Love Under Construction (The Love Under Series Book 1)

by Jody Pardo

  She shrugged her shoulders and took another sip of her beer. “What about you? Tell me something.”

  “I have my own business, and I like to make furniture from reclaimed wood.”

  “What’s reclaimed wood?”

  “It’s when nature gives it to me. I collect all the trees that get blown down or torn up after the storms. I also pull stumps and use those big trunks to make stuff.”

  “Why not just buy wood?”

  “Because I can shape the wood or use the natural shapes of the branches to make cool stuff. Anyone can make a square table or a chair.”

  She thought about it and simply nodded.

  “Your turn,” I prodded.

  “I like cows,” she stated matter-of-factly.

  I laughed. “Well, then you moved to the right town. We got plenty of them. They are good eating.”

  She slapped me in the arm. “Not for food! Well, yeah, I like a good steak, but, no that’s not what I meant.”

  I laughed even harder as she became increasingly flustered as she tried to elaborate on her statement.

  She crossed her arms and pouted. She was so damn cute with her bottom lip sticking out. I wanted to suck on it. I tried to control my laughter before I pissed her off.

  “I’m sorry. Go ahead. Please, explain.”

  She let out a huff and gave me a sideways glance before she continued. “I just like them. I think they are the most peaceful animals. Sure, other animals are pretty too, but there is something about their eyes. They just stand there and stare. I don’t know, it’s like they can see inside your soul.”

  “You got all that from a cow?”

  “You got wood, I got cows.” She shrugged it off and changed the subject. “So where are your cowboy boots?”

  “My boots? Nah, can’t work in cowboy boots.” I stuck out my foot, showing her my well-worn, steel-toe, construction boots. “Need steel-toes and good ankle support.”

  “I thought everyone around here rode and wore boots?”

  “I have’m, but it’s not my thing.”

  “So what is your thing?” The conversation felt heavy all of a sudden so I slammed the bottle on the table.

  “Jameson! That’s my thing.” I poured two shots and handed her one. “To peaceful cows!” I didn’t give her an opportunity to say no and slammed my shot back. She looked down at her hand, debating before lifting the glass to her lips and quickly tilted it back. The grimace she made at the amber lava likely warming her throat was amusing.

  She coughed. “No more.” She waved her hands in front of her face trying to catch her breath.

  “Chase it down with your beer.” She opened her eyes and grabbed her beer, taking two big gulps to cool her mouth.

  “I don’t know how you can drink that stuff.”

  “I guess it’s an acquired taste.”

  She finished her beer and looked around. “Where is the restroom?”

  “In the back by the pool tables.”

  She got up and wobbled a little bit, holding on to the table. “Whoa.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I will be fine in a minute. I think that shot just snuck up on me.” She giggled and slowly walked to the restrooms. I watched her as she swayed, and the outline of her ass in her blue jeans made my dick hard.

  While I waited for her to return, I kept a close eye on the bathroom doors. It was getting late, and the crowd was thinning as couples paired off and left for their private after parties.

  Suzie

  I excused myself and headed to the ladies’ room. The only downside of beer—once that bladder threshold was crossed it made for frequent trips to the bathroom. As I turned the corner at the end of the bar, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at the screen and Bill’s face flashed on the lock screen. He hadn’t called me or contacted all weekend and now he was calling. I clicked the power button on the side to stop the vibrate and shoved my phone back in my pocket. I couldn’t look at his face on my caller ID. Seconds later, my phone vibrated with a text message from Bill.

  Bill: I will find you. This isn’t over.

  I hurried to the bathroom and found an empty stall. I tugged down my pants and sat down and placed my head between my legs trying to suppress the urge to throw up. I wasn’t drunk, and his call was surely a buzzkill. Anxiety made my stomach lurch and tumble. I knew I was not even in the same state, but somehow, cell phones removed distance and made everyone accessible.

