The Right Words Read Online Free

It’s awful. The house has great bones and the setting is divine. Ocean views to die for, but….” I sighed deeply and closed my eyes. “I’ll find something else.”
    A poignant silence filled the small living area. The music was still playing in the background but the quiet spoke louder. I opened my eyes and found my friend giving me a concerned look.
    “I’m okay. Or I will be.” I tried a smile but it was tepid at best.
    “I know. I’m the one who keeps telling you that, but… Luke.” Brandon bit his bottom lip thoughtfully, and I cringed a little, knowing he was about to say something I wouldn’t like. “Will you at least call Mara? Just to—”
    “No.”
    “Can I? Just to let her know you’re fine and—”
    “Please leave her out of this. If she calls you, tell her I’m fine. But don’t tell her anything else. I don’t want her to know anything more about Neil or my money woes… nothing. I can’t deal with my issues and try to figure how to talk Mara off the ledge too.” My voice rose in pitch as I worked myself up.
    “Okay, okay!” Brandon sat up and leaned over to peck my cheek. “I won’t say anything. Yet. But your mama comes into the store every once in a while, baby, and as much as I like a little drama, I don’t want your mama’s style of drama when she finds your skinny self workin’ there.”
    “It won’t happen. I’ll figure something out before she swoops down to terrify your customers.”
    Trevor’s attention had moved on to his cell phone, but he looked up and eyed me thoughtfully. “Luke, everyone makes mistakes and misjudges. You have nothing to be ashamed of.” He stood abruptly and brushed a careless hand over Bran’s shoulder as he left the room announcing he was changing out of his work clothes.
    We watched him leave and turned to stare at each other for a moment. Hmm. Maybe he wasn’t completely narcissistic after all. Bran and I didn’t say anything. There really wasn’t any new ground to cover. My life still sucked, and nothing monumental was going to change tonight. So when Bran picked up the tequila bottle and sent up a mock toast, I chuckled softly and held out my empty shot glass. I would pay dearly in the morning, but for now, I didn’t give a damn.
    Sometime after midnight, I was awakened by a telltale moan followed by a steady thumping sound and then “Oh God, yes! Fuck me, Trev. Harder, baby!” I breathed a heavy sigh and buried my head under my pillow. If I needed any further encouragement to get my act together, that was it.
     
     
    I WAS busy arranging a display at BGoods the following morning when my cell phone vibrated in my back pocket. I didn’t recognize the number, so I got back to creating my autumn vignette around a new set of designer picture frames and bookends as I listened to Brandon gush over a young popular Hollywood actor who’d come into his store. He was telling him how much he loved everything from his shirt to his television show to the adorable toy Yorkie he carried in the bag he had slung across his left shoulder. Bran couldn’t help himself. He was theatrical and always had been. Everything was big in his book. He talked in exclamation points. He loved or he hated, and only rarely fell somewhere in between. If nothing else, he entertained me as I fussed with my configurations.
    When my phone buzzed a second time with the same number in less than five minutes, I decided I should answer. I’d spent the morning leaving messages for fellow designers and realtors in the area. I didn’t think I’d get any response so quickly, but it was time to start networking. Ideally I wanted to stay in the LA area, but I was open to other options too. I wasn’t in a position to be too picky.
    “Hello?” I stepped into the back office area and leaned on Brandon’s retro wood-and-steel table that doubled as his desk.
    “Hey. Luke, right?”
    “Yes?” I didn’t recognize the voice but it was deep and kinda sexy.
    “Hey. This is