The Kingston Brothers Signed Paperback Bundle

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"I need you to come into the
office."

It was a long day, and all I wanted to do was go home, take a shower, and sit on my back deck with a beer in my hand. "Sure."

I didn't bother to ask what it was about. If Dad said he wanted to see me, then I complied. He was the boss. If I had any hope of taking over for him one day, I needed to show him I was reliable and responsible.

I hung up, taking a left to go to the office instead of the right that would take me along Gulf Drive to my house.

At the office, I parked next to my dad's red Kingston Construction truck and got out. I was rarely in the office. I spent most of my time on jobsites, managing various crews.

Inside, I waved to the new office assistant, Kinsley, who'd taken over for my sister, Luna, when she decided to open an interior-design business.

"He's waiting for you," Kinsley said with a smile.

I leaned on the counter, nerves kicking in. "Do you know what it's about?"

"He's meeting with Elena Perkins. She just moved home and works for the Island Times. I assume it's something related to the magazine."

"I don't know an Elena Perkins." I rapped my knuckles on the countertop, not liking the reason why Dad would want me here.

"We all went to school together. You don't remember her? She's nice. I'm sure it's not going to be that bad."

I blew out a breath as I checked the
time on the clock on the wall. "Have a good night, Kins."

"You too," Kinsley said cheerfully, because she was minutes from getting out of here, and I was meeting with a journalist for some unknown reason. I ran the possible scenarios through my head, not liking any of them.

It wasn't uncommon for the local newspaper or magazine to do a write-up on the business or the status of construction on the island, but I'd
never been included in any of those interviews because my dad was the head of the company. Maybe things were finally changing. I didn't relish the marketing or publicity side of the business, but I was looking forward to taking over for my father someday.

I hesitated at the doorway.

A woman with long blond hair sat in the chair across from my dad. She wore a floral dress and silver sandals on her feet. I wasn't sure why I noticed, but her nails were painted pink.

Dad looked at me. "Hudson, glad you could make it."

The woman stood and turned to face me. She had a notebook in her hand.

Dad held out a hand in my direction. "Elena Perkins, this is my eldest son, Hudson. I think he'll be the best to help you with your project."

I shook her outstretched hand, trying not to notice how her dress accentuated her breasts or brought out the blue in her eyes. "And what project is that?"

When we were seated across from him, Dad continued, "Ms. Perkins works for the Sanibel Island magazine and is writing an article on the most eligible bachelors on the island. Apparently, you and your brothers are on the top of that list," Dad said, an odd sense of pride in his voice.

I groaned. "You can't be serious."

Elena's smile faded. "Your father said you would allow me to shadow you and interview you for the story."

"It will be good publicity for the business." Dad slapped his hands on the desk as he stood. "I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about. I'll be heading out."

Dad rounded the desk to shake Elena's hand and then said his goodbyes. He was out the door before I could respond.

Slightly panicked, I said, "I'll be right back." Then I hurried to the now-vacant front counter. "Dad, why would we want to be involved in something like this? It sounds like a fluff piece."

Dad turned to face me, a stern expression on his face. "They're
going to write the story with or without us. I'd rather we be portrayed in a positive light. And it'll be good for the business."

"Why can't Shepard or Cooper handle it? They'd eat something like this up." My middle brothers were twins and loved the limelight. Or at least Shepard did, and Cooper went along for the ride.

Dad chuckled. "I need my level-headed, responsible son to take the lead on this one.”

"Fuck," I said before I could stop myself.

Dad raised a brow.

He got on us all the time about swearing. He instilled in us that Kingston Construction had a certain
reputation to uphold. We were clean-cut, respectful, didn't leave a mess, and
didn't swear. Most of the time. "You know I don't have time for this."

"She'll be following you around while you work. It won't be an imposition." Dad's phone buzzed, and he pulled it out, brow furrowed. "Where did I leave my glasses?" He patted his empty front pocket, and I reached for the cell.

"Mom wants to know why you're not
home yet."

Dad plucked the phone out of my hands. "I'm not getting in trouble. I trust you to handle this. One day, all of this will be yours."

"You can count on me." I ran a hand through my hair in frustration as he walked out. Then I trudged down the hall to his office where Elena had resumed her seat. I sat in the chair next to her, not feeling like it was appropriate for me to take my dad's chair.

