Hold It Close (MacAteer Brothers Book 3)

by ML Nystrom

  She giggled. “He’s sooo cute, isn’t he?”

  The nurse finished making her notes. “I’m guessing you meant the man. Yes, he is. Get some rest while you can, and I’ll see you in an hour or so.”

  Garrett left the building and walked slowly to his truck. He waved to the guardian at the help desk on his way out. She didn’t wave back.

  The drive to Bertie’s place didn’t take as long as it did to get to the hospital. Pal got up from his spot on the porch, barking joyfully and spinning in exuberant doggie circles. Garrett petted the excited animal as he unlocked the cottage door. Bertie kept the dog food in one lower cupboard, and Garrett filled the bowl with dry kibble. Pal jumped on it and began crunching through as Garrett filled the water bowl as well.

  “Gonna have to rough it tonight, Pal. Bertie’s out partying at the hospital.”

  His glance hit the clock on the wall. It was later than he thought. Fatigue hit him, and he slumped over to lean on the counter. “Long day, my friend. What do you say I just crash here since I have to come back in the morning anyway?”

  Pal whined once and cocked his head at Garrett’s question. The dog shook himself from head to toe and trotted to the couch.

  “No, Pal. That’s my spot tonight.” Garrett briefly thought about sleeping on the one bed in the place, but decided if he ever did, it would be with Bertie next to him. He nearly changed his mind thirty minutes later after he tried to fit his frame on the small piece of furniture.

  Pal snuffled around the room before flumping down on the rug near the fireplace. The dog gave a huge sigh.

  “Me too, Pal. Me too.”

  Suddenly, Pal jumped up and ran to the front door, barking and snapping. Garrett got up. “What the hell is your problem, you crazy mutt?”

  He snapped the leash on Pal’s collar. “I don’t want to have to chase your ass through the woods while you tear after a raccoon or something.”

  The dog strained against the leash as Garrett opened the door and stepped onto the porch. “See, dumbass? Nothing out here.”

  Pal whined a few more times, sneezed violently, and then trotted back in the house. Garrett closed up and saw the dog waiting with his eyes on the treat jar.

  “Oh, I guess you think you deserve something for guarding the house against the wind?”

  Pal’s ears came forward at Garrett’s question, then his head ping-ponged again to the jar.

  Garrett gave in. “Crazy mutt.”

  The figure in the woods raged on the way back to the black SUV. Bitch should have been hurt bad. Bitch should have been killed. Bitch should be dead. The plan had been to cause a bad wreck and then let her die or go finish the job if the wreck wasn’t severe enough. Interference from the farmer had stymied that plan, and the hospital was too public. The backup plan was to wait to see if she got released and came home. Garrett came instead and looked to be camping out in her place for the night.

  The figure entered the vehicle and screamed in frustrated rage at being thwarted. “Bitch gonna pay! Bitch gonna fucking die!”

  Sixteen

  “Oy, what do you think you’re doing?”

  I turned slightly from my precarious perch on the step stool. “I’m painting the trim, that’s what. You said you hated doing that part, and for some reason, I love it. I’ll paint the trim and the crown molding. You do the walls and the ceiling. That’s fair.”

  Garrett shook his head. “You have more paint on you than the trim. You also hired me for the whole job, not part of one.”

  I blew him a raspberry. “Then if I’m the boss, I can change my mind and paint the trim if I want.”

  “Stubborn wench.”

  “Mule.”

  “If I had the receipt, I’d return you to the store.”

  I grinned. “No, you wouldn’t. You’d miss me too much.”

  He grinned back. “Yeah, I would. Seriously, though, should you be up on a ladder? I don’t know anything about concussions, but I’m thinking that’s not a good idea.”

  “It’s a step stool, not a ladder, and I’m fine. No dizziness, nausea, or anything like that. Stop hovering. I had to get after Jodie about that already. She’s been treating me like a glass vase with a crack in it.”

  “I bet if Jodie found a cracked vase, she’d throw it out and get another one with a guarantee and warranty.”

