One Week with her (Ex) Stepbrother (Eden Manor #2) Read Online Free Page A

January receipts, or we’ll all be bankrupt when the IRS takes
everything we have. They already take most of it as it is.”
    Missy
couldn’t help but laugh at her father’s aggrieved tone, and she was glad of the
distraction when she went over to search her bottom desk drawer for the
requested file of receipts.
    She
took the file over to her father, who gave her a quick kiss and disappeared
back into his office. She could feel Zach’s eyes on her as she returned to her
desk.
    “What
do you need?” she asked, trying to sound normal.
    His
look of scrutiny proved she didn’t entirely succeed in her attempt. But all he
said was, “Do you think you can get that stuff ordered quick?” He nodded toward
the crumpled list on her desk.
    “Yeah.
I’ll do it right now.”
    “I’ve
got to go out to Eden Manor later today. Do you want to come with me?”
    Her
eyes widened. “Do you need me?”
    “It
helps to have someone to take notes.”
    Of
course, that was what he wanted her to come for. “I’ve got some showings later
this morning.”
    “I
don’t need to go until the afternoon.”
    “Okay.
That’s fine. I can do it.”
    She
sat down and started to work, acutely conscious that he was still watching her.
She ignored him so studiously that he finally left the building without a word
and went back to work.
    ***
    At
about two that afternoon, she and Zach drove out to Eden Manor—a huge Victorian
mansion on a lake about ten minutes outside of town.
    Missy
had sold the house to the young couple who had bought it a few months ago. It
was the largest commission she’d ever earned, and she still felt a satisfied
pride every time she approached the old house.
    Her
showings that morning had gone really well. They’d even wanted to make an
offer. Things were going well with her real estate business—better than she’d
expected for this year, anyway.
    Zach
was strangely quiet as they drove out, and she was afraid he was still thinking
about her mood that morning. He was a smart guy. It was possible he could put
together pieces and figure out she had feelings for him that she shouldn’t
have. She would have to be very careful.
    To
distract him, she asked, “So, have you seen Cassandra yet?”
    He
shook his head, turning to meet her eyes. “No. Someone said she was thinking
about moving back, though.”
    “So
the artist thing didn’t work out for her?”
    “I
guess not. Or maybe she was just tired of New York. I sure would be.”
    “Yeah,
but that’s you. She was always wanting to go to New York.”
    “Have
you heard anything about her folks? Maybe they’re not well.”
    “I
haven’t heard anything. I don’t know.” She tried to convince herself that it
would be a really good thing for Zach to get together with Cassandra. He could
settle down, and her foolish fantasies would die a quick death.
    She
couldn’t quite convince herself, though.
    Zach
pulled his old truck up the driveway to Eden Manor and parked on the side next
to an SUV Missy knew belonged to Vanessa.
    Vanessa
and Joe had both been hired as contractors for this project, so they came out
almost every day.
    Looking
around, Missy saw Vanessa standing near the front door, talking to Kelly and
Peter Blake, the new owners of Eden Manor. All of them were smiling, so they
must have been having a pleasant conversation.
    Joe
and Vanessa were deeply in love. It was obvious to anyone who saw them. And
Kelly and Peter were so young and ambitious. They’d just married earlier this
year, and now they were opening a bed and breakfast.
    “What
is it?” Zach asked, after he put the car into park.
    She
shook her head. “Nothing.”
    “Tell
me.”
    “Did
you know that Kelly is only twenty-one? She was telling me some about her life.
Her parents died when she was a baby, and she was raised by her eccentric
grandmother, who was always trying to marry her and her sisters off to rich
men. They lived most of their life really poor, and Kelly had to work hard to
keep