So far around town I’ve noticed but one place for sale. An older home that needs some serious restoration that would be way out of my budget. When I left New York, I left without a good chunk of my inheritance. My father cut me off when I went against his wishes.
“The property is set back a bit, lots of privacy, and the backyard if you walk about five minutes down the path leads to a secluded part of the lake with a private beach.” He turns down a dirt road, I would have missed it if I came myself because it’s hidden in the trees. Wow, he wasn’t kidding, this place is secluded.
Getting out of the truck before he makes it around to open my door, I see a plump older woman standing on the front porch of a huge farmhouse, practically jumping. “You must be Maisy. I’m Louise, Finnick’s mother.” Her blonde streaked with silver hair is cut in a fashionable bob that curls around her heart-shaped face.
Louise’s happy energy and broad smile is infectious.
“Nice to meet you.” I hold a hand out for her to shake, and she brushes it away, coming in for a hug. Oh my. I’ve heard that small town people are friendly, but I’ve never experienced it until now.
“None of that silly handshake stuff. We’re a town full of huggers.” She turns to look up at Finnick and gives him a wink, which has him shaking his head. “Now, let me take you inside to show you around before you sign anything and hand over money. No point in renting this place if you don’t like it.” She leads me to a two-story garage situated away from the house.
The tour doesn’t take long. One bedroom, one bath, a living room, a kitchen that is way nicer than I expected.
“What are you looking for as far as rent and what all is included?” I ask her when she drags me back to the kitchen grabbing the paperwork from Wilder and puts it on the marble countertop in front of me. “Four hundred a month, everything’s included, but anything extra like internet or cable you’ll have to hook up on your own or discuss it with my Finnick here.” That’s way too cheap. I almost feel like she’s downsizing what she wants me to pay.
I look to Wilder.
“Um, apartment is mine. Auden and I live in the house over there.” He hooks his thumb toward the window.
“Oh.”
“Is there a problem, dear?” Louise shoots me a smile that makes me wonder if she knows I slept with her son last night.
I glance over the lease, it’s month to month, which is perfect. Everything appears standard. “You have a pen?” she plops one on the paperwork and I get to filling all vital information out. I write out a check to cover the deposit and first month’s rent.
“Any questions?” Louise glances between the two of us.
“I’m good, I guess. It was nice to meet you.”
“You too, Maisy. I’m always around. My house is two driveways down on the left. I bring lunch most days to the office, but now with you there I suppose Finnick would rather you do that for him.” She smiles and gives me an over exaggerated wink before looking to her son.
Oh God. She knows we slept together.
“Why don’t you round up that brother of yours and some friends with trucks so we can help Maisy move in. We can have a party at my place.”
Wilder groans. “Mom, she has maybe two suitcases in her hotel room, she probably doesn’t need any help at all.”
I bite my lip. “Um. Is there a furniture store in town or nearby?”
“Oh yes, just the next town over in Santa Claus. Why do you ask?”
“I don’t have any furniture.”
“Oh well you leave that to me. Finn, dear. Your father and I have all that stuff in storage from where we change stuff out at the cabin. I just know it’d be perfect for Maisy.”
“How much shit we talking about?” Wilder asks bluntly, appearing annoyed.
His mother slaps him on the arm. “You shush, get on your phone and make some calls. Maybe call Bodie. That couch is heavy.” She looks to me and smiles while rolling her eyes.
“Well, I appreciate any help that can be given.” I don’t want to offend her. She seems to have her heart set on doing this for me. “I could have the party here that way I can say thank you to everyone by paying them in food and drinks?”
She waves me off. “No, no, dear. I’m sure the place will be a mess until you can unpack and everything. Let me throw it. I’ll call it a welcome to town party.” Then she lets out a squeal. “Oh, this is just wonderful. I can introduce you around, we have so many single men around here.”
“Mom,” Wilder growls out at her, glaring.
Putting her hands on her hips she glowers right back. “What?”
