by Jody Holford
“But save room. I’m making nachos,” Shay said, returning to the other side of the counter, which looked out over the living room, to dice tomatoes.
She glanced at Mia. “Wasn’t sure if you were vegetarian so I left the beef on the side.”
Thoughtful. “I’m not. You guys take hanging out seriously,” Mia said.
It was clear the two women were very comfortable with each other. What she knew of them came mostly from their rental agreements and brief conversations.
“No point hanging out, watching movies, and gossiping without food,” Gabby said, picking up another chocolate.
“Gabby doesn’t think there’s a point in doing anything without food,” Shay teased.
The other woman’s cheeks turned a soft shade of pink, but she shrugged. “Other than art and Owen, it’s my passion.”
Shay laughed, musically again. “Um, no. Eating is your passion, not food. If food were your passion, you’d be cooking instead of me.”
Gabby pointed at her. “Fair point.”
Mia leaned on one of the stools at the island counter and realized the ball of stress she usually carted around in her stomach was absent. “Can I do anything to help?”
Shay shook her head. “Nope. There’s nothing to nachos. The cheese is just about melted, the toppings are cut. We’ll grab some and move into the living room. I’ve got a few ideas to run by you for the event.”
Gabby moved to the stove while Shay continued to put nacho toppings in cute little glass bowls. Mia couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten snack foods. She tended to eat only at meal times. Since she was always alone, there was nothing special about her dinners, but she’d never thought to try something like chips and cheese.
“The cheese is melted. I’ll pull them out,” Gabby said.
They chatted about an art exhibit Gabby had done the month before and about the bookings Shay had gotten for her event planning business. It was easy, and enjoyable, to listen to the women share bits and pieces about their lives.
Shay loaded the food up on a huge, square, wooden platter. “Can you grab the plates, Mia? Gabs, can you grab a few beers? Mia, are you okay with beer?”
Mia shrugged. She hadn’t had one since that stupid frat party. Well, Michael certainly won’t be hauling you out of your own building. She smiled. “Sure.”
Gabby passed her one and took the other two, before they followed Shay into the living room. The room was tastefully decorated as though cosiness had been the main objective. An oversize gray couch took up a lot of the space. The women settled around the coffee table: Shay and Gabby on the couch and Mia in the matching soft gray chair. Over the couch was a gorgeous painting.
“I love that painting. Where did you get it?” Mia asked.
Gabby’s cheeks turned pink and Shay beamed. “My friend made it. She’s an artist. A really, really good one.”
Shay laughed and threw an arm around Gabby. They put their heads together and Mia’s heart clutched at the easy closeness and affection. Even when she’d had people in her life who wanted to be around her for more than her money or her name, she’d never had that kind of friendship with anyone.
“You did that, Gabby?”
Gabby nodded as she twisted the cap off her bottle. “Yes. Wyatt bought it for Shay. Probably his way of making up for something,” she teased.
Shay narrowed her eyes at her friend. “More like his way of proving how crazy he is about me.”
When Shay twisted the cap off her beer, Mia did the same. She smiled as she said, “Oh, to be young and in love.”
Gabby laughed and picked up a cheese-covered chip, dipping it in the pile of salsa she’d loaded onto her small plate.
She pointed the chip at Mia. “Unlike you, who’s clearly over the hill?”
Mia laughed quietly. “I’m twenty-six, but sometimes I feel a lot older. Especially lately.”
Both Shay’s and Gabby’s expressions were openly interested. Nerves popped like balloons in Mia’s stomach. What the media didn’t actually know about her, they made up, and people considered their lies facts. Over time, growing up in a family who was prominent in Boston, Mia had learned to be careful about disclosure. Even with friends. There had been more than one occasion of having a “friend” spill information Mia had confided. Neither Shay nor Gabby seemed like the sort to do something cruel or spiteful, but as her family did, Mia often questioned her own judgment. Still, she’d come home to prove herself and that meant taking a chance.
