“You’re an outdoor guy now. I think you always were. So, how’s the wedding planning going?”
“It’s going well. I think we’re going to do something very low key. We both don’t want anything too extravagant. I’ll be honest, right now we haven’t done much planning, but we’re both not worrying about it too much.”
“That’s good. I hate those big fancy weddings. I mean, it’s just one day out of your whole life.”
“That’s exactly what we said. We’ll still do something. But right now we’re thinking more along the lines of a small party, maybe at the ranch or something. I mean, that’s where I proposed.”
“Oh yeah? That’s cool. So, you won’t go back to Arizona for it?”
“Nah. Our life is here. This place means a lot to Emily, and it means a lot to me too. I feel more at home here than I ever did in Arizona.”
“I’m glad. It’s good to have you here, Patriot,” I said, using his old motorcycle nickname.
He grinned at me. “I can’t thank you enough for everything that you did for me when I moved here. Although, I’m sure you’re glad to have your space back again.”
“Oh yeah. I did a little dance of joy when you left. I threw a party for one,” I said sarcastically. Then I smiled. “It was nice having you here. But yeah, I’m fine by myself too. You know what I’m like.”
“So, no girlfriend?” he asked.
I groaned. “We’re not going to have this conversation again, are we? You do realize that’s one of my worst conversations to have.”
“I saw Terra the other day,” Grant said, completely ignoring my protests. “She met some other guy, and he seems to really like her.”
“Oh yeah?” I shrugged. “Good for her.”
“Really? So, you don’t mind?”
“Mind? Why would I mind?” I asked. Terra was Emily’s best friend. Grant and Emily had obviously hoped I’d fall in love with Terra, but it hadn’t happened. I’d slept with her once, and while it had been amazing, I knew she wasn’t the one for me. Not that I truly believed someone out there was waiting for me, but if I did, I knew it wouldn’t be her. And I had no ambitions to make something work just for the sake of it.
“I don’t know. I thought you had a good time with her.”
“Trust me; I did have a good time. But it was just sex. Nothing else. You know, some people are okay with being on their own. I think I’m just one of those people.” I’d said it so many times that I was finally starting to believe it myself. I really was happy being by myself.
“Yeah, maybe you’re right. Better to be by yourself if you can’t be with the right person,” he said. “Anyway, enough of this. Since when did we both get so contemplative? Must be all this outdoor life. Gets my mind working all the time.”
“Yeah, that and you’re living with a woman now,” I said, and he laughed.
Once Grant was gone, I finished my breakfast and made my way over to the ranch. The moment I got there, I saw the owner, Harold, sitting on the porch drinking his tea. He was a big man, with a penchant for drinking too much beer, and impossible to ignore. He didn’t work on the ranch himself anymore, but I knew that he missed it. He was always just stopping by to see how things were going. I loved working hard, but sometimes I couldn’t wait for the day where I could just sit with my coffee on the porch and have a quiet morning.
“Brady!” he said when he saw me. “How’s it going? You’re nice and early.”
“Hey, Harold. I’m always here early. What are you doing here at this hour?”
“Ah, I thought I’d come have some tea, breathe in the fresh air and all that. I have a few things that need to be done, but I figured I’m come and see you in person. It’s good to get out.”
“Yeah, it’s nice out here. Well, whatever you need done, just let me know.”
I stood there for a while, leaning against the railing while Harold finished his tea and told me what I needed to do for the day. It was nothing out of the ordinary, and all things I would’ve done without him being there. I knew that Harold was just bored at home, and needed something to do. He claimed to be happier now that his wife wasn’t around anymore – a nagging old hag, he called her – but Grant had told me once that he really did miss her. I’d been surprised that he’d told Grant more about his life than he’d told me. I’d always considered Harold a close friend of mine, but it was easy to see that the relationship didn’t run deep.
