Something Borrowed

Chapter 38

Melissa

Melissa had to admit that, despite her annoyance with her little brother, his homecoming sure brought a spark of drama to a life that had become appallingly sedate ever since Josh and Amelia had moved out of the big house.

"This will be the parlor!" Brent declared with his arms thrown wide. They stood together in an empty plot of land, marked only by stakes and twine to indicate the massive footprint of her brother's future home. It was impressive, she had to admit. Or at least the tale he was telling was impressive. "I'm having some artwork brought over from Europe for the walls. This is the first room my visitors will see, so it'll be a bit ostentatious."

Melissa snorted in spite of herself. "A bit?" she murmured to Amelia, who stood by her side, holding Rebecca. Josh stood at Amelia's other elbow, arms crossed over his chest with a look of practiced boredom on his face. Her father stood a few steps closer, nodding along with Brent's tour, pride showing in every line of his body. He glared at her over his shoulder.

"Presentation is critical in the business world, Melissa," he stated with a disappointed shake of his head. "Your brother understands the importance of putting his best foot forward."

Brent laughed. "Fortunately, I have two best feet so it's easy," he joked, nodding his head toward the next 'room.' "This will be my office. I've modeled it after yours, pa. There will be bookshelves on these three walls, and the desk will sit in the middle. I had to place a special order for the chairs, so mine will stand a few inches higher than the others. You taught me that too."

The old man laughed good naturedly, and Melissa felt a little embarrassed. Amelia had been around for years, now. She'd seen the way her father was, but Melissa had never felt much more than passing shame because he was only one old man and Amelia had Josh to show her what the Tucker men were capable of being. Now, though, there were two of them. Two obnoxious gas bags, and they sure did have a way of building off each other's energy! God, they were insufferable.

"What's that about with the chairs?" Josh asked, and Melissa wanted to kick him. He knew damn well what it was about. Where Melissa was embarrassed by the display, she was sure her brother was grateful for it. The more of an ass Brent made of himself, the more secure Josh's place would be.

"It's an intimidation technique," Brent said, his voice taking on a pedantic heaviness, the words slow as if his audience would struggle to keep up. He braced his hands on his hips as he spoke. "It's subtle, of course, but effective. Men are more likely to let you short them on a deal if they're already feeling insecure and small."

Josh snorted, muttering under his breath, and there was a rustle of fabric as Amelia elbowed him. Brent's face fell a little, wrinkling with annoyed distress, and Melissa bit her lip and strode forward, taking him by the arm. "Come on and show us the next room," she said, dragging him away.

According to Brent, there would be a parlor, a sitting room, an office, a music room, a kitchen, a dining room, and a small washroom, all on the first floor. The second story would be smaller, but boasted four large bedrooms, all with their own open-air balconies. Each room would have a theme, some more coherent than others. "A night in Paris" made sense, as did "the plains of Africa" and "Mother Russia." Melissa wasn't quite so sure what "revolution" would look like, though, or "the glory of the steam engine."

The tour was long, and the afternoon sun was high by the time it finally finished, warming the air enough that Melissa unbuttoned her coat as she joined Josh and Amelia, who had settled on the back of their wagon. Little Rebecca played at their feet, digging a hole in the dirt, her dress wrinkled and stained. Her bonnet hung on a ribbon halfway down her back and her shoes had mysteriously disappeared, leaving her in thick socks that were brown on the bottom from the dirt.