surprise.
“Ah, if it isn’t my elusive little sister.” Jonte imagined Jack shaking his head and pretending to be pissed when he really wasn’t.
“What can I do for you, old man?” A smile spread across her face, her enthusiasm now real.
“Hmmm. What can you do for me? I would love for you to come home so Mum can stop ringing me in a panic ten times a day and asking whether I’ve been checking the news for homicides in the US.”
“That sounds a little melodramatic.” Jonte leaned against the brick wall next to the stairwell. Clearly it was a family trait she had inherited in spades.
“You know Mum.” Jack added a dry chuckle at the end.
“I’m not coming home.” Jonte pre-empted, wanting to make that point perfectly clear.
You’re a strong independent woman. This is your life.
“She’s doing my damn head in, J. I can’t handle the constant calls. She called seven times yesterday. Seven. You need to come home and put an end to this madness.”
“Hey, I’ve done exactly what they wanted the last three and a half years. My degrees are finished and this is my time. You’re a big boy, Jack. Plus, you have Josh and Justin there for reinforcements.”
“They won’t answer my calls, or hers!”
“Not my problem.” Jonte was taken back by how blunt she was being with her favorite brother. “I promised Dad I’d come home in six weeks if I couldn’t get settled.”
“And are you settled?”
She nodded, not that he could see her. “I have a place to live and a casual job.”
“Oh, Christ. You’re never coming home, are you?”
“I love you, Jack. Everything will be fine.”
“Nice evasion. Well, seeing this call is costing me a bomb, stay safe and reply to my messages next time. Okay?”
“Okay. Bye, Jack.”
“Love you, J.”
Jonte stuffed her phone back into her pocket and pushed off the wall.
“Jonte!”
Cash’s voice startled her. She spun around and spied him stepping off his bike. Wow, she’d been too wrapped up in her phone call to notice him approaching or even hear his bike.
“Hey.” She smiled and walked towards him, honestly happy to see a friendly face right now.
“How was your morning?” He pulled off his helmet.
“Not great.” Okay so that was a slight understatement, but she was trying to remain positive and upbeat.
“That sucks.”
“Pft! I was probably a little too optimistic. You were right about the whole guitar thing.”
“Sorry,” he said, sounding like he genuinely meant it. “I won’t say ‘I told you so,’ if that helps?” He bumped his shoulder into hers.
Huh.
“I think you just did.”
“Okay, you got me. But I didn’t say it in a mean way.”
“True.”
“Have you eaten? I’ll make you something if you come give me a hand restocking.” Cash gestured for her to follow him to the bar.
“Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll pass. I need to find a guitar teacher.”
“Why don’t you ask Dolly to teach you the basics?”
“She plays?”
“She does. Our mother taught us when we were little.”
Holy crapballs.
“ Us ? Does that mean you play too?”
Cash shook his head. “Don’t even think about it.” He wiggled his finger at her.
“But you play?” No way was she letting him off the hook without an answer.
“Not anymore.”
“But if the world was under attack by giant killer aliens or something and you absolutely had to play, then you could?”
He laughed at her ridiculousness and made his way to the glass door. “Not even then,” he threw out over his shoulder.
“What if –”
“Ask Dolly,” he yelled back playfully and unlocked the door.
“Fine. Am I still right for a shift later?”
“Sure. Catch you then.” He waved and disappeared behind the glass door.
Well there you go. Thank you universe.
* * *
C ash locked the door behind him and couldn’t hide his grin. Giant killer aliens? That woman was too crazy. He shook his head and headed for his office.
Once inside, he checked
“Ah, if it isn’t my elusive little sister.” Jonte imagined Jack shaking his head and pretending to be pissed when he really wasn’t.
“What can I do for you, old man?” A smile spread across her face, her enthusiasm now real.
“Hmmm. What can you do for me? I would love for you to come home so Mum can stop ringing me in a panic ten times a day and asking whether I’ve been checking the news for homicides in the US.”
“That sounds a little melodramatic.” Jonte leaned against the brick wall next to the stairwell. Clearly it was a family trait she had inherited in spades.
“You know Mum.” Jack added a dry chuckle at the end.
“I’m not coming home.” Jonte pre-empted, wanting to make that point perfectly clear.
You’re a strong independent woman. This is your life.
“She’s doing my damn head in, J. I can’t handle the constant calls. She called seven times yesterday. Seven. You need to come home and put an end to this madness.”
“Hey, I’ve done exactly what they wanted the last three and a half years. My degrees are finished and this is my time. You’re a big boy, Jack. Plus, you have Josh and Justin there for reinforcements.”
“They won’t answer my calls, or hers!”
“Not my problem.” Jonte was taken back by how blunt she was being with her favorite brother. “I promised Dad I’d come home in six weeks if I couldn’t get settled.”
“And are you settled?”
She nodded, not that he could see her. “I have a place to live and a casual job.”
“Oh, Christ. You’re never coming home, are you?”
“I love you, Jack. Everything will be fine.”
“Nice evasion. Well, seeing this call is costing me a bomb, stay safe and reply to my messages next time. Okay?”
“Okay. Bye, Jack.”
“Love you, J.”
Jonte stuffed her phone back into her pocket and pushed off the wall.
“Jonte!”
Cash’s voice startled her. She spun around and spied him stepping off his bike. Wow, she’d been too wrapped up in her phone call to notice him approaching or even hear his bike.
“Hey.” She smiled and walked towards him, honestly happy to see a friendly face right now.
“How was your morning?” He pulled off his helmet.
“Not great.” Okay so that was a slight understatement, but she was trying to remain positive and upbeat.
“That sucks.”
“Pft! I was probably a little too optimistic. You were right about the whole guitar thing.”
“Sorry,” he said, sounding like he genuinely meant it. “I won’t say ‘I told you so,’ if that helps?” He bumped his shoulder into hers.
Huh.
“I think you just did.”
“Okay, you got me. But I didn’t say it in a mean way.”
“True.”
“Have you eaten? I’ll make you something if you come give me a hand restocking.” Cash gestured for her to follow him to the bar.
“Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll pass. I need to find a guitar teacher.”
“Why don’t you ask Dolly to teach you the basics?”
“She plays?”
“She does. Our mother taught us when we were little.”
Holy crapballs.
“ Us ? Does that mean you play too?”
Cash shook his head. “Don’t even think about it.” He wiggled his finger at her.
“But you play?” No way was she letting him off the hook without an answer.
“Not anymore.”
“But if the world was under attack by giant killer aliens or something and you absolutely had to play, then you could?”
He laughed at her ridiculousness and made his way to the glass door. “Not even then,” he threw out over his shoulder.
“What if –”
“Ask Dolly,” he yelled back playfully and unlocked the door.
“Fine. Am I still right for a shift later?”
“Sure. Catch you then.” He waved and disappeared behind the glass door.
Well there you go. Thank you universe.
* * *
C ash locked the door behind him and couldn’t hide his grin. Giant killer aliens? That woman was too crazy. He shook his head and headed for his office.
Once inside, he checked
Similar Books