And yet, I enjoyed his company more than I did with most people. He was a good man, with a hearty laugh, and a love for the great outdoors. I wasn’t much of a people person, and I think Harold knew that about me. I think in many respects we were very similar. Which was why, despite the superficial conversations we had, he still felt like more of a father to me than my own father ever had. I often wondered how life would’ve been if he really had been my father.
“Don’t worry, Harold. I’ve got it all figured out. So, what are your plans for the day?” I asked.
“My plans? If only I had any. I think I’ll go into town and get some supplies. I’ll drop them off with you later. Is there anything you need?”
“I can’t think of anything offhand. You probably know what I need more than I do. Why don’t you join us for lunch later? Trace is coming over for some rodeo practice. And you know how much that guy likes to show off.”
Harold laughed. “He sure does. Yeah, I’ll do that. I’ll tell him that he needs to be better. That will rile him up.”
“Yeah, do that. He thinks he’s the best.”
Harold shook his head. “That boy. He’s very different from you and I, isn’t he?”
“Oh yeah. He’s a party animal. He keeps trying to get me to go out with him, but I couldn’t think of anything worse.”
Harold pulled a face. “Oh, same here. Thankfully, I’m old enough to use my age as an excuse. He’s never going to let up on you.”
I groaned. “I know.”
“Well, my boy, thanks for coming in so early. I appreciate all the effort you put into this ranch. Take a break sometimes, though. I won’t mind.”
I laughed. “Oh yeah? I bet you never took a break when you worked on the phone.”
“That’s true! Well then, I’ll see you and Trace later.”
“See you later. I’ll have a cold beer waiting for you.”
I smiled as I watched the old man hobble off. Grant had once told me that there was no point in him having so much money if he didn’t have anyone to share with it. I’d waved off that comment. I remembered the conversation clearly.
“Oh yeah? I’d rather have money,” I’d said.
“What are you going to do with it, though? It makes no sense to me at all. Anyway, Harold is not as happy as he pretends to be.”
“Harold is the happiest man I know,” I insisted.
I’d always believed that statement to be true. Harold had always told me how happy he was now that he was alone in the house, and I believed him. But now, looking at him walk wearily toward his car, I wondered how much I really knew about the old man. For the first time in my life, I thought that he looked lonely. But that didn’t mean that I was lonely too. I enjoyed working and living by myself. And there was nothing wrong with that.
Chapter Two
Sloan
“Good morning. Sloan speaking,” I drawled into the phone. I’d gone to voice lessons a few years ago, and ever since then, I’d learned how to speak in a slow and sexy way. It was important to seem like you were always in complete control of your life, no matter who was on the other side. They’d also taught me to never sound like I was in a hurry, and to never sound stressed, even if was.
“Sloan, darling. It’s Victoria. Tell me you’re free today?”
“It entirely depends on why you’re asking,” I said. Victoria might be my best friend, but I wouldn’t rush off to be with just anyone.
“Well, I woke up bored and figured there was only one thing to do today to get me out of this slump.”
“Sho
pping?” I suggested. I knew Victoria well enough to know how that she handled all her problems in life with spending money.
“You got it. So, are you in? We can stop off for skinny lattes on the way too.”
“I don’t know. I’m in an incredibly lazy mood today.”
“Sloan, have you seen the back page of HER magazine?”
I sat up. “No. Why? Am I in it?”
“Not only are you in it, but you’re wearing the same shirt that you wore the week before when you were in HIGH and HEELS magazine. And I think you might be carrying the same bag.”
I groaned. “Darn. I thought I could get away with it. I think I might be wearing the exact same outfit. I just really liked it. And I guess at the time I figured it didn’t matter. I mean, it’s just an outfit; who cares?”
“It’s just an outfit? Sloan, you know that the entire world cares. You’re their little darling right now, and they all look up to you. Anyway, you should mix and match. I told you. I think it’s time we went shopping for some new clothes. What do you think?”
“You convinced me. Be here as soon as you can. We can go to the new mall that opened up down the road.”
