AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sounds familiar.”
Eli could tell by Reese’s self-deprecating tone he was referring to himself. His brother had had a few moments of “assery” when it’d come to winning back Merina. Good thing she was a strong woman.
Like Isa.
Was Isa strong enough to accept Eli’s apology and forgive him?
“Anyway, I can’t attend tonight’s board meeting and go to Sable Concierge to get my assistant back, now, can I?” Eli mumbled.
“I guess not.” Eli could hear the approval in his brother’s voice.
“The least I can do is apologize for behaving badly.”
“The very least,” Reese said flatly.
When Eli pictured her, he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t fall into those deep brown eyes or get towed in by her full, plush mouth. He needed her, and as much as he’d like to think he needed her only for business, that wasn’t the whole truth. He needed her because she was an amazing person who made him a better one.
“I’d tell you to take flowers,” Reese said, “but that was always the kiss goodbye for me.”
“I swear I don’t know how you talked any woman into going out with you.” His brother used to date using a one-and-done rule of thumb. Eli was never able to disconnect enough to be “done” after one night. It normally took several for the fascination to go away—but it always went away.
Except where Isa was concerned. Eli thought of her often, missed her. Wanted her.
“We all fuck up, but there’s a way back,” Reese said pragmatically. “Look at Tag. Mr. Fast and Loose towed in by a cute, tiny blonde who made him want commitment. He never saw Rachel coming.”
“Right, because the Cranes are allergic to long-term relationships.” Except someone had found the antidote because here they were—Dad, Reese, and Tag all in long-term relationships.
“It makes sense. Because of Mom.”
“You can keep your Freudian theories to yourself. My reasons for not settling down or getting married—twice”—Eli added snidely—“or coupling off like the rest of you seem content to do are more deep-seated.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Anything else?” Eli asked before Reese asked about those more deep-seated reasons.
“Good luck,” Reese said, then added, his tone sharper, “I mean with the report I sent over. Getting your assistant back isn’t about luck—it’ll take a miracle after how many of her PAs you fired. I hope she comes back for my sake. Your typos are horrendous.”
“Merina brought out your comedic side,” Eli said. “I don’t like it.”
Reese let out a small laugh and Eli signed off. He took another look at the piles on his desk. When Isabella was here, there were no stacks. She was virtually paperless, which was a skill he hadn’t honed.
Were she here, she would’ve interrupted him by now to refill his coffee, and hers. Three empty mugs sat forlornly on his desk. He liked wandering out of his office, looking over, and seeing her bent over her laptop at his dining room table.
He liked her here.
Not because the house was big and empty without her…
But because he was.
With her, he’d caught a glimpse of who he used to be before his life was turned upside down. When he’d become a man and was able to handle the loss of his mother in a healthy way instead of holing up in his bedroom and scribbling his morose thoughts into a notebook. He felt fifteen years old again—lost in the darkness…No, not lost. Locked. Like he’d put himself there on purpose. To spare everyone else his coming unhinged.
“Enough,” Eli said to himself, closing his hands over his face before sweeping them through his hair. Hands laced at the back of his head, he stared blindly at the e-mail attachment Reese had sent and thought about why he really wanted Isa back here.
Not because of reports or paperwork or coffee refills. He wanted her back because for the first time in his life, he’d found someone with the key. He’d tried to lock himself away but she’d come for him. Literally come for him—into his bedroom, yes, but there was another part of him she’d unlocked.
His heart.
The part of him that had always been partially sealed.
