by Ann, Natalie
“Did you tell her that we are there to make a profit, not just a quick sale?” Alec reminded her, scoffing slightly.
“I did, and when she found out it was part of Harper Construction she got all excited. Then she asked if she could come in and look at what you did. She knew the previous owners and had been in the house plenty of times. She was excited to see how it looked now.”
“What did she think?” he asked, looking up from his own meal.
“She asked for my card and if we could come back and give her a price quote on a new kitchen. She liked what you did and her house has a similar floor plan.”
“You are just eating up all this new business, aren’t you?” he said warmly to her.
“Of course I am. I have to earn my keep, don’t I?”
“You earn it,” he said, his eyes softening and her breath catching. There it was, that look again, the one that made her heart race and drums pound in her head.
She cleared her throat. “Anyway, once that was done, I met with some local realtors and explained what we were doing, and about the open house I was having next weekend. One told me that she might have an offer before the open house and if I would be willing to cancel it if it was a good offer.”
“Already. Did you even show the house?”
“No, I didn’t, but she verified what I found out about the neighborhood being in high demand. I’m going to meet her there tomorrow and give her a tour while you’re at work, and then she will let me know if her clients want to walk through later that night.”
“That’s good, really good. Maybe we can a get full price if they want it before the open house.”
“That’s what I’m angling for, but I’ll present any offers to you and Phil first.” She pushed her plate away. “That brings up another topic. I met with two banks today and got a list of foreclosed homes in the area. I went through several and crossed them off the list just based on cost and resale value in the area.”
“What did you want the lists for?”
“It’s the best way to find potential homes to flip and rent or sell. I wasn’t sure how much of a hurry you would be in to find another home if this one sold. I just figured I would line some up just in case. I’ve got it narrowed down to three good choices and was going to look at them myself this week.”
He nodded and she tried not to fight off her disappointment. She had hoped he would mention something about where he was going to live and his thoughts about moving in here, but he didn’t. She was glad she prepared more properties for him as a back-up plan and was glad she didn’t answer his question about love with a “yes” now. He was probably joking anyway, like he always did. “I can look them over if you think they are good investments.”
“Thanks. If you have time that would help.”
“One is a two-family home. I know that isn’t something you guys think of, but it’s in a nice area and close to a school. It’s an old Victorian that was converted over. Several homes in the area have been. If you guys aren’t interested in it for Harper’s, I might consider it myself as an investment.”
“What for?”
“I’ve always wanted my own flip. It would be nice to work on it while I’m living here and if I need to move out earlier, then I’ve got a place to stay too.”
Frowning, he asked, “Why do you think you need to move out?”
“I just thought you would need a place to stay if your house sold.”
“I will. I thought I would stay here.”
“I figured as much, so I was trying to line something up for me,” she said, trying not to get upset.
“You don’t want to live with me? Am I that much of a slob?” he asked, his eyes full of mischief.
She tried to rein in her excitement, the drums now banging in her head. “I didn’t know that was an option.”
“Why wouldn’t you think that? We spend more time together than apart now.” He stood up and walked over to her and held his hand out, pulling her up and in his arms. “Really, Brynn, I would have thought it would be a logical solution, unless you would rather not?”
“No. I think it would be good, and I’m good with it, but I didn’t want to presume it.”
***
Alec tried not to show the panic he had felt when Brynn was talking about the houses she was looking at for him. He didn’t know where his anxiety had come from, but it was there, front and center like a flashing red light, halting him from moving forward.
He didn’t know what was worse, him slipping and saying—even jokingly—that she loved him, or her answer to it. But her eyes and her movements told him she was fine with what he said. She might not have agreed, but she didn’t look panicked either. Maybe she just couldn’t say it yet.
That was fine. He was having a hard enough time saying it himself. He thought telling his entire crew about his relationship with Brynn was a big step. Really, why would he have broadcasted it if he wasn’t serious about her?
He’d never lived with another woman before. Sure, he had houseguests and spent the night at plenty of women’s houses, but never like this, and never this much. Those on his crew knew that about him, and they understood what he was saying when he talked to them about her.
It seemed she didn’t understand the true meaning behind his explanation, though.
Maybe it was a good thing he slipped and accused her of loving him tonight. It let him know where he stood. In his eyes, even though she didn’t agree to the words, he still stood on good ground.
They fit together, they worked well together, their nights together were even better. He enjoyed coming home to her and wanted to every night. This seemed like the best way to do it.
“Well then, I guess I can pack up my clothes and bring them over this weekend?”
She leaned back and looked into his eyes, then said, “I guess you can. Admit it, you love me, that’s why you want to be here.”
He smirked, brushed his lips over hers and said, “Maybe.”
Remind Me
The following Saturday morning, Alec rolled over and saw the empty bed next to him. Brynn had said she had errands this morning, but he didn’t expect her to be up this early. Then he looked at the clock and saw it was close to eleven. He never slept that late.
Throwing the covers back, he made his way to the bathroom. Originally he had planned on moving everything to Brynn’s today, but during the last week he had been bringing over piles of clothes on each trip along with his toiletries. Not that there was much to bring along those lines. Little by little he had been leaving things here for the past month.
Now the only things left in his house were the bedroom furniture and TV in the master suite. He’d never moved any of his furniture out of storage like he normally did when he was done with a flip.
If it weren’t for Brynn, he would have lived in that house through the winter while he looked for another flip, moving into the new flip after making that one livable for him.
He never required much. Normally he just needed the master bedroom and bath done and he would move in and could live like that for months. He couldn’t remember the last time he lived in a furnished house for more than a few months.
