She inhaled, trying to calm the last of her frayed nerves, and pointed toward the now wine-stained couch. “Maybe we could all sit down.”
“Not with him.” Noah pushed by Derrick. Shoved his shoulder into him and kept going. Didn’t say anything until he reached the door. “Just wait until the next video.”
As soon as Noah’s hand hit the doorknob, Derrick spoke up. “Post whatever you want about me but keep your sister out of it.”
Noah slowly turned around to face Derrick. “You think you get to order me around when I’m not working for you?”
“If you have a problem, you come for me.” He pointed toward Ellie. “Not her. Not ever.”
Noah’s face went blank. “She’s my sister.”
“Then act like it.”
* * *
Derrick forced himself not to follow Noah out the door. He wanted to have it out, make the kid understand he was playing in an adult world now.
Instead he stood there, staring at the door and trying to ease his temper. Something had happened before he’d walked down that hallway and heard the shouting. Ellie was drenched in wine. Hell, it beaded in her hair. But nothing, no furniture or glass, appeared to be broken.
She shook her head. “So much for thinking I was going to be able to enjoy two months of fake engagement bliss.”
“Did I promise that?”
“Honestly, no. But I knew my brother would be a bigger problem than you thought.” Ellie said the words on a heavy sigh.
Derrick looked at her again. “Your brother is—”
“Still my brother, so be careful with what words you use.”
That seemed like the Ellie he’d experienced so far—tough and sure—but the tone sounded defeated. He hated that. “Right.”
“He’s upset.” She lifted the wineglass from the coffee table and a magazine page stuck to it.
“Yeah, I picked up on that.”
“He was diagnosed years ago with this disorder you’ve likely never heard of. Believe it or not, this is a thousand times better than he used to be.” She held the glass in midair, peeling the paper off with a loud ripping sound. “His teen years were exhausting.”
That was enough of that. Derrick stepped over to her and put his hand over hers. With one quick tug, he liberated the glass then carried it to her kitchen sink. “He’s not a teen now, so don’t make excuses for him.”
“I’m explaining that this is not a matter of him being spoiled.”
“Are you willing to concede that, maybe, you make it easy for him to not deal with his issues as an adult?” He stopped for a second with his hands wrapped around the edge of the counter.
Noah was nothing like Derrick’s father, Eldrick, except that people rushed to forgive both of them. That innate ability to have people fall all over themselves trying to make things rights and ease any burden… Derrick didn’t get it. No one had ever done that for him, which was probably a good thing.
“My point is that he doesn’t always handle his anger and frustration the way others do.”
Derrick turned around and watched her pick the soaked edge of her shirt up with two fingers and wave it around a little as if trying to dry it. Another button popped open under the strain of all that flapping. He couldn’t imagine that move would dry her shirt, but it sure as hell was making him think about things other than this conversation.
From this angle he could see a sliver of skin and the outline of her bra, all lacy and, from the few peeks she’d given him, pink. This dating, no-touching, possible fake-engagement thing might be the death of him.
“Ellie, I have an office full of Noah types. I don’t mind odd comments, social awkwardness or even controllable behavioral issues. But I do get pissed off when people steal from me.”
She sat on the couch’s armrest. “He insists you’re lying.”
“And I insist he is.”
“So, we’re at a stalemate.”
“Are we?” He appreciated her loyalty to her brother, but she wore emotional blinders when it came to Noah.
He got it. He had brothers, too. Even though, thanks to their father, they didn’t see each other much these days, he would do anything for them, including pushing them to take responsibility for their actions.
“If you had evidence…” With her head down, she picked at the couch’s material.
“I’m not accustomed to having to prove myself. Most people take my word.” Derrick heard his voice rising in volume and lowered it again. “It’s one of those things I’m known for, which is why your brother’s actions are doubly problematic.”
“Any chance you could bend your rules and maybe…” She winced. “I don’t know, review the evidence again? With me?”