Page 3 of Betrothed

“I know, but with the new house opening in the city last week, the new residents coming in two weeks, and now this…” Her hands went to her stomach.

“You deserve a vacation. Plus, the boys will revolt if you cancel.”

That made her laugh. Unlucky for both her and Ace, their two boys, Axel and Aaron, had inherited both their parents’ penchant for severe stubbornness.

“And what about you? When are you going to take a vacation since the last one you took was… never.”

“I took one last year.”

“Last year? You took a vacation to open up your office in town. It’s not a vacation when you’re taking a break from work only to do more work,” she accused. “Don’t make me force you.”

I tensed. After how many years working as both the COO and legal counsel for Blooms, I’d opened up a small office in town.Zeke Williams, Esq.I hadn’t done it for myself; I’d done it for Blooms. The house was quickly running out of space, and I had a feeling that within the year, my office here would be on the chopping block. Add to that, I’d been living in the apartment above the office space downtown when my landlord told me he was listing the building for sale, and it was a no brainer. I no longer had to worry about rent, and I had more room to work.

“I don’t need a vacation, Addy, you know that. This is my life, not just some job.”

It was a calling—a purpose.

“I know it’s your life. Everyone does. You’re here from dawn until dusk seven days a week. But what about the rest of your life, Zeke…”

“You’re starting to sound like Eve,” I teased.

Our younger sister had always been a hopeless romantic—a condition only exacerbated when she’d fallen in love with her husband, Miles, and found her own happy ending. I swore, not a week went by when she didn’t ask me to come visit her and the kids next door, only to introduce me to one of her new—single—yoga students.

The last thing I needed was to be set up by my baby sister.

“Have you used the gym membership I got you last Christmas?”

“I—”

“More than twice.”

Shit.

I exhaled. “Isn’t it enough that I take time to work out regularly in my apartment?”

“No,” she replied flatly. Only my twin was able to give me shit like this—and she did; if there was one thing anyone in this town would say about Addison Covington, it was that she didn’t hold back, especially when she was fighting for someone she cared about, which in my case was a double-edged sword.

“At least hire an assistant to help you with Blooms,” Addy begged, returning to her latest plea that I’d heard countless times over the last month after the newest Blooms location opened. Now, I was managing the operation of three safe houses with the same resources I’d had when it was just one.

Every once in a while, one of the girls would help me for a few months while they lived at the house, but it was hard to unload a lot of things when I knew I’d have to take them back once they graduated.

“I can handle it.”

“Maybe, but you shouldn’t have to. And now with the work you’re doing for private clients—don’t argue with me.” She wagged her finger when I started to protest. “I just talked to Callie the other day, and to no one’s surprise, she told me how you just can’t seem to say no to helping people.”

I shook my head and sighed. I was going to have a word with my paralegal… which would make no difference except in principle because Callie Lockhard cared just as much about everyone as I did. She was kind and smart and dedicated, and her only downfall was that she was friends with Addy because Callie’s husband, Reed, worked for Ace at Covington Security. If there was any concern about my well-being, Callie had zero qualms about roping my sister into it.

“She can’t say no either,” I replied, breaking from the conversation to throw my plate in the trash. When I returned, I was faced with Addy’s scolding look. She’d only acquired that expression once she’d had kids, but somehow, it ended up leveled at me.

“Zeke…”

I took hold of her shoulders and met her firm stare.With her blue hair and smaller stature, it was really only our eyes that marked us as similar. And our stubbornness.

“I can take care of myself, Addy.”

“I know you can, but will you?” she charged. “Because you seem to only be concerned about taking care of everyone else.”

I exhaled slowly and promised, “I will.”

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