Trace squealed. “I’ll be there in half an hour.”
“Make it an hour; I’m still in bed.”
I put the phone down and rolled slowly out of bed. I couldn’t believe that I’d been spotted wearing the same outfit twice in such a short span of time. The media could be ruthless, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I suddenly started seeing articles about how I couldn’t afford anything else. Victoria kept telling me to keep a keen eye on all the magazine, newspapers and online articles on a daily basis, but I sometimes found it a bit too overwhelming and exhausting. It was especially difficult to read a bad review, even if it was hogwash most of the time. I tried not to let them bother me, but it wasn’t easy. You had to be liked to be in this business. I needed those good reviews.
I climbed into the shower and marveled again at how big it was. It had been my one requirement when looking for a new house. I wanted a shower that was almost too big. There was something luxurious about having so much space for something like cleaning up. I loved that shower. Everything about it was perfect, from the temperature to the water pressure to the beautifully painted tiles. I spent an obscene amount of time washing off each day. But with a shower as amazing as this, it was hard not to overindulge. My only regret was that I didn’t find a place with a bathtub. A shower was great, but a bathtub would’ve been even better. Although, thankfully, I had the space. If I could get the approval from the owner of the building, I could get one put in. I didn’t see why they would say no to me.
Once I was done, I blow-dried my hair, then straightened it. I spent twenty minutes on my makeup in order to make the end result looked like I’d only spent five minutes. The point was to make it look as natural as possible. “Why yes, I just wake up like this,” it was supposed to scream. Then, once all that was done, I pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans, a tight black-and-white striped tank top, and I tied a white silk scarf around my neck. I put on some high-heeled leather boots and looked at myself in the tall mirror. I couldn’t help but smile at the woman looking back at me. A very different woman from who I used to be. Those two women weren’t even the same in my mind anymore. That was ‘Past Sloan,’ and this is ‘Future-and-Present Sloan.'
I got the familiar twinge that I felt when I thought about my old life, but I thankfully didn’t have much time to think about it because there was a knock on the door.
“You look gorgeous,” Victoria said as I opened the door.
I leaned forward and kissed her once on each cheek. “As do you. Then again, you always look gorgeous.”
It wasn’t a lie. I’d never seen Victoria look anything but impeccable. I’d even seen her in her pajamas before, and even then she looked wonderful. She believed in dressing like the paparazzi could be nearby at any time. It was a great way to think, but it could get tiring at times. I wondered how she always managed to remain so upbeat when I found it so draining. But I couldn’t complain. I had a good life. A life I had worked hard for.
“Oh. My. Freak.”
“What?” I asked.
“Sloan Hill, your new apartment is just to die for. It’s absolutely breathtaking. I cannot believe it! I knew it would be nice. I mean, I knew you got the loft, but I didn’t know it would be this nice.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot you hadn’t been here before. Ah, I’m glad you like it. Come on, let me show you the best part,” I said and took her to the huge window overlooking the whole of New York City. “It’s why I wanted the loft. Isn’t it gorgeous?”
Victoria looked out and sighed with contentment. “Oh, it’s incredible. I don’t blame you for choosing this place over the others. This is wonderful. It’s places like this that make me so grateful to be living in New York City. I mean, it’s only the best city in the whole world. I didn’t realize your place would be so big. You wouldn’t think so looking from the outside.”
“The loft takes up the entire floor of the building. That’s why. I know, it’s great, huh?”
“You know what, Sloan? I think it’s safe to say that you’ve finally made it as an actress. I mean, look around; this is what you’ve always wanted. This is it! I knew that last movie would be the right choice for you.”
I grinned. I’d recently been chosen as one of the actors in a big Hollywood production. I wasn’t the main actress, but I still played a very relevant part. Ever since then, my face had been splashed all over, and my name was being whispered by everyone. I’d been known in the industry for a while now, but this was the first time I’d ever known this kind of fame. I still couldn’t believe that I could now afford to live in such an extravagant apartment.
