Page 15 of My Not So Wicked Stepbrother (My Not So Wicked 1)

“No problem, I’ll tell Carson to use the women’s next time.”

Wallace chuckled. “Deal.”

“Wow. You should visit my office more often.”

He stepped inside. “I probably should come by more often, but you’re always on top of things.”

“I do try.”

“You do a good job. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you.” I thought that was it. Wallace was a man who usually cut to the chase and skedaddled. This time, though, he shifted his feet and gave me a good look over.

“How are you doing, kiddo?” He hadn’t called me that in ages. Never at work. I believe the last time was at Mom’s funeral.

I didn’t answer right away as I was confused by his tone and his thoughtful stare. “I’m doing good. Are you okay?”

“Right as rain. Speaking of which, we could probably use some.”

Now he wanted to talk about the weather? This was not like him at all. Now I was concerned. “How’s Bev doing?”

Wallace cracked a smile for his wife. “She keeps me on my toes and out of most trouble.”

I knew he was a little bit of a troublemaker like my father, Anders, from the stories Wallace would tell of their hunting and camping trips. Lots of drinking and late nights from the sounds of it. Even Dad had joined in with them. It was hard for me to imagine Dad being anything but serious. He was probably the one to go to bed early. I always thought he and Mom balanced each other out.

“Tell her hello for me.”

“I will.” He shuffled his feet but stayed in my doorway.

“Is there anything else you wanted to discuss?”

Wallace sauntered into my office. His salt and peppered scruffy face was pinking up a bit. If he hadn’t just agreed to give me a raise, I almost would have thought he was going to fire me. But he did something else most unexpected when he picked up the picture of Sawyer and me riding in a hot air balloon together. We were smiling at each other as if to say what are we getting ourselves into? That was a fun day last month during Edenvale’s annual hot air balloon festival. We couldn’t get anyone else to go up with us, which was fine by me.

The exhilarating views of the mountains and nearby peach orchards weren’t half as mesmerizing as when Sawyer had held my hand. I admit I’d had a moment where I panicked when an unexpected gust of wind jostled us. Heights normally didn’t bother me, but when there was nothing between you and the earth, it gave a whole new meaning to free falling. Sawyer held my hand for the entire excursion while we talked about his plans for opening his own practice one day instead of working for Hobbs Eye Center. He had a five-year plan, which included living in his crappy apartment and driving his old truck until it died so he could save as much money as possible. I liked a man with a plan who wasn’t afraid to work hard. I also loved the feel of his strong hand. It was the perfect amount of smoothness and our hands fit comfortably together. It didn’t hurt that it gave me those tingles Mom had talked about. Or maybe it hurt more than I wanted to admit.

Wallace cleared his throat, making me jump and get out of my head.

“You know, kiddo, you are more than an employee to me.”

I smiled up at him. “I know.”

“If there is anything you want to talk about you could come to me. Or if you needed me to talk to someone for you, I would be happy to.”

I tilted my head. “Okay . . . I’ll keep that in mind.”

Wallace smiled down at the photo. “You two are an attractive couple. It’s about time some guy finally wised up and—”

I pushed myself back in my rolling chair. “Whoa, there. I think you’re mistaken about the kind of relationship Sawyer and I have.”

He turned the picture around so I could see it. “I know it’s a little strange that you’re otherwise related, but it’s not by blood, so no harm done.”

I shook my head. “Wallace, we’re only friends.” Every time I said it, I got this sucker-punched feeling in the pit of my soul.

Wallace’s brown eyes squinted into slits. “Bev and I’ve seen you together, and this picture,” he pointed to the two of us, “says it all.”

“Says all what?”

“It says Anders would have wanted me to have a chat with him about how he expects his daughter to be treated.”

My body deflated in my chair. “I promise you that won’t be necessary.”

Wallace gently placed the picture back on my desk. “Funny thing about promises. You should never make them until you know all the facts.”

Unfortunately, I knew all the facts. And the biggest fact was Sawyer would never be mine.

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