Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
I stand too. “No, but I have seen him a few times.”
His arms cross his chest. “What? Where?”
A heavy sigh falls from my lips. “That’s none of your business.”
His gaze trails over my face. “You sat next to him at the lawyer’s office. You touched his arm when he looked upset. Jesus, Sin. Is there something going on…”
“Oh my God,” I interrupt his ridiculous thought. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
He steps closer to me. “Has anything ever happened between you and my brother?”
I have no idea where this is coming from, but it’s pissing me off.
Holden is a good man. He came to see me after Jameson left New York. Sometimes when I was in this penthouse visiting his grandmother, Holden would show up with groceries, a slice of Denia’s favorite cake, or a new book for her to read.
My finger darts out to push the center of Jameson’s chest. “You’re so far off base. You left a mess behind when you ran away. Holden stayed to clean it up.”
Jameson’s chin drops. “I don’t need the reminder of the mess I made.”
“Maybe you do.” I move to pick up Dudley to cradle him close to my chest.
Some people have a security blanket or an item that calms them. For me, it’s my dog. He always lowers my blood pressure.
Jameson buries his face in his hands. “I’m trying to adjust to being back here. It’s not easy.”
“That’s not an excuse for being a jerk.” I sigh. “Holden took care of your grandma. He was a friend to me. Maybe you should take a minute to consider that your brother has changed since you left.”
His eyes find mine. “That’s hard for me to imagine.”
“I know.” I shake my head. “You’re stubborn. You refuse to see any viewpoint but your own. You’re the one who hasn’t changed, Jameson.”
I don’t wait for him to say anything because I’ve heard enough.
I storm out of the library and back to my room, wondering if staying here for the next twenty-eight days is worth it.
“Did you just say that you’re living with Jameson?” Molly’s eyes widen. “You’re joking, right? This is some kind of a practical joke.”
Molly has been buried in work since Dwight and Donna’s wedding, so I haven’t had a chance to tell her about my new living arrangement.
After I left the library last night, she texted me asking if the offer to see Dudley was still on the table.
I was tempted to tell her to meet me at my apartment in Tribeca, but I wasn’t feeling up to it, so I suggested a compromise. That’s why we’re currently sitting on a bench in Central Park while she feeds whipped cream out of a small paper cup to my dog.
I glance down to see a blob of the white fluffy treat land in the middle of her black skirt. She laughs as her fingers skim over it, chasing it away. “Duds sure love this.”
I can’t help but smile. I try my best to keep Dudley on a strict dog food only diet, but the occasional treat can’t hurt. Besides, Molly came bearing gifts, including a coffee for me. How could I turn down her request to offer Dudley a few licks of the whipped cream?
“I have to get back to work soon,” she warns. “So tell me what’s going on. I can’t believe you’re living with Jameson.”
“Neither can I,” I admit. “It’s only for the next month. His grandma died and left him her penthouse. She left it to me too, and if I want my share, I have to stay there for a month with him.”
Her gaze sticks to my face. “Are you being serious right now?”
I run a fingertip over the worn denim covering my knee. “I’m very serious.”
A high-pitched giggle flies out of her. “This sounds like the movies I love to watch. Sworn enemies are forced to live together, and in the end, they fall in love and kiss. They only kiss before the screen goes dark, though. All the good stuff has to come from here.”
She taps her index finger on the center of her forehead. “My imagination can come up with a lot of good stuff.”
I shake my head. “There is no good stuff when it comes to Jameson and me. There is no kissing either. In fact, I told him off last night.”
Her hand falls to her skirt. She drags a finger along her lap in a straight line. “You know what they say about love and hate, Sin.”
“You’re talking about the very thin line between the two.” I reach out to grab hold of Dudley as he makes the uneven trek between Molly’s lap and mine.
She brushes both hands over her skirt. “Exactly.”
“There’s no line between us.” I pet my dog’s head. “We are two people who need to get through the next month. After that, he’ll be out of my life again. Maybe this time, it will be for good.”