Fuck, this is complicated.
But necessary.
Because no matter how much I might like my new half brothers, I still have an amazing life back in New York, with more goals and hopes and dreams for all of the places I still want to take Aurora Gardens.
AfterI force my father out.
See how much he likes having his family and his life taken away from him like he took it away from Daphne.
The cheating fucker.
“You want to watch and see how this is done?” Jack asks me as he trails Rhys to the open garage and I rub all over Bandit’s belly.
“She’s not going to need another belt anytime soon,” Rhys says.
“Doesn’t mean it’s not interesting,” Jack replies.
Rhys looks at me—theintensity, holy damn. “You ever need to replace a belt on a car before, Margie?”
My lungs freeze at the way he saysMargie.
There’s definitely lingering suspicion in that question.
“Ignore him,” Jack says again. “He’s had a shitty year and isn’t done taking it out on everyone around him.”
Rhys holds eye contact with me for another moment, then shakes his head and pops the hood on the beat-up old van. “Whatever. Let’s do this.”
My current motto.
Right behindplease like me.
The dog grins up at me.
I smile back at him.
If only people were this easy too.
6
I DISLIKE HOW LIKABLE SHE IS
Rhys
Margot fucking Merriweather-Brown.
The woman who behaved like a low-key assistant in a fancy dress on my last assignment for Technique Group isMargot fucking Merriweather-Brown.
Billionaire heiress to the Aurora Gardens hotel chain conglomerate.
Rumored to eat sharks in her sleep.
And my buddy’s secret half sister, who brought me a jar of honey and a box of lemon scones from Bee & Nugget on Monday.
To thank you for dinner and fixing my car, she said.
The woman who’s kept the bathroom we’re sharing meticulously clean and free of the face creams and hair products I’d expect to have scattered all over the limited counter space, and who stood at the kitchen window staring in awe at a small herd of elk who passed through the yard shortly before we both left the cabin for work yesterday.
She’s good at pretending she’snotMargot Merriweather-Brown.
