around the office. "I'd planned to do that today. Right here. After I had you moved in. Look, the truth is that it doesn't matter. You were the best applicant for the job. We already know we can work well together, and I hope to take over more of Dad's work in the next few years, moving you up to what I'm doing now. Since you've already said you want a career, not a job, it's a win for all of us."
She had a point. A very valid one. "Ok," I told her, making it clear I wasn't mad. "But you never mentioned your family at all!"
"You're an only child?" she countered.
"No, I have two brothers and a sister. Why?"
Ashley thrust an arm out toward me. "Because you've never mentioned them. That's all I'm saying, Elena. The timing on this was tight because of your ex and making sure you could have a safe place to land. That's it. I wasn't trying to keep secrets; it just never came up before." She paused. "And I didn't really want to make it sound like I was bragging because we own the place."
Defeated, I decided it was time to get comfortable, so I slipped off my own heels. What I didn't do was curl my legs into the chair like Ashley had. My skirt was a little too short for that. Still, the part that came next was going to be a little bit weird for me.
"So, there are five guys living beside me, right?"
She nodded. "Yep. My brother, Ian and his... roommates."
Something about that pause made me take notice. "Roommates? You sure that's all it is?"
"No. Um, they're close. Not gay, so don't even go there. It's just that they're kinda like blood brothers or something." Calmly, she set her cup on the tiny, round table between us. "Look, Lane might as well be my brother too. His parents were my father's friends. They died when he was little, and Lane came to live with us when he was like twelve. So, basically family. Pax and Trent? Our parents have been friends since before we were all born. Those two came over for holidays, and they ended up going to the same boarding school as Ian. Pretty much one of those prep-school brotherhood things. Then there's Seth." She chuckled. "The others, um, ran into him on their college campus and took him under their wing. He just kinda fell in like he belonged there. I think they've been living together in one way or another since high school. Well, except Seth."
"But they're still living like college boys, Ash, and I'm too old for that lifestyle."
"Bull," she shot back. "Both them living like that and you being too old. You're not even two years older than me."
"With a daughter," I reminded her. "And having a kid kinda changes things."
She lifted a hand, giving me that. "True, but it doesn't mean you have to shrivel up and play dead. Elena, you are only forty years old. That's not even middle-aged anymore. You're also single, and so is my brother. I don't see why this couldn't be a good thing."
"Because he's what, a decade younger than me?" I huffed as if that should be obvious.
Ashley just nodded her head. "And what? He's going to be immature? The same guy running an entire gated community? Right. So he's younger than you. What difference does it make, except that he still has all his hair and no pot belly? I'm not seeing the problem here."
"He's your brother!"
"So? I'll have you know that I actually like and respect my little brother. He had a lot dropped on him early in life. He's not some kid. He's thirty and has been helping run the business since he graduated college - which he did early, I'd like to add, having worked to skip a few years of high school. So, now you're going to throw out Gabby like some sacrificial lamb, and try to convince me you can't date because of her, right?"
She knew me entirely too well. "Maybe."
That made her chuckle. "Well, don't. I already explained to him that dating a single mom is different, and he understands. He really does. Remember, our parents got divorced, and he knows what it's like to be in Gabby's place, wondering who is going to be the next father figure she'll have to listen to. He knows how to keep it subtle until you're ready to have that talk with her."