She took her time chewing, enjoying the warm, crispy chip smothered in cheese. Where had these been all her life? Then she took a deep breath and a leap of faith.
“My father and brother run our family business, but they’ve recently been persuaded to give me a chance, a real chance, to take part,” Mia said. Thanks for making them, Grandma.
She smiled wryly at the thought. “Their idea of a chance is six months to turn this place around. It’s been losing money and tenants for a while now. I have to change that. If I can’t, they have their proof that I’m not suited for management or running a building.”
Gabby frowned. She took a sip of her beer before commenting. “Six months? To really prove yourself in a business others take years to explore, understand, and educate themselves on? Your family owns several residential properties, right?”
Mia nodded and scooped a bit of sour cream and salsa onto her plate. “They do. Ten of them. This is the original building. My great-grandfather bought it. His son carried on his legacy. When my great-grandfather died, the eighteenth unit had just been finished. My grandfather bought two more buildings and my father purchased five more. While my brother was brought into the company after high school, it was always expected that I take a different path. My brother has pleased my father by adding two more buildings to the list.”
“Wow,” Shay said, exhaling deeply. “I can’t even imagine owning an apartment—like one unit—never mind owning ten.”
Mia smiled then nibbled on a chip. “Most people, when they think real estate investments, think houses. But apartments can be incredibly lucrative if you know what you’re doing.”
“Why don’t your brother and dad think you know what you’re doing? And what about your mom?”
Mia took a slow sip of the beer. It was very fizzy and icy cold. Letting the flavor soak into her tongue, she decided it was as good as she remembered. Looking back and forth between the two women, who were close to her age, she felt a strange twist in her heart. These were people she could be friends with—the kind who wouldn’t care if she’d worn pajama bottoms instead of her jeans to visit this evening. The thought made her smile. Her mother would have a conniption at the mere thought of her daughter going anywhere or being seen by anyone in anything unfashionable.
“My mom defers to my dad on everything. She’s a wonderful woman, honestly. She keeps herself busy with hosting galas and charity balls. She organizes lunches for her and her friends and volunteers at high-profile events. She’s exactly what my father wants her to be.” What he’d like me to be.
Both women looked at her with empathy. “I’m making them sound horrible. I’m sorry. I get a bit stressed when I think of having only six months to prove what my brother’s had years to,” Mia said.
Her skin tingled with embarrassment and she looked down at her plate and picked up another nacho. Apparently, chips and cheese had the power to make her spill her guts.
“What happens after six months?” Gabby stared at her intently.
Good question. She hated being uncertain about what the future held. “They’ll review the progress I’ve made here and decide whether or not I’m fit to manage it long term.” Why was she telling them all of this?
“Don’t look so worried. I wasn’t trying to complain or dampen the mood.”
“You haven’t said anything bad, Mia. Certainly, nothing to apologize for. And for the record, if it matters, I think you’re doing a great job here. You’re approachable and friendly. Very pr
ofessional and you care about the tenants,” Shay said.
Pressure built in Mia’s chest as she met Shay’s gaze. To have someone validate her felt better than she’d imagined. She shouldn’t need praise or support, but it soothed the rawness of the wound Brady had left her with this afternoon.
“I’m glad someone thinks so,” she said, looking down again.
Gabby got up and went into the kitchen, coming back a moment later with napkins. Mia sipped her beer, letting the cold bubbles soothe her tight throat.
“Have there been complaints?” Shay sounded very defensive on her behalf.
Mia shifted uncomfortably in the chair. She would not gossip. It was beneath her. And rude. But God, she felt the words bubbling up inside of her, like they were racing to get out.
“Obviously, no one was happy with the events that took place over Christmas. I’m not sure how my brother was so unaware that the man he’d left in charge was dealing drugs. We had two units give notice over it. Other than that, the tenants have been quite accommodating. Mostly, it’s Brady who seems certain he can do everything I can, only better,” she said.
Mia’s eyes widened and she slapped a hand over her mouth. She’d said it out loud. And these were his friends. From what she’d seen, his very good friends. Before she could say she was sorry, both girls laughed loudly.
