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She turned and walked into the living area.
“Hey, I know I’m not supposed to break in, but this is important.”
Was that Ally? The comment had come from the living room. It seemed they weren’t alone.
What the hell had happened? He was trying to fight for Brynn’s future and she was accusing him of being controlling? She didn’t believe him. She thought he was a liar.
Or maybe he was lying to himself.
He shoved that thought aside and finished dressing, his mind whirling with confusion. How had things gone so wrong? He’d wanted to offer her some comfort. He’d wanted to spend this time with her before she got to go back to her charmed life.
Did anyone truly have a charmed life? Hadn’t he learned that about her? Was he doing exactly what she accused him of?
“Oh, hey.” Ally looked him over as he walked out. She was as casual as he’d ever seen her. Even when Ally worked out she wore full makeup and had her hair artfully done. She wore no makeup at all today and her hair was in a messy bun. “I shouldn’t be surprised you came by. I bet you were good stress relief. Good for you, sis.”
“Major was leaving.” Brynn opened the crate and Duke jogged out. “What do you need?”
The question was asked of Ally, but Major wasn’t about to be dismissed. “I’m not leaving until we talk this out.”
“I’m taking Duke out to do his business.” She simply leashed her dog and walked out the door, not seeming to care that she was dressed in nothing but a robe.
Ally’s eyes were wide as she turned his way. “What did you do? Dude, do you know how hard it is to piss off Saint Brynn? Did you cheat on her? Did you say something bad about dogs?”
He was tempted to walk out after Brynn, but he didn’t want a scene. Despite the fact that they were off the main house, he was pretty sure if Brynn started yelling, Seraphina would be able to hear. She was a lovely woman but she liked to gossip.
Brynn had to come back. Right?
“She’s got an insane plan to stay here and take some dead-end job.”
“She’s not going to Paris?” Ally asked. “Gavin told me he got her a place in a super summer program for talented artists.”
“She said she didn’t want the pressure right now. She wants someplace cheap to stay and find herself or something.”
A brilliant smile broke across Ally’s face. It was the most open he’d ever seen her. “Good for her.”
The door opened and Brynn walked back in with Duke. She let him off the leash. “You’re still here.”
“I’m staying until I talk some sense into you,” he announced.
Ally glanced down at her watch. “Ignore him. So you’re staying?”
A peaceful look came across Brynn’s face. “I am. I like it here. I think I might be able to think and just be for a while. I’m not saying I won’t ever come back to LA. I’m not even saying I don’t want to do the Sorbonne classes.”
Ally put a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “You’re choosing you for now. I’m happy for you. And you need to know that I’m going to take care of everything. I’m going to do whatever dumbass parts I have to in order to get my career started so you don’t have to worry about me.”
“No, she needs to worry about herself. What’s going to happen when she runs out of money?” Major pointed out.
“That’s going to take some time,” Brynn shot back. “I’ve got a couple million in the bank, and the property I own is worth more, though I’m not selling anytime soon.”
“Good, because I have a plan and I think it’s going to mean that I can help you out in the future,” Ally declared. “Only if you need me. Which you probably won’t, but you should know I intend to be crazy rich and very indulgent with my big sister. Now it’s time. They had to set this thing up so early in the morning I think Seraphina is going to be thrilled when we leave.”
She grabbed the remote and the TV came on. Ally flitted through the channels.
“I’m not trying to push you away.” He let his voice go low.
“And yet you’re doing a very good job of it.”
“Brynn, I only want what’s best for you.”
“No, you want to feel like you did what’s best for me. What you really want is to not have to put any faith in me,” she said.
“What does that mean?”
“It means there are only two reasons for you to do what you’re doing. The first is weirdly the one I could live with. You don’t want a long-term relationship with me. I can handle that. I’m crazy about you but that doesn’t mean you feel the same. That’s fine. It hurts, but I can get over it.”
