“I wanted to be close to the floral shop, and we both know you and Sadie use your other place a hell of a lot more, Mr. Moneybags. My willingness to be your burden does have limits.”
“It does?”
“Funny ha-ha, Ev.” I roll my eyes. “And I know you kept your Chelsea apartment as an investment, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t consider a little redecoration.”
He sighs. “Drop it, Maybe.”
“Fine,” I grumble.
“So, tell me, how are things in the big, bad city?”
“Well…let’s see…” I start and smack my lips together pointedly. “I have no friends. I’m living in your apartment, working with our parents every day, and Bruce has to chauffeur me to my wisdom teeth surgery tomorrow morning. How do you think things are?”
He snorts. “It can’t be that bad.”
“I know it’s been like a decade since you’ve stepped foot in Bruce & Sons, but shall I remind you what it’s like to be stuck in the same building with our father for eight hours in a single day?”
“Okay. Yeah. I get it.” A chuckle escapes his throat. “But it’s only temporary. Plus, you can’t deny you have it pretty easy compared to most college grads. You don’t have to pay rent, and even though working with our parents sucks ass, it’s still a job to tide you over until you find what you’re looking for.”
“If you’re about to give me some kind of Bruce-inspired lecture, I’m hanging up on you.”
“Ah, I take that to mean you know I’m right.” He laughs again. The know-it-all bastard is just whooping it up at my expense.
“I know you’re annoying.”
“And right.”
“Evan.”
“Just chill out, little sis,” he says, and I can hear the amusement in his voice. “Everything is going to be fine. You’ll find a job that doesn’t include our parents, and things will get better.”
“Pfft.” I snort and unlock the front lobby door to my building. “I hope you’re right.”
“I am. I mean, I can’t deny I’m secretly laughing at your current situation, but I know it will all work out for you. You’re crazy-smart. A publishing house would be lucky to have you.”
“Secretly laughing?” I question. “You literally just said that while laughing. Hell, I’m pretty sure you haven’t stopped laughing since I answered your stupid call.”
Of course, he laughs again. “Minor details, sis.”
I’m so forlorn today that I don’t even have the strength to respond with a sarcastic rebuttal. Instead, I just sigh and walk up the three flights of stairs to my apartment.
“So…wisdom teeth surgery? Tomorrow?” he asks.
“Yep. I’m just living the dream,” I mutter. “Found out last week that the one and only wisdom tooth they didn’t think would have to be removed…now has to be removed.”
Seriously. Tooth pain is no joke, and I curse the man who removed the first three wisdom teeth six years ago for not removing this one. Fucking Dr. Wendell, you bastard.
“Are you in pain now?”
“Besides the daily pain of hearing Bruce freak out over his flowers? No, I’m fine. They gave me some meds that eased up the tooth discomfort until the surgery.”
“God.” He chuckles. “You sound miserable.”
“And you sound like you’re enjoying my misery a little too much.”
“I’m not enjoying it…that much.”
“You really suck as a brother, you know that?”
“Says the girl who is currently living in my apartment rent-free.”
“A sucky brother who is into old women and annoying. Does Sadie know what a winner she’s with?” I ask and use my shoulder to keep the phone pressed to my ear as I juggle my keys out of my purse.
“Well, she accepted my proposal, so I’m guessing probably not.”
“Try to keep it under wraps until the wedding, yeah?” I tease. “I’d prefer to keep things as they are. It’s nice knowing you’re mostly her problem and not mine.”
“Ha. That’s cute, you little smart aleck… And, speaking of the wedding, that’s actually why I was calling you.”
“What’s going on?”
“We’ve set a date and location.”
“Really?”
“July 13th of this year.”
I count the weeks in my head as I slide my key into the lock. “Holy hell, that’s less than two months away, bro…”
“Yeah, but we’re keeping it small and intimate.”
Small and intimate. I cackle and step inside my apartment. “Hearing you describe your wedding as small and intimate is nearly too much. If you start talking about lilac boutonnieres and table settings, I swear to God, I might die from shock.”
“Let me rephrase, smartass,” he says. “Sadie said we’re keeping it small and intimate.”
“Sure, sure, blame it all on your fiancée.” I grin. “Is it going to be in Austin?”
“Nope. New York.”
“Oh shit. Have you told Mom?”
“Unfortunately, she’s my next call.”
I laugh and toss my purse onto the kitchen counter. “Man oh man, you’re going to have a hell of a time keeping her from going nutso with the flowers.”
“Fuck, I know.” He sighs. “All right, well, I have to head into a meeting. Talk soon?”