Chapter-3,part-2

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here. ”

“Actually, he is.” Josh slung an arm over my shoulder, his eyes

twinkling with mischief. “Meet your new neighbor, little sis.”

My eyes ping-ponged between him and Alex, who couldn’t

look more bored by the conversation.

“No.” There was only one reason Alex Volkov would leave his

cushy D.C. penthouse and move back to Hazelburg, and I’d bet

my new camera it had nothing to do with nostalgia for his college

days. “No, no, no, no, no.”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.”

I glared at my brother. “I don’t need a babysitter. I’m twenty

two years old.”

“Who said anything about babysitting?” Josh shrugged. “He’s

looking after the house for me. I’m moving back in when I return

next year, so it makes sense.”

“Bullshit. You want him to keep an eye on me.”

“That’s a bonus.” Josh’s face softened. “It doesn’t hurt to have

someone you can rely on when I’m not here, especially given this

whole thing with Liam.”

I winced at the mention of my ex. Liam had been blowing up

my phone since I caught him cheating on me a month and a half

ago. He’d even shown up at the gallery where I worked a few

times, begging for another chance. I wasn’t devastated by our

breakup. We’d dated for a few months, and I hadn’t been in love

with him or anything, but the situation had brought all my

insecurities to the surface. Josh worried about Liam getting out of

hand, but let’s be honest, Liam was a Brooks-Brother-wearing,

polo-playing trust fund baby. I doubted he’d do anything that

would mess up his perfectly gelled hair.

I was more embarrassed I’d dated him than concerned about

my physical safety.

“I can handle myself.” I pulled Josh’s arm off my shoulder. “Call

the moving company and cancel,” I told Alex, who’d been ignoring

us and scrolling through his phone this whole time. “You do not

need to move here. Don’t you have…stuff to do in D.C.?”

“D.C. is a twenty-minute drive,” he said without looking up.

“For the record, I am totally in favor of you moving in next

door,” Jules piped up. Traitor. “Do you mow the lawn shirtless? If

not, I highly recommend it.”

Alex and Josh frowned at the same time.

“You.” Josh pointed at her. “Do not pull any of your

shenanigans while I’m gone.”

“It’s cute how you think you have a say in my life.”

“I don’t give a shit what you do with your life. It’s when you

drag Ava into your harebrained schemes I’m concerned.”

“Newsflash: you don’t have a say in Ava’s life either. She’s her

own person.”

“She’s my sister—”

“She’s my best friend—”

“Remember when you almost got her arrested—”

“You have to let that go. That was three years ago—”

“People!” I pressed my fingers to my temple. Dealing with Josh

and Jules was like dealing with children. “Stop arguing. Josh, stop

trying to control my life. Jules, stop provoking him.”

Josh crossed his arms over his chest. “As your big brother, it’s

my job to protect you and to appoint someone to fill in for me

when I’m not here.”

I

grew up with him; I recognized that look on his face. He

wasn’t budging.

“I assume Alex is the fill-in?” I asked in a resigned tone.

“I’m not a ‘fill-in’ anything,” Alex said icily. “Don’t do anything

stupid, and we’ll be fine.”

I groaned and covered my face with my hands.

This was going to be a long year.

To be continued

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