  I laughed and stepped down to admire my work. “You’re probably right. She might even let the manufacturer know they should be developing non-crack glass. How does it look?”

  “Nice. Real nice.”

  The pale blue walls were just dark enough to contrast with the cream-colored trim. My plans for the décor in this room would be white wicker furniture and a patchwork quilt with floral and white squares. Other rooms had other themes and colors picked out, and all of them were coming together beautifully.

  “Hungry?” I posed the question as I peeled paint off my hands.

  “I could eat.”

  Mmmm, I bet you can. I mentally shook myself. Whenever I got around Garrett, my mind always went there, and I had to stifle it before I said something that would get me in trouble. He had become very solicitous after the accident, and I had gotten used to his presence. It had been five days since my car fiasco and my hospital stay. Garrett came over every night to check on me and ended up eating dinner and watching TV. Pal spent more time hanging around Garrett than he did with me. More often than not, if Garrett sat down, Pal would be next to him or draped across his lap. “Crazy Mutt” had become Pal’s other name.

  He offered a hand to help me down from the step stool. It was unnecessary, but I took it anyway. “I picked up some roast beef deli meat and fresh pumpernickel yesterday. Bought chips too. It’s not fancy, but it’s filling.”

  “I don’t need fancy. Just fuel.”

  Back at my cottage, I made sandwiches and put them on paper towels instead of plates. “I keep the extra Arby’s Horsey sauce packets if you want any on your sandwich.”

  “Sounds good.” Garrett examined my kitchen window. “You’re losing a lot of heat,” he remarked as he fingered a glass panel. “These need reglazing or replacing.” He turned to me as I placed the food on my little bistro table. “What are your plans for this place once you get the inn up and running?”

  “I don’t know yet. You have a suggestion?”

  “Several, but it depends on how much you want to spend.”

  I smiled. “What if there wasn’t any budget and you spent what you wanted?”

  He took a big bite of the thick sandwich and thought for a minute while he chewed. “How much acreage is with this property?”

  “Fifteen and a quarter.”

  He stopped chewing. “Come again? I thought you said you had a few acres.”

  “The property lines are cut up funny. They extend to the other side of those woods behind this cottage. The open field next to the big house goes down to a pond. There’s another building back there, but it’s not much more than a shack.”

  “That’s a lot of land.”

  I took a bite of my own sandwich. “Yes, but much of it can’t really be used. The flattest part is the field. The rest is all hills and woods. I thought about maybe stocking the pond with trout so guests can go fishing. Maybe get some ducks to live there. What do you think?”

  “I’ve never been fishing. I’d like to see it though.”

  “My other thought is maybe make one of those outdoor escape adventure games through the woods. You know? The ones where people have puzzles to solve to get keys to boxes and win flags?”

  Garrett laughed and tossed a chip into his mouth. “I’ve heard of them but never seen one. My family didn’t do vacations. Only time off I’ve ever really had was after the family business broke up. Owen and I stuck together and worked a lot of freelance jobs. I’ve been to the beach, the mountains, and a lot of places for work, but didn’t get a lot of leisure time or vacation. I never did the childhood trip to Disney World, learned to fish, or did adventure puzz
les.”

  That plucked at my heartstrings. I found myself tearing up for the man who never got to be a kid. “I’m so sorry, Garrett. Do you resent missing out on so much?”

  He shrugged and lifted his glass of sweet iced tea. “I’m not sure you can miss what you don’t know, but I’ll say I’m not opposed to exploring the possibilities. You ever go fishing?”

  “A few times with my grandfather. He didn’t make me clean them, or else I probably wouldn't have done it. I’ve never been someone who likes to stick their hands in cold fish guts.” I finished the last of my sandwich and brushed the crumbs onto the paper towel. “If you promise to clean my fish for me, we can go sometime, but weather wise, it’s not something to do right now. There is an escape room place in Asheville I’d love to try out if you’re interested. An outdoor one is similar in that you have stuff to solve and obstacles to deal with.”

