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But with my back turned, I’m smiling ear to ear knowing damn well how this is going to go. It’s a win-win. Spencer can stop stressing so much about money and providing for Charlie. And as for me?
Well, now I’ll have someone to come home to.
26
Spencer
“Two bathrooms! Twowholebathrooms!” Charlie squeals. “I am a freaking princess. Look at my pool!” My bedroom door is open, so I hear Charlie first loud, then fading away like a car passing as she blazes from one end of Nathan’s luxe guesthouse to the other.
It all happened so fast. One minute, I was swearing up and down I’d never move in with my bosshole. Four hours later, after a symphony of Charlie’s pleas and crocodile tears, we were packing up our little apartment. I’ve never seen Nathan look more satisfied. He shamelessly manipulated Charlie, even luring her further with the promise of piano lessons. He has a baby grand at work, but a full grand at home. He might as well have pulled up in a windowless van and offered her candy. In less than twenty-four hours, the smug bastard ultimately got his way.
I took the slightly smaller bedroom, much to Charlie’s delight. It was an easy win to give her, the bedrooms maybe have a ten-square-foot difference. What I chose not to mention to Charlie is that my closet is double the size of hers. It’s better this way. With more closet space, she’d want more clothes to fill it up.
Nathan’s guesthouse is much nicer than the home I was raised in. Not to mention his freaking castle is a stone’s throw away. I don’t want my little sister getting too used to this. I will never be able to provide her with this life, and I’m going to have to be the bad guy and rip her away from this fantasy in a couple weeks when I find us a new place to live.
“Charlie?” I call out. “Can you come in here, please?”
I hang up my last work dress, zip up my suitcase and tuck it in the corner of the massive closet. I made a big to-do about Nathan leaving us alone to unpack. He offered to hire movers, which he apparently can get at the snap of his fingers, but we didn’t have any furniture or big items to bring over.
Charlie appears in my doorway, her hand on her hip. “Hey, can I borrow your lip gloss?”
“I don’t have lip gloss.”
“Then how come your lips are always so shiny?”
Aw, that was sweet.
“Is it because you’re greasy?” Charlie asks earnestly.
Mmk, less sweet.
“I use tinted lip balm, Charlie. Good grief. Now, why do you need makeup?”
“Nathan’s taking me to the grocery store to pick up some stuff we’d like to eat.”
There are so many things wrong with that statement. First off, Nathan is not to take my sister anywhere, anytime without my permission. Second off, how does Mr. Billionaire even know where the grocery store is? Doesn’t he have people for that? I’d sooner believe heownsa grocery store than fathom him doing his own food shopping. This is exactly why I need to explain things to my sister.
“Okay, Charlie, sit down.” I point to the bed.
Rolling her eyes and scoffing like she’s trying to cough up a hairball, she plops down on the king-sized mattress. “What?” she ask-whines.
“I will take you to the grocery store in a little bit.” I sit down next to her. “I don’t want you thinking that just because Nathan has so much that it belongs to us too. You’re not to let him buy you presents, pay for food, or take you anywhere on his dime, because that’s taking advantage.”
“You’resogrumpy,” she bellyaches.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nathan wants to share, and you’re the one who hates him for no reason. He’s really nice. And he even said we can pick up some things for Spike.”
I look at her with wide, questioning eyes as my mouth gapes. “Things like what?” A blowtorch and skewer sticks flash through my mind.
“Like an auto-feeder and a much bigger cage.”
There it is.A bigger cage that Spike can get in andstay in.I make a mental note to buy another rodent ball as soon as possible. He cracked his by the elevator bay, and I’d like to ensure Spike has extra mobility around the guesthouse. He’s my little furry boss repellant.
“All right, Charlie, listen to me—” I stop short. “Wait. Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”