“Okay, well, I’ll be packing up my stuff tonight and out of your hair by late morning. I’m sorry to do this to you, Hugh. I’ve enjoyed living here,” she said. That part wasn’t a lie—she was going to miss the apartment, just not her roommate. Him she could live without.
“Listen, I’m late and have to get going,” Hugh said. “Good luck, Tatum. Just leave your key on the kitchen counter when you leave in the morning.” He turned to leave and didn’t bother looking back at her, just letting the door shut behind him. She needed to get to work and pack up her shit. She was going to have to pick up her “brother/new boyfriend” at the hospital in the morning and she wanted to be ready.
Tatum woke to her cell phone ringing and she tried to shut off her alarm but the incessant ringing wouldn’t stop. She stretched and yawned, rolling over to find her offensive phone. “Who’d call at this ungodly hour?” she whispered to herself, picking up her cell to find her brother’s picture on her screen. “Shit,” she grumbled.
“Hello,” she answered.
“Tatum,” Jackson said. “Tell me that you haven’t run down any more of my friends,” he teased.
“Yeah, yeah,” she griped, “you’re very funny. Don’t you have something else to do at this hour—you know like sleep?”
“Sleeping’s overrated,” he insisted. “Besides, I wanted to hear how Ryder did. Was his leg broken?” Jackson asked. Tatum knew he was fishing for information—it was the detective in him, always asking questions, and needing to stick his nose in everyone’s business. She was his favorite project and he was constantly in her business.
“Sorry to break the news to you, but it is,” she said, snickering at her play on words. “You see what I did there, right?” she asked.
“Yeah—you’re so funny, Sis,” he said. “So, you ran over one of my friends and broke his leg and now, you’re joking about it? You are heartless, Tatum,” Jackson accused.
“Hey—am not,” she grumbled. “I feel awful about it, but you know that I handle stuff like this with humor,” she said.
It was true when her mother was sick, she did just about anything to make her laugh through her pain. It became her go-to move and after her mom passed, she practically did stand-up at her funeral. No one understood how she could be making jokes at her own mother’s funeral—especially not her big brother. Jackson was mortified that she acted the way she had, but that was par for the course. Her brother seemed upset with her most of the time.
“Did you at least give the poor guy a ride home from the hospital last night?” Jackson asked.
“Um, no,” she admitted. “He had to stay the night. But I’m going to pick him up this morning and run him home.” Tatum conveniently left off the part about her going the extra mile and moving in with Ryder to help him out until he could get back on his feet. Honestly, she did feel awful about what had happened but she wasn’t upset about finding a place to crash for a while. They were helping each other out, although, she’d keep that to herself too.
“I can go by the hospital and pick him up for you,” Jackson said.
“I don’t mind. I was the one who ran him over,” she said. “I should be the one who picks him up and runs him home. It’s the least I can do.”
“Yeah, but it will cut into your time to job search. My day’s mostly free and I don’t mind,” Jackson pushed.
“I said I’ve got this, Jackson,” she growled into the phone. “As for my job search, I’m sure I’ll find something quickly, so you don’t have to worry about me.”
“It’s my job to worry about you, Sis,” Jackson said.
“Sure,” she grumbled, “you can worry but you just won’t help me out.”
“I’ve been your safety net for a while now, Tatum,” Jackson said. “You’re an adult and you need to figure your shit out for yourself. You’re a smart woman—I know you’ll be able to do it.” His praise felt like an underhanded compliment and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to thank him or tell him to fuck off.
“Whatever,” she breathed. Tatum knew Jackson hated it when she said that to him. “You’re right—I can handle my own shit. So, I will go pick up Ryder and run him back to his place and then, I’ll find a new job.”
Jackson sighed into the phone, “What about your apartment?” he asked. This was where things could get tricky. She didn’t want to outright lie to him but she wasn’t about to come right out and tell him that she was moving in with his friend.
“It went down pretty much like I thought it would,” she admitted. She had told Jackson exactly what Hugh was going to ask for her to stay at her place rent-free and giving that asshole sexual favors wasn’t an option for her.
“Shit,” Jackson growled. “Did he ask you for sex to stay?”
“Pretty much,” she admitted. “But I turned him down and will be staying with a friend,” she lied. Ryder wasn’t her friend, but that didn’t matter. He was an acquaintance and her brother’s friend and that was close enough. “Listen, I’ve got to get dressed. I have a lot to do today. Thanks for the wake-up call, Jackson,” she said. Tatum ended the call and tossed her cell onto her nightstand. She was going to get dressed and finish packing her shit. Then, she’d go to the hospital and pick up her new “friend” Ryder.
Ryder
Ryder wasn’t sure how the hell he was going to keep the fact that Hart’s sexy little sister was staying with him a secret. Sure, she was a complete pain in his ass, but his dick didn’t seem to get that memo. She showed up to the hospital wearing little cut-off shorts that barely covered her ass and a t-shirt that was form-fitting and showed off every one of her curves. He nearly swallowed his damn tongue when she walked into his hospital room, making him question his sanity at agreeing to her crazy offer to move in with him and take care of him.
The hot nurse from yesterday was gone and in her place was one grumpy older woman who wasn’t thrilled about releasing him into Tatum’s care. When she insisted that she was Ryder’s sister and very capable of caring for him, the nurse just looked her up and down, shook her head at Tatum, and walked out of the room.
“I’m thinking she’s not buying the whole sister routine,” Ryder mock whispered.
Tatum laughed, “Yeah well, it doesn’t matter what she believes. You ready to blow this popsicle stand?” she asked.
“Definitely,” Ryder agreed. “I’m looking forward to my sponge bath you’re going to give me, Sis,” he teased. The last thing he needed was a sponge bath from Hart’s little sister. He was hoping that he’d be able to scare her off before her brother found out about them, but from the determined look in her eyes, that wasn’t going to be possible.
“I bet you are, big guy,” she teased, giving him a saucy wink.
Ryder sighed, “You still think this is a good idea, Tatum? I mean, lying to your brother doesn’t exactly feel right to me. Isn’t there another way we can do this?” he asked