7 Chapter 6

"Hey, Izzy."

Izzy turned around at the familiar voice behind her, stopping instantly in her tracks.

Three years. It had been three years since she had last seen him. He had vowed never to come near or talk to her again because of the argument that had had over their parents. He had told her to shut up and stay out of his life. Then he walked out the door and out of her life.

Now he was here. In New York. In her place of work. Looking for her.

The look on her face must have given away her emotions because he rubbed the back of his neck like he used to do when he was uncomfortable. "Looks like you weren't expecting me."

"You're damn right I wasn't." She took a moment to get over the shock. "What do you want, Drake?"

"Can't I come say hi to my sister?"

"Not after the way you stormed out on me the last time, no."

"Look, I'm sorry about that. It was the heat of the moment and I didn't know what else to do."

"You could have faced it like a man. Oh, wait. You don't know how to. All you do is run like a scared little boy."

Suddenly he was in her face, temper flaring like it used to and hands grabbing her blouse where the buttons were undone. He hauled her to him. "Listen, Izzy, you're not as precious as you seem to be. You were always Mom and Dad's favorite. They'd give you anything."

"I worked hard to get where I am. Unlike you. They would have given anything for you to put down the drugs but you didn't. Now, if you've come here to ask for money, I don't have any because I'm paying my way through the masters program at NYU."

"That's a lie!" He jerked her in time with his yell but she remained unfazed. He didn't frighten her in the least. He lowered his voice when he noticed others in the café were staring at them. "I know you're living with Derek Stark. I know he pays you to take care of his house, his dog, his wife. If you want to remain there, you will help me."

"I don't have any money, Drake."

"Izzy?" They both looked to see Dayton and Derek step into their sight. Derek had a feral look about him as he stopped inches from his brother. Dayton looked

between the two. "Is everything okay?"

She broke her brother's grasp and shoved him away. "Yeah, everything's fine." She leaned in to him this time. "Don't forget, Drake. I took judo. I can kick your ass any time you come at me. I dare you to." He stared at her as he seethed. When he lost his temper it was like talking to a brick wall. "Get out of here, Drake." She waited until he was gone before turning to the other two. "Hey, guys."

"Who was that?" Derek asked.

"That was my brother. Drake."

"The brother you said you haven't seen in three years?" Dayton asked. She nodded. "Why is he here?"

"The same reason he always shows up at a family's place. He wants money. He's a drug addict. If he can't get money from Mom or Dad or Gran he steals it. If he can't steal it, he'll sell anything of value. Four years ago he sold Gran's 24 karat sapphire engagement ring for half a million. Mom was so furious she kicked him out then he laid into me. That was the last time I saw him. He gave me this." She turned around and lifted her shirt. There was a pale scar going along her back right above her hipbones. "He shoved me through the glass doors going out through the balcony.'

"And he didn't go to jail?"

"Even though he was twenty-three and I was twenty-two, my parents didn't want to press chargers. They just took me to the hospital to get stitched up."

"And you haven't seen him since then?" Derek asked.

She shook her head. "No, I haven't. I heard from my mom the other day that he had come around asking for money and she told him no. I don't know what happened after that." She ran her hand through her hair. "This is all fine and dandy, but what are you doing here?"

Derek smiled cheekily. "Well, I'm here for lunch. Toph's home in bed and refuses to leave until she quits throwing up and Dayton's here to return your pot that he's had for a week."

Her attention was on the other brother. "Don't you have to work?"

Dayton flushed slightly, putting extra color in his already flushed cheeks. It was hot outside but then again it could have been from the anger that was still evident. He held the pot up for show. "I'm on lunch break. Derek called this morning and asked if we could do lunch. I figured I'd bring it by when I came in."

She cast her eyes to Derek who simply shrugged in response. He was no help. She reached out for the pot and their hands collided. She jerked back instantly and stared at him.

Taking a deep breath she let out a shuttered breath. "Look. I got to work. Thanks for the pot. I'll see you later." She turned on her heel and headed back into the back.

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Izzy rubbed her head as she unlocked the door to the loft. Derek and Tophyr were gone for the night to the Upper East Side to visit Tophyr's parents, leaving her at the loft alone. If she knew the Starks, Ireland hadn't gone out since noon when Derek took him on a walk.

Sure enough as soon as the door swung open the Irish setter was all over her with his leash in his mouth. She calmed him long enough to go change from her black skirt and white button up to a pair of shorts and a tank. It had gotten hotter as the day went on and since she was going outside there was no need for the sweater she had been wearing in the café.