“No setting people up. You know we all hate that shit.”
Her brows go up. “Have you seen how stunning Maisy is? She needs a man, a good one. A handsome one. Oh my, the babies would be adorable.”
Wait, what? Babies? What on earth. My face grows hot as all color drains away. This town is crazy. His mom is a crackerjack, but I like her. She makes me smile a lot. I’ve never met anyone quite like her.
“No, put those boxes in the bedroom. Can’t you read, Branson?” Louise shakes her head then looks to me. “I swear he got all my looks but the brains of a rock.” Her lips tip into her big goofy smile then she lets out a laugh that sounds like a cackle. “Ha. Ha. Ha.” The woman is a riot. I can’t believe Wilder is even related to her.
The man is seriously so broody I think he might be hiding a stick up his ass.
“Now I noticed on your application you didn’t put down a phone number.”
“Oh, I don’t have a cell phone. I’m going to get a landline hooked up when I call the cable company to set up the internet.”
“No cell phone? I thought that was all the rage with you youngsters.”
I lift a shoulder. “I guess. I don’t really like getting caught up in all that social media stuff.” Not owning a cell phone has been one of the hardest things ever. I was so used to always being connected. It’s nice to be unplugged and not keep up with everything going on in New York and it’s one less way for my father to track me or try to control my life.
“Well, let me know when you have your number. So, what do you think?” Her elbow nudges me in the rib, and she winks.
“The house is great.”
“Not the house, silly. The guys. Look at those ripped muscles. We have some fine single men, hey?”
“I’m not really looking to be on the market.”
“Nonsense. Pretty single girl like you. New to town. You’re not one of those you know…”
“Lesbians?”
“Oh goodness no. Feminist that thinks she doesn’t need a man.”
“Men definitely have their uses.” My gaze flits to Wilder as his muscles bulge and flex under the black fitted tee as it stretches with his movements and my mind flashes to how good I used him the other night. My cheeks flush, and I turn my head, clearing my throat.
“I think the guys have this under control. We have a party to get ready for. Follow me.” She waves a hand over her shoulder, grabbing her purse as she moves toward the door not bothering to wait for me to respond. Okay then. She doesn’t waste any time. I wasn’t expecting her to organize everything so fast. I only signed the rental agreement yesterday and today she has Wilder moving in beautiful furniture and has a full menu for this party.
“Thanks, guys. I appreciate the help. Wilder, can you lock up? Bring me my key to your mom’s, and I’ll supply the beer?”
“Sounds good,” Wilder says on a grunt without looking my way. I don’t know why the fact that he won’t even look at me since he got here bugs me, but it does. We both agreed that our entanglement was a onetime deal, and I’m good with that. Better than fine with it, and yet I wish he’d at least acknowledge my presence.
“See you around, Maisy.” Branson smolders at me doing some weird thing with his eyes. I want to ask him if needs some eyedrops but then Wilder finally glances my way and my stupid heart does this silly fluttering thing. I need to get out of here. Too much testo
sterone and sexy muscles in one space.
“Right.” I grab my purse and find Louise waiting by her car.
“You can ride with me. Finnick can give you a lift back. No sense in you two wasting gas taking two vehicles. It’s better for the environment. You know with you working for him you should probably carpool to the office too.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
No way. I will give her this once but after I’m driving myself everywhere. My father was reluctant to let me get my license. Said he didn’t understand when I had a paid driver to take me anywhere. He never understood my desire for independence.
But I’m finally gaining it.
7
—Finnick—
I stand out front of my parent’s place, arms folded over my chest. I sent Kenya a text earlier to bring Auden here at four instead of my place. She’s thirty minutes late. I’ve sent her two more text messages. All have gone unanswered. I’m getting pissed. Blood boiling in my veins, I pace the length of the driveway. She knows to keep to our schedule unless she clears it with me ahead of time.
I can’t believe my mother is going to so much trouble for Maisy. It can only mean one thing. She likes her a lot and sees her as one of us.