  I sat there for a few more moments as I calmed myself long after my small bladder was empty. I cleaned myself up and righted my clothes, stepping out to the sinks. The beads of cold sweat glistened my face and neck, so I splashed some cool water on my face and dabbed it dry with a towel. I did a few twists in front of the mirror, checking my appearance before returning out to the bar to Max.

  When I got back outside, I noticed the crowd had thinned out considerably. I wonder what time bars close around here. It was a small town, not a big city like Dallas or Houston, so it wouldn’t surprise me if things closed earlier, especially since it was a weeknight.

  Max was still seated at our table in the corner of the bar and he was attempting to peel the label off the bottle of Jameson in one pass. He looked so intent on his task, and I watched him for a moment as he patiently dragged the condensation from the side of my glass, dampening the label and slowly prying it off the bottle.

  His head popped up, and his eyes locked on mine catching me staring at him. The same concentration he gave the label, he gave me, boring his eyes into me. My stomach flipped again nervously, but unlike the sick feeling of Bill’s face on my phone screen, it was nervous anticipation of possibilities. Max intrigued me. He stuck out like a blue spiked thumb. He was a beautiful peacock in a sea of camouflage.

  Suzie emerged from the restroom and stood there in some kind of a trance staring at me. Maybe the second shot of Jameson was a bad idea. I rushed to her side afraid she might fall over.

  “Are you okay?” I asked. She looked a little pale and it worried me. I really shouldn’t have had her do shots with me. She was probably a lightweight and couldn’t handle liquor. Gosh, I was an ass.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. So what time is last call around here?” He glanced down at his watch and looked back up.

  “Not until midnight tonight. Why, are you ready to go?”

  “I was wondering. It seems like most have already left.”

  “Yeah, they probably have work tomorrow. I have work tomorrow.”

  “I don’t want to keep you; I will walk home.”

  “Don’t be silly. I will give you a ride. There aren’t even proper sidewalks out to the ranch and it’s dark.”

  “I don’t want you to go out of your way.”

  “It’s no bother, trust me. I will give you a ride. Are you ready?”

  “Yes, I’m ready.”

  I quickly grabbed my bottle and walked behind the bar to replace my personal Jameson in its place. I rejoined Suzie at her side, placed my hand at the base of her spine, and guided her to the door. It would be the second time she was in my truck. The only woman to ever ride in my truck, and I liked it.

  I pulled in the long drive between the guest house and the main house and killed the engine. Suzie stayed put in her seat as I went around to her side and opened the passenger door. Her leg was crossed over the other at the knee, and she was rubbing her ankle.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Oh, I’m fine. I was just thinking you were right about walking,”

  “Did you twist your ankle or something?” I asked worriedly as I moved her hand out of the way to look at her ankle.

  “No, I don’t think so. My feet are just sore.”

  “So, I was right?” I couldn’t help but smile as she absently replied.

  “You were right.”

  “What was that?” I teasingly questioned, pretending I didn’t hear her.

  “You were right! Walking was a stupid idea.”

  “I’m goi
ng to write this day down on the calendar,” I said, shaking my head. She looked at me confused as I laughed.

  “It’s not everyday that a woman admits that a man was right. I do believe that is the first time I personally have heard it. It’s a remarkable day.”

  She joined me in laughter as she digested my statement, and I scooped her up out of the truck seat and carried her to the porch.

  “I can walk. Put me down!”

  I looked down at her in my arms as she tried to squirm out. “You were just sitting there rubbing your ankle.”

  “I’m heavy! Put me down.” She continued to wiggle, and the friction against my jeans was making my dick hard. I couldn’t even adjust myself. I was trying not to drop her. I climbed the three steps onto the porch and righted her vertically as she slid down the front of my torso. Electricity ignited my skin as her t-shirt lifted and my hands grazed her sides as she slowly slid to stand upright between my body and the front door.

  She looked up with her eyes wide around biting her lower lip.

