Disclaimer: I don't own them...

Thank you SunflowerFran3759 for betaing/pre-reading this for me

Isabella:

Los Angeles

It was almost spring. Business has been steady at our firm in Los Angeles, but the change of season would mean other areas would start picking up as well.

Maybe I'd get sent away on an assignment. Or maybe I should just take a vacation and escape for a little while. Deciding this was a somewhat good plan, I walked down the hall to my brother's office.

"Hey, Jasper," I said, knocking on his door.

"Hey, darlin', what's up?" He smiled, before looking back at his computer. I love that he still had a slight Texas accent after all these years.

I slumped in the chair across from his desk, slipped off my heels and tucked my feet underneath me. "I think I need a break."

He stopped typing and looked over at me, his eyes filled with concern. "A break?"

"I'm drowning, Jas," I said quietly, and bit my lip trying to keep my tears at bay.

My brother stood up and kneeled in front of me and I continued.

"Just for a little while. I just need a break, from everything. I was in Long Beach last week going over the plans for that tattoo parlor on 2nd Street," he nodded, knowing what I was talking about. "And a guy walked in, talking about the waves at Huntington that morning. When I turned around, it was Alex's best friend, Peter. It was so awkward, Jasper. He didn't know what to say to me, and I cut my meeting with the owner short so I could get out of there."

A tear slipped down my cheek. "Please? Just a couple of weeks, or maybe just send me somewhere, anywhere."

My brother's blue eyes were moving back and forth between mine. I don't know what he was looking for, but he sighed and nodded. My brother understood what this gift did to me. Most of the time, I was okay, but when I was not okay, Jasper was the one who put me back together.

"I have a restoration project in South Carolina. I was going to see if you were interested," he smiled softly. "I had a feeling this was coming."

He pulled a file off of his desk and handed it to me. "Emmett has the appointment set up for the eleventh of February. Why don't you finalize the plans for the place on 2nd Street, and then we can transition it over to Ben. I'll have Jessica set up your travel arrangements. I'll talk to Dad in a little while; let him know what's going on. Expect a call from Renee," he said, with a raised eyebrow.

"Thanks, Jas."

"Honey, you're my sister and I love you. I just want you to start feeling like yourself again. Alex is a great guy, but he isn't the only guy. Your heart just needs some time to heal, and I think this trip will be good for you."

Let's hope so. I stand up and hug my brother tightly. "Love you, Jas."

"Love you, too, baby girl. Alright, move your britches, there's work to be done."

I laugh, "Britches?"

He laughs, "I'm just missing Texas, sweet cheeks. Now get to steppin'."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled. "You are so weird."

A week later, I'm sitting on an airplane on my way to Charleston, South Carolina. We have a satellite office there, and Emmett McCarty is currently in charge.

I smile as I think of Emmett. He has been Jasper's best friend since middle school. We moved to L.A. from Texas, so Phil, my stepdad, could open up another office. Our Texas office always handled all of the business that came in from the southern states. But recently, it's gotten to be too much for our dad to travel all over the country. So he opened a satellite office in South Carolina to help with the load. If it continues to profit, and our name can compete with the established architecture and design firms already in the area, he will expand and make it permanent.

Emmett has had great success so far, and I've seen that things will work out for the business. It will be slow, but steady and successful.

One thing I've always appreciated, my family never asks me questions. They never ask me to look for things. They feel like it is taking advantage of my gift, abusing it. The gift skipped my mother, but Grandma Marie told me to be cautious and don't use if for personal gain. It's a surefire way to invite trouble into our lives. And I've lived by this.

a/n: I have one more going up...Let me know what you guys think :)