1. Aaron

1

AARON

I fight through San Jose traffic to meet Rocco at a restaurant we frequent whenever we’re working late. When the cars in front of me fail to make it through a busy intersection, I idle behind them at a red light as my thoughts drift. It’s been two months, and I still find myself thinking about Jack McCoy from the sleepy coastal town of Aqua Vista. The man who rocked my world by completely owning me that night. The man with the grumpy demeanor and tragic past who seemed loyal to his family.

I thought I’d get one more chance to speak to him the next day, but he was nowhere to be found when I picked up my car that afternoon. I had a feeling Frank knew what we’d been up to because he smirked when I asked where the owner was.

But it was just as well since it was only a hookup. A really hot hookup. Sleeping in had been glorious, and the continental breakfast refreshing, reminding me how overworked I’ve felt lately.

Finally in front of the restaurant, I find a spot at a meter. Rocco and I became friends in high school, went to the same college, and started working together with our fresh business degrees in hand. I also have some architecture and design experience, so we began by flipping a rental property, which was a hell of a lot of work, and grew from there. We don’t get our hands dirty much anymore, but I miss those days. We own a variety of properties now and generally use cleaning and plumbing services for any problems that arise. We’ve sold other properties for profit and done pretty well for ourselves. But I’ll admit that opportunities have begun to dry up. The housing bubble has burst, and more owners have been unwilling to sell. But these things are cyclical, and it’s not like we’re hurting. At least not yet.

Rocco is already seated with a beer in front of him when I arrive. I slide into the booth and place my order, along with our usual appetizer requests.

“I saw you posted more photos from Big Sur on social media,” he says, referring to the wedding I attended the weekend my car broke down. Rocco wasn’t able to attend due to another event on his fiancée’s side of the family. “Makes me wish I was there. Gorgeous.”

I think about the comment Jack made that photos don’t do the place justice, and he’s right. It’s true of most places, even Aqua Vista, not that I had much of an opportunity to sightsee.

“Had you gone with me and driven your new Lexus, I wouldn’t have had to stay in that town overnight.”

Rocco loves flashy rides and gets a new car every couple of years, whereas my BMW is heading toward its eighth year—or is it ninth? It still looks new as far as the body and paint, but the stuff under the hood is beginning to need upkeep.

He smirks. “Oh please, it wasn’t all bad. You hooked up with a hunk of a man.”

“True. Actually, I wouldn’t mind a repeat performance.”

“I bet you wouldn’t.” He winks. “Sounds like a decent location too. Tell me again about the service station.”

“It was the only place to fill up between Big Sur and San Simeon—can you believe that? Talk about desperate. Don’t know what I would’ve done had I not seen their billboard on the highway.”

“What a racket,” he replies, and I hitch my eyebrows. “Think about it. They’re the only station for miles, so they can set their prices any way they like.”

“True.” Though I can’t imagine Jack doing something like that—not that I know him all that well.

“Were they sky high?”

“Not that I noticed.”

“What about the service on your car?”

“Wasn’t any more than what the dealer charges.” I wince, recalling the same song and dance I alleged when I first heard the news. “Plus, it’s a foreign car, and parts are normally more expensive.”

“True.” He sips his beer and looks off into the distance. “Well, now I just wonder if they’re clueless about the goldmine they’re sitting on.”

Jack certainly didn’t seem clueless, but I don’t tell Rocco that.

Our food is delivered, and we dig in while my thoughts spin. Jack was offended when I accused them of running a schtick. I was an idiot for doing that, but in my defense, I’d been out of sorts. The town was interesting too, but not unlike any other small coastal setting in California. I didn’t understand the curse thing, but the place definitely had some quirks.

Some might’ve thought it was only a pit stop for gas, but when you headed toward the mountains and away from the ocean view, it had a charm all its own. Enough that I often wish I had stayed longer and had time to explore. Or maybe it had everything to do with a comfy bed and Jack McCoy.

“You think he’d sell it?” Rocco asks around a bite of a chicken wing.

My spine stiffens. “The service station?”

“Why do you look surprised?” He waves his bone. “We could make it something good and experiment with the prices.”

I don’t think someone like Jack McCoy will ever consider selling, given that his roots run deep in Aqua Vista, but what do I know? I only spent a handful of hours with him. And fuck, I liked what I saw. How he handled me all rough and raw, his gruff demeanor only adding to the tension between us.

“I don’t know if that’s?—”

“Why are you overthinking this?” Rocco asks. “We’ve purchased dozens of properties and businesses over the years. It’s what we do.”

“True, it’s just…I’m not sure he’s the kind of man who would sell.”

We’ve made offers on other businesses that weren’t for sale but seemed like a good investment. You never know about the owner’s interest or disinterest until you’ve tried.

“Throw a figure at him and see what happens.”

“I suppose it’s worth a shot. I’d have to do more research on the area and see what kind of offer would be considered acceptable.”

Plus, there’s the curiosity factor—about Aqua Vista and Jack McCoy. The thought of seeing him again makes a shiver travel up my spine. But mixing business with pleasure is never a good idea. Besides, he’s likely only into one-offs, given that he made himself scarce the next day.

“I could make a long weekend of it and try to read the mood of the town better,” I suggest. The idea creates a spark of excitement in me.

“Make it a week or two if you want. You could probably use it.” He throws me a pointed look, and I take it to mean that not only am I not good with free time, but we could really use this deal. “Might be nice to work with an ocean view.”

“Wanna tag along?” I ask hesitantly, hoping for a solo trip.

He smirks. “You really want me cock-blocking you?”

“Pretty sure that needs to be off the table if we’re going to discuss what his business might be worth.” I won’t remind him that he met his fiancée, Corrine, that way. Sometimes, attraction is unavoidable.

“True.” He frowns. “I’m sure you’ll use your best judgment.”

Or not, and it’ll be a bust all around.