Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Sinclair
“I want to read that one too.” I point at the book in Jameson’s hand.
He chuckles as he motions for me to take it from him. “This is the twenty-third book you’ve set aside. You can have them all, Sin.”
I glance up at the massive bookcase. There are at least two hundred books waiting for us to go through.
I bite the corner of my bottom lip. “Since Arietta moved out, I do have an empty guestroom. It wouldn’t take much to transform it into a library.”
“It’ll take even less if we have the bookcase moved to your place.” He looks toward it. “Where do you live?”
My gaze drops to my crossed legs. We’re sitting next to each other on a colorful rug on the hardwood floor. I was the first to drop down when we started going through the books. Jameson joined me a few minutes later.
“I live in Tribeca,” I say, not wanting to rattle off my home address to him.
It’s not that I think he’ll show up after we move out of here, but my address feels personal – too personal – to be handing out to him.
“Nice.” He nods.
“The apartment belongs to Maren. She’s my sister-in-law,” I explain, even though he didn’t ask for any details. “I get a great deal on rent.”
“You can’t beat that in this city.”
I point toward a small ceramic vase with a pink paper flower sticking out of it. “What should we do with that?”
His gaze follows the direction of my finger. “I think Holden made that when he was a kid, so let’s trash it.”
“What?” I push up to my knees. “We can’t trash it. What if Holden wants it? It might be something he’ll treasure.”
Jameson lets out a laugh. “Holden treasures money, Sinclair. Nothing else.”
I don’t crack a smile. Instead, I narrow my eyes. “You don’t know that.”
His laughter stops abruptly. “I do know that.”
“Holden isn’t the same person he was when you left.”
“How would you know that?” He bolts to his feet. “Have you been hanging out with my brother the same way you were hanging out with Denia?”
I stand too. “No, but I have seen him a few times.”
His arms cross his chest. “What? Where?”
A heavy sigh falls from my lips. “That’s none of your business.”
His gaze trails over my face. “You sat next to him at the lawyer’s office. You touched his arm when he looked upset. Jesus, Sin. Is there something going on…”
“Oh my God,” I interrupt his ridiculous thought. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
He steps closer to me. “Has anything ever happened between you and my brother?”
I have no idea where this is coming from, but it’s pissing me off.
Holden is a good man. He came to see me after Jameson left New York. Sometimes when I was in this penthouse visiting his grandmother, Holden would show up with groceries, a slice of Denia’s favorite cake, or a new book for her to read.
My finger darts out to push the center of Jameson’s chest. “You’re so far off base. You left a mess behind when you ran away. Holden stayed to clean it up.”
Jameson’s chin drops. “I don’t need the reminder of the mess I made.”
“Maybe you do.” I move to pick up Dudley to cradle him close to my chest.
Some people have a security blanket or an item that calms them. For me, it’s my dog. He always lowers my blood pressure.
Jameson buries his face in his hands. “I’m trying to adjust to being back here. It’s not easy.”
“That’s not an excuse for being a jerk.” I sigh. “Holden took care of your grandma. He was a friend to me. Maybe you should take a minute to consider that your brother has changed since you left.”
His eyes find mine. “That’s hard for me to imagine.”
“I know.” I shake my head. “You’re stubborn. You refuse to see any viewpoint but your own. You’re the one who hasn’t changed, Jameson.”
I don’t wait for him to say anything because I’ve heard enough.
I storm out of the library and back to my room, wondering if staying here for the next twenty-eight days is worth it.
“Did you just say that you’re living with Jameson?” Molly’s eyes widen. “You’re joking, right? This is some kind of a practical joke.”
Molly has been buried in work since Dwight and Donna’s wedding, so I haven’t had a chance to tell her about my new living arrangement.
After I left the library last night, she texted me asking if the offer to see Dudley was still on the table.
I was tempted to tell her to meet me at my apartment in Tribeca, but I wasn’t feeling up to it, so I suggested a compromise. That’s why we’re currently sitting on a bench in Central Park while she feeds whipped cream out of a small paper cup to my dog.
I glance down to see a blob of the white fluffy treat land in the middle of her black skirt. She laughs as her fingers skim over it, chasing it away. “Duds sure love this.”
I can’t help but smile. I try my best to keep Dudley on a strict dog food only diet, but the occasional treat can’t hurt. Besides, Molly came bearing gifts, including a coffee for me. How could I turn down her request to offer Dudley a few licks of the whipped cream?
“I have to get back to work soon,” she warns. “So tell me what’s going on. I can’t believe you’re living with Jameson.”
“Neither can I,” I admit. “It’s only for the next month. His grandma died and left him her penthouse. She left it to me too, and if I want my share, I have to stay there for a month with him.”
Her gaze sticks to my face. “Are you being serious right now?”
I run a fingertip over the worn denim covering my knee. “I’m very serious.”
A high-pitched giggle flies out of her. “This sounds like the movies I love to watch. Sworn enemies are forced to live together, and in the end, they fall in love and kiss. They only kiss before the screen goes dark, though. All the good stuff has to come from here.”
She taps her index finger on the center of her forehead. “My imagination can come up with a lot of good stuff.”
I shake my head. “There is no good stuff when it comes to Jameson and me. There is no kissing either. In fact, I told him off last night.”
Her hand falls to her skirt. She drags a finger along her lap in a straight line. “You know what they say about love and hate, Sin.”
“You’re talking about the very thin line between the two.” I reach out to grab hold of Dudley as he makes the uneven trek between Molly’s lap and mine.
She brushes both hands over her skirt. “Exactly.”
“There’s no line between us.” I pet my dog’s head. “We are two people who need to get through the next month. After that, he’ll be out of my life again. Maybe this time, it will be for good.”
“You don’t mean that.” Her voice is soft. “There’s a part of you that still cares for Jameson.”
I start to shake my head to disagree, but I stop. “I don’t wish him harm or anything, but he hurt me, Molly.”
“People hurt each other all the time,” she points out. “That doesn’t mean they can’t apologize and make up for that hurt.”
“I’m pretty sure Jameson thinks I owe him an apology.” I laugh. “For the record, I don’t.”
Molly’s hand moves to grab mine. “Maybe you both deserve an apology and a second chance to set your friendship straight.”
Just as I’m about to argue with her, a phone starts ringing.
“That’s mine.” She darts to her feet. “I already know it’s my boss. She must be looking for me. I need to run, Sin. Please think about what I said.”
“I will,” I say, even though I have no intention of entertaining the idea of apologizing to Jameson.