by Tyler Grey
“Yep, I used to love that thing,” I said curtly. “What are you doing here?”
He laughed. “Wow, you really don’t like me, do you?”
“Not particularly.” I wasn’t usually so short with people, but I couldn’t bring myself to be nice to him. I was too afraid I would naturally start flirting. It was easier to just be horrible to him and to keep him at a distance.
“Your words cut deep, Paisley,” he said. I tried not to swoon at the sound of my name coming from his mouth. He said it differently to most people, and I liked it.
“Sorry, I’m just very busy,” I said and gestured to the room around me.
“Moving in?”
“Just for a little while.”
“Nice. I’ll see you around then.”
“Why?”
“I live here.”
“You…you live here, too?” Surely not. My mother hadn’t told me about that. I knew Duncan lived there now, but not his son. Oh please, let him tell me that he wasn’t.
He grinned. “Just for a little while, too.”
Shit! There was no way I would’ve moved in if I knew that he was living here. This was not a good thing. I simply nodded. “Oh. Well, I’ll see you around then.”
“Is that your way of saying I should leave you alone?”
I nodded. “Yeah, something like that.”
He chuckled. “You sure are very interesting, Paisley. Very interesting indeed. Well, I’ll let you pack in peace, and I’ll leave you alone,” he said as he finally walked out of the room. As he did, he called out, “Oh, and nice shorts.”
I looked down at my shorts in horror. They were old, and the material had become very thin and frayed. Somewhere they must’ve caught on something because they were now completely torn on in the front. There was a gaping hole where my bright red underwear could clearly be seen. I groaned. Seriously?
Chapter Four
Henry
I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw Paisley unpacking in her bedroom. I’d immediately gone to speak to my dad, who told me she was moving in for a few months. He seemed delighted by the prospect, so I knew it was something Myra wanted.
I longed to find out more about Paisley, but I didn’t want to make it too obvious by bombarding my father or Myra with too many questions. At least now that she had moved in, I would find out more in due time. What I did know intrigued me, and my mind had gone into a spin when I’d seen the hole in her shorts. So, she wore red underwear? I grinned at the thought.
It had been two days since I’d seen her in her bedroom, and I hadn’t yet had much of a chance to speak to her. She didn’t seem too happy to be there, and she certainly didn’t seem to want to get to know me as much as I wanted to get to know her. In fact, she seemed to be avoiding me as much as possible, and I was sure it was because she liked me. Why else would she be acting that way? I thought.
I’d seen her interact with her mother and with my father, and she was so nice to them. I’d once stood around the corner and listened to their whole conversation. She was funny, very intelligent, and a pleasure to be around. The moment I walked into the kitchen, thought, she’d frozen up before rushing off to do something that had suddenly become urgent. You don’t fool anyone, I thought to myself every time I saw her.
The whole thing had become like a game. I wanted to see how much I could irritate her and just how much I could push her boundaries. Would she eventually give in to me? Or would she continue to push me away? I knew how to be charming when I wanted to, and I liked nothing more than flirting with women. I’d had a lot of practice over the years. Sure, I’d never been in love — a fact my father liked to point out often — but I’d certainly been in lust. I knew the sort of look women liked to see from me, and I made sure to give it to Paisley every time I saw her.
My father pulled me aside that morning because he’d obviously noticed that I wasn’t exactly being all that nice to her. Thankfully, he hadn’t taken it for flirting and thought I was simply teasing her. Like a brother would tease a sister.
“Henry, you’re supposed to be nice to her,” he told me when the two of us were alone.
“I am being nice to her. She’s the one that isn’t being nice to me,” I told him.
“Well, you need to remember that she’s going through a hard time.”
“Why? Because she can’t find a job? Oh come on, Dad, she’s not the only one that is going through that. I’m sure there are plenty people in this world who need a job, and you don’t see them going around and sulking.”
“She’s perfectly nice to me, so you must be doing something.”
I chuckled. “Okay, okay. I’ll play nice.”
“Thank you. Also, don’t forget that you’re supposed to offer her a job. When are you going to do that?”
“You really still want me to do that?” I still wasn’t sure it was such a good idea. I didn’t need her there anymore now that we were living together. I could keep an eye on her here. I was still worried that she wasn’t going to be any good at the job. But my father was looking at me with pleading in his eyes.
“Yes, I still want you to do that. She’ll be good at it, you’ll see. Myra is worried about her.”
I sighed. “Okay, fine. I’ll ask her. I did promise you. I was just waiting for her to get a bit more used to me, that was all.”
“Well, maybe she’ll be nicer to you after you offer her the job. Why don’t you ask her at dinner tonight?”
I nodded. “Okay, great. I’ll do that.”
He smiled. “Thanks, my boy. I appreciate it.”
I shook my head as he walked away. My father hadn’t been in love for a long time, and he was obviously trying a little too hard. I couldn’t bring myself to get upset with him, though. He had not stopped smiling since getting married. It was sweet.
I wasn’t sure if I would ever feel that way about anyone. My father assured me that I would, but I wasn’t so sure. I had a feeling that there was only enough love for a few people, and I highly doubted I would be one of the lucky ones.
