Page 10 of Tempting Promises
She coos over the baby while Asher sits beside Phoebe, his arm wrapped around her. Phoebe stares at him, and a part of me—a very small part—is jealous. My brother deserves happiness, and he’sfound it in a woman who is looking at him as though he is her reason to breathe.
But she isn’t who makes my chest ache just a bit—it’s Asher. He’s finally found someone worth putting himself out there for. He loves Phoebe beyond measure and is building a perfect family.
At one point, I really wanted this, but I’ll never have it.
I step out into the hallway, feeling shit I really would rather not feel, and shake my head.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I don’t want or need love or some woman who is going to make me crazy more often than not.
No, I need someone who isn’t going to give me shit when I need to work, or fight because she woke up after the me in her dream did something stupid.
“Rowan?” Brynlee’s soft voice calls my name as her hand rests on my shoulder.
“Hey.”
“You okay?”
Always the worrier, this one.
“I’m fine, why?”
“Because I happen to know you fairly well and something bothered you enough to make you leave the room.”
“Too much affection makes me itch.” I give her a half-truth.
Brynlee, being the annoying and overly observant sister she is, narrows her eyes. “Or makes you wonder what’s wrong with you?”
“There’s not a damn thing wrong with me.”
She scoffs. “Oh, dear brother, how wrong you are about that. You sleep with these random girls and don’t even bother to know more than their first names. You work like a lunatic, trying to prove whatever it is you need to prove, and you pretend that what Asher and Grady have doesn’t bother you.”
“Only one of those was correct, and that’s the first—which, I might add, I’m totally fine with. Thank you for the psychoanalysis, though, it was adorable.” I tap her nose, and she tries to bite my finger, but I pullback before she can.
“Stop deflecting, jackass.”
I sigh, knowing this is going to be one of those scabs she picks until I bleed. “I’m not deflecting. Look, I don’t have some deep emotional wound that I need healed. I’m happy with my life, Brynn. I like being single, not worrying about any of the bullshit. The farm is growing and thriving, I don’t have a spare minute for dating.”
“If you don’t think what you saw go down with Mom fucked you up, you’re out of your damn mind.”
Lord deliver me from sisters. “I appreciate,” I say the words through my teeth, “your help, but I came out to the hall to call Micah.”
Her arms cross over her chest, and she grins. “Micah?”
“Yes, Micah. You know, my ranch manager.”
“You’re full of shit, but...I’ve learned that you three stubborn asses have to figure it out on your own. Just know I love you and that what Asher and Grady have right now could easily be yours too. You just have to let yourself.”
“Thank you, Dr. Brynlee.”
“Any time.” She pushes up on her toes and kisses my cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, even if you’re a pain in my freaking ass.”
And it’s true, my brothers and I are fiercely protective of Brynn, and I’m completely content with her being the only woman I’ll ever love.
“This is a big commitment, Mr. Whitlock. Are you sure the farm can produce quality at this level?” asks Damon Knight, the co-owner of Knight Food Distribution.