  “Thank you,” she squeaked out before drawing her lip in-between her teeth once more.

  I leaned down to kiss her and the porch lights came on.

  “Suzie, is that you?” Kelli called from the main house porch.

  “Hey, Aunt Kelli!” I hollered back.

  “Aunt Kelli?” Suzie looked up at me with a look of shock.

  “I thought that was your truck, Max! Just checking on you. Say hi to your mom. Good night, Suzie.” Aunt Kelli went back in the house, and I looked down at Suzie who was shaking her head. My hands were still under her shirt just under her ribcage, and I pulled her to me.

  I pressed my lips to hers, and she relaxed into my hands. I licked at the seam of her lips for entrance, holding her body against mine, my erection straining against my zipper. I was sure she could feel it. She tensed up when I backed her against the wall, her eyes opening then closing again in a sigh into my mouth as I caressed the soft skin of her back and sides. She was so soft and supple in my hands.

  The motion-sensored porch light clicked off, and it brought Suzie back to reality, and she pulled away only to be met with the front door against her back.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  “I’m fine. I … I think it’s just time to say good night.” She fumbled in her small purse for the keys. I reached around her and turned the doorknob, opening the door.

  “That lock hasn’t locked in ten years.”

  “Oh, um, well, goodnight,” she sputtered, shoving the keys back into her small handbag. I grabbed her by the wrist as she turned to walk into the house. She looked at her wrist and up at me with daggers in her eyes. I dropped her wrist. If looks could kill, I would be dead where I stood.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to grab on you. I was just going to give you a goodnight kiss.” She moved to the other side of the open door putting the barrier between us.

  “Goodnight, Max,” she said quietly as she slowly closed the door.

  Well, I fucked that up! I stared at the door in disbelief for a long minute before going back to my truck. I tried to think where things took the fast track straight to fucked up. I thought it was going well. Women were so hard to read sometimes. I started my truck and pulled out of the driveway from Aunt Kelli’s ranch and headed home with the taste of Suzie’s lip balm on my lips.

  Suzie

  “Just try them on,” Aubrey urged.

  “I feel silly!” I protested.

  “You only feel silly because it’s not capris and flip flops, but that shit won’t fly in the fields,” Aubrey yelled from the other side of the dressing room door.

  “I feel like this is Halloween, and it’s only June,” I whined, turning from side to side in the dressing room mirror

  “Come on let me see,” she huffed.

  Aubrey picked out a pair of skintight Wrangler Riders with boot bottoms, a blue and grey plaid shirt with button flaps, and a brown pair of Justin boots. I felt like a clown. It was so not me. Reluctantly, I unlatched the door, and it swung outward to an awaiting Aubrey standing with her arms crossed waiting for me to show her the outfit.

  “You look great!” she squealed, coming over to me and turning me around to look at me. “Girl, you fill out those jeans like a champ! Gonna have those ropers after you for sure!”

  “Aubrey …” I groaned.

  “Too soon?” she feigned innocence. Her look was priceless—shocked with big sad eyes and her hand covering her mouth.

  “A little,” I replied. “Why do I need to get all dressed up to go to the auction? Isn’t it just like shopping? I don’t see anyone getting all dressed up to go to Walmart.”

  “Suzie, I know you didn’t compare the auction and rodeo to Walmart.” She glared at me.

  “What? Auction equals shopping like Ebay but just in person!”

  “Girl, that’s just the auction part, a very small part, I might add, to the whole experience. There are the shows and then the rodeo in the evening. You will see.”

  “Let me get out of this,” I returned to the dressing room to change back into my everyday clothes.

  “Fine, I’m going to make some more additions to your wardrobe while we are here. You need to get out of those yoga pants!” she shouted over the door.

  “I have a limited wardrobe, cut me some slack.”

  “I have cut you some slack for a whole week, and now the excuses are over. Time to rejoin the living.” She left me to finish changing and went out on the sales floor to choose my wardrobe.

