“Winter Blackstone, Caleb’s sister. I just wanted to meet the woman who has captivated my brother,” she said with a grin, “and don’t worry, because I absolutely didn’t hear a single thing that was said just now.”
Oh, I like you, Winter Blackstone. She was still just as lovely as I remembered—dark-brown hair and green eyes with the same gold rings around the iris as Caleb had around his blue ones. The Blackstone children had genetically unusual eyes it seemed. We shook hands and chatted easily, and after her comment about not overhearing Eduardo’s outrageousness about fuck-friendly designing, I could have kissed her. Jesus, so embarrassing, but she put me completely at ease—as if it hadn’t happened. So I had the privilege of meeting another Blackstone sibling. Well, meeting her for the second time, because technically we’d met eight years ago at her birthday party.
“I remember you at my sixteenth birthday,” she said.
“Oh, I remember the party. You were very kind and sat with me.”
“We talked about the Jonas Brothers and watched the others playing chicken fight in the pool.”
“Yes. The party was at Blackwater, and I remember how pretty the grounds and garden were that day,” I said honestly. From what I could recall, the grounds at Blackwater had been just beautiful. I wondered if they had fallen into disrepair along with the house when it was shuttered.
Winter looked thoughtful, as if she was reflecting on a memory. “It makes me sad the place will be gone out of our family soon. My mother is determined to sell since we don’t stay there anymore. I’ve always thought it could be repurposed as a school or a retreat of some sort. The location is ideal, but sadly, I can’t imagine anyone who can actually afford to buy Blackwater being very altruistic.” She frowned. “Trust me, I know from experience.”
“Caleb shared with me that you are finishing your master’s in social work.”
“Yes, I will finish in spring and then it’s time to find something to do with it. I will. There are plenty of people who need help,” she said optimistically.
“You are right about that,” I agreed. “I am sure you will find just what you need.”
“I’m going to go now, darling. I know you have to prepare for your all-nighter so I am off to find my own something to twerk.” Eduardo flounced the end of his yellow scarf as he kissed me on both cheeks. “Nice to meet you, Winter Blackstone.” He took her hand and brought it up to his lips in far too familiar a fashion for someone he’d just met, but this was Eduardo and he got away with shit like that all day long. I was so used to it by now I barely registered he’d just referred to my all-nighter reunion with Caleb in front of his little sister. God.
Winter giggled as he sailed out the door with his yellow scarf bouncing along behind him, as only my friend could manage. “Oh, you’ve got another one,” he called to us as he disappeared out of sight.
Eduardo’s final comment made sense a few seconds later when a tall, dark, and handsome man walked into the main room and introduced himself. “Hi there. James Blakney, two floors down. You must be Brooke.” He held out his hand in greeting.
“Yes.” I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, James Blakney, two floors down. You must be the brother Victoria told me about. Are you also a friend of Caleb’s perhaps?”
“Been wreaking havoc together since we were ten years old,” he said, grinning wickedly.
“Somehow I don’t doubt it.” I noticed Winter had gone quiet beside me. “You must know Winter then,” I suggested.
James Blakney’s eyes changed as he directed them onto Winter Blackstone. They went from a green-brown to fiery dark as he raked them over her longingly. “Mmm-hmm. The twelfth floor is mine, and Winter is right . . . underneath me.”
I caught the tension—or whatever was going on between them—and just smiled. I pretended ignorance at just how badly James Blakney had it for Caleb’s very beautiful little sister.
Interesting. I wondered if Caleb was aware, and if so what his thoughts were.
“So, did Caleb tell you to stop by and check on me?” I directed my question to the both of them.
Winter nodded, smiling.
James said, “To meet you and take you to dinner actually. Caleb’s instructions are to bring you and Winter to dinner at Callihan’s, and he’ll meet us there. He should be in Boston in under two hours—he just texted me and ordered it done. The bastard’s a bit of a dictator sometimes.”
“I see. Please don’t tell him that I find his dictator-ing utterly adorable, okay?”
Yeah, you love him all right.
Caleb