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“But you’re still gonna work at the dealership,” he said, irritation obvious. He waved a hand. “I’ve still got to see you every time I’m here. You’re gonna have to sweeten the deal.” Heput his hands on his hips, tilting his head to the side. “Otherwise, there’s no reason for me to make your life easier.”
“Something you need to understand is, for all the grief you give me, I’m gonna hand it right back,” I said evenly.
The bathroom door opened, and Shay stuck her head out into the hall. She was still damp, her shower cap on her head and a towel wrapped around her. “What the hell is going on?” she demanded. She looked at me. “You can’t do this to me. You can’t start a fight with him every time you come home. I like it when he sleeps here with me.”
“I just came home because I have to get ready for work,” I said. I didn’t know what else to say. Or what she expected me to do when I came home while he was here. “I didn’t start anything with him. Cam dropped me off, and I was just gonna wait in my room until you got out of the shower.”
Shay took a moment to fix the towel, then she stepped out of the bathroom and turned her glare on Kyle. “The agreement was that if you were gonna stay the night, you would behave while your sister is here. I realize she wasn’t here last night, but that doesn’t mean you can pounce on her the moment she walks in the door.”
“If she wasn’t here, there was only one other place she could’ve been,” Kyle protested.
“That’s right. Because she’s an adult that can make her own decisions. And if you don’t want her judging your relationships and who you do what with, you need to give her the same respect.” Shay looked at him evenly, keeping a hand fisted at her chest. “It doesn’t matter where Grace goes after work. It’s her business.” She shot me a look, then snapped, “Go get ready for work before you’re late.” She shook her head at me. “You don’t need to be in my business just because it’s your brother.”
I wanted to argue, but after she snapped at me again, I decided against it. I went into my bedroom, closing the door so theirconversation could be private. I gathered clothes to change into and took the time to plug up my phone.
I came out of my bedroom and any conversation between the two of them halted long enough for me to get into the bathroom. Shay had left her underwear on the bathroom counter and her robe still hung on the back of the door. I transferred it to the doorknob before I started up the shower.
I didn’t have the time to soak up the hot water Shay had left me. I cleaned up, ignoring the twinges of aches between my thighs. I’d worry about that later.
I was more concerned with actually getting ready for work. And what would happen once Kyle got there? Shay might’ve talked enough sense into him so I could actively get ready for work, but once she wasn’t here to play referee, I didn’t know what would happen.
They were still in the living room once I got out of the bathroom. I didn’t pause, I just went into my bedroom to get dressed. I tried to get ready as fast as possible, doing minimal makeup and concentrating mostly on getting my hair dry enough for a decent ponytail.
I went as far as packing a bag of extra clothing as Adam and Cam had suggested. I wasn’t planning on going over there tonight, but if Shay had something planned with my brother, I didn’t want to stick around for it. So that would be my plan B.
I couldn’t stall anymore. I decided the best thing I could do was just to make a run for the door. I opened my bedroom door slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible. I didn’t hear anything, so I stepped out carefully. No one was in the living room.
I glanced at Shay’s room. The door was closed, and the lights were on. That saved me from having to deal with my brother. I gave Shay a quiet thanks before running out the door, just in case hers opened.
I easily escaped any chance of further conversation with my brother.
Chapter 32
Grace
“Okay kid,” George said as he came back to the computer he’d designated as mine.
It had a drawer for my purse and a phone, something I did most of my work from. George worked at the counter. He had a way of getting the information out of customers. And he had regulars, people that would just stand at the counter and shoot the shit with him. He was a people person, and I understood it.
I kept typing on the keyboard as I finished up the order from the last call I’d been on. “Almost done with this,” I said. Working the phones wasn’t ideal, but I wasn’t about to keep George from working his magic. “I got all the important information. The customer just didn’t want to wait on me while I input it all.”
“I thought kids were supposed to be better at computers than old folks,” he said as he peered over my shoulder. “How do you not know how to type fast enough to keep people from getting impatient?”
I snorted. “Not everyone in my generation has made a hobby of playing on computers.” I paused, and since he was standing over my shoulder, I glanced at him. “That look right?”
“You got all the pertinent information, the make and model of the car. The part that’s needed,” he said, adjusting his glasses as he looked at the monitor. “Don’t let the newness of the situation make you doubt yourself. You’re good.” He patted my shoulder. “Just make sure you send it off, and we can blow this popsicle stand.”
“Got it,” I said as I hit send on the order. I relaxed. “I’ll get it. I rarely take this long to adjust to a new job.”
“If it’s not something that was in your wheelhouse of skills, give yourself a break,” he said dismissively. “I think you’re learning at a fine rate. If the boss gives you grief, shake it off. He put you into a position you weren’t ready for. He’s got to accept responsibility for it.”
“You’re just saying that because you don’t want to answer the phone,” I said as I clocked out. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I don’t enjoy answering the phone either.”
George chuckled. “You’re damn right I don’t want to deal with the phone.” He tilted his head. “But seniority has me suffering less for that. Besides, it gets you on the books for selling products, so no one can really complain.”
I nodded as I pulled my purse from its drawer and got my bag. “Men will always find a reason to complain,” I pointed out as I hit the lights. “If they don’t, they explode.”
“Girl,” he snorted as he waited for me at the door, “I have said the same thing about my wife,” he said, then paused. “Don’t tell her I said that, in the event she ever comes up here. You keep me out of trouble, and I’ll keep you out of trouble.”
