Turn It On: Turner Twins, Book 1 by Vivian Arend Page B

in the house without the system up and running for any longer than necessary. Especially since someone had already broken in.
    “Things worked out well and we’re done. I’ll see you…at five? I’ll be there with the crew.”
    She agreed and he headed to Carl’s room with a lighter step than before.
    “Hello, Ryan.”
    Carl stared at the wall beside him as Ryan shrugged out of his coat. “Hey, buddy. How are you today?”
    “Good. I want to show you something.” Carl wheeled over to his desk and lifted a…thing…into the air.
    Ryan stepped closer and tried to figure out what it was. “Interesting.”
    “I made it.”
    “Right on.” Still uncertain what the object was, Ryan figured the effort was worth something.
    “For you.”
    Ryan nodded slowly. “That’s very considerate. Thanks.”
    Carl put it back on the desk and wheeled to his bookcase. He pulled out a familiar story they’d read a thousand times already. Ryan struggled with the thoughts racing through his mind. It was difficult to go from wanting nothing to do with family to being the only family a person had. He had come to care for the youth. Hell, he certainly felt responsible for him, but he didn’t quite know how to do this sibling thing yet.
    And now with Maxine… Ryan was drawn to her, in spite of her relatives controlling so much of her life. She was attempting to spread her wings, and he’d love to be the one to help her explore the world outside Turner Territory, as she called it.
    But he refused to allow his growing connection with Carl to suffer. The tightness in his shoulders increased. He couldn’t bring Maxine to see Carl without worrying about the repercussions if things didn’t end up long term with her. Somehow he suspected if he mentioned Carl she’d want to meet him and that was impossible right now. Even talking about Carl seemed totally unfair to Maxine, who needed another responsibility like she needed a hole in the head.
    As much as he wished he could mesh the two areas of his life where his heart and mind were focused, he couldn’t see any way to make a balance that wouldn’t hurt someone in the end. Between wanting to do what was right by Carl and wanting Max— fuck it .
    He accepted the book Carl offered and sat back to finish his visit. He’d try to come up with a solution another day, right now it was Franklin time again.

    Ryan was on his way out the door when one of Carl’s regular caregivers caught him. “I need to speak to you.”
    They sat in the small reception room at the front of the home, cheerful pictures and bright pillows contrasting with the gloomy expression on Shannon’s face. She hemmed and hawed a few times then sighed. “I’m sorry to tell you I’ve given my notice. I’ll be leaving in two weeks.”
    The pit in Ryan’s stomach yawned deeper. “I thought you were on a four-year contract.”
    She shrugged. “I’ve had to break it. I realize this is going to be troublesome, but I have no choice. We’ll do the best we can in the next two weeks to prepare Carl for my departure in the hopes he will be able to handle the change better this time.”
    Ryan eased open his fists, fighting the tension that had wrapped around him instantaneously at her words. “I made special arrangements that all caregivers for Carl were to be long term and committed. Do you understand what your leaving is going to do to him?”
    Shannon frowned. “Mr. Claymore, I understand the issues Carl faces better than you, but I also have personal commitments. I regret the trouble my departure will cause, but this is the best I can do. Over the next weeks Marie will do a co-shift with me to allow Carl to get used to her presence—”
    “So that when Marie decides to up and leave she can tear my brother in two as well.”
    The nurse stood. “I’m sorry. There’s nothing further that I can say that will make this any easier. I’ve become attached to Carl, as I have to all my patients, and I never intended to hurt