Sandpipers' Secrets by Jade Archer Page A

baby steps before it got all carried away. Unfortunately, he had the rather disturbing feeling it was already too late.

Chapter Seven
    “They’re sick!” Gus spat as he threw another dirty pan into the sink, slopping water over the edge and wetting the front of Brody’s shirt in the process.
    Brody closed his eyes for a second and clenched his jaw as he struggled not to react. He was still too new in the kitchen to make waves, and calling the mains chef an asshole right to his face probably wasn’t ever going to be a good move for a lowly kitchen hand anyway.
    “Just shut up, Gus,” Dave shot back.
    Ducking his head, Brody, began to scrub the bottom of the dirty pan industriously.
    Tension had been running high this evening. It had been a long, difficult shift, and Gus was more vocal than usual because he’d somehow messed up a stock order. They’d been forced to cancel one of their most popular dishes. Needless to say, Zak had not been happy, and Gus had been lashing out at everyone else in retaliation for the dressing down he’d been given. Brody couldn’t wait for the shift to finish.
    “I’m just saying they’re fucking sick,” Gus continued irritably.
    “You got a problem with them being gay?”Rio demanded, the tall, tanned man bristling and readying himself for a fight.
    “Don’t get your panties in a knot. I got no problem with ‘alternative lifestyles’,” Gus said, using his fingers to add little quote marks—which made him look utterly ridiculous, Brody thought as he continued to work on the pan.
    “My problem is that they’re brothers,” Gus announced, and Brody froze mid-swipe of his scouring pad.
    The entire kitchen froze. Absolute, unnerving silence fell over the area that was usually replete with a Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    baffling array of sound.
    “What the hell are you on about?”Rio finally snapped angrily.
    “I said I don’t give a shit that they’re gay, but it’s fucking sick that they’re brothers.”
    Brody could hardly breathe.No. It’s not possible. It’s just…is it? Could Zak and Lark be brothers?
    They didn’t look—
    “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,”Rio said, turning away with a sneer of disgust.
    “Hey! I’ve been here a hell of a lot longer than you have. I worked with their old man before he was killed in a pileup three years ago, and I know old man Piper always said his sons would inherit the place after he was gone.”
    “That doesn’t mean that Zak and Lark are brothers,” Dave interrupted, actually stopping what he was doing for once to join in on the conversation.
    “You don’t think? What about the fact they have the same last name. That didn’t clue you all in?” Gus shot back, obviously thrilled to have an audience listening to him at last.
    “They could be married,”Rio suggested.
    “They’re not married, you dipstick. They’re fucking brothers. Ha! Literally! Get it?”
    Gus looked around, apparently pleased with his spontaneous wit and expecting everyone to appreciate it.
    Brody clenched his jaw to stop himself from saying anything. What was going on? Was it true? And if it was, how did he feel about it? Hurt that they hadn’t said anything? Angry? Disgusted?
    Brody remembered the look that had passed between the two men when he had first met them. A look of utter love and contentment. And the passion he had witnessed as they made love in the office. No way could he think that was disgusting. In fact, it had been beautiful—and damn hot. Then there was the passion they had all shared in the storeroom this afternoon. He’d been thinking about little else all evening, wondering when he might have a chance to be with them both again. Had that suddenly changed for him? Would this news make a difference?
    “Shut up, Gus. You don’t know shit,” Dave said.
    “Gus wouldn’t know shit from sugar. Why haven’t you said anything before now if that’s