by Jody Holford
The sound of her purse zipper closing didn’t cut through the tension. Ten minutes, he thought. They couldn’t handle ten minutes in the car together. Yet, his insides had frozen when he’d realized it was her in the accident. Maybe he had a sadistic streak. Why else would he have offered to drive her home?
“I agree that with extenuating circumstances, sometimes these things are warranted. I appreciate you doing that and will certainly reimburse you,” she said.
The sound of her stilted speech should have made him mad, but instead, he wondered what it would take to knock that twenty-four-karat-gold chip off her shoulder.
“I wasn’t worried, princess. After all, I know where you live.”
Brady smiled when Mia huffed out an irritated breath.
Chapter Seven
Mia gripped the strap of her purse so tightly, there’d probably be an indent of the seam on her palm. Her heart—maybe her brain or just her very dormant libido—had a dual personality disorder. That was the only explanation for the elevated irritation, followed by bursts of heated awareness, she experienced in Brady’s presence. The sooner she got out of the car, the better.
She all but bolted when he pulled into his spot. Mia was at the basement entrance, fumbling with her key, when he came up behind her. She could feel him behind her. Trapped in between the door and the front of his large, hard body, she lost her breath. More so when his hands came to her shoulders and squeezed.
“Hey, seriously, are you okay? Maybe you should get checked out by a doctor?” Brady said.
The genuine concern and kindness in his tone, in his gentle touch, made her want to turn into him and go completely lax. She felt one second of overwhelming need to let him absorb all her weight. She had no doubt his solid frame could handle it. Straightening, she shrugged his hands off her shoulders, ignoring the way the heat of them stayed. She turned her key in the lock and pushed the door open.
“I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine.” Or she would be if she could put some distance between them. She hoped it was the accident and not his proximity causing the lightheaded buzzing in her head.
“Okay.”
He stepped through the door after her. Three men dressed in matching T-shirts branded with a security logo walked behind Wyatt toward Brady and Mia.
“There you are,” Wyatt said, coming forward. He gave Brady a chin-nod before introducing her to his acquaintance, Finn, and the two men who worked for him.
Finn’s hard, unsmiling face would have reminded her of Wyatt, but his eyes were too happy. He extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Kendrick. Why don’t my guys and I walk you through what we’ve set up here?”
“Maybe you should rest first,” Brady said.
She saw Wyatt arch an eyebrow before she turned to look at Brady. “I have work to do. Thank you for the ride. Please let me know when my car will be ready.”
She hadn’t meant to talk through gritted teeth, but when were the people in her life going to take her seriously.
Brady’s mouth tightened, and though it suited Wyatt and his friend Finn, the hard set of his lips did not suit him. “Yes, ma’am.”
Mia winced, and this time, it wasn’t because of the ache spreading up and down from the base of her neck. Brady stormed toward the elevators and when Mia turned back to the other men, her eyes widened. Was Wyatt smiling?
“I’ll catch up with him. Thanks for doing this, Finn,” Wyatt said, shaking Finn’s hand and giving another nod with his chin toward the other guys.
Mia sighed, then pulled herself all the way together. Pasting a boardroom worthy smile on her face, she gestured to the clipboard Finn had at his side. “Shall we?”
He smiled. “Absolutely.”
...
After Finn and his crew left, Mia stopped by her apartment long enough to down two ibuprofens. If she kept moving, she wouldn’t get worked up. Like you have time to get worked up anyway. She left her grandmother a message saying she planned to stop by to talk then confirmed with her father’s secretary that she would definitely be attending the board meeting in a couple of days. What is today? Saturday. Right. Taking a deep breath, she left her place to go back to her office.
The lobby, with its high ceilings and open space, was calming. She stopped in the center and looked around. When she was younger, her grandfather would bring her to collect rent and check in with his residents. He cared about Kendrick Place. Mia could almost feel his rough, weathered hand in hers and smell the sandalwood scent of his aftershave. While her own father hadn’t cared to spend much time with her, Grandpa Kendrick had more than filled a void—he’d made her feel loved.
