Page 27 of Where She Belongs

His twin cocked a brow.

“Friends. Nothing more,” Tate tried again. “She said herself that she’s not ready for a relationship. She didn’t come here to be pressured into anything she doesn’t want.”

“But you want it,” Jason said.

Tate slapped his hat onto his head and threw his hands into the air. “Are you going to help me get this place fixed up again? Or are you gonna continue to put your nose where it doesn’t belong?”

Jason merely blinked.

“Jase!” Tate bit out.

His brother sighed and glanced around. His eyes swept what was left of the barn before coming back to land on Tate. “Why not?”

Tate released an exasperated sound. “Why not what?”

“Why not see if she’d change her mind about you?”

This time Tate had to count as he took in several breaths. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “She’s got plenty of guys trying to push themselves on her.”

“How do you know.”

His hand dropped and he glowered at his brother. “I heard her on the phone with a guy. Just… trust me, okay? She has zero interest in settling down. And I don’t want the drama of dealing with that sort of competition. You realize she became some kind of socialite back in New York, right? Her aunt is crazy wealthy. The people in her social circles are going to be more of the same. And I…” He rubbed his jaw, chin in his palm, eyes going unfocused in the distance. “I can’t compete with that anyway.”

“Yes, you could,” Jason said with such a matter-of-fact tone that Tate didn’t even have the energy to glare at him for it.

“Even if I could, I’m too busy. We’re getting more clients after Brent joined the ranks. And Jacob has been sending people he knows our way. We just don’t have the time for love.”

Jason went quiet at that. He wasn’t looking directly at Tate but there was a resignation in his eyes. Tate nearly asked him what he was dealing with, but Jason spoke before he had a chance. “Yeah, okay. I’ll help.”

Tate and Jason had a run of training days to get through. But when the week turned, they were back at Rylee’s property with shovels and other tools in hand. They worked on removing the ashes and burnt material. Today was all about gutting what couldn’t be salvaged.

Later, Tate noticed a change in Jason’s behavior. He’d looked at his watch three times and pulled out his phone twice.

“Need to be somewhere?” Tate asked, leaning his arms over the handle of the large metal shovel he’d been using to get the last remnants of ash from the ground to deposit into a wheelbarrow.

Jason didn’t even flinch. He slipped his phone into his back pocket and took his shovel in both hands.

“You don’t have to stick around if you don’t want to. I’m just about done for the day⁠—”

“Hey, boys—” Rylee’s cheery voice cut off with a whoosh of breath. “Wow, this looks great.” Her eyes scanned the work they’d done with appreciation.

Jason made another grunting sound. “No, it doesn’t. It’s still a very big mess. You wouldn’t be able to bring an animal in here without putting it in harm’s way.”

Rylee shifted her attention to him, a warm smile lighting her already angelic face. “Nice to see you haven’t changed, Jason. Have I ever told you how much I love that you tell it how it is?”

Tate cut a look at his brother who ducked his head, cheeks flushing. Tate grinned as he shook his head. He wasn’t going to bring attention to the fact that Rylee had a certain effect on men—including his twin.

“I’ve got some pizzas if you boys want to come inside. The oven is still on the fritz, or I would offer to make you something for your effort.”

Before Jason could decline, Tate leaned his shovel against a nearby wall that was still standing. “Jason has somewhere he has to be, but I’ll take you up on the offer. Pizza sounds amazing.” Tate didn’t have to look in his brother’s direction to feel the relief coming off him.

Rylee couldn’t say the same. She turned to Jason, questions plain in her eyes but she didn’t ask them. “Okay, next time?”

Jason gave her a curt nod. Then he put his shovel aside, tossed Tate a grateful look, and headed for his truck.

Alone with Rylee, Tate took a moment to look her over. She looked good, in pants splotched with paint jobs of the past. She wore a white t-shirt that hung off one shoulder, and her tennis shoes were just as dingy as the rest of her. She didn’t look like the socialite he’d told Jason about.

But she looked no less beautiful. This was the side of her he’d known from the first day they’d met. And when she was dressed like this, he couldn’t help but remember the girl from his past.