Page 2 of Chasing Bandit

There's a reason why people say opposites attract rather than those who are similar. Who wants to be around someone who acts exactly like you?

“It was just one visit, and I’d like to keep it that way,” I responded.

Jovie sighed on the other line. I could picture her twisting one of her deep brown curls around her finger, trying to think of a way to change my mind. That’s the thing about little siblings: I might give Jovie a hard time, but if she told me to jump, I’d ask 'how high?' I loved her and would do anything for her. I was genuinely happy that she was starting the non-profit of her dreams and would have loved to be a part of it, just not in Lonestar Junction.

“Stevie, this isn’t just my dream. This is our dream,” she whined, “Plus, Mom’s coming down in two weeks to plan my bridal shower. I’m starting my new job in Austin next week, and I could really, really use your help with managing everything. I’m overwhelmed.”

Damn it.

She knew exactly how to tug at my heart. The truth was, I didn’t have much going on in Houston without her living here anymore. Mom was busy with her teaching job while preparing for the end of the school year. I was working in my hospitality job for a luxury hotel chain as a manager. Things had gotten predictable, boring, and routine.

And I hated routine.

Most days, it was a struggle to find joy in the rhythm of the day. Same highways, restaurants, weekends, and sex. It was all blurring together, and I knew I needed to change things up or I’d spiral and decide to quit it all.

“Fine,” I sighed, “I’ll come, under one condition.”

“Yay!” she squealed. “What’s the condition?”

“Give me full control over the non-profit while I’m there. I’m going to have to quit my job in Houston to do this, you know?”

“You hate your job,” she retorted.

I laughed. I definitely hated my job.

“Seriously, I’m going to need this experience for my resume if I intend on getting a new job once these six months are up. Make me co-owner and chief operating officer so that I can make decisions without waiting for you and Nash to stop fucking so we can plan.”

She giggled, “Fine, done.”

“Oh, and I want a guestroom at Ashwood to myself. Preferably the one we slept in when we were little and visited grandpa and grandma.”

“You got it, sis. I’ll go make up the room right now.”

I smiled. I knew I’d give in to Jovie's demands the moment she called. I missed her a lot, and we could never stay apart for long, especially since she asked me to be her maid of honor and help plan her summer wedding. The last year that we’d been separated while she lived in Lonestar Junction was too much time apart.

“See you in two weeks, Jovie.”

Chapter 2 – Stevie

“The building’s nice, but it still needs a lot of work internally before it'll be ready to open,” I said as Clay gestured to another corner of the large warehouse that Jovie had purchased for the non-profit she was starting with the proceeds from selling some of the Ashwood ranch land to Rig Cameron.

And that's putting it generously.

The warehouse was completely gutted, with no furnishings inside, only some new paint, flooring, and no clear plan.

It wasn’t the lack of a plan that bothered me—I operated better in life without one—but it looked like Jovie had bought the property and done nothing more since she told me about it two weeks ago. Over the phone, she’d made it seem like the place was almost ready to be operational and all I had to do was come down, hire the team, do some marketing and manage the grand opening. But what was in front of me was an entirely different feat, and I wasn’t sure we could accomplish it all in just under six months.

Clay smiled that handsome, boyish grin he always wore. “She didn’t tell you it was this bad, did she?”

I laughed and nudged his shoulder. “A heads up would have been nice.”

“Aw but then we wouldn’t have been able to convince you to move down here. We need both Vector sisters in Lonestar Junction, you know?”

“I hope you realize this is temporary. Jovie said six months, tops until Nourish would open,” I pointed out as we continued through the space out to the front where our cars were currently parked. I looked up at the bare building, noticing that not even a sign with the co-op's name had been hung yet and let out an audible sigh.

Clay shrugged before smoothing a hand through his chestnut brown hair and pushing on a baseball cap.

“We’ll see. This city has a way of drawing people in and keeping them. It’ll capture you in a warm blanket and tuck you in if you're open to it.”

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