Enjoying the feel of the sunshine coming through the tall windows, Mia eyed the large, bare wall that closed in the small space where the mailboxes were housed. She thought of Gabby’s beautiful artwork. I wonder if she’d be willing to display her work right there. Mia would ask the next time she saw her. Enough daydreaming. She turned to head behind the lobby counter just as a guy came to the glass doors and pressed one of the apartment call buttons. Wearing a heavy, dark canvas jacket, he had a backpack hanging on his hunched shoulders. Mia waited a moment, then saw his lips move. He turned his head and his eyes locked with Mia’s. Young, probably under twenty, he had a layer of scruff on his face, and dark, shaggy hair hanging in his eyes. While she wondered who he was there to visit, she didn’t step forward. The door buzzed and Mia’s stomach jumped. Obviously, someone had let him in.
“Hello,” she said, hoping her voice projected authority. “Welcome to Kendrick Place.”
“Hey. Cool, there’s greeters here now?” the man-boy asked.
“I’m not a greeter. I own the building. Who is it you’re here to see?” Not that it was technically any of her business.
“Uh, my uncle. He buzzed me in,” he answered, pointing a thumb back over his shoulder.
“Okay.”
Feeling awkward, headachy, and a bit tired, Mia started to turn when the elevator dinged and Brady came walking into the lobby area. His eyes landed on her, but he said nothing. Then he looked at the boy and smiled so brightly her heart pinched.
“Justin. Look at you, all grown-up. Come here, kid,” Brady said, pulling the not-quite-a-boy into a tight hug.
“Hey, Uncle B,” the boy said quietly.
Mia decided she was being unaccountably rude and went to her office. Pulling up the list of units, she tried to pretend she wasn’t curious about Brady and his nephew. Who cares? He’s a tenant. Well, and your mechanic. Had she imagined the look of fear that had crossed his features when he saw it was her who’d been in an accident? Probably. Mia sighed and looked over her list, putting Brady out of her mind. Or to the back of it at least.
Eighteen units. Fourteen occupied, including her own. Wyatt had moved in with Shay, creating an open unit. A woman named Shanna had moved a few weeks ago, and a couple had recently left. Those units hadn’t been painted, despite her good intentions. She needed to get them rented and fast. Her brother was right about Kendrick Place losing money, between high operating costs, slow increases in rental incomes, people leaving, vandalism, and the need for added security, which had cost a significant amount.
Mia knew the cost was high, but it would be easier to breathe knowing they were well monitored. It would make the tenants feel safer and perhaps, if her brother had taken such measures sooner, they’d have been able to stop their former manager, Jake, from swindling them and the occupants. Would she be able to stop her brother from turning people out onto the street with his hotel scheme? She couldn’t imagine Brady’s reaction if he found out what the six months really meant for the tenants. If you fail. Only if you fail. And you won’t. You can’t.
Mia logged on to the computer and searched local employment sites. If she could hire someone to handle some of the maintenance on a regular basis, and the painting that needed to be done to get the empty places move-in ready, she could save the cost of emergency services. Her phone buzzed and she saw her gran
dmother’s name on the screen. Mia smiled as she answered.
“Hey, Grams,” she said.
“Hi, sweetheart. What’s an ailing grandmother have to do to get a visit from her favorite grandchild?”
Mia laughed. Her grandmother was far from ailing, regardless of her eighty-two years. “How about I pick up some Italian food from that place you like and bring it over for dinner tonight?”
“Hmm. Sounds perfect. And bring that charming man of yours,” Grams said.
Mia sat straight, wondering what dirt the local entertainment news was tossing this time. “Grams, I don’t have a man, charming or otherwise,” she said.
Her grandmother made a sulky noise. “Can’t blame a woman for wishing.”
Mia laughed and even with the pain keeping her shoulders stiff, the tension drained from her body. Visiting Grams would do more than give her answers. It would provide a much-needed respite from all the plates she’d been juggling lately.
“I’ll see you soon.”
