She was perfection. And Christ, the way that blush crept up her neck and her heartbeat increased when he was near ... He shook his head, he was going to have to have her soon or he wasn’t going to get any work done for the foreseeable future.
For the rest of the drive, he fantasized every possible way he could bend her over the staircase he had so carefully measured. It needed breaking in, after all.
As he pulled into the parking lot of AdamsMade, he could see Cruz standing in the door looking relieved and worried at the same time.
“What’s up, man?” he asked when his friend held the door out for him. “Everything okay?”
“It’s my sister,” he said darkly. “She got into some sort of fight; she’s being held down at the police station right now. I need to go get her, but I didn’t want to leave without ...”
“Go,” Mason told him, cursing Veronica under his breath. She never gave her brother a minute of peace.
“Thank you,” he breathed, dashing around looking for his keys.
“You know you don’t have to wait for me. The shop could have been closed for a while, it would have been okay.”
“I know, man.” Cruz stuffed his phone in his back pocket, his face creased with worry and irritation. “And I appreciate it, but I need to keep some sort of normalcy.” He stopped his movements and ran a hand over his face. “That probably sounds crazy, right?”
“Not at all.” Mason put a supportive hand on his shoulder. “Now, get over there and let me know if you need anything. I can be there quick.”
Cruz gave him his half-smile, but he looked defeated. “Thanks, I will.” And took off toward the door cursing his sister in Spanish the entire way.
Mason could only hope she hadn’t gotten in too much trouble. She was rebelling hard, and every time Cruz thought they made some progress, she would go and get in trouble again. He prayed she would get her head together before something went truly wrong. He didn’t think Cruz could handle any more loss.
Turning up the bell on the front door so he could hear it open from the back, he went into the workroom, greeted the other guys that were hard at work, and started sketching out ideas for the bannister. Seeing Gabi’s dance moves had inspired a completely unique baluster design he was dying to bring to life.
Chapter 6
Gabi
“Ugh,” Kylie groaned. “Why do I let you talk me into these things? My body does not stretch this way.”
Gabi laughed as her friend tried and failed desperately at the camel pose.
“And my boobs are too big,” she complained.
The yoga instructor gave them an irritated look, and Gabi fell backward with the giggles. She loved yoga, she had done it for years, but Kylie wanted nothing to do with it. It had taken the promise of pizza and beer afterward to get her to even set foot out of the door.
She could go alone, but it was way more fun watching Kylie struggle.
“Shh,” Kylie warned her with a serious look and then fell into a heap of her own laughter.
They giggled all the way through the rest of class and all the way to the pizza place down the street.
“I don’t get yoga,” Kylie announced as they walked, her rolled mat bouncing at her side. “It’s quiet, I barely move, and it’s still too hard for me.”
“That’s because you don’t really focus.”
Kylie gave her a pointed look. “Oh, like you were so focused in there.”
Gabi laughed. “That was your fault. Your camel pose is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“All I’m good at is the cow pose.”
“Oh, stop,” she said, pulling open the door to their favorite deep-dish pizza restaurant. “You’re pretty good at Shavasana.”
Kylie giggled. “That’s my favorite one.”
As soon as they were seated and had beers in their hands, the girls stretched their legs out and made themselves comfortable.
“I don’t know why we haven’t thought of wearing yoga clothes here before,” Kylie pointed out, patting her nonexistent belly. “More room for food.”
“Plus, think of all the calorie you burned from your workout.”
“Hey,” she countered playfully, “I’m sure I burned at least ten, which means”—she took a sip of her beer—“I can have another one of these.”
Gabi laughed and took a drink of her own. “Oh, by the way, I ran into Mason at the Finch house today.”
“What?” Kylie looked both shocked and affronted Gabi hadn’t told her sooner. “What are you talking about?”
Gabi took a deep breath. “Apparently, Mrs. Finch gave him a key and he came in for some measurements while I was there testing paint samples.”
Kylie set her beer down and gave Gabi her full attention. “All of it, I want all of the details.”
“Well, I think I decided on the paint color.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Gabi, I don’t care about the color and you know it. You’re just trying to torture me.”
That, or avoid describing the fool she had made out of herself. She wouldn’t be telling Kylie at all if her friend wasn’t so good at finding out information. And then she would be hurt. So she took another deep breath, spun her glass of beer around, and looked up.
“I made the biggest fool out of myself,” she started with a whine. “He has to think I’m a lunatic.”
Kylie’s eyes widened with delight. “I’m sure you didn’t, and I’m sure he doesn’t, but come on, details, woman!”
She made a pained face and recounted the scene to her friend, who drank up every detail like it was white wine. Kylie was literally on the edge of her seat.
“He touched you?” she asked, setting her beer down, her eyes huge.
“Barely,” she answered, “he just brushed a piece of my hair off my shoulder. It was nothing.” But it wasn’t. It was everything, and the only thing she had thought about since the moment it happened. The thought of that gentle motion still made her stomach swirl with delight.
“Nothing?” Kylie shook her head. “I’ve known Mason for three years and I’ve never seen him do anything remotely like that. Handshake, friendly hug, maybe. But nothing untoward, nothing so intimate.”