“Oh, honey. I’ve known Brady for a couple of years now and I love him like a brother. I’ve never seen anyone get under his skin the way you do and I can only think of one reason for that,” Gabby said.
Shay nodded, like she agreed with Gabby’s wise words. Mia arched a brow and straightened her spine. This is why you don’t share.
“I agree. He hates me. And to be honest, I’m not a big fan of his. I know you both care about him, though, so I’m sorry I said that.”
You should go. This is why you don’t socialize anymore. It’s too damn stressful. Either someone would misquote her, fabricate her words, or she’d say something stupid.
“Aw, don’t say that. He does not hate you. I don’t think Brady has it in him to hate anyone. Least of all a woman he can’t take his eyes off of when he thinks no one is looking,” Shay said, reaching over to squeeze Mia’s hand.
The contact was nice. Soothing. She didn’t come from a family of huggers or hand squeezers. No. She came from a family of air kissers.
She tried not to dwell on Shay’s comment about Brady looking at her. “Well, I definitely rub him the wrong way,” she said.
“Maybe if you both rubbed each other the right way, you’d fight less,” Gabby said, putting a huge chip in her mouth and somehow smiling around it.
Mia’s cheeks heated and her mouth went dry. “That is not what I meant.”
“We’re not judging you, Mia. And if Brady doesn’t like you, for whatever reason, that’s his loss,” Shay said, then drank down the rest of her beer.
Her throat felt thick again. Swallowing down the odd lump, she blinked, then took another chance, asking, “Really? But he’s your friend.”
Gabby shrugged. “He is our friend. He’s my fiancé’s best friend. But that doesn’t mean we all have to like or hang out with the same people. I really do think if you’d give each other a chance, you’d see both of you are pretty great. But there’s no pressure on our part.”
Shay pulled her feet onto the couch to sit cross-legged, a small plate of nachos in her hand. “Maybe not on Gabby’s, but I actually wondered if you guys would be interested in helping celebrate Wyatt’s birthday. He’s not a very social person and doesn’t let many people in, so I thought it would be nice if we kept it small.”
Mia looked at Shay, her forehead scrunching in confusion. That seemed like a fairly intimate gathering. Had she made them feel sorry for her? “Please don’t feel like you have to invite me.”
She’d met Wyatt a number of times and he’d agreed to help her install the security this week. But she was often uncomfortable at obligatory functions and had promised herself she’d stop going places simply because someone felt adding a Kendrick to the guest list would look good. Or worse, because they thought they had to.
“Don’t be silly, Mia. I don’t feel that way at all. It’s nice to have someone else our age to hang out with. Sometimes Gabby gets so lost in her art, she forgets people exist.”
Mia laughed when Gabby just nodded. “I can be that way with work.”
“Well, no pressure, but we wouldn’t invite you if we didn’t want you around. As I’ve said to Wyatt, you can’t spend all your time working. How nice is it that we don’t even have to leave our building to hang out with friends?”
Extremely nice. Kind of like those early days at university and sharing a dorm room or walking down the hall to hang in someone else’s.
“Okay.” A weight lifted off Mia’s chest. If she kept thinking people only saw her one way, they would. Clearly, these two saw her as just another woman their age who they got along with. Stop second-guessing everything and go with it.
Shay took a broken chip and popped it in her mouth. Between the three of them, they’d made quick work of the snack. Shay put a hand on her belly and sighed. “I love nachos, but I always eat too many.”
“No such thing,” Gabby said.
Shay stood and picked up her beer bottle, taking a long swallow to finish it up. With her plate and bottle in hand, she walked toward the kitchen. From the other room, she called out, “Anyone want another beer? A cup of tea?”
Mia set her plate on the coffee table and glanced at her beer. “I’m good. I can’t stay too late.”
“I’ll take a cup,” Gabby called. She set her plate down as well and pulled her legs up onto the couch, curling them underneath her.
“You remind me of Wyatt,” Gabby said softly.
