Handle With Care (Shacking Up 5)

“Give it a couple more swipes and you should fine. What about me?”

“Same.” He gives his sister his attention again. “Honestly, Hope, you’re going to be fine. We’re only a phone call or an email away if you need us. You have the emergency numbers in case our reception is bad, and most importantly, Armstrong actually listens to you and is semi-productive when you’re around, so unless you parade a bunch of bikini-clad college girls through the office, you’re in good shape.”

Hope purses her lips and plants her fists back on her hips. I really like her, a lot. She and Lincoln are so much alike, it’s uncanny, from their mannerisms, to their personalities, to their odd little quirks. “You know how unhelpful it is to make comments like that, especially when Armstrong’s around to hear you. It feeds the behavior.”

Lincoln taps his lips with his fingers. “Sorry. I’m trying. Old habits die hard.”

“I know they do, but he’s been great the past few weeks, so if you can make it through this meeting without goading him, I think the next two weeks will be that much smoother for me.”

“Noted. I will not goad our brother during the meeting. But understand that I’m only doing this for you, because you asked.”

“I’ll accept that. For now. However, when you’re back from your trip to Honduras, I’ve set up a dinner for the three of us, so we can spend some quality time together and commemorate Dad and the fact that we’re all working together.” She turns to me and smiles apologetically. “I hope you’re okay with that.”

I grin widely. “I’m perfectly okay with that, and I think it’s a great idea.”

Lincoln shoots me a glare, which he quickly schools when Hope beams at him. “Fantastic! It’ll be a great bonding experience for the three of us.”

I’m not sure exactly what Hope is looking to accomplish, but I think it’s commendable that she’s trying so hard with both of them.

At first, Armstrong was his usual asshole self when Hope came on board, but she took him aside and had some kind of closed-door discussion, and after that things changed. He’s still a jerk a lot of the time, but with Hope, he’s different. It’s almost like an empathy switch has been flipped. It shorts out frequently, but it’s clear he’s trying to be less like his normal, awful self most of the time. At least with her. And that’s progress no one else has made.

The meeting goes smoothly, with both Lincoln and Armstrong on their best behavior. Penelope and Hope have a way of forcing that out of them. It’s mostly an overview of what’s happening while Lincoln and I are in Honduras to initiate a new sustainable community outreach project.

In the months since Hope has joined the team, Moorehead has branched out and shifted gears. The focus has moved to real-world issues and stories that make a difference. The boost in ratings and profits are a testament to Lincoln’s vision and dedication, but more than that, it’s a legacy he can be proud of.

It’s enthralling to watch Hope handle her brothers and their very different take on things. “While you’re out there, can you look into what they need in terms of medical? I’d like a feature on that in the coming months. I think it fits well with the hospital fundraiser this fall.”

“I wonder if we should look at the more obscure charities rather than just going with the most common,” I suggest.

Hope points her pen at me. “I was thinking the exact same thing. Armstrong could organize a golf tournament before the end of the summer as a precursor. If that’s something you would be interested in working on with me.” Hope flashes a wide smile at her brother.

Armstrong blinks a few times and runs his hand over his tie. “We would work on it together?”

“If you’d like, sure. I mean, I’m sure you can handle it on your own, but it would be good experience for me, don’t you think?”

His eyes flare with something like surprise, and a smile that doesn’t look at all like a leer appears on his face. “Yes. Of course. It would definitely be good experience for you. I could work with you on it.”

“Great. Well, that’s settled, then.” She looks around the table, and I, much like everyone else, try not to appear completely shocked by how easy that was or Armstrong’s complete lack of bitching.

“I think we have some solid new initiatives to keep us busy while you two are in Honduras. Speaking of.” She taps her phone until the screen flashes and gives Lincoln a syrupy smile. “You two have a plane to catch. Try not to hump each other in the bathroom.”

Lincoln smirks. “Plane bathrooms are disgusting. That’s what the ride to the airport is for.”