Finally, the roar of the Mustang barrels down the road. The tires screech to a stop. The passenger door opens and my daughter files out the back. “Bye, Mommy. By, Mickster,” she coos at her little brother who is strapped in his car seat.
I shoot Kenya a look through the open door as Auden hands me her backpack. “You’re late.”
“I know. I would have texted, but my phone died, and Jerry said I could have Mickey, so I took him and Auden to the park so they could spend some time together. Time got away from me. You know she loves her brother.”
Yeah I know. Auden loves getting to see her little brother and it’s rare that she does since she lives with me full time and his dad has custody of him. I swallow back my anger. Kenya’s trying to do better. She doesn’t need me ragging on her.
“Have you guys ate yet? Mom has a shit ton of food.”
“Did she make her lasagna?”
“That and her fried chicken and pasta salad.”
“Well, I mean, I guess we could come in for a minute.”
“All right. Unbuckle Mickey, and I’ll take him on in. You park.”
“Thanks, Finn.”
“Don’t mention it.” I hated Kenya for a long time but as much as I can’t stand her most the time, she does make cute kids.
She leans around her seat, her bulging belly bumping against the console. “Go with sissy and Finn,” she tells him.
Mickey is a rambunctious three-year-old that’s meaner than hell. He’s all grit and loves to play in the dirt. Hell, there was a time I thought about taking him when her and his dad were going through their shit, but Jerry stepped up and got clean for him. Divorced Kenya after he left rehab and went through parenting courses to get full custody.
He gets out of the car and I shut the door. I swing him up on my shoulders and take him inside. Kenya isn’t my mom’s favorite person or anyone’s for that matter, but we all tolerate her for Auden.
“Oh, well hello there, little guy,” Mom coos at Mickey. Looking to me she quirks an eyebrow and shakes her head while mumbling under her breath, “Great, now we all have to pretend to like that woman.” I glance towards Auden and sigh in relief that she’s gone over to say hi to Maisy and didn’t hear my mother talking about Kenya. To be fair though, my ex hurt our family a lot. Hell, she stole and pawned my mother’s diamond earrings and matching necklace the old man had bought her for their twentieth wedding anniversary. Mom can hold one hell of a grudge or be the best woman you’ll ever meet. Kenya earned herself a permanent spot on her shit list.
Maisy says something that has Auden giggling. Looks like they are making friends fast. I don’t know that I like it. I’m not used to the whole dating and being a single dad thing, but I guess I’d better get used to it since Mom has made the woman her next pet project. Maybe it’ll work in my favor, and I’ll get to know more about Maisy in the process. I know what I said about the other night being a mistake and her working for me complicates things but there’s something about her that has me curious.
Moving her in wasn’t that difficult, but Mom wasn’t lying. That couch was a bitch to move. I hope Maisy got enough beer for us as thanks. Bodie and Branson can put it away when the mood strikes them. I had to make them start bringing their own to poker night.
“Down!” Mickey shouts from my shoulder as he starts to see more people. He takes off wobble running, the sight giving me a chuckle.
“He’s not overly sturdy but at least he’s a boy, doesn’t seem to care.” Kenya laughs sounding nervous. “Thanks for the invite, I’m gonna say hi to your dad and get some food. We won’t stay long.”
Dad still has a soft spot for Kenya. Hell, I think he took our divorce harder than anyone. He saw her as his daughter. Him and her father were close growing up and he always thought it was his responsibility to look after her since Tim died. He moved here with Kenya when Dad gave him a job working for him when his wife passed away suddenly in a car wreck leaving him a single father. He passed away about two months after Auden’s birth. Cancer. Kenya took his death hard, and I think that was the beginning of our end. She spiraled and shut me out.
I shrug. “Stay and have a plate or not. Makes no difference to me either way.” I amble over to my brother. The second he sees the annoyed expression I’m wearing he’s popping the cap off a beer and hands it over.
