The Blue Collar Bachelors Box Set: The Complete Blue Collar Bachelors Series

by Miller, Cassie-Ann L.

  Charlie leans against the kitchen counter and runs a hand over his scruffy chin. The gesture is filled with frustration. "All the guy does is mope. I don’t know what to do about him anymore."

  A ribbon of sympathy spools around my ribcage. I feel the need to defend my neighbor. “He’s a single dad trying to figure things out, Charlie. Maybe you should be a little sensitive to that.” I prop a hip against the counter beside him.

  “He's getting a divorce. Nothing original about that. He can’t grieve forever,” my brother says dryly.

  I roll my eyes. "It's not that simple and you know it."

  His groan makes the countertop vibrate. "I know. I know. It's just that—he's one of the best people I know. And he's been through a lot. It's hard to see him suffering."

  Warmth spills into my belly when he says that. I silently wonder if Leo played a role in the mission that saved Charlie when he got into trouble. My brother doesn't like talking about what happened out in the jungle three years ago. So I don't ask. But my curiosity about the situation is always right there, lingering at the back of my mind.

  "Have you tried talking to him?" I ask.

  "He's a soldier. Soldiers don't talk." Charlie’s features are hard and serious for a long moment. I stand there silently because I can't even imagine what it would be like to have to hold so much pain inside. The somber mood dissipates when my brother smirks. “That’s why I got him the Welcome to Cooper Heights package.”

  My eyebrow perks up. “I’m scared to even ask what that is…”

  He saunters over to the box sitting by the back door. I'm only noticing it now. He hoists it up onto the counter, revealing the paraphernalia inside. I feel dirty just looking. “Vodka, porn, handcuffs and condoms. Some adult toys, of course. A few naughty magazines too in case he's into that sort of thing.”

  I plant my hands on my hips. “Charlie, the guy isn’t about to open up an Amsterdam-style brothel next door. This is Copper Heights.” I emphasize my words. “Besides, he’s going through a divorce.”

  Charlie shakes his head at me like I'm a naive little girl. "Reese—for a man, nothing heals a broken heart like finding a hot piece of tail and pounding her until you fracture her pelvis. Trust me."

  I roll my eyes. "God—sometimes you sound just like Nova. You're both disgusting."

  He grins like the Cheshire cat at the mention of my friend. "Great minds think alike.”

  “Sometimes, I think the two of you belong together.” I’m only half-teasing.

  He grunts. “Nova is vicious. She would destroy my fragile heart.” He clasps his hands over his chest and pretends to swoon.

  “You’re such a bullshit artist.” I snort and punch him in the shoulder. We both know that he’s a damn heartbreaker. Any woman who lashes out against him is probably doing it out of self-preservation.

  Just then, a cute little face appears in the doorway. This time it isn't covered by ginormous panties.

  Charlie hurriedly slams the flaps of his Box of Depravity shut right as Brenton sticks his head into the kitchen. “Is the burgers almost ready, Uncle Charlie?” His tummy grumbles loudly.

  “Yeh, bud.” My brother tucks the box protectively under his arm. “Almost ready.”

  Brenton turns to me. He’s got some sort of sticky syrup all over his face. “You gonna eat burgers with me, Reese?”

  “Uh, I’m kind of busy right this minute. But I’m sure you’ll enjoy them with Uncle Charlie.”

  “No…” the child whines. “I want you to eat burgers with me!”

  Aww…My heart squeezes tight. It’s true—being around Leo makes me as nervous as a priest in a whorehouse. And I still haven’t run out of creative ways to make a fool of myself in front of him. But am I really supposed to say no to that adorable face?

  “I think someone has a crush on Reese,” Charlie chuckles under his breath.

  Yes, only a monster could say no to that adorable face.

  I'm decidedly unpresentable in my Saturday evening cleaning outfit—an oversized T-shirt with a fraying hem and red shorts that hang low on my hips because the elastic is all stretched out. I need a quick wardrobe change.

  “Okay, how about you go back to your house with Uncle Charlie? I just have something to do really quick then I’ll come right over. And guess what?”

  “What?”

