Page 57 of Guarding My Love

“Then what’s up? You never call.”

“I don’t,” he said. “Just thought I’d check in.”

Elias started to laugh. “Dude. You never check in. Now I know there is something wrong.”

He waited a second and finally said, “I met someone.”

“I heard,” Elias said.

He should have figured. “From Laken?”

“None other,” Elias said. “She was just fishing for information, but I had nothing to give.”

“There wasn’t much to say. What do you know?”

“She’s your neighbor, about your age, just moved there, and you’ve saved her a few times. Oh, she doesn’t know who you are.”

There was laughter to that. “You do the same thing,” he said.

“Not like you guys. No one puts our last name with West here,” Elias said.

His brother had a point.

“I’m not sure what is going on with her, but it’s something,” he said.

“And she has you twisted,” Elias said. “Why?”

“I’m not her type at all,” he said. He explained it to his brother.

“That isn’t a bad thing,” Elias said. “She doesn’t sound like your type. You aren’t one to go for the fancy party type.”

“That’s the thing,” he said. “If she didn’t tell me that about herself, I’d have no idea. She dresses like a normal person does who works from home. I don’t even know if I’ve seen her with much makeup on or if she wears it.”

“You haven’t tried to search her?” Elias asked. “Someone who is dating older wealthy men has to have pictures out there.”

“No,” he said. “That’s not my way. She’s been pretty open about things. I know where she came from and that no one takes her seriously, but she’s smart. I can see it. She has a willingness to learn too. She doesn’t want people doing things for her but just showing her so she can do it herself.”

“Which fits right into your personality,” Elias said. “You’re all about teaching a person to fish rather than handing them the lobster.”

He laughed. “That’s not the saying.”

“Nope,” Elias said, “and you laughed at it so that means you’re pretty relaxed for someone who is confused. And you don’t like being confused.”

“I don’t,” he said. “I’m taking her on the boat tomorrow.”

“Which is huge for you,” Elias said. “I’m assuming she’s been in the house?”

“Yeah. I had to hide the pictures. I left one out of Mom, Dad and me. I hadn’t realized it was there.”

“Be honest with me, how do you think she’ll react if she finds out West Carlisle is your brother?” Elias said.

“I don’t know. Maybe pissed. But it’s not West she is getting to know, it’s me.”

“And there is your answer on how long you should keep it a secret.”

19

ENJOYED THE RIDE

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