Page 30 of Untethered Heart
While we grandkids aren’t actively involved in every aspect of H&H Mining, we each have shares in the company, which means we attend the annual general meeting.
“It’s for the family. Quit your complaining,” I say, standing from my desk and tucking my reading glasses into the top pocket of my deep blue vest. I smooth down the red tie that’s tucked behind it and pull at my sleeve cuffs. With a groan, Gage stands from his chair. His black shirt is buttoned right up to his tattooed neck. Black vest, black tie. What a surprise. The shirt sleeves are rolled halfway up his forearms, with the big grim reaper tattoo on display. I nod my head at him.
“You want to cover those up? You know Aunt Henrietta screams every time you’ve got the Grim out.”
He looks down at his arms. “I can’t help that she thinks it’s looking right at her. Why can’t this meeting be in winter, though?” He stomps to the closed door of my office, pulling it open with a huff. “I’m forced to wear a suit when it’s fucking hot as Satan’s balls outside.”
“Oh!” Isabelle is standing on the other side of the now-open door. Her curls are loose today, hanging long over one shoulder. Little braids frame her face. The pink stone she wears every dayrests against a brown corset top that she’s paired with a long white skirt, making her look like a little earth fairy. Especially as she stands in front of the storm cloud that is my brother. My brows pinch as I watch them stare at each other.
“S-sorry. Hi.” Gage is almost breathless as he looks down at Isabelle.
“Hi.” She won’t stop looking my brother up and down. I guess the suit is quite out of place compared to his normal attire. He’s still wearing his combat boots, much to my dismay.
I put my laptop into its case and hook the strap over my shoulder.
“Did you need something, Iz?” I walk over to meet them by the door. “We’re just heading out for the meeting at H&H Mining. I’ll be back in about two hours.”
“I just spoke with James Huxley,” she says, finally looking at me. “We need a new liquor licence for Smoke and Barrel. They operate under a casino licence, and the theatre is outside of that parameter. I’ve passed it onto the business team to get the paperwork started.”
“Perfect. Thanks, Iz.”
“I also invited James to the gathering you wanted to do on-site. He said he would have his team look after the catering. Beth and I will set up a few decorations.”
“It doesn’t have to be anything fancy,” Gage says to her.
“I told him it would be around twenty people. Just light refreshments for an hour or two, and we hoped to see him there.” Isabelle looks down at the pink stone hanging against her chest, running it back and forth along the chain. “I figured that would be okay since he’s an invested partner. I did say it was mostly family, though, nothing formal.”
“Great job, Isabelle,” I say, putting a hand on her shoulder and gently turning her out of the room. I’m trying to get out of here so we can stop by a bakery over the road from Claire’s beauty salon before the meeting. I figured it would be a stealth way of spyingand seeing if Claire was around. My hand stays on Izzy’s shoulder as I walk behind her until I hear a growl to my left. My brother is glaring at my hand. I quickly lift it as if I’ve been burnt, looking at Gage like,what the fuck?He shakes his head, then keeps stalking toward the elevator, trailing behind Isabelle. She pushes the call button, and the doors slide open, the three of us entering.
“What floor?” Gage asks.
“Seven, please.” He offers her the smallest smile before pushing seven for her and the basement for us. When he manages to look at me instead of Isabelle, I’m sure it’s because he senses the confusion radiating from my very pores. He grunts, then turns away from me, and we ride in silence down to Isabelle’s floor.
“Thank you for organising everything for the gathering next week,” Gage says.
Isabelle is a good foot shorter than I am. Next to my brother, she looks so damn tiny.
“It’s no problem.”
When the elevator doors open, Gage leans forward to hold them for Isabelle. She stops and looks up at him, their eyes locking for way too long before she stumbles out.
“See you later, Iz,” I call, since it feels like she’s completely forgotten I’m even here.
“Oh, um, bye, OG.”
When Gage steps back in line with me, the doors close once more, and we ride in silence to the basement.
“We’ll be speaking of this,” I say.
“Nothing to speak of.”
“My fucking arse.”
“I said there’s nothing.”
“You lie, baby brother.” I know there’s something happening between Gage and Isabelle. Maybe nothing has physically happened, but it’ssomething.
“Why don’t you come up here and prove it?” The bastard is six-foot-five, and he’s probably got fifteen kilos of muscle on me. But I’m still the oldest.
