“Can’t you see he’s a gold-digger? He’s out for your money!” Angel shouts.
“What money?” Reese retorts. “Mom’s money?”
“No. Your grandma’s money. She left you that duplex and that trust fund.”
Surprise skates across Reese’s face, followed closely behind by suspicion. “Is that why you came here? Because you want my grandma’s money? That will never happen. That was my dad’s mom.”
“You’re my sister,” Angel insists. “And he’s no one.” She points an accusing finger toward me.
“Are you kidding? Blake is a Justice. My money can’t even sit in the same bank as his.”
Angel stumbles back. “A-a Justice?” she asks in disbelief. Her eyes rake me over, taking in my tattered jeans, old boots, and soft T-shirt. I’m looking my downhome best right now.
I pluck my shirt away from my skin. “A Justice,” I confirm. I wink at Angel. “Don’t you worry yourself over Reese. I’ll take good care of her.” I slide my arm around my woman. “What are you thinking about for dinner?”
“The diner sounds nice,” Reese says.
“One diner meal coming up.”
“What about Angel?”
“She found her way here by herself, so she should have no problem going home.” Angel’s not my problem, and she’s not Reese’s either.
CHAPTER 20
REESE
“Y ou all right?” Blake asks as he lifts me by my hips to sit on the tailgate of his truck. He tossed a giant fluffy blanket and some pillows in the back so we could watch the sunset.
He hops up next to me, not leaving a sliver of space between us. I didn’t realize how much I longed for human contact until Blake started getting all handsy with me. Now I find myself craving it like crazy. And I know it’s not just any contact that I crave. It’s the type you can only get from someone that loves you. I never realized how much I was lacking affection in my life. Sure, my grandma showed it to me when I saw her, but my immediate family never went out of their way to give it to me.
We’d gone out to dinner and are now back at the January George property. My sister is staying at my place. I’m not sure if she’s planning to stick around or not. I have no clue what to do with her at this point.
I should have told her to get lost, but I don’t have it in me. I realized she’s really a product of her environment. She didn’t have anyone to show her any different growing up. It almost makes me feel sad for her in a way. I was lucky to have my grandma to show me a different side of life.
“I think I am.” I rest my head on his shoulder. I feel him place a kiss on the top of it, making me smile. The sunset here is reason enough to buy this place. “I need to start letting go of what I want people to be and accept who they are.”
“Can’t change people.” Blake drawls with a slight Southern twang.
“I know. A small part of me was hoping she showed up to say she was sorry. The truth is I relate to her to a degree. I followed in my mom’s footsteps, becoming an architect to please her. To get her attention and approval. I think Angel just has a different way of going about getting her attention.”
“You’re too kind. You know that?”
“Maybe so, but at the end of the day it’s really sad. She doesn't love Bobby. She slept with him out of anger, most likely. Mom doesn’t give me a ton of attention, but when she does it’s usually work-related praise. I’m sure Angel has some resentment and jealousy about it. At least I had my grandma. I knew she loved me for me. Angel only ever had me to show her any sort of real affection.”
“And look what she turned around and did to you.” I turn, crawling into Blake’s lap to straddle him.
“I can’t help but pity her. Especially after today. You telling me that you love me has me looking at things differently.”
“You’re damn easy to love, Reese. Knocked me on my ass the second you walked into the bar.”
“You’re easy to love too, Blake. Even when you’re acting like a jerk.” He gives me a sheepish look.
I’m not mad at him about that anymore. Over dinner we both shared a lot about our upbringing and family dynamics. The Justice men are skittish about the whole idea of love. Especially with some crazy curse they all believed in.
I don’t think there is a curse. Sure, some of the Justice men have had terrible luck in the past with losing the women they love, but what they missed is the fact that they all found the kind of love people dream about having. Most people search their whole lives for that sort of connection and still never find it.