  “I thought I was supposed to take you dancing? And we need to have that second date sometime, too.”

  “St. Patrick’s Day is coming up. Take me dancing then. Let’s go to the escape room Friday night. What do you say?”

  He smiled and my stomach flipped. “That sounds like a plan. Escape room, eh? Research and fun.” He got up from the table and nearly tripped over Pal. “Oy, crazy mutt! I need to get back to work before the boss lady gives me a bad review or docks my pay.” He winked at me before sauntering out the door. Pal woofed once before following him.

  I watched him leave, then let out a slow breath. My attraction to him might be turning into an obsession. I had a new toy now that I’d named My Irishman, and it had seen regular use. Garrett often occupied my thoughts while I used it. We conversed regularly, getting to know each other better and better. He talked about the closeness of his brothers and their antics over the years. I talked about my parents, who lived in an assisted living retirement community close to North Myrtle Beach. He told me about his sister, who lived not too far away with her biker husband and their four kids. All girls. I rambled about my sister and our childhood. He reminisced about living in an RV and working on the road for so many years. I recalled my years in college and grad school. The more I got to know him, the more I wanted to learn. The more I wanted to learn, the more I wanted Garrett in my life.

  “Bertie, you’re the biggest fool on the planet.”

  My phone chirped on the counter and I answered it without looking.

  “Hello, this is Bertie.”

  The last person on earth I ever expected was on the other end of the line.

  “Hi, Bertie. It’s Karl.”

  My semi-lustful state vaporized. “Um… Hi, Karl. Uh… What’s up?”

  “I got an insurance notice about a car accident. Are you okay? Do you need me to come up to Asheville?”

  “It wasn’t that bad. The car is totaled, and I had to get another one, but I’m fine. How did you get a notice?”

  “The insurance company still has your home address here. You sure you’re okay? Mild concussion, bruised ribs, minor whiplash. I got worried and decided to call.”

  I hadn’t talked to or heard from Karl since the bomb he dropped on me New Year’s Eve. Now he was worried about me. I found this less endearing and more annoying.

  “I repeat, I’m fine. Though I’m not sure I appreciate you opening mail addressed to me.”

  “Forgot to check the name before I opened it.”

  I didn’t quite believe that, as I knew what kind of meticulous man he was. Still, with the big changes in his life, I supposed he might have slipped up.

  “Nothing for you to worry about it. Garrett’s taking care of me. How are Damaris and the baby?”

  “They’re fine. Who’s Garrett?”

  “He’s the construction manager I hired to restore and build my inn. He’s also a good friend.”

  “How good?”

  “Pardon?”

  “How good of a friend is he?”

  My annoyance fast turned into anger. “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

  He ignored me. “What’s his background? You’re vulnerable right now, Bertie, and I don’t want to see someone take advantage of you.”

  Oh, Karl, if only you knew how much I wanted him to take advantage of me! “I watch him work hard every day. He earns every penny.”

  “You’re there when he’s working? All alone?”

  “No, Pal is with us.”

  “Pal?”

  “My dog.”

  “Your dog?”

  “Karl, do you have a point to make? If so, please make it and refrain from repeating everything I say.”

  “You’ve changed.”

  That statement gave me pause. Had I changed? I had a new pathway in life, new home, new friends, but had that made me into someone else?

  “Not really, Karl. You may be seeing me with different eyes, but I’m the same Bertie that you married.”

  “No.” I pictured him shaking his head. “I know the Bertie I fell in love with and married. I… I….”

  I kept silent while he sputtered.

  “I miss her.”

  I didn’t expect that. “You have a new wife and child, Karl.”

  “Yes. My daughter is beautiful and precious to me, and I would give the world for her, but I miss my wife.”

  “You have a wife.”

  “I miss you, Bertie.”

  I could hear the regret in his tone, and I calmed. “We’ve chosen separate paths, Karl. I’ll never say our marriage was bad, but you know it wasn’t great either. You have a family now and a fresh start. You should be happy.”

