Page 13 of Tangled Kisses
“Ah, that man ismanythings, sis.” Piper arches a brow, clearly filing that away for later gossip.
She leads me down a wide hall paneled in warm pine, the air faintly scented with lavender polish. At the end of the corridor, she stops at a door and pushes it open.
“Come on in. This is your suite.”
I step inside, my eyes widening. “It’s lovely.”
The suite is almost as large as my New York apartment. Sunlight spills through gauzy curtains onto a wide bed dressed in a quilt patterned with soft blues and greens. A pair of mismatched armchairs sit angled near a stone fireplace, and shelves line one wall, already dotted with books, mugs, and tiny plants. A braided rug softens the hardwood floor, while against the opposite wall sits a small but cozy couch facing a flat-screen TV. The kind of space made for curling up after a long day.
The whole suite hums with a quiet, lived-in charm that sets me at ease.
“And the bathroom, which you desperately need, is through there.” Piper gestures toward a door on the far side. “Dress comfortably.”
I glance at her, suddenly aware of how long it’s been since I really looked at my sister. Her skin glows with sun, her curves look fuller, and her smile is brighter than I’ve seen it in years. This place has been good for her.
“How does Oregon comfortable compare to New York comfortable?” I ask, trying to mask the sudden lump in my throat.
“Sweats are fine.”
“To meet my new boss?”
Piper rolls her eyes. “Trust me, Capri won’t give a crap what you’re wearing. She knows you just drove across the country.” She reaches for Chowder’s carrier. “Give him to me.”
“You’ve never met him—he can be a little temperamental.”
She smirks and takes the carrier. “All the more reason. Time to get acquainted with my nephew.”
Despite myself, a laugh slips out. “Good luck. He holds grudges.”
“Perfect,” Piper says, already marching down the hall with Chowder in tow. “He’ll fit right in.”
So much for making introductions.
Twenty minutes later, after a gloriously hot shower, I creep down the hallway toward Capri’s office.
My stomach knots as I pause outside the door Piper pointed out earlier—second on the left, can’t miss it.
Here we go. Showtime, Reese.
A low, cool voice drifts through the wood moments after I knock. “Come in.”
I shove the door open and step into a sleek office, leather and cigarette smoke clinging to the air. Behind a walnut desk sits an ice-blonde woman, all elegant posture and razor-sharp gaze. “Capri?”
“That’s me,” she replies. “Which means you must be Reese.”
“Guilty.”
“Come in. Have a seat. We expected you yesterday.”
“Blizzard in the Rockies held me up.” I sink into a leather wingback chair, acutely aware of her eyes following every movement. “Thank you for this opportunity, and for allowing me to take it on such short notice.”
“Piper said you were perfect for the job.” She clears her throat, motioning at me. “You two are sisters? You look nothing alike.”
“That’s because I’m adopted.”
Piper is the spitting image of our mother, while I resemble people I’ve never met. That’s been the story of my life, Piper glowing like the sun, tall and curvy with honey-blonde hair and bright blue eyes, while I’ve always been the moon with pale skin, dark hair, and eyes just a touch too large for my liking.
Piper leapt. I calculated. She risked. I played safe.
