When I'm Gone(9)

I pulled up outside Harlow’s and pushed all thoughts of Reese out of my mind so I could move on from yesterday. Yes, I thought I deserved a motherfucking trophy for not kissing those plump lips, but that was over now.

The front door swung open, and Harlow came running out, grinning like a little girl. In my head, she’d always be my baby sister. I could still see her pigtails and the gap between her two front teeth as she smiled up at me. She’d had freckles on her nose back then, too. She’d needed me for a long time, and I’d taken care of her. But Grant Carter did that now.

“You’re here!” She squealed and threw herself into my arms.

I chuckled at her enthusiasm and held her in my arms as she kissed my cheek. “Sorry I didn’t make it yesterday. Long day,” I said, feeling guilty for not coming by last night.

“It’s OK. I have a full day planned out for us. Lila Kate is sleeping inside, and the housecleaner Grant insisted we need is cleaning upstairs. Which, by the way, don’t get me started on that. He didn’t like that I was cleaning while Lila Kate was sleeping; he thinks I should be sleeping with her and getting more rest. He doesn’t want me cleaning the house.” She rolled her eyes as if he was ridiculous. But I agreed with him. Harlow had a heart condition that had almost taken her from us. The memory of nearly losing her during childbirth was still too raw. Lila Kate had been several days old before Harlow had opened her eyes.

“He’s right,” I replied simply, and Harlow laughed at me.

“Come on in. I have brunch ready. I’ve been watching the Food Network while giving Lila Kate her bottle in the middle of the night, so I’ve been into cooking lately. It started an itch.”

I followed Harlow inside as she chatted happily. Hearing the joy in her voice and seeing the love shining in her eyes made me really like Grant Carter. I wasn’t sure at first, but the dude had won me over. He made my little sister happy. He adored her the way she needed to be adored.

“I’m back inside, Reese. You don’t have to keep an eye on Lila Kate. I have the monitor with me. Thank you!” Harlow called up the stairs.

Just as the name “Reese” was sinking in, I looked upstairs to see those baby-blues staring down at me, all wide and surprised. Well, shit. So much for not seeing her again.

“Reese, this is Mase, my brother. Mase, this is Reese. She’s the best housecleaner in the world. I have Jimmy to thank for pointing her my way.”

I saw her cover her bandaged hand with her good one as she forced a tight, nervous smile. She was working with her hand like that. Dammit. Did she not listen to anything I had said? She was so fucking stubborn. Her stitches had to be burning like a motherfucker.

“She’s pretty dedicated, too, since she’s cleaning your house with five fresh stitches in her palm. Your pain tolerance is really impressive, Reese,” I said.

“What?” Harlow gasped. “Oh! Reese cleans Nan’s, too?” Harlow swung her gaze up to Reese. “You’re cleaning after slicing your hand open yesterday? Why didn’t you tell me? I would have never expected you to come in today. You need to rest your hand. You could tear it back open,” Harlow scolded her.

I watched as Reese straightened her shoulders and stuck her bandaged hand behind her back, as if that would make it go away. “I’m fine. Really, I am. I woke up this morning, and it didn’t hurt at all. Well, maybe a little, but I took my medicine, and it was better. I’m almost done with the upstairs. I won’t be but another three hours.”

Harlow shook her head. “Absolutely not. You come eat brunch with us, and then Mase can drive you home. I don’t want you back here until next week at the earliest. You can’t work with your hand like that.”

I could see the frustration in Reese’s face, but she wasn’t going to argue with Harlow. “OK. Let me just put the folded towels in your bathroom, and then I’ll be down.”

Damn, woman. “The towels are fine wherever they are. Harlow can put her towels away. Come downstairs.” It sounded like an order. But she was pushing my patience.

She nodded stiffly and came down the stairs slowly. She wasn’t wearing shorts today. Instead, she had on leggings that ended just below her knee. They hugged her like a glove. I wished her damn shirt wasn’t so big so I could see her ass in those things.

“I’m sorry he sounds so bossy. He’s always been bossy. It’s this alpha-male thing he has going on,” Harlow said, as Reese stopped in front of us. “Come on, let’s go eat. I’m serving some things I just tried for the first time. I can’t wait to hear what y’all think about them.”