to carry around his heavy photographic equipment, which showed in his broad chest, muscular arms, and the natural sun tan. His brother was definitely a hunky man.
In the company car on the way back to the apartment building, Patrick filled him in on his assignment in Nepal. “I almost finished this photo story about a minority tribe that lives in a remote mountain area in Nepal.”
“How long have you been in that same place?”
“Three months. No running water. No electricity. No phone or internet service. Basically take everything you consider a necessity in the Western world and get rid of it.”
“Sounds harsh,” Douglas commented.
“There were times when I thought I might give up. Not shaving was probably the easiest task.”
Douglas glanced over at him. His brother sported a big beard and his hair was much too long. “Ha ha. Don’t remember you ever liking to shave. So no running water is rough, but how did you charge your cameras?”
“I used a solar charger for my cameras and flashes. I didn’t take a laptop with me on this trip, so I wrote everything out the old-fashioned way. Pencils, pens, and paper.”
Douglas smiled at him. Patrick was one of those journalists who needed pen and paper in front of him to get the thoughts flowing.
Douglas asked, “So are you up to going out to a nightclub tonight?”
“I’d love to. It will be my first nightclub in three months.”
“Can you get yourself a shave and a haircut before tonight? You look like a Yeti. And I’m pretty sure Yetis don’t get access to the place we’re going tonight.”
“All right. Will do.”
“There’s a shopping mall next door to the building.” They shared a laugh and Douglas added, “We will be going out with Toni and a friend of hers, but you have to get yourself into presentable shape first.”
Patrick lifted one brow and asked, “Toni? Anything I should be aware of?”
Douglas hesitated. What should he say? There’s nothing between him and Toni. Liar. There is a lot of sexual attraction between us.
Finally, he answered, “No, she’s the loan manager from the bank regarding the new skyscraper we’re building.”
Patrick nodded. He was not a man of many words. Never had been. Probably never would be. Maybe that’s the reason he prefers his cameras and being alone. It allows him to be miles away from the next human being.
Personally, Douglas had never understood how his brother could cope with solitude. He himself loved to be with people. He had lots of employees, business partners and had a busy life day in day out.
They arrived at the apartment building and he showed Patrick to his apartment. His secretary, Abby, had secured a serviced apartment right next door to Douglas’s. After showing him around the small one-bedroom apartment, Douglas showed him where the shopping mall entrance was and then left him to get ready. “I’m heading back to the office, but I’ll be back to get you around seven-thirty tonight.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be ready,” Patrick told him as Douglas let himself out of the apartment.
A shower, shave, and haircut would do wonders for him both in the looks and in the mental department. The last three months had been
“Wow! You don’t look bad, Bro.”
“Thanks for the flowers, Doug. I told you, I needed civilization.” Patrick gave his older brother a knock in the shoulder.
“I’m surprised they even let you into the country,” Douglas told him, continuing their normal banter with each other. He’d missed his brother. Because Patrick travelled so much, they didn’t get a chance to see each other often.
“Hey! I am not looking that bad.”
“Well, actually you are.”
Douglas admitted without envy and jealousy that even though Patrick was the same height as him, cresting 6’2”, he was more muscular.
While Douglas spent his days working in his office behind a desk all day, Patrick was always on the move. He worked outdoors and had to carry around his heavy photographic equipment, which showed in his broad chest, muscular arms, and the natural sun tan. His brother was definitely a hunky man.
In the company car on the way back to the apartment building, Patrick filled him in on his assignment in Nepal. “I almost finished this photo story about a minority tribe that lives in a remote mountain area in Nepal.”
“How long have you been in that same place?”
“Three months. No running water. No electricity. No phone or internet service. Basically take everything you consider a necessity in the Western world and get rid of it.”
“Sounds harsh,” Douglas commented.
“There were times when I thought I might give up. Not shaving was probably the easiest task.”
Douglas glanced over at him. His brother sported a big beard and his hair was much too long. “Ha ha. Don’t remember you ever liking to shave. So no running water is rough, but how did you charge your cameras?”
“I used a solar charger for my cameras and flashes. I didn’t take a laptop with me on this trip, so I wrote everything out the old-fashioned way. Pencils, pens, and paper.”
Douglas smiled at him. Patrick was one of those journalists who needed pen and paper in front of him to get the thoughts flowing.
Douglas asked, “So are you up to going out to a nightclub tonight?”
“I’d love to. It will be my first nightclub in three months.”
“Can you get yourself a shave and a haircut before tonight? You look like a Yeti. And I’m pretty sure Yetis don’t get access to the place we’re going tonight.”
“All right. Will do.”
“There’s a shopping mall next door to the building.” They shared a laugh and Douglas added, “We will be going out with Toni and a friend of hers, but you have to get yourself into presentable shape first.”
Patrick lifted one brow and asked, “Toni? Anything I should be aware of?”
Douglas hesitated. What should he say? There’s nothing between him and Toni. Liar. There is a lot of sexual attraction between us.
Finally, he answered, “No, she’s the loan manager from the bank regarding the new skyscraper we’re building.”
Patrick nodded. He was not a man of many words. Never had been. Probably never would be. Maybe that’s the reason he prefers his cameras and being alone. It allows him to be miles away from the next human being.
Personally, Douglas had never understood how his brother could cope with solitude. He himself loved to be with people. He had lots of employees, business partners and had a busy life day in day out.
They arrived at the apartment building and he showed Patrick to his apartment. His secretary, Abby, had secured a serviced apartment right next door to Douglas’s. After showing him around the small one-bedroom apartment, Douglas showed him where the shopping mall entrance was and then left him to get ready. “I’m heading back to the office, but I’ll be back to get you around seven-thirty tonight.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be ready,” Patrick told him as Douglas let himself out of the apartment.
A shower, shave, and haircut would do wonders for him both in the looks and in the mental department. The last three months had been
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