AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I licked my lips. There was no way I could eat right now, but at least if I took it with me, I could make it look good. “Sure.” Then I pushed my chair back from my plate. “I’ll be back shortly. I need to prepare for the expo.” Then I stood and exited theroom.
In my pocket, I felt my phone vibrate. It was too early for the office to be reaching out. This left pretty much one possibility. I glanced at the screen. As I’d surmised, my brother was making his daily check-in call. “Good morning, Mishal, how are you?” I tried to sound cheerful because it meant fewer questions, but naturally my sibling could read me like no one elsecould.
“Better than you, apparently,” hejoked.
“I don’t know about that. This morning I woke up in my gorgeous ocean frontestate…”
“Alone,” he remindedme.
“Has something in your mated status changed? I hadn’t heard.” My eyes narrowed as I awaited his typicalresponse.
“Not at all, but you’re the older brother. You should be mated first.” He chuckled. “Listen, I can tell the moon has youdown.”
“I’m notdown,” I objectedweakly.
“Right. So, I’m coming to town for a few days next week for a meeting. I thought I’d stay with you, rather than in a hotel.” He didn’t even give me enough time to respond before adding, “I’m going to take your silence as acceptance. I’ll see you then.” Mishal ended the call before I had a chance to reply in any manner. I stomped my foot and Fredo came tearing down thehall.
“Sir, your temper,” he warned as he passed me a glass of icewater.
I ripped it from his grasp and gulped it down. Squeezing my eyes shut, I thought about all the things that made me happy like…shit! Does nothing make me happy?Quick. Something. Soaring. Yes, there it was. Flying soothed me. I took a few deep breaths before speaking. “Fredo,” I murmured, “looks like you saved theday.”
“I don’t know about the day, but definitely the rug.” He glanced around the hall. “Those paintings.” He pointed. “And that decorativebasket.”
I had no reply. He wasn’t wrong. And hearing my little brother was coming into town meant soon, nothing would goright.
* * *
Maggie
“Let’s go!”I hated running late and this time we really had to be ontime.
“I’m coming. I just need to finish one thing…” My father’s voice grew more distant and I suspected he’d settled in behind his computer.Again.
Stomping up the steps, with my hands fisted by my sides, I stormed over to his desk and peered over the monitor. “I’m going to count to three and if you’re not in the car by the time I’m done, I’m staying home and you’re on your own.” I tapped my foot a few times in warning and watched as his eyeswidened.
He hopped to his feet, but didn’t move from the keyboard. “I’m coming. I’m coming! I just need to save this so I can demonstratethe…”
“One,” I growled as I waved my forefinger in theair.
“I’m hitting save!” He danced a little and I truly thought I might have managed to get through to him thistime.
“Two!” I roared as my middle finger joined thecount.
“You’re such a slave driver,” my father grumbled as he bolted past me and stumbled down thestairs.
“Tell me all about it on the drive.” My heart rate began to slow. While he rushed to the car, I walked around the other side of the desk to double check and ensure he’d shut down the computer. When I realized he hadn’t, I sighed and did it for him. I bounced down the stairs, feeling calmer than I had for hours, and paused briefly in front of our family portrait hanging on the wall. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m taking care of him.” Then, like I did nearly daily, I kissed my fingers, and pressed them to theglass.
Once I slid into the driver’s seat, I grinned at him. “Do you want to practice yourpitch?”
“Sure, now you want to be nice to me.” He stared out the window at the passing landscape for a moment, his arms crossed over his chest, chin down, in his standard poutingpose.
I laid a hand on his shoulder. “Come on, Daddy. You know sometimes you need an extra little push to get out thedoor.”
“I know,” he muttered. “You can’t imagine the pressure I’m under right now.” He gave me a pleadinglook.
Inhaling deeply, I focused on the road before answering. “Actually, I know all about the pressure you’re under. I see the mail, Dad. I know the bank is threatening toforeclose.”
His eyes watered and he sank deeper into the seat. “I can’t lose the house, Maggie. This was the home your mother and I shared for all of our married life. I didn’t mean for any of this tohappen.”
