Page 21 of Burning Love
He liked she was being fair about it. “I’m not giving my life’s story. No one knows that.”
“The same.”
“I went to college because I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue to live with this guy who was a stranger to me. He wanted to getto know me. He gave me the space I needed and we worked it out. I dropped out of college and went to work for him.”
“But you wanted to be able to say you could have a career on your own,” she said. “Boy, do I understand that.”
He wasn’t so sure she did, but he didn’t expect her to say it all to him either.
“Yes. I still help him on my days off, but right now I’m rehabbing my own house so it’s hard to do it all.”
“Let’s talk about that,” she said, putting her chin in her hands. “What are you doing there?”
She was looking at his hands. He flexed them involuntarily and her grin grew. “The house was a total gut job. Like an idiot, that is exactly what I did and now I’m living in a construction zone.”
Her jaw dropped again like it had when she realized he was riding a motorcycle. “You tore the whole house apart at once rather than room by room?”
“Yep. I had an apartment so I wasn’t living in the mess just yet. Then I realized how stupid it was to be paying rent and a mortgage, so I finished the primary bedroom and bath, then tackled the kitchen. That is about all that is done besides the floors. I’m living in those two rooms when I’m home. Most of the other work was things like roof and windows. They take time but aren’t as pretty as the other things.”
“That’s exciting,” she said. “I’ve never lived or been in a place like that.”
“A place like that?”
“That sounds naïve and bougie on my part. Growing up, we lived in this tiny ranch. We ended up in this area because my father was stationed at Fort Bragg. Picture this: eight kids in a three bedroom, one and a half bath house. It was nuts.”
“How did that work out?”
He couldn’t even fathom that. Most would look at what the Carlisles have now and not what they went through.
“I didn’t suffer through it like my older siblings did. Or as much. They rub that fact in my face all the time. My mother, Laken, and I had the primary room with the half bath. The other two rooms were split with the boys. The three oldest, then youngest. Elias, Foster, Rowan, Nelson and I got to live in the house we are in now. Me the longest. West had wings put in so we could have space.”
“Something he didn’t have?”
“Exactly. The oldest got the apartment in the basement to have freedom. We’ve all had it at some point and now it’s mine. I work remotely, except when I’m traveling.”
“Like the day of the fire?”
“Yes. I’d had a bad flight back from Colorado. I’m not a huge fan of traveling, but I know it’s part of the job. At least right now. I enjoy what I do, or am doing.”
“Handing out big cardboard checks and getting your picture taken?” he asked, laughing.
“That’s the fun part and what I wish I only got to do, but nope. I had to present a plan to West, and I have to say my plan was lacking, but he was touched enough by what I wanted. He had a department that handled those things, but creating the foundation was better. It’s mine now, but I’m watched carefully and will be for years. I know that. It’s fine. I’m still learning.”
“We all have to start somewhere.”
“That is what I’m telling myself. West has been more a father than a brother to me. I hope one of these days he’ll be a brother, but we don’t always get what we wish for.”
Jace knew that.
“How often do you travel?”
She shrugged. “There is no set schedule. I’m still working things out. I’d like to focus on some scholarships which wouldn’trequire me to travel, but that’s going to take some work. West has businesses all over the US and some internationally. He’s always been one to help out and donate, but this will be more structured.”
“It’s a big responsibility.”
“It is,” she said. “I’m up for it. Or are you going to say I’m too young for it too?”
“I don’t know your age to make that assessment, or know you much more than from our few conversations.”
