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“You could come work out at the ranch.”
She rolled her eyes. “Thanks, but I don’t think I’d be a good fit as a wrangler.” Not to mention she didn’t want to deal with the memories of the time she’d spent with Mike while at her cousin’s house.
“I saw a help wanted sign out at the hardware store.”
Rose wrinkled her nose. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. With the work you’ve been putting into Mike’s place, you might find the hardware store is a good fit.”
She stared hard at the newspaper. Being a waitress was one thing, but selling supplies to the locals definitely didn’t feel right. She’d sooner beg for her old job back.
“You’re gonna have to find something. You can’t just hang around here all day. Now that you’re done working on Mike’s place?—”
“What makes you think I’m done with helping Mike?” Her eyes lifted to her brother. “Has he said something to you?”
Ethan shrugged. “Based on the fact that you’re not out there today, I just figured…”
“Well, I’m not sure if he needs me for anything else.” That was a lie—a bald-faced lie that her brother was more than capable of seeing through. Rose looked away. “I don’t want to get tied up in something just in case.” She mumbled the excuse so low she was sure he wouldn’t hear her clearly.
She was wrong.
“Rose.”
She looked up at her brother.
“I’ve stayed out of your business—well, as much as I thought was necessary. I didn’t stop you from helping him out because he clearly needed the extra set of hands. I made sure to make my feelings known when it came to a personal relationship. But I’m not going to continue to watch you waste your life away. You need to find a purpose.”
Rose shot out of her seat. “And what if my purpose is to become an artist again? What if I want to get a job at a gallery in the city? What if I want to start painting again?”
The words tumbled from her lips without a filter. She wasn’t sure she wanted to paint again, but apparently, her subconscious didn’t agree.
Drawing Mike had been therapeutic. She could admit that now. Studying a subject and finding the small nuances that made him who he was had relit the fire within her. Even with what Mike had said about her work, she wanted more.
Ethan didn’t respond to her outburst except to lift his brows.
“See? You don’t want me to do what I love,” she accused.
“It’s not that I don’t want you to do what you love.”
“Then what is it?”
Ethan heaved a sigh. “I want you to be successful.”
“And I can’t be successful with my art?”
“That’s not what I said,” he muttered. “Geez, Rose. If you want to start making art again, then do it the right way. Make sure you have something to fall back on. Work on your art, yes, but also make sure you have the income needed to put food on the table. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Look at what I made here.” He gestured around them at the modest kitchen. “This isn’t my dream per se, but it comes pretty darn close. I still get to have a house on a bit of land. I still get to run a ranch with my family. Is it exactly what I was thinking I’d have? No.”
“And you blame me for that.”
He shook his head. “I’ve never blamed you for that either. I don’t regret what I did to help you and I never will. You might as well knock that chip off your shoulder now because you’re not going to get anywhere with it. Get a job that allows you to keep working on your art. Find the compromise that works for you. And for the love of all that is holy, stop blaming other people for your decisions.” He let his words sink in, staring at her with hard eyes. “I have to get to work. I’ll see you at dinnertime.”
She watched her brother leave the room, feeling even worse than she had when he’d entered in the first place. Well, that was just great. She’d alienated the one person who cared about her future.
Now she was completely alone.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Mike didn’t know what he was doing here, standing outside the lawyer’s office. He hadn’t even made an appointment. There was no guarantee that anyone would be willing to see him right now.
