AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sorry, can you repeat that last part?” I ask Harrison.
He gives an irritated sigh. “What’s up with you today? You’re never this distracted.”
“Sorry,” I mumble. “My neighbor is having another one of her impromptu concerts for one in her loft, and it’s very distracting.”
In more ways than one.
“You’re talking about the hot one that Mom invited over for Christmas Eve last year, Marlow, right?” Cash pipes up.
“Yeah.”
For some reason, it bothers me that Cash called Marlow hot, despite it being true.
He’s the fun-loving, carefree brother and the life of any party. When we were kids, he was in an accident that left him with a jagged scar on the left of his face, spanning from his ear to his chin. My mom was worried it would affect his confidence. Spoiler alert—it had the opposite effect. Turns out women have a thing for men with scars, and they flock to him in droves.
“It was nice of Mom to invite your neighbor over for the holidays last year,” he says with a twinkle in his hazel eyes.
“Why did you have to remind me about that?” I groan.
My mom had the brilliant idea to invite Marlow over for our family Christmas Eve celebration. She knows Lola likes Marlow, and now Mom has gotten it into her head that Marlow and I would make a cute couple. The problem is that she’s oblivious to the fact that Marlow and I are polar opposites. And that I’m far too busy juggling the roles of two parents to even consider dating right now.
Over the past five years, I’ve had a few dates and the occasional hookup, but I’ve made it clear I’m not interested in committing to a long-term relationship. I won’t introduce someone new into our lives, knowing it could be temporary, and risk breaking Lola’s heart, given how easily she gets attached.
That’s one reason I’m glad Maddie hasn’t come around since the day she left. I don’t think I could handle explaining to Lola why someone who’s supposed to love her unconditionally only visits when it suits them best. Her tender, loving heart wouldn’t be able to accept that. It’s much easier to avoid talking about an absentee parent altogether than to explain the behavior of a flaky one, who shows up sporadically.
Now, if only my mother would respect my decision not to date.
“If you two are done gossiping like a couple of schoolgirls, I’d appreciate it if we could get back to work,” Harrison says tersely.
“Yes, boss,” I taunt him.
He scowls at me, unimpressed by my jab.
A few years ago, he would have cracked a joke about our overly enthusiastic mom or my loud, quirky neighbor, but I rarely see that side of him anymore. His entire personality changed when he took on the role of CEO. He hardly smiles and spends most of his time at the office, reluctant to share his burdens with anyone.
With Stafford Holdings’ recent expansion into Europe and the Vanburen project underway, I’ve shouldered more responsibilities to lighten his load. Still, he’s as stubborn as they come, and it’s like pulling teeth to get him to delegate anything of significance.
I have a natural inclination to take care of people. My mom calls me “the fixer” in our family. When there’s a problem, I have to address it quickly and efficiently. It’s not always the best solution, given the bind I’m in right now, taking on too many responsibilities at work while my personal life is imploding. Nevertheless, I’m doing the best I can, given the circumstances.
“Dylan, can you go over the cost-benefit analysis again for the Vanburen project?” Harrison asks.
“Yeah, sure thing.” I bring up the presentation on my computer and share my screen.
Cash shuts his eyes, mimicking the sound of snoring. “Do I have to be here for this?”
My brothers might get a kick out of teasing me for being a nerd, but it’s all in good fun. My knack for crunching numbers is one reason Stafford Holdings is growing so rapidly.
“If you want a paycheck, you do.” Harrison’s mouth curves up into a slight smile.
“Fine, but it’s on you if I pass out from boredom,” Cash mocks playfully.
I spend the rest of the meeting walking Harrison and Cash through the cost-benefit analysis while attempting to tune out Marlow’s never-ending ’80s pop hits playlist.
Not only is she distracting me with her loud music, now she’s added those damn yoga pants into the equation, diverting me from work with her perfect ass.
Once I’m finally finished with my call, almost two hours later, my body is stiff from sitting so long, and I have a splitting headache. I stand up to stretch and take a moment to massage my temples to ease the tension. That’s when I notice the silence.
She finally turned her music off.
