Secretary and the Cowboy (Justice)

In the city we all lived in this giant two-story penthouse. We never saw each other. It was always cold and empty to me. I hated that place. I’ll never live there again.

“I love this place. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have my Reese help me decorate a property I purchased. Her taste is impeccable.”

“You’re really doing this decorating thing? Isn’t it sort of a waste of your talent? You’re an architect.”

“You sound like Mom.” She too always turned her nose up at the whole idea of me being a decorator. She thought decorating was beneath her. Honestly, I didn’t think Angel wanted to be an architect either. Not sure what she wants to do. I feel like she just goes through the motions to make my parents happy. I can relate to that to a degree.

“Mom wants you to come back home.” Blake’s hold on me tightens. I peek over at him. His face is stony now. He doesn’t want me to leave.

“Is that why you’re really here? Is Mom mad at you?” Angel’s lips purse.

I hit the nail on the head. Mom wants me back in the office. It’s so strange to me that she wants this whole family business thing, but we’re not even close as a family. Not the way Blake is with his family. I can’t help but admire that about the Justice family. I want that.

Even this morning at the property. They all showed up wanting to see what I was working on because they care, and all want to be involved with each other.

“We’re family. We fight and then we get over it.”

“Okay, I’m over it, but I’m not going home. Like I said before, this is my home,” I say for the millionth time. I told my mom that too. I thought maybe she would realize after I left how unhappy I truly was there. But obviously, she doesn’t really care about my happiness. None of them do. That’s starting to hurt more now than Angel’s betrayal.

“Well, she told me not to come back till I had you with me.” She lifts her drink, taking a sip. “Which room is mine?”

“You’re not staying here.” No way. I’m not ready to be in the same space as her for any extended period of time.

“There is one hotel in this town which is actually a motel.” She scrunches her face in disgust at the idea of staying at a motel. “And it’s booked up anyway, so—” She shrugs. “I’m your flesh and blood. Are you going to toss me out into the streets?”

“Seriously, Angel? You could head back into the city or something.”

“A car service dropped me off, and you know I can’t drive. You never got around to teaching me.” I sigh, knowing I was supposed to teach her, but every time I told her when we could meet to do it, she was always busy. If not for my summers with my grandma, I never would have learned myself. My mom and stepdad were always too busy to teach me themselves.

“You’re an adult. Don’t lay that on her because you know it will guilt her,” Blake says, yanking me back from the guilt I was starting to feel. It’s hard not to. My sister is a brat, but sometimes I think that it’s our parents’ doing. She’s screaming for attention.

Angel glares at Blake for half a second before she quickly masks her anger. She tries to hide that nasty side she has from most people. I know it all too well.

“Let me stay, Reese's Pieces. Please.” She gives me sad eyes. “I don’t want to go back yet. I hate that house.” Damn it. “I’m struggling.” She keeps going. My resolve is fading by the second. Blake must sense it. He leans over and kisses me on the shell of my ear, letting me know I have his support.

“You can stay here, but Reese will be staying with me. Does that work for you, love?” He gives a small tug to the end of my hair he’s still playing with. “We can get a jump start on the property if we’re together all the time.”

“I’m not sure if that’s true.” I laugh. I think he’s going to be a distraction more than anything.

“Stay with me.”

“You don’t have to leave. We could use some alone time,” Angel pushes. I can’t help but think she’s up to something. She never wants to hang out with me.

“You can stay, Angel, but I’ll be working.”

“Really?” She looks genuinely surprised. I’m not sure why. She always talks me into shit that I don’t want to do.

“A week. That’s it.”

“Deal!” She claps her hands together way too excitedly, while Blake looks annoyed.

I have a feeling these two are going to be a problem.