I thought immediately of Paisley and smiled. Now, lust — that I had in abundance.
I was looking forward to seeing her that night. She’d done her best to avoid me so far, but Myra had instituted a rule that all four of us were to have dinner on Sunday nights, no matter what. We had all agreed to it, and I’d been secretly delighted at the idea. Even if Paisley ignored me for six days in a row, I would always have Sunday to turn to. There was no way she would let her mother down and not be there. She walked past as I was thinking about her, and I grinned at her.
“Hi, Paisley. How’s the room looking? Need some help?”
“It’s good. I’m fine,” she said and hurried off without making eye contact. She was wearing jeans this time, but they were tight, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her legs. I’d seen them in shorts. I knew exactly what they looked like. The image was impossible to get out of my mind.
I went back to my room and pushed thoughts away. There were still a few hours to go until we met for dinner, and I had quite a lot to busy myself with. Ever since becoming the CEO of the company, I’d started taking work home with me. It was a habit that had once belonged to my father, and I’d always said that I wouldn’t do it when I took up the position, but it was hard not to. I felt bad for every time that I had gotten upset with him for bringing work home; I understood now. There was simply too much to do. I was confident at the company, but I also felt the need to constantly prove he had done the right thing by hiring me. I looked through some of the work now, already planning my week ahead. The only thing that got me out of work-mode was the delicious smell coming from downstairs. My door was open, and my mouth began to water at the smell. I looked at the time and figured I’d stop working and go and see if they needed help in the kitchen. Myra was always pushing me out, but maybe I could convince her to let me help her this time. Maybe Paisley would be there already. I pictured the two of them cooking side by side and smiled at
the image.
She wouldn’t be able to run away from me if I offered to help them. If they said no, I would simply sit there and talk to them. I would watch as Paisley grew more and more uncomfortable in my presence. It was probably not a good thing that I got so excited at the prospect of her discomfort, but I couldn’t help myself. She was so much fun to tease.
Paisley wasn’t in the kitchen, though. When I passed her room, I noticed her door was closed, so I assumed she was still inside. I wondered what she was doing in there. My father wasn’t in the kitchen, either. It was only poor Myra, doing all the work by herself.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of her. She was chopping vegetables and singing along to the music that was coming from the radio she kept in the kitchen. She was doing a little dance as well, and when she saw me, she burst out laughing. I liked that she wasn’t embarrassed at being caught.
“Hi, Henry,” she said. “You caught me.”
“It was a good sight to see,” I told her.
She chuckled. “Singing and dancing are my two loves in love. Well, that and your father, of course,” she said and winked at me. “There are two places you’ll always find me singing: the kitchen and the car. I know, I’m an awful singer, but I can’t help myself.”
“You’re not an awful singer. Trust me, when you hear me, you’ll understand what an awful singer sounds like. You’re a pretty good dancer,” I said and grinned at her.
“I try my best. I used to go for lessons when I was younger.”
“You did? That must’ve been fun.”
“It was. I miss it a lot, actually. Which is why you’ll always catch me dancing when a good song comes on. There is simply not enough dancing in the world these days. People are too stiff.”
“That’s probably very true. So, you’re cooking all by yourself? Where is everyone else? Are they all hiding away from their duties?”
She chuckled. “They know what I’m like. I never let anyone help me here. I kicked them out. Paisley is in her room, and your father is watching TV, I think. I said I’d call them when the food was ready. It’s honestly okay; I like cooking alone.”
“Well, I came to see if I could convince you otherwise. I’m here to help. I’m not the best in the kitchen, but I can chop.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m almost done here. Honestly, it’s fine. Anyway, it’s our first meal together as a family; I want to do this.”
“Are you sure? I feel bad.”
“Nonsense. This is my happy place. I can assure you.”
“Well, it smells delicious.”
“It’s just soup. But it’s my favorite recipe. It has bacon bits, which I think is the magic ingredient. We have it with homemade bread. Simple, but good.”
“I can’t wait. Okay, how about this then. Seeing as though you won’t let me help you cook, how about I at least do the cleaning up?” I suggested. “I promise not to mess that up.”
She smiled. “What a gentleman. That sounds wonderful. Thank you, Henry. Yes, I would very much like that. While I absolutely love cooking, I do not enjoy the cleaning up part one bit. So that would be a huge help for me. Your father taught you well. No wonder he’s always gushing about you.”
I grinned. “He is? That’s good to know.”
“Oh, I love this song!” she exclaimed as an old song came on the radio.
I chuckled. “It is a good song. May I have this dance?” I said as I held out my hand.
“Why yes, that would be wonderful.”
I caught her mid spin and then danced around the kitchen. She laughed as we moved, and I could easily see why my father had fallen for her. She was beautiful, in the most natural way possible. I was happy for my father. And, happy for me. I could easily see how Paisley was going to look when she was older. She was the spitting image of her mother. The thought pleased me. Now, I just had to keep trying my luck with Paisley. One of these days, it was going to be her in my arms.