  “I’ll bring hot dogs!”

  “Yay! Hot dogs!” The child zips down the back stairs and across the yard. Charlie follows behind him.

  I race up to my bedroom, slip into a sundress, spritz some perfume behind my ears and swipe a layer of gloss over my lips. I try to convince myself that the fussing and fumbling is just basic hygiene. Not extra primping because I might see Leo.

  After all—cleanliness is next to godliness. Isn’t that what they say?

  When I stroll across to where Charlie is manning the grill on the neighboring porch, he gives me a weird look. “You smell different." He scrunches up his nose and gives me a onceover. "And that isn’t what you were just wearing…”

  "Totally is." I grumble unconvincingly and quickly divert my eyes. I'm not good at lying.

  He stares at me with a confused expression but shakes his head and turns away, focusing his attention on the burgers he's flipping.

  Brenton looks at me and blushes. "You look pretty!"

  I grin at him. "Well, you have excellent taste, young man. And you're very handsome yourself." I set the bag of hot dogs, veggies and leftover potato salad onto the table then crouch down beside him and whisper. "You think we can get Uncle Charlie to throw these hot dogs on the grill for us?"

  He looks over at Charlie and giggles. “Yeah, we can get him to throw them on the grill,” the child says assuredly.

  Right then, we hear the back door sliding along its tracks. I look over in that direction. The space between my legs does something vulgar when the door opens and Leo steps out onto the porch.

  Chapter Nine

  Leo

  I should be unpacking.

  We've been here how long now? And half of our lives is still in boxes scattered all over the house. We're still eating out of disposable dishes. Brent still needs new clothes.

  But I'm fucking overwhelmed with everything. I feel like I'm drowning. I just need a minute. I feel like I haven't taken a breath in forever.

  Charlie is on the porch with Brenton. I watch through the glass door as my son animatedly tells a story, complete with flapping hand gestures and lively facial expressions.

  Charlie laughs. I worry.

  The kid can't sit still these days. He has more energy than he knows what to do with. More energy than I know what to do with.

  I grab the whiskey and a plastic cup from the cabinet and drop into a chair. What I really want is a cigarette but Brenton doesn't need to know his dad has devolved into a nicotine-junkie chain-smoker.

  So fucking stressed...

  I wonder if he’s okay. He hasn't asked about his mother this entire time. Not once. Is that normal? Should I take him to see a shrink? I don’t know what the hell to do these days.

  Someone enters the yard. I see her approaching.

  Long, mahogany hair falling down her narrow shoulders…a yellow dress that props up her gorgeous tits…the best ass I've ever seen.

  Fuck—it's Reese, looking as pretty and angelic as ever.

  She's standing on the porch next to Charlie now, petite and curvy. Smiling down at Brenton. He says something to her and she laughs, tipping her head back and exposing the creamy length of her neck. That's all it takes to have my body throbbing. She sets a bag on the table beside the grill then she crouches down beside my son and whispers into his ear. They both look at Charlie and burst into giggles. I find myself smiling, too.

  As if controlled by some invisible force, I’m rising out of my chair and sliding the door open.

  She looks at me and my heart stops. God, she's beautiful.

  She stumbles a bit as she rises to her feet. Her eyes blink rapidly like the
fluttering of butterfly wings and she sucks in sharply. “Hi…” she says, sounding breathless. Tension melts from my limbs as she smiles and her cheeks flush. Her fingers knot in the hem of her dress. She's nervous again. So fucking adorable.

  Our gazes lock for a long second and I feel fireworks crackling up my spine. “Hi…”

  God, I want to get closer to her. Even from this distance, she smells sweet. Like vanilla and brown sugar and something soft, feminine. Breathing her in is entirely more calming than sucking down a pack of cigarettes.

  I want to run my hands over her curves and cup the swell of her breasts. I want to taste her lips. They look like strawberries. Do they really taste like strawberries? I want to tangle my fingers in her hair. I want to—

  “Daddy! I eated three popsicles!” Brenton’s proud announcement snaps me out of my fantasy.

