I found myself nodding along as she spoke, taking in every word and trying not to focus on the way the begging part sounded falling from her pink lips. “Well, an offshore account is going to be fucking hard to track down, but I may be able to look into the IP address if it’s someone here in the states trying to do the transferring. The loans may be a bit easier, but I won’t know until I start to dive in. Until then though, you can go into the bank and pull out the cash for your business. Shouldn’t be an issue since they know you by name, being local and all. Everyone who delivers to you isalso local, right?” She nodded slowly. “Okay, just pay them cash while I dig around. Avoid the drama I’m sure will ensue if you don’t pay the flour guy in time.”
She rolled her eyes, making me want to smack her ass—nope.Stop it right the fuck now, Wyatt Drew Carragan.
“I can do that easily enough, I’ll just have to open the bakery a bit late, but oh well.”
“You don’t have any help?” I questioned.
She chuckled. “I have control issues.”
I smirked. “I know the feeling. But give me the bank info you have and your folder. Also anything the police gave you. I’ll give them a call too, and then I’ll look into it this evening after my meeting.”
She nodded. “Don’t steal my money, asshole. I’ll send Aspen after you.”
“No worries. Understood,” I said, holding my hands up in a clear sign of innocence. I had a feeling seeing this woman actually angry would be a damn sight.
I gathered up the paperwork I needed from her, ordered a cinnamon roll to go—partially as a peace offering and partially because fuck, they smelled amazing—and then headed out to my meeting with Julian.
I spent the rest of the evening with my head chock full of her smirk, the way her eyebrows creased when she was confused, and how she had no problem verbally handing me my ass. Oh and also craving another dozen of those damn cinnamon rolls.
I wasn’t sure why, but Ember Brady took up the majority of my thoughts, and it set me the fuck on edge. If she could’ve been Poison Ivy, she may have been a woman worth pursuing. However, I didn’t think my luck would ever be that strong, so I dropped the thought before I could push it farther.
11
NO WITTY COMEBACK
Ember
I glanceddown at my phone as it vibrated across the glass countertop. I was deep cleaning the bakery, and it was almost time for me to close, then it was a shower, shave, and heading off for our second meet-up—the one that wasn’t supposed to happen, but I apparently couldn’t say no to when a photo of him in those grey sweats and crop top slid onto my phone.
A man in a crop top apparently did things to me. More knowledge I lacked before.
The phone call I was getting just spelled out trouble, and somehow, I knew it without even picking it up, but like the good big sister I was, or tried to be, I answered before it could go to voicemail.
“Hey Evan, what’s up?” My brother calling me only meant one of two things. Either one, he heard from Bennett andwanted to know when we could get together, or two, our other brother needed money.
“Hey sis, how’s life?” he asked. He sounded happy, which made me smile, pushing down the anxiety a bit.
While my brothers and I weren’t close, I did love them. I wanted to have a better relationship with them, but it just hadn’t worked out like that growing up with our mother and Bennett. It felt like I was the one spending years trying to help us all feel like a family, while she chased after our father, and the boys were just…well, boys. I didn’t blame them, but it was what it was. As adults, I wasn’t fully sure how to fix it. How to move away from that, ‘listen to me because Mom is checked out’ or ‘I’ll see you later because I’m getting dropped off with Grandpa again for who knows how long’, to the role of trusting and loving big sister.
“It’s pretty good. Just working around the bakery and deep cleaning appliances. Joyous shit over this way. I heard you scored a new job. Do you like it? How’s it going?” I asked. I hadn’t spoken to my mom this week. She’d called and said she couldn’t make our lunch, which was fine given my slight outburst the last time we’d crossed paths. I was happy to go to yoga and head home. However, I was sure she was devastated to have to cancel on that doctor guy for me.
“Oh, Mom told you about the job with Uncle Howie?” He sounded almost nervous? Which was not an emotion I typically associated with Evan.
I chuckled before answering him. “Yeah? Was it a secret?”
“No, it’s not that. I just wasn’t sure how you’d feel knowing we were back at the family ranch and all that. We all know how Mom feels about it, and I guess we just didn’t want to disappoint you too,” Evan said. I took a moment to sit with his words before I finally found what I wanted to ask.
“Why would I be disappointed? If y’all are happy, so am I, Evan. Plus, I spent a ton of time there growing up with Grandpa, so I’m happy you two are getting to explore it.”
“Oh. Well, good. That’s good. Thanks Ember.” He cleared his throat, and I knew the reason was finally coming now that we’d gotten all of whatever that was out of the way. “Anyhow, I called for a reason. I mean, besides just catching up and all. Um, Dad is in town for a bit, and he wants us all to have a family dinner. Ya know, catch up.”
I stared at the phone, thankful no one was here right now, and Evan had called during a slow point of the day, because I truly wasn’t sure what to say at the moment, so I just said the only thing that flowed into my brain.
“Okay?”
“Okay like you’ll come? Or okay, as in you’re acknowledging that you heard what I said?” Evan asked, clearly not getting too excited until he fully knew how I was feeling.
“Okay, as in since when am I invited tofamilydinners?” I shot back. The guilt clawed its way up my throat the moment the words were out. I tried to think of something to say, an apology of sorts, but only silence ensued.