Mia frowned. “That’s a new one.”
Gabby laughed. “He was so certain he didn’t belong anywhere, he kept to himself. You’ve been everywhere and could be part of any circle, but it’s like you can’t trust that people really want you there.”
Perceptive. So much so, a sharp stitch of pain settled right under Mia’s rib cage. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell what people’s motives are,” Mia admitted quietly, avoiding Gabby’s gaze.
“Trust takes time to earn. When enough time has passed, you’ll see that none of us have any motives at all where you’re concerned. Each of us: me, Owen, Wyatt, Shay, and Brady felt our own sort of isolation when we first moved to Kendrick Place. It’s not about motive. It’s about recognizing and understanding how you might feel. And reminding you, you’re not alone.”
Her gaze locked on Gabby’s. She’d nailed it. Lonely was exactly how Mia had felt since she’d come home. Overwhelmed with the idea that maybe she didn’t have to feel that way, her heart clenched. Breathe. One step at a time. One day at a time. Maybe, if she was cautious, she could actually build her own circle of people.
Shay came back a few moments later with two steaming mugs. “Here, Gabs. Mia, if you have to go, why don’t we chat about the party.”
Like Gabby, Shay sat down and tucked her legs to the side. Gabby unfolded herself and set her tea down.
“Let me clear some of this stuff out of the way while you guys chat.”
Shay smiled and pulled a pretty blue notebook out of a bag resting against the couch. “So, a one-hundred-year celebration. I’ve been looking at themes and ideas online and I was thinking, how fun would it be to do a costume party? We’ll recreate the era in which your great-grandfather began turning the building from an abandoned shipping house into space for families.”
Mia’s chest warmed, as if she’d taken a huge gulp of the tea sitting in front of Shay.
“I love that. Honestly, my grandmother will go crazy for it. We could transform the lobby into a speakeasy. I’ll need to watch the budget, maybe check with my grandmother, but it’s a great idea, Shay.”
This party was going to bring prestige back to the building. For whatever reason, her father and brother had lost their sense o
f pride in Kendrick Place and Mia was determined to restore it. It wouldn’t hurt to remind the community that the Kendrick name still carried weight. The event would show her family she was serious and the community that their legacy still stood strong. Mostly, it would make her grandmother happy.
Gabby joined them again, bringing the chocolates with her. “Fun. I’ve always wanted to wear a flapper dress. But I thought your family had owned the place since the late eighteen hundreds?”
Excitement pushed all her worries away. “We have. But it’s the hundred-year celebration of when my great-grandfather rented out the first apartment. Technically, the second unit he’d finished, but he lived in the first one.”
They continued to toss around ideas, and though fatigue was pushing down on her, Mia got caught up in the planning and enthusiasm. She forgot to guard her feelings or her words and for the first time in longer than she could remember, she’d relaxed and enjoyed the company of others. By the time she went home, she’d almost forgotten how much was riding on showing her family that she was the perfect person to manage and oversee Kendrick Place and get it back to earning a notable profit.
Letting herself into her apartment, Mia was eager to put on pajamas and crawl into bed. As she brushed her teeth, she thought about her deadline. Hopefully, by the end of the six months, she’d not only succeed, but remind the community that her family’s history of providing stylish, affordable family living had started right here, with this building. And that she was part of continuing that legacy.
Chapter Four
Brady’s mouth hung open and he stopped mid-stride as he approached the apartment. A Skyfall silver, special edition Aston Martin—James Bond’s freaking car—was parked in the cul-de-sac. His fingers literally tingled with the urge to touch. The pins and needles had him opening and closing his fists. The only thing better than running his hands over a woman was getting them on the sleek curves of a gorgeous car. The air had been warmer for this morning’s run, but his chest was still tight. With his breath puffing out in short bursts, his heart hammered fast and hard. Some people hung art on their walls. But real art, in his mind, came with four wheels. This was exactly the kind of car he’d love to do some detail work on. And get behind the wheel of.
