Bachelor Swap - Lacey Black Page 0,3

liquid into two glasses.

When he rejoins me, he hands me a glass. “Thanks.”

Matthew takes his seat behind the desk and quietly observes, scrutinizing my presence as he sips his bourbon. I take a hearty drink of my own and relax back into the chair. “So, you’re the one who brought me here. What’s up?”

My brother grins wickedly before finishing off his drink. He doesn’t answer my question, just shuffles around a few papers before settling on a manila folder. He moves everything else in the vicinity of his folder and slips a pair of glasses on to his face. I’m not sure when he started wearing glasses, but it doesn’t help soften his appearance.

Matthew slides into business mode. He’s tense and completely serious, scanning the documents in front of him with a keen, sharp eye. If I were a lesser man, I’d be a little unnerved sitting across from him right now, especially when he focuses those sharp dark eyes on me.

He leans forward, turning the document and sliding the open folder across the desk. I mimic his movement and lean forward, my own gaze dropping down to what he’s showing me. My eyes widen as I scan the contract; the one with my name on it. There’s also no missing the dollar amount displayed at the bottom.

When I glance up, I see him relax for the first time. He hitches an ankle over his knee and leans into his seat, a triumphant grin on his face. “I have a business deal for you.”

Chapter Two

Kyla

“How are the animals?” my best friend, Amalee, asks between bites of her chef salad.

“Really good.” I set my fork down, excitement racing through my veins. “We got in a new Belgian horse yesterday. She comes from a farm just outside of town. She’s in her twenties already and such a sweetheart. It took me a few tries, but I got her to eat an apple out of my hand.”

Amalee rolls her eyes, but smiles. “You and those animals.”

Those animals have been my life for nearly four years. I’ve always had a soft spot for animals of all kinds. I used to rescue birds and small squirrels regularly when I was younger, much to my parents’ and housekeeper’s dismay. She’d always find the shoebox or small crate I’d stash somewhere in my room and insist they be removed immediately. “Rabies,” she used to bellow as she’d cart them off, never to be seen again.

“This one was well cared for, but the owner recently passed, and the family didn’t want her. They donated her to the shelter,” I tell her, referring to the Boston Cares Shelter. “We shouldn’t have any problems connecting her with a new home.”

BCS is a volunteer based, donation-funded animal shelter, connecting mistreated or unwanted pets with their forever homes. Most of them are cats and dogs, but we do have a large barn for other animals. I’m my four years of volunteering, I’ve seen goats, horses, a llama, cattle, and even a few donkeys. Sure, they’re unusual for a city like Boston, but Boston’s a growing, unique place, especially in the suburbs.

Amalee grins her red, glossy lips at me. “I can already see your wheels spinning. Need I remind you, you live in a condo?”

I scoff, but don’t dispute her statement. I do, in fact, live in a condo. The penthouse, actually. But it’s the fact she’s able to read me like a book. She knows me well enough to understand that if I had a place to keep Dolly, the horse, I’d take her in a heartbeat.

“You should just move, Kyla.”

Startled by her statement, all I can do is stare at my oldest friend.

She sets her fork down and leans in. “I’m being serious. You hate that condo and hate the city. You’re only still here because of your dad, whether you want to admit it or not.”

I open my mouth to reply, but nothing comes out. She’s not wrong. I’m not a huge fan of the city, and the condo looks more like a museum than a home. But what really got me was the part about my dad. My throat tightens, mostly because I know she’s right. I can’t leave my dad. Not now.

“Listen, Ky, I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I know your situation isn’t ideal, but I wish you’d just put yourself first every once in a while. It’s okay to want what you want and actually go after it.” A look of sadness crosses her