Hot Property (Hot Zone 4)

He realized now what a complete disservice he’d done his mother by being at her beck and call. He’d never allowed her the chance to stand on her own. He hoped she did so now and didn’t just transfer her needs from Roper to Harrison.

“I love you, Mom, and I will always be here for you if you need me. I want to see you. I want to have lunch or dinner with you and I want you to call me when you want to talk.”

“But?” she asked.

“But you can no longer expect me to drop everything I’m doing to fix things for you. You’re a grown woman with a new career and you’re going to love it.”

Harrison applauded.

Roper rolled his eyes. “You’re also able to support yourself now, and I’m hoping you’ll love the freedom it gives you. Don’t close your eyes to new opportunities. Accept and embrace who you are and what you can do today, not twenty years ago,” he said, hoping she heard the love and respect in his tone. “America is going to adore you on this series. It’s going to open up all sorts of new doors for you. So don’t be stubborn like you were with Harrison. I’m betting you’re going to love what happens to you next and I want to be there to share it.”

“On your terms.”

Okay, so she didn’t get it yet. He had faith that she would.

“On our terms, over time,” he said.

“I need to lie down.”

Harrison shook his head, but Roper met the other man’s gaze and silently told him he’d expected this reaction. There would be more discussion, and hopefully, understanding, in the future.

Harrison escorted Cassandra out of the room.

Roper turned to his sister and her fiancé. “As for you, Sabrina, you’re marrying a good man.”

Kevin cleared his throat. “Thank you,” he said, clearly embarrassed.

Roper inclined his head. “Sabrina, you have the world ahead of you. If you continue to work as a paralegal, good for you. If you decide not to work, that’s between you and your husband. Whatever you two decide, I stand behind you. I’ll be there for you, but I won’t undermine Kevin by sneaking money to you or providing things he can’t. Unless he agrees,” Roper said, grinning because Kevin was nodding at everything he said.

Sabrina seemed surprised but okay with his words. Relieved, even.

“One last thing. About the wedding.” This was the best part of his day, Roper thought, reaching into his pocket.

And damned if he didn’t deserve some fun after the nightmare he’d been through.

“Your wedding should be everything you both want. I want to give you the wedding of your dreams.” And he already knew that Sabrina’s dreams weren’t his mother’s. “So here,” he said, walking over and handing them the check. “Plan your wedding the way you want. Or don’t plan the wedding and use this toward your future. The choice is yours.”

Sabrina glanced down at the paper in her hand and her eyes widened. She squealed and threw her arms around Roper’s neck. “You are the best, John. The very best.”

“Do it your way, baby sister,” he whispered in her ear. “And be happy.”

Kevin shook Roper’s hand. “I can’t thank you enough.”

Roper shrugged. “If Mom had the money, she’d do it herself and you’d be ducking dove shit. So this is my pleasure,” he said, laughing.

Kevin smiled. “She’s going to have a fit when she realizes you’ve effectively taken away her power.”

“I’m hoping that by giving it to Sabrina, she’ll include Mom on the right things, shut her down when she doesn’t belong, and eventually we’ll all be one big happy dysfunctional family,” Roper said.

“We can hope,” Kevin said.

“Will that family include Amy?” Sabrina asked.

Roper groaned. “I honestly do

n’t know.”

But he couldn’t wait to find out.