The word “intimate” made her shiver, but she shook Kylie’s protestations from her mind. She didn’t need to think she was special. And she definitely didn’t need to entertain any sort of relationship with Mason.
“Oh my God, I wish I could read your thoughts right now, Gabi. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so red, and that is saying something.”
Giving up with a sigh, she sank back against the booth and shook her head. “It just isn’t fair.”
“What?”
“That a man that handsome can just walk around Chicago without some sort of warning or at least someone to hand out sunglasses so your retinas don’t burn out.”
Kylie giggled. “I told you he was hot.”
“You didn’t lie,” she admitted and stared down into her beer. She hadn’t been this turned on by a man in ... well, ever. And that was upsetting in and of itself.
Kylie sat up, always adept at knowing when to change the topic. “Did I tell you Grant texted me today?”
“No!” It was her turn to be irritated that she had waited this long to tell her. “When? What did he say?”
She shrugged, but Gabi knew what this text meant to her friend. They had met Grant and a few of his friends at a bar a few weeks back and Kylie had fallen instantly for the tall, blonde attorney.
But she had played it cool—a skill Gabi had never acquired. So cool, in fact, they thought he would never text her. She squealed on her behalf.
“He just said hi and that he was thinking of me.” She tried to keep the smile from her face but failed, and ended up beaming like a child on Christmas morning.
She leaned forward. “Did he ask you out?”
“Not yet,” she said proudly, “I haven’t even answered him.”
“Oh my God, Kylie, how do you do it? I
would have texted back immediately.”
She laughed. “It hasn’t been easy—she motioned toward the beer—“ but this is helping.”
“I’m happy for you,” Gabi told her friend. And she was, but she couldn’t help wonder if she could keep it as cool if it were Mason texting her. She doubted very much that she could.
Mason
Mason took a deep breath as he bounded up the steps to his childhood home. His mother had the whole family over for dinner the first Sunday of every month, and there was hell to pay via disappointed sighs and pointless phone calls if he missed.
He really didn’t mind it usually; he loved his mother and spending time with his brothers and Lu, but ever since his mother’s boyfriend, Steve, had started coming around, things were a little tense. Actually, a lot.
Thank God for Lu and Seb—they adored Steve and could keep the conversation going while he and Dom vied for the biggest scowl award.
He understood how Dom felt; they had discussed it a hundred times. They both knew they were being childish and overprotective, but neither could find a way to stop acting like total douchebags whenever the man was around. It was better each time, but by infinitesimal degrees.
He opened the front door to the enticing scent of his mother’s amazing ham, and he grinned. If nothing else, at least he would feast like a king tonight.
“Mason,” his mother cooed, coming from the kitchen, all decked out in a casual but stylish pink outfit. She grabbed each of his cheeks and planted a huge kiss in the middle of his forehead before crushing him in a hug that was surprisingly strong for such a small woman. “It’s so good to see you. You look so good.”
He hugged her back. “It’s good to see you too, Mom. I like your new haircut.”
“You do?” she asked, stepping back and swinging her shorter blonde locks from side to side. “I think it’s fun.”
“It is fun,” he told her.
She beamed, and he had to admit she was infinitely happier since Steve came around. It was hard to ignore the way she glowed. “Come on”—she motioned toward the kitchen—“everyone’s here except Seb; he texted to say he is running just a little behind.”
No real shock there. He shook his head and followed his mother into the warm kitchen.
Steve stood up the second he saw him and held his hand out to shake. Dom had always said he looked like he had just walked off a Just For Men commercial, and it was so spot-on, he had to stifle a chuckle every time he saw him.
“Steve,” he said as warmly as he could, shaking his hand. “How are you?”
“Good, good,” he said, seeming genuinely happy to see him. “Wish I could say the same for the Yankees.” He winked.
That drew a groan from everyone at the table, even Lu. This was a house of die-hard Cubs fans and Steve was walking a fine line.
“You wait 108 years for a World Series win and then see if we feel bad for you,” Dom threw at him.
Steve just chuckled and sat back down.
“Hi, Mason,” Lu said with a smile, trying to cut the tension between Steve and her fiancé.
He adored Lula, she was possibly the coolest chick he had ever met, and he had no idea how Dom ended up so lucky. He grinned. “Hey, Lu, how are you?” He nodded a greeting to his brother.
“I’m good,” she said, happily, her hand sliding onto Dom’s thigh like it was its home.
“Enjoying summer break?” he asked as he took a seat.
“Completely,” she said at the same time Dom said “Fuck yes.” They were the hardest-working, most dedicated teachers he knew, and they fully deserved a summer off.
“Sleeping in every day and sex whenever we want,” Dom said, wiggling his eyebrows, and Lula nudged him hard in the side.
“Dominic James,” their mother scolded from where she was checking the ham. “Mind your manners.”
“Sorry, Mom. Sorry, Lu,” he said, but looked anything but.
“Lula and I have been working hard on wedding plans and decorations,” his mother announced. “Everything is going to be just lovely.”
