Marie Harte - Bending the Rules

“The planner’s office is backlogged. Nat kept a tight ship and Josh is clueless. Harper’s breathing down his neck, as is Derrick. And Marly Bennett, Nat’s secretary, is pulling her hair out.”

“Isn’t Marly that pleasant older woman who always smells nice?”

Brian grinned. “Pleasant to you. She’s a right bitch to everyone she doesn’t like. Derrick only squeaks by because Dylan smoothed the wheels for him. She tolerates Harper. But she loathes Josh. She’s been complaining about him all week, and the woman has some clout at the office.”

“I like that.” Something good to come from this mess. Nat would be able to tell her real friends from the assholes at work.

“Still, from what I hear, it’s not guaranteed Nat will keep her job. That’s up to the council.”

“Not the mayor?”

“Nah. He’s small potatoes when it comes to council stuff. He just likes to think he’s integral to everything.” Brian took a swig of his beer. “I gotta tell you, bro, we’re more worried about you. Faith, Derrick, Dylan, Harper. Even Freddy. We all like you for Nat.”

Rex blinked. “Since when? I’ve run into Harper a few times. Derrick a bit more than that. They’re nice guys, but I don’t know them, exactly.”

“You know me.” Brian buffed his fingers against his chest. “And everyone loves me. Therefore, you’re golden.”

“Shut up.” He chuckled. Trust Brian to lift his mood.

“Look, she might not be the easiest woman to work with—Harper’s words, not mine—but Nat’s amazing at her job. And she’s always been more than fair with people who work hard. Again, Harper’s words. Derrick’s too. So you’ve not only got my seal of approval, and Faith’s, but all the Warrens too. Those guys know a lot of people.”

Things were starting to look up for Nat. Too bad she didn’t know it. He didn’t think she’d been keeping in touch with Harper either.

“Should I give her more space, Brian, or call her? What do you think?”

“I think your girlfriend has had more than enough time to be with family. A whole week and no Rex. I bet she’s missing you something fierce.”

“You really are a good friend, aren’t you?”

Brian grinned. “The best. I gave up my lady to be with you.”

“Liar. I happen to know she’s coming tomorrow to finish the weekend with you.”

“Oh, er. Well, I gave up tonight.”

Rex laughed. “You’re a good egg, Brian. I mean that.”

“Gah. Stop with the Goode shit. Seriously.”

Rex laughed again, feeling better about life in general. If Nat didn’t have to lose her job, she couldn’t be too mad at him. Because no matter what she’d said, she had to blame him, at least a little, for her current predicament.

But so long as she came home, he wouldn’t worry too much.

She just had to come home.

One more week. I can handle that.

He groaned and finished his beer. As requested, the waitress cleared his empty glass and brought him another fine S&F ale. Yep. I can handle one more week without the love of my life. I’m not that big a pussy, am I?

I miss him so much. Nat sat with her sister and brothers, still not sure how she hadn’t killed any of them yet. At least Beth made her visit pleasant. Beth and Julie had been happily married for two years now, together for a total of ten. And Beth had recently announced they were expecting a baby in nine months.

I’m going to be an aunt.

Yet that excitement couldn’t make up for the fact she missed Rex like crazy. It was all she could do not to call him five times a day to share funny stories about her family or bitch about her brothers. Instead she made do with a text now and again. No more than twice a day. Her rule.

She sat drinking coffee and shook her head at her oldest brother’s latest news. “James, really? Another girlfriend gone?”

He frowned. He and Aaron had descended on Beth unannounced, no calls ahead of time or even asking to stay. They just assumed their sister would have time and room for them.

At thirty-five, James seemed a little old to be so oblivious of the world around him. And just a year younger, Aaron should have known better too. Beth was only a few years younger than that, but like Nat, the baby of the family, she was considered one of the responsible Wielders.

Except it had taken Beth a lot longer to get her head on straight than it had Nat. Nat, her parents liked to say, had been born with the responsible, mature gene that her siblings strove to find. With marriage and now a kid on the horizon, Beth had caught on.

Aaron might follow in their sister’s footsteps. James? She loved him, but Nat considered him a lost cause.

“You know, Nat,” James said, “we can’t all be as homey as Beth and Julie. I don’t see a ring on your finger, oh thrower of stones.”

She frowned, especially at Beth’s raised brow. Beth, the poor woman, had heard all about Mr. Wonderful—Rex I-love-him-but-what-do-I-do-about-him Samson.

“For your information, I am in a relationship with a man I like…” love “…very much.”

“Yeah?” Aaron answered. “Where is he then?”

“He’s working.” Though she’d toyed with asking him to come to Charlotte to meet her family. Her family. She must be in love to consider that.

“I bet he’d take a few days to be with you though,” Beth said kindly. She knew how much Nat wanted to see him again. “With Mom and Dad not around, now’s a good time.”

Aaron snickered. “Yeah. He just has to tolerate James for a few days. Until big brother takes up with his ex’s sister.”

As one, they looked at James.

“Hey, she came on to me. I swear.”

Nat cringed. “James. That’s just…not right.”

“Look, Danielle and I aren’t together anymore, so she shouldn’t care. And her sister is frickin’ hot. I mean, really…you know.” He held his hands out from his chest as if he were holding a pair of basketballs.

Beth grinned. “Oh?”

“Totally your type.” James nodded.

Nat slapped him in the back of the head. “She’s married, dumbass.”

“But not dead. Nothing wrong with looking,” Beth said. “Julie’s worse than I am.”

“Hell. They’re the only couple our age that I know who are still together after ten years,” Aaron pointed out. “Cut her a break.”

“But it doesn’t help that numbnuts is trying to make her stray.” Nat glared at James. A little boy in a big man’s body.

So unlike Rex.

She still couldn’t get over how understanding he’d been about everything. He hadn’t begged or whined about her leaving. Instead, he’d been there to support her. Strong but not imposing. Solid, dependable, and with a smile that made her whole world brighter.

“I think I love him,” she blurted, needing to hear the words out loud.

Everyone looked at her.

Beth smiled with satisfaction. “About time you admitted it. I want to meet him.”

James and Aaron frowned. “Me too,” they said together.

Despite the fact she’d always been the one to take care of her older siblings, they now pulled together to rally around her. None of them had even blinked at the supposed rumors about their baby sister—not that she’d gone into great detail. James hadn’t even asked if they were true. To her astonishment, they seemed to be handling the curves life had thrown at her better than she was.

“This is a surprise. You all being here, no drama for once. So surreal.”

Beth sighed. “It’s been a long time coming, but guess what, Nat? The boys and I have grown up. We don’t need our baby sister telling us what to do anymore. Just like you don’t need us telling you what to do.”