  I tear my focus away from Reese and bring my gaze to my son who is now bouncing in place, waiting for my reaction. His hands and mouth are covered in purple syrup. “Brenton—it’s ‘ate’, not ‘eated’. And I told you—no junk food for you. You’re on punishment.”

  Charlie throws an indignant glance over his shoulder. “For what?” He says it like he can’t possibly fathom the idea of my rugrat causing mischief.

  “He got in trouble in the after-school program. For putting finger-paint in some little girl’s hair.”

  Charlie puts down the tongs and twists around to face Brent. "Now, why'd you do that, buddy?"

  A puppy-dog look comes over the child's eyes and his attention falls to his ratty sneakers. His shoulders scrunch up to his ears before dropping dramatically. "I don't know...I just felt like it." Charlie's lips curve up but he chokes down his laugh.

  I doubt he’ll be laughing for long. “Now, he’s kicked out of the program and I don’t have anywhere to leave him on Monday afternoon. Preschool ends at 3:00 so I’m gonna have to leave work early every day until I can figure something out.”

  All signs of amusement melt from Charlie’s face. He looks at me. "Man, I need you. You can’t be taking time off. Sophia and Josh's wedding is in three weeks. They wanna move into the house right after the honeymoon."

  I turn up my palms and shrug helplessly. "There's nothing I can do. They kicked Brent out of the program and they won't take him back.” I practically begged for a second chance because it's the only after-school program for preschoolers in this town. But they’d already made up their minds. They don’t want him.

  "Holy hell..." Charlie grunts under his breath. He pivots back toward the grill. "Isn't there someone you know who can watch him while you're at work?"

  "I just moved to town. I don't know anybody here." I shove my hands through my hair in frustration.

  "You could put up flyers for a babysitter,” my friend suggests.

  I scoff. "I'm not gonna send my kid off to the house of some stranger I found off of a flyer. You never know with people these days. They do the strangest things behind closed doors." Maybe I’m just being overprotective but handing my son over on some random’s front steps just isn’t going to work for me.

  Charlie’s ribcage expands on a deep, frustrated inhale. "So, what am I supposed to do? I don't want to put any pressure on you but I have a deadline. I have a picky-ass client to satisfy."

  As Charlie spins back toward me, his eyes snag on his sister who’s been standing there quietly the whole time, back pressed against the porch’s railing, fingers twisting in front of her. He halts as the idea takes form in his mind.

  Reese’s eyes are round and anxious and she's looking right at me.

  Chapter Ten

  Reese

  Leo is wearing a denim shirt…

  I have a confession to make. I have a thing for guys in denim shirts. Especially guys with broad shoulders and tight stomachs and wide backs. Especially when the sleeves are rolled up to the elbows exposing long, sinewy forearms decorated with dark swirls of ink.

  His eyes fall on me and his penetrating stare seeps through my skin, all the way into my bones. And now, words are spilling from my mouth. Spontaneous words. Words that have not been authorized by my brain.

  “I-I can watch Brenton after school…”

  Leo gives me a skeptical look and I instantly feel the need to defend my offer.

  "No reason I couldn’t pick him up. I mean, I finish work at two o’clock and then, I usually just come straight home and watch re-runs of Floribama Shore or Teen Mom 2.” I chuckle under my breath. “Actually, most days any MTV reality show will do…Entertaining stuff.” I’m incredibly intrigued by dysfunctional exhibitionists who broadcast their impairments on cable TV in exchange for a paycheck. I can’t lie.

  The look he’s giving me says he’s having serious doubts about my life choices right now.

  “Um, sometimes I do the Soduko puzzle at the back of the newspaper, instead…” I say it as a defense.

  His reservations don’t seem to ease up one bit. In fact, his brows furrow deeper.

  “Y-you know what they say—Sudoko is like yoga for the brain.”

  He’s still staring wordlessly. Now, I’m starting to doubt my life choices.

  God, this is a disaster.

  “Daddy, I wanna stay with Reese after school!” Brenton pleads.

  Completely silent, the protective father watches me. His gaze is severe, intense. My cheeks prickle with awareness of it.

  “I know you don't want to leave him with a stranger and technically that's what I am, but—” I lean in and cup a hand around my mouth teasingly, “—you know where I live."