  By the time I finished lacing up my sneakers and gathered the outfit for the auction, Aubrey was at the counter with a heaping pile of clothing at the register.

  “What’s all this?”

  “Your new wardrobe,” she said. The girl behind the register handed Aubrey her credit card back and started placing the clothes in a handled paper shopping bag.

  “I can’t afford all this. I thought we were just coming in for one outfit for the auction.”

  “You need clothes, and it isn’t that much. Consider it a house warming present.” she said proudly.

  “If this is a house warming present shouldn’t it toast or blend something?” I nudged.

  “You can blend and toast all you want in these! Wait, did someone break my toaster?” Aubrey was suddenly concerned.

  “The toaster works just fine. Relax. Seriously, Aubs, this is too much,” I pleaded.

  “You are my best friend. It’s never too much. Now, you pay for your boots and let’s go.”

  “But I don’t even know if any of this fits.”

  “It’s the same size as the stuff you tried on. I have been shopping here for years and the sizes are parallel. Besides, no refunds. Final sale. Deal with it. You’re welcome.”

  Once Aubrey set her mind to something, she was relentless. I accepted her gift and handed over my auction outfit and new boots for the clerk to ring up. I handed her my bank card and signed the printed receipt. The auction was two days away, and nervousness was already starting to set in. I was not one for surprises, and I had no idea what to expect, but according to Aubrey, I would look cute no matter what happened.

  We left the western shop with our two big bags of clothes and continued our adventure over lunch.

  We dropped off our haul in Aubrey’s truck and walked across the street to a BBQ place. Beyond the entrance looked like a big barn inside with hay and peanut shells littering the floor. The queue was wooden corrals leading up the register. I looked up at the menu above the heads of the cashiers and was overwhelmed by the options.

  “This is not a slaughter line, Suzie. Why so serious?”

  “I don’t know what to get. What is the difference between beef flank or side or cheek? Or maybe pulled pork?”

  “It’s all good. What are you in the mood for?”

  I was so used to menus with pictures. I had no idea what the items on the menu were. It looked like a butcher menu.

  “Why don’t you just try the sampler? Y
ou will get a little bit of everything.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  We placed our ordered, and the cashier placed our orders in a plain brown box in paper baskets lined with butcher paper—no frills barbecue. We grabbed two sodas from the ice barrel adjacent to the counter, and I swiped my bank card to pay. There was no way I was letting Aubrey pay for lunch. It was the least I could do since I had no idea how much she spent on my new wardrobe.

  We grabbed a roll of paper towels and headed out the picnic benches on the patio. We found a spot with a fresh full bucket of peanuts. A spool of butcher paper was bolted to the end of the table and Aubrey pulled a fresh lining for the table before I set our food down and we sat, ready to eat.

  Aubrey unloaded the box and handed me my sampler and bowl of baked beans and placed her own food in front of her. “So what are you going to do?”

  “I haven’t decided. The beef looks good, but I want to try the pork.”

  “Not lunch, silly. About Dallas?” she asked.

  “I have four months’ vacation to figure it out. So I have income. I told Kelli I would pay her rent and all. I don’t expect a free ride.”

  “That’s good, but even if you didn’t, that house sits idle most of the time unless a ranch hand needs a place to stay. It’s my place, and I never really cleared it out after we got married.”

  “I like it out there. It’s nice and quiet. I was thinking of getting a job, but I don’t know what. Maybe I could help out Kelli on the ranch.”

  “You gave me a hard time about the clothes, and now you want to help out on the ranch? You know you would be wearing that stuff every day. Say bye bye to yoga pants and sundresses,” she chided.

  “Okay, maybe not. I just can’t sit around all day and do nothing, though. I actually walked all the way to Brewer’s Taps the other night because I was bored. I really have to get my car.”

  “Have you heard from Bill?”

  Just the mention of his name sent a chill down my spine and made me uneasy. “Yeah, he called the other night.”