“Yeah, that movie was just what you needed. Okay, are you ready to go shopping?” she asked. “Whoa, hang on a second—is that a walk-in closet?”
I chuckled. “It is.”
“Okay, when can I move in? It’s not like you’re short on space.”
“And the closet is not full enough. Come on, let’s go. I’ll buy you a dress,” I said.
“You do that. I’ll buy the coffee.”
“Fair trade,” I said and laughed. Victoria had plenty of her own money, but it was fun to be able to buy things for her. And knowing Victoria, she’d choose the most expensive dress in the shop.
We made our way downstairs, and I called my driver to come and get us. He told us how beautiful we looked and then dropped us off at the mall. Victoria was addicted to shopping and knew exactly where she wanted to go. But the moment we got out of the car we were bombarded with people wanting my autograph.
“You’re even more beautiful in person,” a teenage girl gushed at me.
I smiled, thanked her, and signed scraps of paper or notebooks that they had found in their bags. One girl even asked me to sign her shoulder. She told me she was going to get a tattoo of it immediately.
“A tattoo!” I said to Victoria as we quickly ducked into one of the shops on her list. “Is that girl crazy? Maybe I should’ve talked her out of it. I was too shocked to say anything, though. What if I become some washed-up celebrity one day? She’ll have that to remind her of it all day.”
“Don’t you dare talk like that! You’re a great actress. And you always will be. Anyway, it’s a great compliment. You should be proud that someone wants to ink themselves with your signature. That’s super cool. Come on now, let’s get us some outfits.”
I watched as Victoria walked straight up to the shop assistant to ask if they could close the shop for half an hour. She had absolutely no qualms when it came to asking people for things. It was a trait I both cringed and admired of hers.
“People keep following us, you see,” she said and pointed to me. “And we’d love to try on some clothes with a bit of privacy. I am a big fan of this shop, and the last thing we want is people taking photos of us.”
“Oh no, that’s not necessary,” I said to t
he lady even though Victoria shot me an evil look.
“We don’t mind at all! Shop away,” she said as she went to put the closed sign on the door. “And it’s wonderful to meet you both. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
Exactly half an hour later, we walked out carrying two bags each. Victoria had found a beautiful crimson dress that hugged her body tightly and showed off her figure. And she’d also found a long evening gown with a plunging neckline. I found a lovely light blue dress, which clung tightly at the top and flowed down to my knees with soft, overlaying fabrics. It was the sort of dress that made me want to twirl or dance.
“You look like a slutty Cinderella,” Victoria said, which almost made me put it back on the rack. But she insisted that was a compliment. She also made me buy a new bag even though I loved the one I currently had.
“You’ve simply got to stop using the same bag everywhere you go. At least alternate,” she said, and I finally caved in.
We spent the next few hours visiting various stores, and when we were done, I had enough clothes to last me a lifetime. Then, as promised, Victoria took me for a low-sugar, low-fat vanilla latte.
“How does this taste so good if it’s got none of the good stuff?” she said.
“Well, that depends on what their definition of ‘low’ is, I guess,” I said. Although I quickly regretted it as Victoria suddenly put it down. She hated to think that anything could make her put on weight, even though she was as thin as a rake. She could stand to put on a few pounds, really, but I wasn’t about to get into that conversation with her. “Nah, you can taste that it’s low fat. But it’s delicious, thankfully,” I said and I smiled when she picked up the drink again.
“You’re right. You really can taste the difference. There’s definitely no sugar in here. Maybe my body is just getting used to not having anything unhealthy.”
“I’m sure that’s it,” I said and smiled at her. “Thank you for getting me one. I love this place. Also, I think we deserve it after all the walking we did today. That was like a gym workout.”
Dirty Stepbrother - A Firefighter Romance (The Maxwell Family) Page 133