  At that, a smile flashes across Leo's face. It's like lightning. For one brief second, it lights up the sky—oh god, he's breathtaking—and then just like that, it's gone.

  My tummy flip-flops.

  “It’s just an offer,” I say placatingly. “Of course, you can say no if you don’t feel comfortable. I know that you don’t know me very well and I may not look like the type of person who’d be good with kids but—”

  His gritty voice interrupts my monologue. "You don't have to help me, Reese. I mean—I don't want you to feel obligated. And honestly, Brent’s a bit of a handful.”

  The little boy stands in the middle, eager eyes darting between the faces of the adults as we speak.

  My asshole brother snorts as he sandwiches a hamburger patty between the open slices of a bun. "Saving people is what my sister does best." He squeezes a big dollop of mustard onto the burger. “She can’t function unless she’s in savior mode.”

  I reach for the plate that he's handing me. "Charlie, don't—"

  He cuts me off as he shoves a plate in Leo's direction. “Reese absolutely loves to help. Tell him the bumblebee story.”

  I cringe. Not the bumblebee story. “Charlie!” I say sternly.

  He just laughs. “When she was like seven, we were at the park and this bumblebee got really too close for comfort. So, like any person with half a brain, I swatted it out of the air as it was trying to sting me. It fell to the ground. This genius—” He jams a finger over his shoulder in my direction. “—decides that it’s her duty to save the thing! So, she picks it up and starts to pet over it. I’ve never seen so much affection in my life. I warned her not to but she didn’t listen. And what’d ya know—it zooms out of her hands and stings her. In the eye. She couldn’t see a thing for like a week.”

  Brenton giggles hysterically along with Charlie. Despite the amusement in Leo's eyes, he's kind enough not to laugh out loud.

  I’m red now. Pontsettia red, I’m sure.

  I look away and grumble. "Charlie's exaggerating.”

  When the laughter dies down, Leo exhales roughly. "Okay then, Reese. If you're able to watch Brenton after school then we'd like that, wouldn't we?" He ruffles his son's unruly hair.

  "Yay! Reese!" the boy shouts. He wraps his arms around my legs, celebrating the victory. I laugh and hug him back. “We’re gonna have so much fun!”

  I glance over at Leo and he’s grinning too although I can tel
l he’s fighting his darnedest not to.

  Oh god—I think I just ovulated. I really, really like his smile.

  Charlie’s groan takes us out of the moment. "You didn't bring hot dog buns, Reese. Please tell me you have some at home."

  I knew I forgot something when I went to the grocery store yesterday. "Oops! I ran out. Sorry."

  My brother gives me a hard stare as he steps away from the grill. "I'll run down to the store to get some." He checks his back pocket for his wallet and his keys then he's jogging down the stairs. "Keep an eye on the grill."

  Brent follows after him. "I'm going, too," the boy announces.

  Leo calls out as they go. "Be careful, Brenton. And no candy."

  “Okay, daddy,” the child shouts over his shoulder.

  Charlie pulls the car seat out of Leo's car then he straps Brenton into his truck. He backs out of the driveway, his tires digging grooves into the gravel.

  Now, Leo and I are lingering here on the deck. Alone. I feel like an awkward misfit at a school dance who somehow finds herself standing next to her crush. My heart riots, a crazed animal struggling against its cage. I venture a peek over at Leo. He leans casually against the wooden banister eating his burger, completely oblivious to my inner havoc.

  I glance down at the burger in my hand. It smells so good. Too bad I have a boulder the size of New Zealand lodged in my throat.

  "So, how much will I owe you?" he asks, his deep baritone suddenly breaking through the silence.

  I jolt. "What?"

  "How much will I owe you for watching Brent after school?"

  I shake my head vigorously. "Oh, I can't charge you."

  He furrows his brow. "Of course you can charge me. Just tell me how much." He gives me a long stare, the heat of it crawls across my skin.

  "No. It's okay. It'll be fun hanging out with Brenton everyday. I need a break from reality TV, anyway. It’s frying my brain cells one by—"