"Miss—" I began, not remembering her last name.

She smiled tightly.
"Perkins."

"Miss Perkins, I'm not interested in doing any interviews, and I don't think it's safe for you to shadow me."

Her forehead wrinkled. "Your father assured me that you would cooperate with my story and participate in the photo shoot."

I raised a brow. "Photo shoot?"

She sighed. "Yes, a photo shoot. My boss seems to think that you and your brothers are the most eligible bachelors on the island, but I'm starting to think it's not because of your charming demeanor. The photo might be the only thing that saves this article."

I was so thrown by her sassiness; I was momentarily speechless. Was she admitting that she found me attractive, or was she saying I didn't deserve the moniker?

"Your father assured me that you would cooperate. He provided me with your phone number and email—"

I didn't like the sound of that.

"I'll forward my information to you, including the timeline for the article and photo shoot. I'll need you to provide your schedule so that I can shadow you."

My jaw tightened to the point of pain. "I work in construction. How do you expect to do that? Are you going to be on jobsites?"

"I'd like to see what you do." Her expression was serious.

I stood, running a hand through my hair. "This is completely unnecessary. I can sit for an interview and a photo shoot, but I can't have beauty queens following me around on construction sites. It's dangerous."

"I want to get a full picture of Kingston Construction. Does your family merely manage the company, or are you more hands-on?"

I stepped closer. "I can assure you; I'm very hands-on."

She lifted her chin in haughty defiance. "That remains to be seen. So far, my impression is that you're acting like a toddler who's not getting his way."

My hands curled into fists. "I'm not acting like a toddler."

Her gaze lowered to my hands, and she
raised a brow. "Are you sure about that?"

I forced myself to relax my muscles. Surely, I could handle a woman following me around for a few days. She'd get bored, and I could send her on her way. "Listen, beauty queen."

Her eyes flashed with irritation.

"You do anything that endangers me or my employees, you're gone."

She grinned. "I would never do that. You won't even notice I'm there."

"Somehow, I doubt that." The other problem was that she was gorgeous and enticing, and if I thought so, my crew would too. She was a distraction I didn't need or want.

"And I was never a beauty queen. You should know that." She gathered her notebook and her bag, moving toward the door.

I frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"The year we graduated, you were homecoming king, along with your girlfriend. What was her name?" She waved a hand.

"Sasha Owen."

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Yes, Sasha Owen. How could I forget?"

I followed her out of the office, curious about her reaction. "I'll walk you out."

"That's not necessary." Her tone was clipped. Was she embarrassed that she'd mentioned who I'd dated in high school?

Why had she cared? "My parents taught me manners."

She raised a brow, as if to ask if I was sure about that, but I didn't rise to the bait. This woman was going to test my patience, and I needed my wits about me.

I pushed open the door for her, waiting for her to precede me outside. She brushed past my chest, her tropical scent teasing my nostrils. I walked with her to her car.

At the driver's side door of a small red sports car, she turned to face me. "I expect you'll respond to my email."

"My father wants me to handle this." I'd always stepped up and taken care of things when necessary. I was the oldest, the most responsible. Marshall, the second oldest, had joined the military after college. That left the twins, Shep and Coop, who were more interested in having a good time than taking anything seriously, and I couldn't leave it to Dalton and Brady. They weren't as interested in a central role in the business. Then there was Luna, who used to work in the front office, but had since left to start an interior design business.

She raised one delicate brow. "You
always do what your father wants you to do?"

My brow furrowed, not sure what she was getting at. "He's my boss."

"Interesting."

I had to be careful talking to a journalist, reporter, whatever she was. Wouldn't everything I say end up in
print? "What's that supposed to mean?"

She smiled serenely. "I'm getting to know you, Mr. Kingston."

I threw a hand over my shoulder as she
opened the door. "You acted like you knew me back there."

She raised a brow, a smile playing on
her lips. "You really don't remember me?"

I scrutinized her face, her blue eyes, blond hair, and enticing body. "No."

She shook her head. "The Kingston boys are so full of themselves; they never saw anyone outside their circle."

