Page 50 of Never and Always
She nodded. “Yeah. Family. Can’t live with them, can’t stop wading in when they need you.”
“He’s not answering my messages or calls. And he owes some unknown bad guy a hundred thousand dollars.”
“Jesus,” Allie murmured.
“I can’t let my mom or grandmother find out. They’ll stress. My grandmother has heart troubles.” My stomach clenched. There was no way Gram could ever find out the depths of what Chance had gotten himself into. “Everett, Caden, and Ro are trying to deal with this, by finding Chance, but not including me. He’s my brother.”
“Okay.” Tessa circled in front of me and sat on the coffee table. “We’ll help you.”
I blinked, and the women all nodded.
“What?”
“We’ll help you come up with a plan to help your brother,” Tessa said in a no-nonsense tone, patting my knee.
“Why?”
She looked a little pissed. “Because we’re your friends.”
I looked at them all. When I’d first arrived here, I’d been the evil outsider, out to change their beloved mountain resort. Butover time, things had changed, and they’d welcomed me into their group.
I suddenly felt like crying. “You like me.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Allie said. “Of course, we like you. We don’t invite just anyone to cocktail night.”
“And Everett seems to like you too.” Tessa raised eyebrow.
I straightened. “Murray and I…”
Tessa looked like she was fighting a smile. “Yes?”
“He took care of me. Last night, and the night I was attacked. He…”
“Likes you,” Tessa said. “Even when you’re fighting.”
“Especiallywhen you’re fighting,” Sierra added.
“We’re too different.”
“Oh please, my fiancé is a billionaire hotelier raised in New York City.” Tessa waved a hand. “I’m a Windward girl, so don’t talk to me about being opposites.”
Allie raised a hand. “Same. I’m a single mom who says what I think, and my man is a formerly closed-off military man.”
Sierra leaned forward. “Did you kiss again?”
I felt more heat in my cheeks. Dammit, I didn’t blush.
“You did,” she said in a smug voice.
I shook my head. I couldn’t deal with my confusing feelings for Everett right now. “Can we focus on my brother?”
Sierra nodded. “Good idea. Deal with your brother, then you and Everett can fuck each other’s brains out.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, mostly because the idea of fucking Everett lit me up in several places.Oh, boy.
“So, where do you think your brother might be?” Tessa asked.
With a sigh, I sank back against the cushions. “I don’t know.”