As she hung up, she cursed quietly. She had no car. Picking up the phone, she sighed as she dialed a number she knew all too well and tried rarely to use. Mia didn’t like playing into the media’s perception of her as a spoiled little rich girl, but there was no way she was missing out on a night with the one member of her family who actually believed in her.
“Hi. This is Mia Kendrick. I was hoping one of my father’s cars could pick me up at Kendrick Place around six tonight? I’ll need a ride home as well.”
“Our pleasure, Ms. Mia. It’s been a long time,” Matthew, her father’s longtime driver said.
Mia smiled. “It has. How are you, Matthew?”
“Very well, dear. Thank you for asking. We’ll have a car there for you. Might even pick you up myself. Haven’t seen you since you returned stateside.”
“It would be great to see you as well. Your family is good?” Mia asked.
Some of Mia’s happiest memories included not her parents, but her grandparents and the people her mother and father employed.
“They’re doing well. Janie is all grown-up now, finished college and everything. Just like you. I’m sure your grams will be happy to see you. Six o’clock sharp,” Matthew said, his voice a deep timbre.
When she hung up, her heart pinched painfully. What did it say about her that she felt closer to her grandparents and the family’s staff than anyone in her immediate family? Nothing. It says nothing about you and a lot about them.
Even though she believed her own words, it didn’t make the truth hurt any less.
Chapter Eight
Excitement made Brady’s heart feel too large for his chest. After shutting the apartment door, he clapped his nephew on the shoulder again as Justin tossed the backpack on the floor with a thud.
Unable to dim his smile, he looked Justin over from head to toe. “What are you doing here?”
The happiness he’d seen when they greeted each other downstairs fled from the boy’s eyes. Eyes so much like his own. And Jared’s. It was then Brady realized what a thud the backpack had made. Like it was loaded heavily. His eyes went back to Justin’s.
“Can I stay for a bit?”
“Yes,” Brady answered immediately. The answer would always be yes. Justin was family. If he wanted to visit, he was more than welcome. Even though his brother was an ass and wanted nothing to do with Brady, he loved his nephew. Hell, he loved his brother, too, but couldn’t change Jared. He’d take what he could get from his family and was all too happy to have Justin stay.
“What’s going on? What brought you to Boston?”
Shrugging off his jacket, he hung it on the coat rack and removed his shoes. Brady picked up the kid’s bag, noted its weight, and walked it to the spare bedroom. Unease slid over his excitement. Was his nephew here for a visit or to stay? When he came back in, Justin was sitting with his forearms resting on his knees. Dressed in worn jeans and a dark hoodie, he looked weary. And older. He’d graduated ahead of his class last June because he was so damned smart. Justin glanced up when Brady came back and stood in the doorway. “You want anything? A soda? Water?”
Justin shook his head. Brown locks of hair that were growing a bit long moved back and forth with the motion. “Would it be okay if I crash for a while?”
Brady moved farther into the room and leaned on the arm of the leather recliner that matched his couch. Okay, so more than a visit. “Yeah, sure. You know you can. You going to tell me what’s going on? Your parents know you’re here?”
“I don’t think they really care where I am.”
Brady didn’t want that to be true. Jared and Penny, Justin’s mom, had divorced when Justin was a kid. Though Penny had been good about Brady keeping in touch with his nephew, Jared had made few attempts to maintain a strong relationship with his son. When Penny had uprooted Justin and moved west, Jared had done nothing to stop it. As far as he was concerned, he’d done his share by sending money every month.
“I’m sure they care, Justin. They’d want to know you’re safe. How’s your mom?”
Justin shrugged and made a weird scoffing noise. “She’s fine. The usual. Busy with her new guy. I thought maybe it was time to get out on my own.”
Brady stood, his jaw clenching. “Because you’re the advanced age of seventeen?”
Justin grinned. “Eighteen. I just need some time to figure out what I’m going to do.”
“About?” What wasn’t he saying?
Something shifted in Justin’s features, like defeat steamrolled slowly over him. “Uncle Brady, I’m really tired. It was a long bus ride. I promise I’ll tell you everything, but could we do it tomorrow?”
