Free Night Call (Night Fever Serial Book 2) by Jessica Hawkins Page A

my side.”
    He unlocked the door and got out while Lola stayed frozen where she was. He’d stumbled over the word love as if he were going to say something else. Something like “I love you .” Her— Lola , which was ridiculous. True, from the moment they’d met, their relationship had been intense. Their first night had been a series of dates in the span of a few hours. They had a connection—an attraction —but it didn’t matter. It couldn’t evolve beyond the physical.
    “You’ve been sitting at the curb for ten minutes,” she heard from outside in a woman’s noticeable French accent. “What the hell were you doing?”
    Beau cleared his throat. “Business call.”
    “Business?” She eyed Lola as she exited the car behind him. “Of course. Yes.”
    Lola found herself face to face with a woman who looked nothing like Beau. Her raven-colored hair was wrapped into a chignon. She just came up to Lola’s chin, and she seemed to know it, turning her thin, pointed nose up in the air for added height.
    Lola extended her hand and introduced herself.
    His sister waved at the air around them. “I’m sure I’m coming down with something,” she said. “I’d hate to get you sick.”
    Beau took Lola’s hand instead and brought it to his side. “Lola, this is Brigitte. Who apparently has plans tonight.”
    Brigitte sighed and smoothed her hands over her tight, red sleeveless dress. “I don’t, but my mother loved to say ‘always dress for company.’”
    “We’re hardly company,” Beau said.
    “Good evening, Miss Leroux,” Warner said from over the top of the limo.
    “Ah,” Brigitte said, “but Warner is here. Is he not worthy of such a beautiful dress?”
    She trotted in her heels around the car to throw herself in Warner’s open arms.
    “Ignore her,” Beau said to Lola, rolling his eyes. “She’s that way with anyone who gives her attention. Warner took her to an event last week, yet she acts like he’s just returned home from war.” Brigitte stroked Warner’s suited arm, threw her head back and laughed. Warner looked stunned by her—and Lola had to admit, she was stunning. He smiled so hard his cheeks turned red.
    “We don’t have much time,” Beau interrupted their moment. “No time at all, actually.”
    “You’re always rushing me,” Brigitte said, turning her back on Warner without so much as a glance. She led the way up the sidewalk. “Is this the girl?”
    “Brigitte,” Beau warned.
    “What girl?” Lola asked. She followed Beau into the house through a front door twice as tall as them.
    “Don’t be shy, brother.” Brigitte looked over her shoulder at Lola. The ordinary brown of her eyes should’ve been comforting, yet they were far too sharp for that. “It’s just that Beau rarely mentions anyone, except that he’s been talking about this one girl…”
    Beau inhaled a deep breath and closed his eyes a moment. “ Brigitte, sois sage . Is Louis in the study?” He looked at Lola. “Our lawyer.”
    Lola’s attention was drawn up to the entryway’s chandelier. “Wow.”
    “Ah, yes. It’s called a Montgolfier —after the brothers,” Brigitte said. “Do you know them? They’re French.”
    Lola shook her head.
    “They only invented the hot air balloon. That’s why it’s shaped like one but upside down.”
    “It’s lovely,” Lola said, “just like your home.” Her heels, shorter than Brigitte’s, clicked on the foyer’s marble floor.
    “Technically it’s Beau’s,” Brigitte said. “He lets me stay here.”
    “It’s our home,” Beau said to her. “I think after nearly a decade here, it’s okay to say.”
    “I just hate for you to think I’m taking advantage.” She looked at Lola. “Beau must be careful about that sort of thing.”
    Lola didn’t want to go down that road. She slid her hand from Beau’s. “I don’t understand. You live here?”
    “Yes,” Brigitte answered.
    Just moments ago, Lola had been thinking how well they knew