"That wasn't true." In school, I was involved in sports and focused on getting good grades to make my father proud. The responsibilities rested on my shoulders. Not my brothers'. "We went to school off-island. It wasn't like I knew everyone."

"But I grew up on the island."

The point was, I should know who she was. It was a small island.

Everyone knew everyone. "Is this going to affect the article you're going
to write?"

She sighed as she turned on her heel. "I want to get to know who you are. It doesn't matter if you know me."

But I wanted to know why she remembered me so clearly. Who were her friends? Did she date one of my brothers?

Before I could ask any of the questions swirling in my head, she opened her car door and said, "Respond to my email, Mr. Kingston."

I held the frame of her door so she couldn't close it. "It's Hudson."

Her eyes lifted to meet mine, and the
intensity in them stole my breath. "Good night, Hudson."

"Night, Elena."

Her eyes flashed with an emotion I couldn't place as I carefully shut
her door and stepped back. I shoved my hands in my pockets as I watched her back out and drive out of the lot, gravel spewing from her tires.

I couldn't believe Dad signed me up to
be shadowed by a journalist for a magazine. I locked up, then headed to my parents. So much for a quiet night on my deck. I had to talk to my father.

I parked in the driveway of the Cape Cod that I grew up in along with my six siblings: five brothers and one sister. It was a small house for all of us, but my parents didn't have the heart to move into something bigger, not when this one held so many memories.

Inside, I toed off my boots and washed my hands in the sink.

My parents sat at the table.

Mom rose to greet me. "I didn't realize you were coming for dinner."

"I just stopped by to talk to Dad," I said to her.

"I'll grab you a plate," Mom said as I kissed her cheek and sat at the table.

"You're not happy," Dad said simply.

"You think it's a good idea to have a journalist shadowing me at work? We've never done anything like
this."

"I thought it would be good publicity," Dad said.

Mom placed the plate of burritos in front of me. "What's this about a story?"

“A journalist wants to feature me as one of the most eligible bachelors on the island.”

"That sounds lovely," Mom said as she resumed her seat.

"It's not safe to have her on site. She'll probably wear a dress and heels," I grumbled as I bit into the burrito.

"I'm sure you can tell her what to wear so she knows what to expect," Mom said.

"I don't want her there at all. What if she gets hurt?" I asked, appealing to Dad's logical side.

Dad shook his head. "This will be good. You boys will be taking over the business sooner rather than later. The
public should get to know you."

"I don't think they need to know anything about me for us to run a successful business. All they need to know is that I show up on time, we do
good work, and we don't leave a mess."

Dad inclined his head. "I'm still the boss, and this is what I've decided."

I ground my teeth.

"Will she be following you around outside of work too? Maybe we could have her over for dinner?" Mom asked
us.

I groaned.

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Dad said as he ate a bite of burrito.

"We'll invite the whole
family," Mom said, excited about the prospect of hosting a dinner.

"Don't you think that she'll get a bad impression of the family if it's all of us?" I asked her.

Mom gave me a look. "If you could
manage to act like men and not savages, you'll be fine."

"I'm not the one anyone should be worried about. It's Shep and Coop," I mentioned my wildest brothers, hoping Mom would see the light.

"They're good boys," Mom said, patting my hand.

"What did you two talk about when I left?" Dad asked when I finally dug into my food. I was starving.

I chewed, washing it down with lime water. "She mentioned something about going to school together, but I don't remember her."

"Kinsley said they were friends," Dad added.

"You were so focused on school, sports, and work. Even back then," Mom said with pride.

"She seemed like she knew me, and
it wasn't for a good reason."

"Maybe she had a crush on you, and you didn't realize it. That wouldn't surprise me at all. I'm fairly sure that Sasha girl just declared that she was your girlfriend, and you were too distracted to tell her different."

Teenage Elena Perkins had a crush on me? That was interesting.

"I'm confident you'll represent this family and the business in the best light," Dad said dismissively.

Mom patted my hand. "We can always
count on you."

The responsibility weighed heavily on my shoulders. I couldn't let my middle brothers take lead on this one. She'd be following them to bars, seeing them go home with random women. I didn't have a choice. If we wanted Kingston
Construction to be known as a respected business in the community, I had to take the lead.