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I grimaced. I hated that so much weight was on my brother’s shoulders. “He knows how to pick up a phone,” I growled. Though I hoped he didn’t. I wanted my baby sister as far away from that man as possible. “Why don’t you just tell him to go screw himself?”
Pepper shifted uncomfortably. She’d half-turned to go back inside, but I snagged her hand and asked her with my eyes to stay. She shivered. Crap. She didn’t have a coat.
I pulled her against me. She was warm and perfect, even if she was rigid.
“You know why I can’t do that.”
Because of Beau and me. Mostly me. If he did, my father would have more time to focus his attention on me.
“I made reservations at Keens for eight. Think the therapy session will be over by then?” The hard edge had disappeared from his tone.
“I’ll have to check with the princess.”
The back door burst open. “Are you two making out back here or what? We’re starving.”
“Who are you with?” Lincoln demanded.
I shot my sister the bird. She grinned.
“Umm . . .” I didn’t know what to say. Pepper wasn’t a friend per se.
“His crush,” Beau shouted like we were in elementary school.
“You’re dating someone?”
“No,” I said quickly as if that were absurd. Pepper attempted to wriggle out of my hold. I refused to release her until she shoved at me.
When she stepped away, guilt infused my chest. I wasn’t dating anyone, but my denial somehow felt like a rejection of Pepper when it wasn’t meant to be that way.
“What’s that address again?” he asked.
“Grey Paws,” Beau chimed in. “Hurry and bring lunch for five.”
“You sound better,” Lincoln said sarcastically.
“If I don’t eat soon, I might not be able to make it to the office tomorrow either.” She put her hand to her forehead even though he couldn’t see it.
Drama queen.
“Be there in an hour,” he grumbled.
“An hour? I might have withered away by then.”
“How do you propose I get there faster? By helicopter?” Keys jangled and what sounded like a briefcase snapping came through from the other end of the phone. Our little sister had both of us wrapped around her finger.
“That works. See you in thirty.” Beau pointed down frantically and mouthedhang up.
I did.
Pepper’s gaze darted back and forth between us as if she’d never seen such a thing, even though she and Miss Adeline had a similar dynamic. Maybe that was why I was drawn to her. Because we had things in common I’d yet to realize.
She cleared her throat. “If we’re having one more for lunch, I’d better find space.”
“Good luck,” Beau snorted and went back inside.
I touched Pepper’s shoulder. She tensed with her back to me.
“I didn’t mean anything by—what I’m trying to say is . . . shit.”
