Read Online Can't Get Over You (Fortune's Island, Book 2) by Shirley Jump - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shirley Jump
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mainland. Once he got his degree in accounting, he took a job with a large firm in the financial district. He put on a suit and tie every day, working the nine-to-five grind—which was a misnomer because no one in a big corporation logged anything less than ten hours a day—and tried to put Fortune’s Island in his rearview mirror.
Yet, he still ended up back here pretty much every weekend. Mostly to help his parents with The Love Shack, and to tease his kid sister, Jillian. The couple of days he spent on Fortune’s Island were a nice break from the busy city, a way to recharge but not feel imprisoned within those few square miles.
Then last week, he’d spent a hundred waking hours in the office, and needed a break in the worst way. For the first time in a while, he’d taken off a couple extra days and, instead of spending them in the city—where it seemed every school tour had descended to trot along Paul Revere’s trail—he opted to take the ferry across to the island.
“I appreciate you letting me and Sophie tag along with you.” Brian Pierce, who had worked at the firm with Carter for the past two years, rested his arms on the railing and drew in a deep breath of salty air. If there was one person at the firm who worked as hard as Carter, it wasBrian. He’d recently been promoted to director, and his entire life seemed to revolve around the office. Maybe that was what had made them such good friends. No one understood the constant workload and pressure like someone else in the same boat. Brian and Carter operated in the same world of broken promises and ruined plans, and commiserated over insane deadlines and crazy schedules.
Relationships were often the first to go. Brian’s first marriage had broken up a year ago, a marriage that had already been fractured, then fell apart completely during Brian’s ascent in the company. After the divorce, Brian had thrown himself even further into work.
The stress had begun to take its toll. Brian snapped at people more, stopped showing up for after-work basketball games or beers in the Irish pub across the street, and when Carter decided to take four days off, he asked Brian to come, too.
Brian stood beside Carter on the deck of the ferry. With each passing mile that distanced them from the mainland, his face grew more and more relaxed. He let out a long, happy sigh. “I haven’t had a vacation in years. I really needed to get away. Guess I didn’t realize how much until we actually got out of sight of Boston. As for my sister,” he nodded toward Sophie, who was sitting inside the ferry’s cabin area, huddled over an open laptop, “I doubt she’ll end up vacationing at all. I swear, she is married to that thing. It’s no wonder my mom is constantly on Sophie’s case about that ticking biological clock.” Brian chuckled. “In my evil sibling thoughts, I’m glad, because it keeps my mother from nagging me about getting married again. As long as Sophie keeps on being a workaholic, I stay under the Mom Radar.”
Carter didn’t know Sophie well—only as the always-working, perpetually moving younger sister of Brian. He’d seen her a few times at cookouts at Brian’s house, but she rarely joined in on any of the fun, mainly sticking to a corner of the house with her laptop.
That didn’t make her any less noticeable, though. Sophie Pierce was a stunning woman, tall, leggy and brunette, with deep green eyes and a tendency to tuck her hair behind her left ear whenever she was thinking. He’d exchanged maybe a dozen words with her over the years, so he couldn’t really say he knew her. Only that he was aware of her. Very aware.
But she was Brian’s sister, and if there was one thing Brian made clear on a regular basis, it was that his little sister was off-limits. Brian was as protective of Sophie as Carter was of Jillian, so he could understand Brian’s big-brother attitude.
Still, a little part of Carter had been hopeful when Brian asked if Sophie
Yet, he still ended up back here pretty much every weekend. Mostly to help his parents with The Love Shack, and to tease his kid sister, Jillian. The couple of days he spent on Fortune’s Island were a nice break from the busy city, a way to recharge but not feel imprisoned within those few square miles.
Then last week, he’d spent a hundred waking hours in the office, and needed a break in the worst way. For the first time in a while, he’d taken off a couple extra days and, instead of spending them in the city—where it seemed every school tour had descended to trot along Paul Revere’s trail—he opted to take the ferry across to the island.
“I appreciate you letting me and Sophie tag along with you.” Brian Pierce, who had worked at the firm with Carter for the past two years, rested his arms on the railing and drew in a deep breath of salty air. If there was one person at the firm who worked as hard as Carter, it wasBrian. He’d recently been promoted to director, and his entire life seemed to revolve around the office. Maybe that was what had made them such good friends. No one understood the constant workload and pressure like someone else in the same boat. Brian and Carter operated in the same world of broken promises and ruined plans, and commiserated over insane deadlines and crazy schedules.
Relationships were often the first to go. Brian’s first marriage had broken up a year ago, a marriage that had already been fractured, then fell apart completely during Brian’s ascent in the company. After the divorce, Brian had thrown himself even further into work.
The stress had begun to take its toll. Brian snapped at people more, stopped showing up for after-work basketball games or beers in the Irish pub across the street, and when Carter decided to take four days off, he asked Brian to come, too.
Brian stood beside Carter on the deck of the ferry. With each passing mile that distanced them from the mainland, his face grew more and more relaxed. He let out a long, happy sigh. “I haven’t had a vacation in years. I really needed to get away. Guess I didn’t realize how much until we actually got out of sight of Boston. As for my sister,” he nodded toward Sophie, who was sitting inside the ferry’s cabin area, huddled over an open laptop, “I doubt she’ll end up vacationing at all. I swear, she is married to that thing. It’s no wonder my mom is constantly on Sophie’s case about that ticking biological clock.” Brian chuckled. “In my evil sibling thoughts, I’m glad, because it keeps my mother from nagging me about getting married again. As long as Sophie keeps on being a workaholic, I stay under the Mom Radar.”
Carter didn’t know Sophie well—only as the always-working, perpetually moving younger sister of Brian. He’d seen her a few times at cookouts at Brian’s house, but she rarely joined in on any of the fun, mainly sticking to a corner of the house with her laptop.
That didn’t make her any less noticeable, though. Sophie Pierce was a stunning woman, tall, leggy and brunette, with deep green eyes and a tendency to tuck her hair behind her left ear whenever she was thinking. He’d exchanged maybe a dozen words with her over the years, so he couldn’t really say he knew her. Only that he was aware of her. Very aware.
But she was Brian’s sister, and if there was one thing Brian made clear on a regular basis, it was that his little sister was off-limits. Brian was as protective of Sophie as Carter was of Jillian, so he could understand Brian’s big-brother attitude.
Still, a little part of Carter had been hopeful when Brian asked if Sophie
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