“Is that your way of saying hello after kidnapping my sister for a week or…?”
“Listen, I’ve missed enough work as it is, thanks to unpredictable weather in Central America. I was hoping to just get right to it,” I say.
“Oh, poor you. Trapped in a gorgeous villa secluded in paradise, away from the snow and chaos. Give me a second while I search my pockets for the world’s smallest violin,” Jaylen says, actually shoving his hands into the pockets of his gray slacks.
“Listen.” I hold up a hand. “Believe it or not, shacking up with your sister isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world. She’s salty as hell.”
Jaylen smirks. “Yeah, I could have told you that.”
“Not to mention she wasn’t exactly in a good mood after I’d just crashed her wedding.”
“And for that I am forever in your debt. But I’d prefer you’d told me that’s what you were planning to do. She’s my sister after all.”
“I get that,” I say, and I do. “I’m sorry,” I add. I am, but I have my reasons. The main reason being that I really wanted to do it myself.
“Yeah, yeah,” Jaylen says, rounding the desk so we can go back to my office. “From now on though, no more secrets. We’re partners, remember?”
“I know,” I nod as we walk across the hall.
“And best friends,” he adds.
“I’m aware.”
“At least as long as you’re not fucking around behind my back.”
I turn to face him. Jaylen really is my right-hand man, and I’d never intentionally do anything to upset him or jeopardize that. Of course, some things are more complicated than others.
His sister is one of those things as of late.
“I got it,” I say, and he nods. I open my mouth to say something regarding his sister, but before I can, his phone rings, and he steps out of the office to answer it.
Oh well.
I sit at my desk and glance at the time. Harper will be here any minute for her first day. Sooner if she’s an early bird. Jaylen still doesn’t know I hired her as my assistant, unless she told him. I guess we will find out soon. I was going to tell him that before he got a phone call. I’d like to think that it won’t matter to him. I mean, why would it? Daniel kicked her to the curb. The least we can do is offer her a job. And for the first time in her life, she’s going to have benefits. I am doing both of them a favor as far as I am concerned.
I wiggle the mouse on my desktop, waking up the screen. I kept tabs on emails while we were in Costa Rica, but I know there will be more. I take a sip of my coffee, willing the heat and caffeine to do its one and only job. But before I can log into my account, my phone rings.
I glance down at it, irritated, until I see the number. I pick it up immediately.
“Mom?” I ask.
“Oh, Ash. Thank goodness you’re there,” she says, and my stomach bottoms out a little. I switch her to speaker phone and check my messages and voicemails to see if I missed anything from her or a nurse.
“I’m here, Mom,” I reassure her. “Is everything okay?”
“I mean, you haven’t come to visit in a while. Too busy for an old bird these days?” she asks with all her usual sass. I’m grateful for it, but still concerned. She doesn’t usually call me.
“Sorry, Mom. I was…on vacation for a week,” I say.
“Vacation? You mean your slave-driving boss actually lets you take days off once in a while?” she asks, and I lean back in my chair.
“I don’t have a boss, Mom. I’m my own boss, remember?”
“I know, I know. I just like giving you shit,” she says, and I can’t help but smile at that. Whether or not I am alarmed by her calling, it’s good to hear the sauciness in her tone.
“There is something I wanted to ask you about,” she goes on.
“What’s up, Mom?” I ask.
