She sniffled. “Anything for you, my sweet boy.”
We hung up and I bowed my head, hating the fact that within the next couple of months I’d never hear her voice again. All I’d have left was my brother and a few aunts and uncles I never spoke to. It fucking sucked.
Chapter 6
Bristol
Never had I been so busy in all my life. My day had been slammed and I still had one more appointment to go. The weekend was approaching, but that didn’t mean anything for me. I worked weekends, nights, you name it; I enjoyed it. It helped take my mind off being halfway across the country from my family. At least Ryan was with me now. He was my half brother, but that didn’t matter to me. Growing up, kids would always ask us why we had different last names and Ryan would always say because I was special. We shared the same mother, and she was still with my dad in Texas. My mother had Ryan just out of college and his father was too involved with partying to take responsibility. She couldn’t handle that, so she left and took Ryan with her. When she met my dad, he fell instantly for her, not caring that she was a single mother.
When Ryan’s father wanted my mother back, it was too late. She married my dad and a couple of years later, they had me. The good thing was that Ryan and his father remained close. Even though my mother didn’t want him back, he still made an effort to spend time with my brother. As far as broken families went, we were pretty lucky. My father got along great with Ryan’s and my mother adored Ryan’s dad’s wife. I’d never met anyone else in the same situation who could say the same for their families.
“Ms. Thomas, your five o’clock is here,” Mrs. Blanton called out over the speaker.
I pressed the blinking intercom light. “Thank you. Can you please send him back?”
“Of course.”
Grabbing my pen, I quickly scribbled down some notes for my last client before I forgot. Her favorite colors were sage and gold, not green and yellow. She did not want any of her furnishings to be considered those colors. Now I had to be on the lookout for sage and gold furniture. I haven’t disappointed a client yet, but when I got people like her, it really put my talents to the test. I just hoped my next one wasn’t going to be difficult. There were only so many people I could handle like that at one time.
A soft knock sounded on my door and it opened slightly. Rebecca stuck her head in and then opened the door wide. She leaned against it and presented my new client with a flourish. “Here you are, Mr. Reed. She’s all ready for you.”
The first thing I noticed was his shoes as he walked from the hallway to inside my office. They were shiny and expensive, Armani from the looks of them. Obviously, to go with the Armani suit he wore. The dark gray pants fit his body perfectly and so did the jacket. His stance was relaxed and confident, and it wasn’t until I got a good look at his face to realize why.
“So we meet again,” I said with a smile. It was the guy from the bar I’d given my card to. His dark hair was so smooth and perfect my fingers itched to run through it. What really got me were those amber eyes of his; they were as bright as before. He met my gaze and I couldn’t look away until he turned to Mrs. Blanton with a nod. She shut the door, but not before winking at me. I pointed to the chair in front of my desk. “Please, have a seat, Mr. Reed.” He unbuttoned his jacket and sat down, grinning at me with that winning smile of his. I was pretty sure it worked on everyone he gave it to. “What brings you here?” I asked him.
“You,” he stated boldly. The way he said it made everything inside me tighten.
“I know that, but what can I do for you? I remember you saying you wanted my help with your house?” My palms started to sweat and I could hear my heart thundering in my ears. When I gave him my card, I had no clue he was actually going to come to me.
“I do,” he said, tracing his lips with his fingers. It got my attention and I couldn’t take my eyes away from the movement. His teeth were perfectly straight, but it was his lips that had me mesmerized. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and then opened them quickly. Get your shit together, Bristol. I hadn’t been with a man since I’d moved to North Carolina and my body was definitely protesting against the deprivation.
Pulling out my notebook, I grabbed a pen and smiled. “Tell me what you want me to do, Mr. Reed.”
He bit his lip as if contemplating the question, and for a second, I wished he would say something dirty, but he held back. “First off, I’d like for you to call me Jack. It’s what my family calls me.”
“I can do that,” I said. “Is it what your friends call you as well?”
Eyes twinkling, his sly smirk was answer enough. “No, it’s just a nickname, but I think we should get better acquainted first before I give you all the details on my life.” I should have known he was the type to play games; I could see it on his face. What was worse was that I was completely intrigued.
Pen poised and ready to go, I asked, “What else would you like me to do?”
He looked right into my eyes and my breath hitched. I was starting to hate him for making me flustered. “I want your opinion on my house. I’m a single guy with no particular taste in home décor.” He definitely had a taste for fashion according to the expensive suit he wore. A part of me couldn’t believe a word out of his mouth, but yet, he spent a lot of money just to have a consultation with me. Obviously, he needed me for something.
“Are there any particular colors you prefer? What all are you looking for? Furniture? Wall décor? Art?” Keep your head in the task at hand, Bristol. I couldn’t let him see how he affected me. My heart pounded so relentlessly hard it hurt, and I was pretty damn sure he could hear it.