Free Creation of Desire by Leah Brooke Page B

asked deliberately.
    “I’m fine, sweetie. How are you ?”
    “I’m fine, Erin. I was going to call you tomorrow.” Rachel paused and took a deep breath before blurting, “I’ve moved in with Boone and Chase.” Rachel winced and moved the phone several inches away from her ear as the screaming began.
    “I quit my job. I’m moving out there. I’ll take care of you. You don’t need those good for nothing...”
    Rachel sat on the bed as the tirade continued, glancing up to see Chase standing in the doorway, his eyebrows shooting up when he heard the loud yelling coming from the phone. He strode toward her, reaching for the phone, but Rachel pulled it away.
    “Who the hell is that?” he growled.
    Rachel sighed. “My sister.”
    “You tell those two assholes you don’t need their help. I’ll be there in a few days.”
    Chase blinked when he heard Erin’s voice come through loud and clear. “Jesus, Rachel. What the hell did you tell her?”
    Rachel waved him away, sighing when he ignored her. “Erin!” she yelled into the phone. It took a while to get her sister calmed down.   “Listen. If you want to move out here and buy half the business, that would be great, but you don’t need to. I’m fine. I promise. I’m staying here with Boone and Chase for a while. If you really want to move here you can have my apartment. Of course I want you around.”
    Rachel rubbed her forehead where a headache had started.
    “I know, Erin, but you don’t have to move out here. I’m fine, honest.”
    Rachel knew that Chase unashamedly eavesdropped on her conversation.
    “If you’re sure that’s what you want to do. No, you can’t talk to them.”
    She blinked as Chase ripped the phone out of her hand.
    “Hello. This is Chase.”
    Rachel groaned when she heard her sister’s raised voice again, afraid of what Chase would say to her.
    Five years older than her, Erin had always taken her position as big sister seriously, especially after their parents had been killed by a drunk driver while they’d still been in their teens. Erin, at eighteen, had suddenly become responsible for her thirteen-year-old sister.
    When Rachel had told Erin about her pregnancy, Erin had tried to get her to come live with her in Houston. Rachel had turned her down, explaining that she had a business and a life here in Desire that she didn’t want to leave.
    Now, her sister had quit her job as a secretary in a big oil company to come here. If Chase dared to yell at her sister, she would leave so fast his head would spin. Erin had become more mother than sister and had sacrificed too many times for her already. She didn’t need Erin’s help but her sister wouldn’t be swayed.
    “Yes ma’am,” she heard him say. “You’re absolutely right. My brother and I both acted like idiots, but we smartened up in a hurry.”
    When Boone walked in and looked curiously at Chase, then at her, she whispered, “It’s my sister, Erin.”
    He nodded and motioned to Chase that he wanted the phone when Chase had finished.
    “Yes ma’am. We are trying to talk her into marrying us, but so far she won’t.”
    When Chase laughed, Rachel couldn’t help smiling in amusement as he tried to work his charm on her sister, not an easy thing to do.
    “Yes ma’am. I’m looking forward to meeting you in person. You’ve done a good job raising your sister, and if she’s anything like you, Boone and I will have to spend all our time beating the single men of Desire off of you.”
    Whenever Erin said made Chase laugh again.
    “Yes, ma’am. Call us when you get close.” He rattled off his and Boone’s cell numbers. “Yes, ma’am. He standing right here waiting to talk to you. We’ll see you in a few days.”
    Chase handed Boone the phone and turned to Rachel. “Come on. Let’s go have some pie.”
    “But...” Rachel protested as Chase led her from the room.
    “Don’t worry. Boone can handle your sister.”
    When Boone joined them several minutes