Page 6 of Intrigued
“And likewise,” I said, releasing her.
“So yeah, I couldn’t believe when Jasper told me you’ll be staying in Amelia’s old room.”
I felt my eyes expand so far that they felt as if they would pop out of their sockets. “This is your dead mother’s room?”
“Don’t worry,” Bryn said. “It’s no big deal.”
I felt like an insect trapped between the counter and a fly swatter. It was not okay. It was actually kind of creepy. I was in their dead mother’s room. Now I understood why Jasper had been sitting in that chair when I’d come in. I had infringed on his private and perhaps emotional moment.
“How about I move next door in the regular guest room? Really, I don’t mind.”
Bryn flopped a hand flippantly. “Too late. It’s going to be occupied by another guest. My brother Asher’s girlfriend will be sleeping in the guest room next door.”
I grunted, intrigued. “Are they waiting for marriage or something?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then why would they sleep in different rooms?”
“I was hoping over the course of six or seven days, you could find out.”
I jerked my head back. “Six or seven days?”
She checked over her shoulder then closed the space between us. “Eight or nine, however long it takes.” She was showing me the same old whispering, secretive Bryn I’d always known.
“However long what takes?” I found myself whispering too.
“In due time,” she said.
“I hadn’t planned on being here for more than four days.” Heck, I even thought four days was too long, but Bryn had convinced me to come up early by reminding me how lonely my holiday would be if I didn’t. “But please, Bryn, don’t keep me in the dark here. What the hell do you mean by ‘due time’?”
“It’s best if we wait. Trust me. Dinner starts at six.”
I didn’t know if trusting Bryn was smart. It was definitely a recipe for being blindsided. But truthfully, it was the holidays. I’d just ended a series of arduous assignments. I wanted to enjoy the estate, relax, and eat Christmas ham or something. Suddenly, I remembered how much I was starving and checked the time on my wristwatch. “Six?” That was in about an hour.
“Six.” She walked past me and flopped down in one of the high-backed chairs. “So now that the formalities are out of the way, let’s catch up.”
My eyes lit up as I rubbed my hands together, excited for the opportunity to ask her questions about Jasper. I collapsed into the other chair. “So, your brother…”
She rolled her eyes slightly. “I’m sorry if Jasper left a bad taste in your mouth. His bedside manner needs work. I have no idea how he’s ever going to get anybody to vote for him in any election.” She gazed out the window with a faraway look in her eyes then sighed. “I just don’t know about him.” She faced me, and her eyes were once again alight. “But tell me, are you still single? Or do you have a boyfriend, fiancé?
I still wanted to talk about Jasper, but she had expertly steered the conversation away from him. If I mentioned him again, then she would know that he had piqued my interest in a personal way. I would have to pick my moment and steer the conversation back to her sexy older brother.
“Yes. No. No,” I said in a pleasant tone.
Her chuckle floated delightfully between us, and I remembered how much I loved hearing a happy sound emanating from Bryn. She used to express joy only on rare occasions. But now her eyes were sparkling, and her lips were smiling.
“You were always so picky,” she said. “And to the disappointment of all the boys at Edward Knight Academy.”
I caught a quick snapshot of myself in those days. “I would have to disagree with you on that.” I petted her lightly on her thigh. “But what about you? Who’s filling your love tank these days?”
She leaned back and, with a heavy expression, looked around the room. “No one’s filling love tanks around here.”
“Okay. What about work?” I was happy to exit stage left on the conversation regarding our nonexistent love lives. “What are you doing these days?”
Bryn laughed. “Have you ever known me to work?”
I chuckled. “No. But I figured eight years after college, you’d find something to do with yourself.”
