still burning from the touch of the last man on earth she should have ever let put a hand on her, it was extra obnoxious.
“I don’t think I asked for your commentary,” she retorted.
“I know I didn’t ask for yours.”
“But you walked into my store. Had I gone to your work site, then I would’ve had to put up with you. But, you’re the one who came into my house.”
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay. And, don’t think I don’t notice that you’re limping.”
Her scowl deepened. “I’m fine. Jonathan, you have to stop treating me like I’m a kid. And you have to stop treating me like I’m an invalid.”
His face looked like it had been carved from stone. “In fairness to me, for most of the time I raised you, you were both a kid and kind of an invalid.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m not trying to offend you. I’m just saying. I’m used to protecting you. And I’m used to looking out for you.”
“But look at this,” she said, indicating the store. “Look at everything I have. This place. Look what we’ve built. Nobody expected us to be successful, and you know that. And we both are. But I didn’t make it here without you. I appreciate everything you’ve done, Jonathan. But you have to stop worrying so much.” Those words tasted bitter on her lips, because she knew if he had any idea why she was limping, he would cheerfully commit murder.
“Fine. I just wanted to stop in on my way out to Tolowa.”
“I appreciate it. Everything is fine. Completely fine.”
Finally, she was able to usher her brother out of the store. As soon as he was gone, she let out a long sigh of relief. She always felt like he could tell when she was lying. Not that she often lied. She had never really had anywhere to sneak out to when she was a teenager, and she hadn’t ever dated back then either.
The lies she had always told him were that her leg didn’t hurt. Or that she didn’t really want anything for Christmas. That she hadn’t remembered it was Mother’s Day either, and she was definitely not thinking about their mother. Little lies here and there to try to ease his stress. Because he had always done the best he could. To protect her. To take care of her. Those little lies were the way she gave back.
She didn’t want to ask more of him on top of all the other things he did. Didn’t want him to know when she was in pain. Or when she was lonely. It wasn’t his job to take care of all that mess too.
The door opened again and she turned, her heart tumbling down into her feet when she saw Gage come in, wearing his typical uniform of skintight T-shirt and well-fitted jeans. When she thought of how closely he had come just now to encountering Jonathan, her mouth dried, anger spiking through her.
“What are you doing here?”
“I thought we should talk about the kind of work you’re doing.”
“I think we should talk a lot less.”
“I think you should help me with some of the paperwork I’m going through. And, help me make some decisions about the properties here downtown.”
“What?”
“My dad owns a lot of property here on the main street, which you probably already know. More than just your store. I’m trying to decide what I should personally acquire, and what I should sell off.”
“Wait a second. You made it sound like you’ve been a drifter for the past seventeen years, but drifters don’t burst in and buy prime real estate by the ocean.”
“I got into investing. I’m very good at it.”
“Right, so all that crap about you not living a life of luxury?”
“I’ve had access to a lot of money, I haven’t used it. I didn’t lie to you when I said I’ve spent a lot of time living in shitty motels.”
She gritted her teeth. “It may surprise you to hear this, but I don’t actually care if you lied to me or not. I’m not invested in trusting you.”
He took a step further into the store, and she retreated behind the counter. He smelled good. He had gotten close enough for her to catch a little bit of that clean, masculine scent cutting through the heavy fragrance of the spicy candle that lingered in the air. There was rough-looking stubble on his jaw, and for some reason, she found herself wondering what it might feel