His mother and Lula had developed a close relationship that both women derived enormous satisfaction from. Katherine had never had a daughter to do girly things with and Lula had zero family left. It was as if the universe had brought Lula to Dom for more than one reason.
He loved that for both of them.
“We were wondering,” Lula started, looking at him a little sheepishly, “if you would mind building us an archway for the ceremony. We would totally pay for all the supplies and work and I would—”
He cut her off, “Don’t you dare try to pay me, it would be my pleasure.” He looked at Dom with irritation that they would even suggest payment.
He put his hands up. “Hey, I told her you wouldn’t want anything, but she never listens to me.”
She looked at him with a pout and he kissed it off.
“The party can start now,” Seb announced, breezing through the door with a grin and greeted everyone. He kissed his mother on the cheek. “Sorry I’m late.”
“Yeah,” Mason said, slightly amused, “it’s just sooo unlike you.”
Dom chuckled. “Rare indeed.”
Even Lu shook her head. Mason assumed his lack of punctuality had something to do with his carefully constructed “cool guy” persona that passed in his music world but everyone in the room knew it was bunk.
“Hey,” Seb countered, he grabbed a beer from the fridge and plopped into a chair, “I got called to record a track for a rock album, I can’t help it if everyone wants me.”
Mason groaned.
“Ooh,” Lula piped up, “what band?” She was a huge jazz fan and a talented singer herself. Also, the only one that could make any sense of Seb’s music babble.
Seb grinned and leaned forward. “It was just a backing track for Hawthorne.”
“Hawthorne?” Lu cried. “I love them. How were they to work with?”
He shrugged. “I just met the singer; he was pretty cool, I guess. He was happy with the track. Of course.”
“Oh, of course,” Dom said with a roll of his eyes. Even though he had a ring on Lu’s finger, it still completely irritated him when she fawned over Seb’s accomplishments.
Mason thought it was hilarious.
Seb downed the beer and eyed Dom. “Is that jealousy I hear? The wild, wild world of education and historical research just isn’t exciting enough for you?’
Dom stretched back in his chair with a confident smile. “Dude, I’ve got a hot babe who’s somehow agreed to marry me and a published book that made it onto the bestseller list. There is nothing you have that I want.”
Lula blushed adorably, and Seb rolled his eyes.
“Time to eat,” their mother interrupted, setting the ham on the table.
Everyone oohed and dug in.
The conversation was lively as usual. Steve skirted the outside of topics, having learned by now what reactions he would get from whom simply by speaking. Dom and Mason almost always had a dead-eyed stare ready to send his way.
His mother and Lula regaled everyone about the wedding decorations they had been working on, and Seb downed beer after beer.
Dom shared a look with Mason in acknowledgment of their mutual concern.
They were going to have to talk to Seb about it soon, and it was the very last thing he wanted to do.
After dessert and way more hugs than he needed in his lifetime, the night was at an end.
He followed Dom and Lu out the door, watching the way she clung to his arm and leaned her head onto his shoulder.
For a fleeting moment—a very fleeting moment—he wondered what it would be like to have that kind of relationship.
He laughed out loud a second later. Suffocating. It would be abso-fucking-lutely suffocating.
Chapter 7
Gabi
“Hey, Dad,” Gabi said, trying to balance her phone on her shoulder while she worked on some last-minute designs at the office. “What’s up?
”
“Gabi Rae,” he said happily, making her smile. It may have been her dad, but at least there was someone in her life that was thrilled to talk to her. “How’s my girl today?”
“I’m good,” she told him, truthfully. Mrs. Finch had signed off on the designs for the kitchen just this morning. “I think things are finally moving forward with the Finch house.”
“That’s wonderful news, ladybug. I’m so proud of you.”
She smiled wider. “Thanks, Dad. How have you been?”
“Oh, can’t complain, you know the insurance world. It’s a wild ride.”
She laughed.
“Actually, I just wanted to hear your voice,” he added sadly. “It’s been so quiet around here without you stopping by.”
Her heart twinged. She missed her father so much it hurt, but getting out of St. Louis for a fresh start had been paramount. “I miss you too, Dad,” she said softly, turning her full attention to the phone call. “You’re still coming to visit next week, right?”
“I wouldn’t miss it. I can’t wait for that Chicago-style pizza.”
She laughed. “Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask, the Cardinals are going to be in town while you’re here, wanna catch a game?”
He was silent for a moment. “Gabi Rae, how can you ask me such a thing? Of course I would, I’ve always wanted to see Wrigley Field.”
The excitement in his voice made her happy. “I’ll grab the tickets,” she told him and laughed while he whooped in the background. He deserved some happiness, no matter how small. He had been raising Gabi alone since her mother died when she was a toddler. It hadn’t always been easy for him, but he had been the very best father she could have asked for.
If only she could convince him to find a woman to date now and again so he wouldn’t be so alone ... She had stopped pushing that idea years ago when he flatly refused.
“Ope, I have a call coming in,” he said. “Got to go, love you, Gabs.”
“Love you too, Dad. Thanks for calling.”
Gabi went back to her design, smiling to herself until she remembered that Mrs. Finch had told her she had asked Mason to craft the specially designed cabinets for the kitchen. Which seemed a little over the top.
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