Chapter Five
Paisley
I was sitting in my room, trying to read a book, when the smell of Mom’s famous soup came drifting through the air. I generally didn’t even like soup, but that was probably because the only one I enjoyed was my mother’s. I had no idea how she managed to make it taste that good, and even when I’d tried to make it myself, I’d been unsuccessful. I figured she put something in she wasn’t telling me about, something that nobody would think of adding.
I wanted to go in and help her, but she liked to have the kitchen to herself, so I waited until I was sure it was almost time. When enough time had eventually passed, I made my way to the kitchen. On the way, I passed the room that Henry was staying in, but I saw his door was open. I resisted the urge to go in and see if he was there, or to snoop around if he wasn’t. Knowing my luck, I would get caught the moment I tried something like that.
I saw Duncan watching TV, and he waved when he saw me approach. “What you watching?” I asked.
“Oh, just flipping through the channels while I wait for your mom to be finished. I wanted to help her, but you know what’s she’s like.”
I laughed. “Trust me, I know. Not that I’m complaining, of course. Let’s be honest; we don’t really want to help. We’re just being polite.”
He laughed, and I was once again reminded of what a nice man he was. It was one of those real laughs that come deep from within the belly. “I didn’t want to admit to it, but you’re right. I’d prefer to just eat the food. Knowing me, I’d mess it up.”
“Also, I don’t think she wants us to see what goes into her meals. I’m telling you, she has a special ingredient that makes it taste so good. I’m going to go and see if it’s ready. It smells so good.”
He smiled. “Let me know if it is. Oh, and Paisley, thanks for agreeing to do Sunday meals with us. It means a lot to your mom. Family is everything to her.”
I smiled back. “It’s my pleasure. Family is important to me, too. I’m very happy for her, by the way. I can see that you are good for her.”
I walked off smiling, but stopped short when I got to the kitchen and saw my mother dancing with Henry. That was not the scene I was expecting to walk into. He dipped her, and they both laughed. It was hard not to smile with them as my mother was grinning broadly. She’d done nothing but smile since marrying Duncan, and it was nice to see. I knew how much she loved dancing and singing, and it was strange to see her do it with someone else.
I wanted to hate Henry — especially since he was probably just trying to get on my mother’s good side — but it wasn’t easy when he was making her smile like that. Nevertheless, I cursed him in my head and felt better for it. Suddenly, they turned and saw me, which caused them to both laugh again.
“Hi, my darling,” Mom said. “Henry here was showing me how nice it is to dance with someone again. What fun.”
“I see that,” I said and smiled politely.
“Would you like to dance?” Henry held out his hand to me. When I looked him in the eye, though, he winked, and I balked.
I immediately returned to not liking him. He was too smug and seemed determined to crawl under my skin. I shook my head and ignored his outstretched hand. “Oh no, dancing is not my thing. I just came to see if you needed any help,” I said to my mother.
She laughed. “Or did you come to see if the food was ready?”
“Okay, you got me. It just smells so good in here.”
“Well, you’re in luck; it’s almost ready. I’d say another five or ten minutes, and we’ll be good to go. If you could set the table that would be wonderful, and maybe let Duncan know, too.”
“I’ll help you,” Henry said.
I looked at him sternly and held up my hand to stop him from walking any further. “No, don’t worry; I’ve got this,” I said. Then I scurried off before he had the chance to say anything more.
Thankfully, he didn’t follow me, and I got the table ready in peace. Then I went to call Duncan, and we took a seat at the table to wait. Somehow, despi
te always pushing us out the kitchen, my mom had let Henry stay. I wondered if he had seen her secret ingredient. That man was far too charming for his own good. He had my mother flushed and giggly. They walked out carrying bowls of soup for everyone, fresh bread and butter, and a salad, and placed it all on the table. Then Henry went back into the kitchen and came back with a drink for everyone. My mother looked around the table and smiled.
“Isn’t this wonderful?” she said. “The start of a new family tradition.”
Great, I thought. To her face, though, I said it with more enthusiasm and less sarcasm. The food was great, as I knew it would be, and Henry boasted how he had helped with the salad.
“I can’t believe you let him help you,” I said to her. “You don’t let anyone help you.”
“Well, it wasn’t easy,” Henry said, “but I think my dancing skills convinced her I was worthy. Although, by helping with the salad, I mean I chopped the tomatoes. But hey, it’s a start.”
“You did a wonderful job,” my mother said and smiled at him. I rolled my eyes. Could this man do no harm in her eyes? He was one of the most charming men I had ever seen in my life. Was I the only one that wasn’t falling for his act? If he wasn’t my stepbrother, would I be falling for it, too? I hoped not, but in truth, I wasn’t so sure.
“The soup is great,” I said to her. “So, what exactly do you put in here that makes it taste so good?”
“Love,” came the reply from my mother, Duncan, and Henry all at the same time. I groaned as they all burst out laughing.
“So, how is work going, Henry?” my mother asked once the laughter had subsided.
“It’s going okay; it’s just very busy at the moment. It’s always busy at this time of the year, but it seems even busier than usual. Which is a good thing, of course.”
“Yeah, they’re looking for an assistant to the CEO at the moment,” Duncan said to her. “The company is doing great. I’m very proud of them all.”
“An assistant?” my mother said. “Well…” She looked at me.