“It was a one-night stand.” I bite my lip, feeling bad that I slipped out on him that night. I know it was all fear that pushed me out of his hotel room. I didn’t want to do the awkward goodbye in the morning. I wouldn’t have been able to bear it if he didn’t ask for my number and just shooed me on my way. So I’d done what I had thought was best to protect myself. By the way he’s been acting these past twenty-four hours, I made the right decision.
“You didn’t tell her it wasn’t a one-night stand?” Blossom gives her brother a death glare.
“Wait.” She swings her eyes back to me. “You must have known where my brother lived. Why didn’t you come back when you found out he knocked you up?”
“We met in a bar,” Oliver answers for me.
“You don’t go to bars.” She rolls her eyes at him.
“It was a hotel bar. I was in Hawaii for a shoot. I had to be on a flight back to LA in the morning for another booking.”
“Which was it? Dior? That campaign was killer,” Blossom asks as her whole face lights up. “I bought that jacket you had on but I couldn’t get the pants. They were sold out everywhere.” She shakes her head.
“I can get you a pair,” I offer. It is easy enough for me to get just about anything I want when it comes to clothes and high-end fashion designers. Most of them want me to be seen out wearing their things, so they give me first dibs on their new collections. That way I can essentially advertise for them for free. It’s a win-win situation for all of us. I get free stuff and they get a walking billboard.
“It’s going to be so kickass to have a sister now. Not to mention one that can get me Dior.”
“I never once said it was a one-night stand,” Oliver cuts in. His eyes are fixed on me now. He almost looks a bit angry.
“I’m sure you didn’t say it wasn’t one either.” She throws her hands up giving him a look like he’s crazy. “You met her in a hotel bar. Anyone would think it’s a one-night stand.” She turns back toward me. “I’m sorry, my brother doesn’t get out much or socialize so he doesn’t really know how the real world works. You’ll have to excuse him.”
“I don’t pick women up in hotel bars.”
“You don’t pick women up anywhere. You growl at people when they stand too close to you,” she says with a laugh. Then makes a growling sound to mimic her brother. At least I’m guessing that’s what the sound she is making is supposed to be.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Oliver runs a hand down his face. He looks tired. Even tired, he still looks as handsome as ever.
“You said we had all night. I thought that meant…” I trail off.
“See? He’s terrible with people.” Blossom walks over to her brother, resting her head on his shoulder.
“What are you going to give me to not tell Mom about this?” She winks at me.
“You can make the portfolio of houses you think we should look at and I’ll actually look at them.” She mouths a yes for only me to see. I have to fight not to laugh because I don’t want to give her away.
“You can’t fire me for a year either.” She puts her hand out, waiting for her brother to shake it.
“I didn’t know I could actually fire you.” He looks at his watch. “Consider yourself fired a year from now.” He grasps her hand and that seals the deal between them. “Make sure that portfolio’s on my desk by tomorrow morning.” I see him crack a small smile in his sister’s direction. She simply smacks his arm.
“That was after the handshake so it doesn’t count. It could take me until next year to do it and there’s nothing you can do about it.” She turns and winks at me, letting me know that she’s joking. “But since I love my new sister and niece or nephew that she’s going to give me, I’m going to work extra hard to have something to you within the next few days.”
“I’ll be expecting it tomorrow morning. As a matter of fact, why don’t you give it to Maddie since it will ultimately be her decision where we live?”
“In that case, I might be able to have something ready by the morning.” She pokes her finger into Oliver’s side.
“You can leave now. I’d like to spend some time with Maddie, alone, before we have to go to the doctor.” A warm feeling fills my stomach and in between my legs at the mention of him wanting to spend time with me. I thought he was trying to avoid me.