  “I thought I would be. I’m not.”

  I sighed. “I’m sorry, Karl. I really am. I’m on my own journey, and you’ll have to find your own way. I hope you do.”

  The silence on the phone grew heavier. I heard a baby’s cry in the background.

  “Isabel is awake. I better go see to her. Damaris is taking a ‘me’ day, and I’ve got childcare until she comes home.”

  “Take care, Karl, I mean it.”

  “You too, Bertie. Mind if I call you again?”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Your wife may not like it much if she knows you’ve talked to your ex.”

  He grunted. “You’re probably right. Damaris doesn’t like a lot of things lately.”

  “Goodbye, Karl.”

  “Goodbye, Bertie.”

  As I hung up, Pal scratched to be let in again.

  “Might as well go hang with Garrett, Pal. I’m feeling the need to go out shopping for new craft paper.”

  Seventeen

  “Don’t drop the key! Don’t… ah… not again.”

  Of all the scenes I expected, being handcuffed back to back with Garrett in a locked room with only an hour to get free didn’t make the list.

  “It landed near my butt.”

  I brushed my fingers against his rear.

  “I said near my butt, not on my butt.” The humor in his voice had me laughing. “Not very good at this escape thing, are we?”

  “Not very. They have to let us go in an hour for the next group.”

  “I hope so. I don’t want to end up being discovered a hundred years from now, still handcuffed with the key next to my ass.”

  “I got it. Now where is it supposed to fit?”

  “Feel around for the hole.”

  “That’s your job.”

  “Christ.”

  I burst out laughing and nearly dropped the key again. “I don’t know about you, but I’m having a blast.”

  And I was. Garrett showed up at my place wearing his nice jeans, a dark green Henley, and his customary leather jacket. Very casual, but he still looked hot to me. I wore my skinny jeggings tucked into brown leather boots and an oatmeal-colored cowl neck sweater. I did my makeup subtle rather than siren. Dinner came in the form of burgers at Nick’s Diner and conversation about the yoga studio deadline for opening and Connor calling in their brothers Patrick and Angus to help. Now we found ourselves in our
present situation. Sitting on the floor of the locked escape room pretending to be hostage spies in another country.

  “Hey, the cuffs just clicked open.” I twisted my wrist and one cuff came loose. I unlooped myself from Garrett and stood up while unlocking the other cuff.

  He looked up at me from his seated position. “Great. Now we need to find the other key for my cuffs.”

  My grin said it all. “Hmmm… maybe I like you this way.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “Bertie, you’re an evil woman.”

  “And you’re enjoying every minute.”

  His eyes shone. “That I am. I still want these cuffs off, though. Maybe that shelf?”

  “In a minute.” I leaned down and put my lips to his. “I want to enjoy this part too.”

  He kissed me back, closemouthed. “Careful, Bertie. I may ask for a set of these for later. Fuzzy pink ones.”

  “Promises, promises. You’re all talk, Garrett. When do I see some action?”

  Flirting with him was soooo much fun! I poked around the room and found three keys behind the safe along with a set of numbers. None of the keys worked, and he growled. I laughed again. The numbers turned out to be the combination for a locked box that held another set of keys. This time one of them worked, and the cuffs fell off.

  “Finally. Now, let’s do this properly. You want action? You got it.” He stood up and put his hand to the back of my head, pulling me close and kissing me again. This time, his tongue teased the seam of my lips until I opened for him. Sparks zapped from my head to my toes. What is it about this man that turns me on so much? I made a noise in my throat and slanted to deepen the contact.

  “You have thirty minutes left to escape the hostage situation and find the hidden computer codes. The world is depending on you.” The disembodied voice broke us apart.

  “Thirty minutes left, eh? Your fault for dropping the key.”

  I feigned indignation. “My fault? No, it’s yours for being the hot male cuffed to me.”

  “I’d argue with you, but we still have a computer code to find.”