And because the kid rarely had adults put his needs ahead of their own, Brady nodded without hesitation. He jerked a thumb toward the guest room. “You know where your room is if you want to lie down for a while. But you need to tell your parents where you are. Don’t care if you text them or phone them, but they need to know you’re here. If you’re going to lie down, I’m going to head back to work for a bit. I’ll grab a pizza for dinner. Sound okay?”
“Sounds perfect.” Justin stood and covered a yawn. When he started to pass Brady on the way to the hall, he stopped, and held his gaze. “Thanks.”
His voice cracked and it made Brady’s heart do the same. He put a hand on Justin’s shoulder and squeezed. Had he grown again? They were nearly the same height now.
“No thanks needed. And no invitation either. Ever. You know that. You know what, I’ll let your parents know where you are. You get some sleep.”
Justin nodded again, and with his shoulders somewhat slumped, he shuffled off to the spare bedroom. Brady stared after him, anger and worry twisting together in his stomach. Going to the phone, he kept his voice low after he’d dialed his brother’s number.
When the beep for the message sounded, Brady made it quick. “Jared. Justin showed up on my doorstep. He can stay as long as he needs to, but I’m hoping you’d want to know where your son is. Call me back…for once.”
He pressed end and set the phone back on its base. He scrolled through his cell phone contacts, sent Penny a quick message, then put his phone down and gripped the counter’s edge with both hands. What a day. It wasn’t even dinnertime and he felt as though he’d run a marathon backward. Taking a steady breath, he called work and asked Danny to look over Mia’s car, letting him know he’d be there shortly.
...
When Brady arrived home that evening, he ran into Shay at the elevator. Her happy, bright smile brought out his own.
“Hey, neighbor,” she greeted, stepping into the car first.
“Hey, Shay. How’s it going?” He was tired, but looked forward to pizza with his nephew and hopefully getting the kid to open up about what was going on. He’d spent longer on Mia’s car than he meant to and was arriving home late because of it.
Shay didn’t seem to notice his fatigue. “I’m good. I’m so excited about next weekend. Gabby and Owen’s engagement party is going
to be my showcase event on my website, and I’m hoping it’ll bring in more work,” she said, her enthusiasm contagious.
“I’m looking forward to it. You’ve done a great job from what I’ve seen and saved Owen from heart palpitations by staying within the budget,” Brady said.
Shay laughed, her eyes sparkling. “Yes. Definitely. I just talked to Mia about coming, but she wouldn’t give me a definite answer. She was on her way out for the evening. A big, fancy car came to pick her up. I wonder if she’s going to some major event. Hey, you should ask her to come to the engagement party.”
Shay’s words were a busy run-on sentence that made his eyes widen. The words that stuck in his head were “big, fancy car.” Sounded right. Why did that bug him so much? He focused on Shay’s other words. As he’d told Owen, he did not need a matchmaker. Brady gave a noncommittal “hmm.” The elevator doors slid apart, and Shay’s smile widened like the sun itself had shone personally on her. Brady gave a chin-nod to Wyatt who stood with his typical scowl. Shay was about the only person with the magic to make Wyatt smile.
“Hi, sweetie,” Shay said, stepping out.
Brady put his foot in front of the door to keep it from closing and echoed Shay. “Hi, sweetie.”
Wyatt scowled harder and Shay giggled. Going up on tiptoes, she placed a kiss on Wyatt’s cheek. A tinge of jealousy snapped under Brady’s skin. It had been too long since he’d had a date or a girlfriend.
Wyatt’s hand went to Shay’s waist and he turned his head, meeting her mouth briefly. “Hey, babe. Sorry you got stuck in the elevator with that clown.”
Brady laughed. He’d originally given the not-so-friendly police detective a wide berth, but now he knew most of the attitude was harmless. Especially with Shay at his side. “Aw. Don’t hurt my feelings like that. You still mad you owe me twenty bucks?”
A hint of a smile played on Wyatt’s lips. “We’ll see what happens next poker game.”
