Read Online Ready To Burn (Due South Book 3) by Tracey Alvarez - Free Book Online

and leaned his jean-covered butt against the edge.
    One raised brow was all it took to make him move two steps away.
    She dug her fingers into the dough again. “Because it’s all about you not feeling like a jackass.”
    He grinned, the patented West charm switching on full power. “You love me even when I am being a jackass.”
    “No. That’s my sister.” She stabbed a finger at him. “Next time, a little warning would be nice.”
    “Well. I really am sorry for the way it went down.” West gave her his best poor-bad-doggy grimace. “But Del is—”
    Shaye held up a flour-covered hand. “If one more person tells me how great your brother is and how I can learn so bloody much from him, I will personally ram this dough down their throat until it squishes out their belly button.”
    West retreated another step and showed her his palms. “Gotcha, my favorite soon-to-be-sister-in-law.”
    “You don’t have to baby me. Bill’s made a decision, and I’ve dealt with it.”
    Outwit, outplay, outlast , she reminded herself. Until she had the pleasure of snuffing out his torch and sending him off her damn island. She pounded the dough some more.
    “So, we’re good?” West said after a long pause punctuated by her frequent thumps. “You’ll put up with Del being here for a couple of months?”
    Shaye’s shoulders prickled with cold fire. Did West really think his brother would stick that long?
    “Sure, but when it comes time to hire someone else, I’d like a say in it.”
    West darted in and kissed her cheek, then moved out of her orbit again just as quickly. “Of course.”
    “No kissing, it’s unhygienic and unprofessional.” Her mouth curled into a small smile.
    Staying mad at West was impossible, especially since their relationship had always been more like sister-brother than traditional employer-employee.
    “Dad and I will make it up to you, Shaye-Shaye.”
    “Whatever.” She lifted the dough into a prepared bowl, and covered it with a clean dishtowel. “Putting aside my feelings for the moment, how do you feel about Del being back?”
    “I’m rapt that’s he’s home.”
    “I don’t think he considers Stewart Island home anymore.”
    West’s forehead crinkled. “Noticed that, eh? You picked up on the bad mojo between him and Dad too?”
    “Kinda hard to miss.” She crossed to the sink with the floured board. “I’ve always wondered why Bill never made more of an effort to stay in touch with Del—though it’s none of my business, I guess.”
    “Dad did make an effort, at least, for the first year or so. He got up at three a.m. every Sunday to catch Del on Saturday morning, LA time. I’d hear Dad trying to get him to talk on the phone, but you know—” West shrugged. “Teenage boy. Angry and hurt teenage boy. Not much conversation went on from Del’s end that wasn’t in monosyllables.”
    Shaye’s chest tightened. “Must’ve been hard on you too, your mum and brother moving so far away.”
    “It sucked.” West’s tone was flat, but she didn’t need a counseling degree to sense the old pain shimmering beneath the surface. “And it took years before Del and I were easy with each other again.”
    “You’ve missed him.”
    Another shrug, aiming for a casual gesture but failing miserably since the faint lines around his mouth deepened. “Every. Single. Fucking. Day. He’s my baby brother.”
    West shoved a hand through his hair, eyes cutting away as if he were embarrassed at his admission. “I’d better head to the pool, get some laps in before the meeting.”
    “Okay.”
    “Spot you later.” West headed to the back door, and Donny barked once in greeting from his basket outside.
    She ran the tap and scrubbed down the board, trying to deflect the dull ache forming a stranglehold around her heart.
    Shaye-Shaye, the big softie who wanted everyone to get along with their families—even Due South’s ego-swollen new head chef—though more for West and Bill’s