Last Chance Rebel

But then, that about summed up her entire relationship with Gage West. He had loomed large over her entire existence in spite of the fact that they had never come face-to-face.

It was strange and comforting to realize she had also been in his.

The front door to her store opened, the little bell above the door signaling the entry of a patron. She looked up, and was immediately flooded with guilty heat.

“Jonathan,” she said, as her half brother made his way into the building.

He looked... Well, about as pleasant as he ever did. Which wasn’t very. His dark hair was tied back in a low ponytail, his dark eyes, very similar to her own, glittered with irritation.

“Good to see you. I haven’t heard from you in a few days.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Why have you been busy? Because I’m tempted to think that you’ve been avoiding me.”

She loved her brother. She loved him more than anyone else in her life. That didn’t mean her relationship with him wasn’t difficult. Jonathan had stepped up and taken care of her after their mother had left when she’d been eleven.

She was well aware that not very many twenty-one-year-old boys would want to take care of their half sister. But he had. He had worked two and three jobs to make sure she was well taken care of and that child services wouldn’t take her away.

But, the problem with Jonathan was that he had yet to realize that she had grown up, and that she didn’t need him to direct everything anymore.

“I’m not avoiding you, you paranoid weirdo.” Except that she was. And now that she had phrased it that way, he was probably absolutely certain of that fact.

“That’s so weird, because you haven’t been answering my phone calls.”

“Not on purpose. I’ve just been busy. Store. I’m a homeowner now, so that’s some responsibility. Which you should know something about.” Jonathan’s construction business had been particularly successful over the past couple of years. He did most of his business outside of Copper Ridge, seeing as his chosen profession put him in direct competition with one of the town’s favorite sons, Colton West. It was always Wests.

“I’m never too busy to talk to you,” he said.

She rolled her eyes. “You need a girlfriend.”

“I don’t have girlfriends.”

She put her hands up. “I don’t judge.”

“You know that isn’t what I meant. I meant I don’t do long-term relationships.”

She frowned. “That, I judge a little bit.”

“Well, we both know you don’t date at all. So maybe reserve judgment.”

She scowled. And, this was why she hadn’t wanted to talk to her brother. He always got under her skin. And when that skin was still burning from the touch of the last man on earth she should have ever let put a hand on her, it was extra obnoxious.

“I don’t think I asked for your commentary,” she retorted.

“I know I didn’t ask for yours.”

“But you walked into my store. Had I gone to your work site, then I would’ve had to put up with you. But, you’re the one who came into my house.”

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay. And, don’t think I don’t notice that you’re limping.”

Her scowl deepened. “I’m fine. Jonathan, you have to stop treating me like I’m a kid. And you have to stop treating me like I’m an invalid.”

His face looked like it had been carved from stone. “In fairness to me, for most of the time I raised you, you were both a kid and kind of an invalid.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m not trying to offend you. I’m just saying. I’m used to protecting you. And I’m used to looking out for you.”

“But look at this,” she said, indicating the store. “Look at everything I have. This place. Look what we’ve built. Nobody expected us to be successful, and you know that. And we both are. But I didn’t make it here without you. I appreciate everything you’ve done, Jonathan. But you have to stop worrying so much.” Those words tasted bitter on her lips, because she knew if he had any idea why she was limping, he would cheerfully commit murder.

“Fine. I just wanted to stop in on my way out to Tolowa.”

“I appreciate it. Everything is fine. Completely fine.”

Finally, she was able to usher her brother out of the store. As soon as he was gone, she let out a long sigh of relief. She always felt like he could tell when she was lying. Not that she often lied. She had never really had anywhere to sneak out to when she was a teenager, and she hadn’t ever dated back then either.

The lies she had always told him were that her leg didn’t hurt. Or that she didn’t really want anything for Christmas. That she hadn’t remembered it was Mother’s Day either, and she was definitely not thinking about their mother. Little lies here and there to try to ease his stress. Because he had always done the best he could. To protect her. To take care of her. Those little lies were the way she gave back.