“She bought the good shit. Have to hand it to her. She has good taste and hell, she’s damn pretty to look at.” He stares over my shoulder, letting out a chuckle. “You might want to rescue her. Mom has been dragging her around in between bites of food, literally talking to every single dude that showed up.”
I grunt, taking a gulp. “Shit. She looks scared,” I point out as Mom whips her around to another guy, practically giving her whiplash. “Damn it, I’ll go save her.”
“Yeah, thought so.” Branson lifts his bottle to his lips trying to hide his laughter. Fucker. I feel set up.
Auden skips to me before I can make it to Maisy’s side. “Hey, Dad. I didn’t know we were having a party.”
“Yeah, you know your Gramma, found out Maisy was new around here, and wanted to throw her a welcome party.” Which reminds me. I should’ve asked Auden how she’d feel about Maisy living over our garage until she finds something else. “Listen. You know the apartment over the garage?”
“What about it?”
“Maisy’s going to rent it out for a while.”
Auden’s face lights up. “Maisy is pretty cool. It’ll be nice having a girl around to do fun stuff with on weekdays.” I want to correct her. Don’t want her getting her heart set on the two of them being buddies.
I frown at her. “You don’t even know her.” Damn, the woman is putting her spell on all of us.
She shrugs. “Sure, whatever you say. I think she is going to love it here.” I watch her as she glances back at Maisy. “Gramma is trying to line up dates for her. So far lots have asked, but she only said yes to Bodie, probably just to get Gramma to stop.”
I clench my fists, God damn it.
I move closer to Mom and Maisy, ruffling my kid’s hair as I move away.
“Maisy, I meant to ask earlier. Would you like to go shopping with me in Santa Claus this week for stuff for your new apartment?”
“Um… sure. Why not.”
“Now, since you don’t have a cell phone for me to call when I’m on my way, I’ll pop into the office and see when that son of mine will let you have an early evening off.”
I get a funny tickle in the back of my throat. “You don’t have a phone? What the hell are you thinking?” A single woman, in a town she doesn’t know, by herself, she has to have a damn phone.
“Finnick Wilder, you watch your mouth.”
Ignoring my mother, I glare at Maisy, who is glar
ing right back at me. “You’re getting a phone. Today.”
She shakes her head. “Not sure how it’s your business, but you’re right, I am getting a phone. When I call on Monday to get my cable and everything set up. So, I’ll have a phone when I have a phone.”
Stubborn.
A hit to the back of my head forces me to stumble. “He being a dumbass?” my dad asks, joining us.
Rubbing the back of my neck I scowl again at Maisy even harder.
“Go help your brother man the grill, do something useful,” he tells me.
“You’re getting the phone.”
Maisy rolls her eyes and turns to my dad to introduce herself as I walk away.
Fuck me, she’s under my skin, and I don’t know what to do about it. I want to throw her ass over my shoulder and take her upstairs to work out my frustrations. She’s damn near driving me crazy. One taste of her and I can’t escape her. My mind flashes the other night in her hotel room, and I shake my head. I need to get a damn grip.
8
—Maisy—
Wilder walks away and I let out a sigh of relief. Sure, he’s hot, but he ticks me off more than anything. Why is it any of his business whether I have a phone or not?
“My boy’s a good one, but don’t let him walk all over you. Sometimes he just needs a swift kick in the ass,” Mr. Wilder tells me before clamping me on the shoulder and walking away. He’s tall like his sons. I’m betting he looked a lot like Finnick in his younger years. They both have dark hair and green eyes, where Louise and Branson have lighter hair.
This party is interesting. I’ve met a lot of people, and highly doubt I’ll even remember their names in about five minutes. There’s just so many of them. I don’t know where they all keep coming from for Shamrock to be such a small town.
“Now I know you’ll say no, but you and my Finn have something crackling between you.”
“There’s a fine line between love and hate.” I shoot her a cheeky grin and she howls.
Fabricated Christmas Page 4
