Chapter One
Dependable.
That one word filled me with annoyance. Dependable was an adjective car salesmen used to entice a buyer. What you looked for in a sturdy pair of work shoes. Not what you used to describe a woman in her late twenties.
Or maybe it was, considering I had never stepped out of line and always put others before myself, a quality children’s princess movies had sworn to me was the key to happiness. I always came through in a pinch, for anyone and everyone.
Okay, so maybe dependable was what people used to describe me now, but it wasn’t what I would let them continue to do. Dependable and sensible people didn’t just up and book a Scottish holiday, did they? They didn’t message each and every last bakery owner in the city of Sithean, determined to run away and apprentice as a baker. For years, I had worked for my family’s real estate and property management company. It had been nice...in the beginning.
My father had finally seized his dream to be his own boss and to do it with us, his seven children, seemed like the cherry on top of one amazing sundae. Until I had been forced to step in as property agent andalsooffice manager. I was just so good at organizing and keeping things in line.
Then I became the scheduler—my two older brothers just couldn’t seem to keep their appointments straight.
Next came the contracts, because I had an eye for that sort of thing, you know? At least according to my younger siblings, a sister and a brother I loved to death who were more often than not brunching rather than selling or showing properties.
I hadn’t complained. I had done it as the dutiful daughter, the eldest daughter, and middle child. I swore birth order must have had something to do with my willingness to bend over backward for the approval of my parents. My mother had passed away when I was fifteen and I felt compelled to bring her level of light and warmth to my family. I was a daddy’s girl through and through and the reward of his smile and bear hugs was more than enough to push me to accept before-sunrise mornings and late nights at my desk reviewing possible purchases and revising our portfolio.
And that had been my routine. Sleep, work, dinner with the family—yes, I cooked that too—clean up, then more work and maybe a well-deserved glass of whiskey with my father before I slipped away to look over the latest deal he was considering.
He was closest to me, no secrets about how alike we were and how much he shared with me.
It had been one of those routine nights. The only thing different was the lights from the Christmas tree twinkling in our den. It was the day after, and tradition said the tree would stay until the first of the new year—or until I harangued one of my brothers into helping me drag it out to the curb.
I walked down the hall, head already buried in a new portfolio option, when I heard my younger siblings, Inez and Brian, talking in the kitchen. I quickened my step, eager to join them, when I dropped the sheaf of papers I held and almost groaned at the mess.
Dropping to my knees, I began collecting the papers when I heard Inez laugh. She’d always had a good laugh. Carefree and boisterous. The type of sound that made you smile when you heard it.
This wasn’t one of those laughs. This was meaner, colder, and I froze when I heard it.
“Look, what does it matter? It’ll get done,” she said.
“Inez...she’s going to stop picking up your slack, you know that?”
Inez scoffed. “She hasn’t so far. And what’s this about my slack? You were right there with me at brunch on Saturday. I didn’t exactly have three pitches of mimosas on my own, did I?”
Brian sighed. I could almost see him shoving his jet black hair from his face. “All I’m saying is that Del is—well, she could use a break, okay? It’s Christmas.”
“That was yesterday,” Inez shot back.
Another long-suffering sigh from Bryan. “That’s not the point. I’m just saying she got a pressure cooker and a vacuum cleaner for Christmas. Imagine if that had been your gift.”
Inez made a sound akin to a cat gagging and Bryan hummed.
“Exactly. Besides, she’s not going to like you springing this on her.”
My ears burned. What were they talking about? What was I going to pick up now?
Brian was right that I needed a break. He was also doubly right that I didn’t much like being given appliances for Christmas. It had stung but I’d pushed it aside and thanked my siblings for what I knew had been pricey purchases.
My father had sprung and bought me a new red silk dress. Where he thought I would wear it I had no idea, but it still made me happy. The stress seemed to be mounting with each new day, and something pleasurable from my siblings as a gift would have been appreciated.
One more thing on my shoulders and I swore I was going to...going to…
My mind went blank and I frowned.
What the hell would I do?
“Going to do what?” Inez asked, echoing my thought, a note of challenge in her voice. “She’s going to be the good daughter and do exactly what needs to be done. You know that.”