Once Ireland was hooked to his leash, she left the loft again, this time with only her cell phone, wallet and keys. Ireland tugged on the leash as they got into the elevator. He must really have to pee if he was tugging that hard. She held on tight and waited patiently as the elevator descended. When the doors opened, he tugged her out and through the open glass doors.

The dog knew the way to the park so she let him lead. Now that they were outside he was calmer. He trotted beside her, tongue lolling to one side after he'd take a breath. He was really a good dog until he had to pee. Then he became a raging bull trying to get out of the apartment.

Izzy unhooked the leash once they arrived at the dog park. Ireland bolted for the nearest tree and relieved himself quite happily. She watched as he flopped down and rolled in the grass, content to have the late afternoon sun fall on his red fur. An idea popped in her head as she watched him. It made her wish she brought her notebook with her so she could write it down.

"I figured you'd be here." She turned at the voice. Dayton smiled as he walked up to her. Dublin's leash was wrapped around his wrist twice to keep it from dragging the ground. "When Derek told me he took Tophyr to her parents' so they could tell them the good news, I figured you'd pop up here with Ireland."

"They didn't take him out before they left. It fell to me, naturally," she replied. She heard him rustling some papers behind her. A blue page came in her view and she naturally turned towards it. "What's this?"

"It's the name of a publishing house my mother fundraises for. It gives college students a chance to make a name for themselves. Take a look at it and see what it can do. You might be able to get some of your work published."

She looked at him. "Why did you bring this to me?"

"Because you're always writing, even on your breaks." He held up his hand when she opened her mouth to speak. "I see you when I come in. I don't say anything because it would make you think I'm stalking you or something so I sit in one of the corners. You always carry a notebook around with you. You really take this serious so I thought I'd help you out with your dream."

She looked at him calmly as she tried to figure out what his motive was. He was Derek's older brother so that meant he was rich. But he was different than his parents, just like his brother. He wasn't a big shot lawyer, not like his parents wanted him to be. Instead he was a simple paralegal. He enjoyed his work, as was obvious by the way he worked.

Ireland came barreling back to her, skidding to a stop at her side. He tossed his head into her hip as his tongue lolled to the side as she hooked his leash. He looked like he was smiling. Dublin stopped by Dayton who simply linked the leash back on his collar. He smiled and turned away. She had to stop him.

"Dayton?" He turned around with his eyebrow quirked. "Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?"

His answering smile was dazzling. "That'd be great. What are we having?'

"I was thinking lasagna. It's in the fridge. All I got to do is warm it up and it's ready to go."

"If it tastes like that soup you made me when I was sick, I'd be glad to sample it. For culinary reasons of course."

She laughed at him as she led him back to the loft. The dogs nipped and yipped at each other. She watched as they tangled their leashes together then untangled them. Every time they did it they yanked Dayton and Izzy together. Leave the dogs to be match makers.

They came to the apartment after an interesting ride in the elevator. The dogs were bouncing every which way in the small confines and making the thing jerk. Finally it came to a stop on the fifth floor and they piled out. Izzy took her time unlocking the door so it gave her a little time to think. Once inside the dogs were loosed and took off in the back bedroom, leaving the humans to fend for themselves.

Dayton watched Izzy move about the kitchen with some kind of new energy. She pulled the aluminum container out of the fridge and dished out enough for two helpings on each plate then placed them in the microwave to warm up. She pulled two drinks from the fridge and slid them down the counter to him. She was in her element.

"Is this homemade or store bought?" he asked.

"I never buy anything in the store. I always make it by hand. This took me about two hours, prep and cook. I like to cook and that's pretty much what your brother and sister-in-law pay me for," she replied. The microwave beeped and she pulled out the plates. "Here you go."

Dayton didn waste any time. He dug in and the look on his face was that of heaven.

"You're a better cook than Derek."

"Derek doesn't cook."

"I know." She laughed at him then dug into her meal as well. "When are you going to read that paper?"

"When you quit harping on it. I want it to be my own decision. Not one you make for me. I've already told you that writing is my passion. I won't let anyone take that from me."

"I don't want to take that from you. I want to help you gain that on your own but I'd like to help some way. Anyway I can actually."

"Well, I think you've helped quite a bit."

He smiled. "I'd like to think so."

They ate in silence after that. When all was said and done, they ventured to the living room and sat to watch a little TV. Izzy was so tired she didn't realize that her head fell against Dayton as she fell asleep. It didn't help that he was running his fingers through her hair. That also put her to sleep. Once her eyes were closed she forgot the world.