AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Alright, why don’t you come back Friday night? About six?”
“Perfect.”
CHAPTERTWENTY
It’s Thursday night, and I’m attempting to sand down the chipped paint on the porch rails when someone pulls up my driveway. I’m on edge immediately, until I see who it is. Then my nerves explode for another reason.
I stand, pulling off my work gloves, and attempt to tame my blue hair. I dust off the front of my clothes as the man in the driver's seat of a utility truck steps out.
It’s like slow motion. The first thing I see are his tan work boots, followed by blue jeans, and a black top. When he shuts the door and starts walking to me, he smiles.
He’s wearing Ray Bans and looks far too good to have just left work. Tan arms, thick with muscle, and wide shoulders…tousled hair that shines in the sunlight. He’s got clean facial hair, that looks way sexier than it should.
I shake those thoughts off quickly.Your stepbrother is not sexy. He thinks of you like a little sister, stop checking him out.
“Sapphire,” he pulls his glasses off, and when he reaches me, he lifts me into a hug without hesitation. I wrap my arms around him, bury my face in his neck, and can’t stop the tears that fall.
I thought when he saw me again, he’d be mad, or hate me. I wasn’t expecting a hug. What a good hug it is, too.
“Hi,” is all I manage to say, even though it’s muffled against his skin.
“Hey, it’s okay, look at me,” Anton puts me back down on my feet, and I lean back, looking up at him. He doesn’t release his hold on my waist, and I’m grateful the connection isn’t broken.
“Sorry,” I apologize, trying to laugh it off, but I can’t hide the fact that I’m still crying.
“Don’t. You’ve got nothing to apologize for.” When he bends forward, pressing a kiss to the top of my head, I nearly fall to pieces at his feet. I had been shoving my fear aside for so long. Ignoring just how worried I really was that he’d want nothing to do with me. Having him here now, being so kind and caring, is scrambling my emotions.
“Why are you here?” I ask, which makes him lift a brow.
“Well, two reasons. The first and most important reason is that I wanted to see you, and second, my grandmother.” He laughs softly and shakes his head, but I can see the sad smile, too. “That woman.”
“She left me the house. I kept a lot of her sentimental stuff, in case you wanted any of it.” I grab his hand and tug him into my home. “Sorry, it’s a bit of a mess in here.” I cringe, even though I clean it frequently.
“My grandmother had money to spare for a reason. That woman wouldn’t even pay to fix her home up. She wouldn’t even let me work on it for free! And I tried often! She’d literally chase me off with a broom.” I can see the joy he feels when he talks about his grandmother. She was a good woman, and I’m sad she’s gone. I’m even sadder that I never got to know her better before she passed. I wanted to, but Thad made it impossible.
Thad made everything impossible.
“Well, I won’t chase you off.” I wink, grabbing a mug from the only cabinet filled with dishes. “Coffee?” I offer, and he nods.
“Please.” He stands at the counter, watching me as I make him a cup of yumminess.
“So, why does your grandma have you coming for a visit?” I ask, and he snorts.
“So she left me her mansion.” He lets the bomb he just dropped sink in, and when I whip my head around, mouth gaping open, he nods. “Yep, and she apparently kept the deed hidden here. Also, she left you this, with instructions to have me deliver it,” he says, and I watch him pull an envelope out of his back pocket.
“Why didn’t she have the lawyer deliver it?” I ask, frowning, and he smirks. I take the offered envelope and set the mug of coffee on the counter.
“I think she wanted us to reunite. Maybe she thought I’d need a push.”
“Did you? Need a push?”
“No, Sapphire. I’d have been here sooner, but I was back in our hometown, settling some things there. Then, when I got back, I thought maybe you’d need some space and time alone to adjust.” He stuffs his hands into his pockets and shrugs.
“I would have liked to see you sooner. But I’d be lying if I said you were wrong. The first three nights, all I did was…” I trail off, not wanting him to know the truth. “It was hard. I haven’t been on my own, ever,” I admit, and he nods in understanding.
“It’s okay, Saffie. You don’t have to explain. You don’t owe me anything.”
“I feel like I do. I feel like I owe you a lot of explanations and apologies, too.” My chest tightens, and I grip the envelope in my fist harshly.