Thinking on it some more, he’d never lived in a fully-furnished house since he’d been on his own. He didn’t own enough furniture for it. He moved so much, he just kept things light.
He’d have to see what Brynn’s plans were for the rest of the weekend and then try to get ahold of Phil to help him move over his bed and dresser, or put it in storage with the rest of his stuff. Whatever Brynn thought was best.
Because right now, Phil and he were deferring to her on everything when it came to the houses that fell under APH Real Estate. She wasn’t kidding when she told them she was good at her job. Not only had she sold his flip in record time, but at a much larger profit than he would have thought.
They’d settled on an asking price, Brynn convincing them to go higher than he and Phil originally thought. They normally just want
ed to turn the houses around, but she felt they could get more for it, especially after walking through the neighbor’s house and then seeing what it was assessed at.
So they went with her suggestion and figured they’d hold their breath, knowing there was room to negotiate. When they received a full-price offer two days ago—before the open house was scheduled to happen—they would have accepted. Only instead of Brynn accepting like they told her to if they received the asking price, she told the other realtor that she needed to talk with the owners, and that since it was such short notice she might still have the open house.
The prospective buyers didn’t want to lose the house and immediately upped their offer another five thousand dollars, then Brynn accepted on their behalf. When she told everyone that the next day, he and Phil couldn’t believe it. Sean was ready to do his Irish happy dance in the office.
Sean had been so excited, he looked at Alec, and said, “Sorry, don’t take this the wrong way, but I need to do it.” Then he walked forward and pulled Brynn up for a hug and placed a smacking kiss on her lips.
Brynn’s face lit up and she looked over at him, then said, “Wow, now I feel like one of the family.”
Not to be outdone, Phil walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, but Alec had to show them all up and lifted her off the ground and laid a big enthusiastic kiss on her. “Okay,” she had said. “Alec, you win.”
Yeah, he won. He’d been winning for months now.
Finished with his shower and his thoughts, he made his way down the stairs and ran smack dab into a young man opening up the door to the house from the garage.
“Who the hell are you?” the man asked.
Alec glared. “That’s funny. That was going to be my question.”
“Brynn Palmer lives here, right?” he asked another question.
“Yes. Again, who are you…and how did you get in?”
The young man took a step in. He was as tall as Alec, but not as big. Alec was losing his patience and took a step forward when another man walked in after him, an older man, a little shorter than Alec, but huge. Built like a brick wall. “Who is this, Drew?”
“I’m trying to find out, Dad, but he isn’t answering me.”
“Drew Palmer?” Alec asked. “And Andy? Brynn’s father and brother?”
“Yes,” Andy said, moving forward. “This is my daughter’s home, correct?”
“It is,” Alec said, extending his hand out to Andy who had walked past Drew, looking as ominous as any father would, finding a man in his daughter’s home. “Alec Harper.”
***
Brynn had seen how deep Alec was sleeping this morning and decided to let him rest. She knew he was working long hard hours trying to fill the gap from Kyle’s departure. Not to mention Steve’s wife had her baby two days ago, and Alec told him to take the rest of the week off to care for them.
She loved that about him, and about Harper Construction. They really did care about their employees, not just the bottom line. It was a nice feeling to be part of it.
So she’d left him to sleep and ran to the store to stock up on food. Since Alec was going to be living there now she would need to have more food and drink around.
She’d been so excited that the sale of the flip worked out the way it had. Telling them at the office that she’d not only sold their flip as fast as she did, but for more than the asking price was…well, priceless to her. But finishing it up by telling them she lined up another kitchen remodel from the neighbor was even better.
When Sean had walked over and hugged, then kissed her, she thought Alec was going to blow up. He looked startled at first, and then he relaxed and laughed. She knew Sean was like family to him and Phil, and honestly, she felt like family to Harper Construction right now. Just like she always wanted to feel.
Pulling into her driveway, she noticed her father’s truck behind Alec’s. Oh no. This might not be good. Mainly because she’d never told him she was dating anyone, let alone having a man live in her house.
Her father knew she dated, he wasn’t stupid, but she’d never lived with a man before. Ever. And brought very few home to meet her father and brother.
After her mother died, Drew became very protective of her, and her father even more so. She loved them for it, but it was smothering at times, which was why she stopped bringing men home.
Seeing the truck parked in her driveway and knowing at least her father, if not also her brother, had to be in the house terrified her. She hoped Alec was up at least. No, maybe not. Maybe it would be better if he was still sleeping and she could hide him. No. That was wrong; she was an adult, and she needed to act like one.
With a deep breath, she grabbed a few bags from the back of her SUV and made her way into the house.
Opening the door, she heard laughter coming from the kitchen. Finding her father, brother, and Alec sitting around the island drinking coffee shouldn’t have surprised her. Oh, who was she kidding—she was shocked.
Her father noticed her first. “Brynn, sweetie, we were just talking with your boss,” he said. And the way he said “boss” caused her to stop dead. There was a smirk on his face and mischief in his eyes. A look he often shared with her mother—one she hadn’t seen in years and it almost brought tears to her eyes.
“I see that,” she replied, pulling herself together and putting the bags in her hands on the counter. “Maybe you can take a break and bring in the rest of the food.”
Alec jumped up first. “Sure. I’ll give you some time to say hi to your family.”
“Thanks, Alec. I stocked up on the drinks for the guys too, but I put them on the backseat.”
“I’ll take care of it,” he said, nodding and walking out the door.
“So,” Drew started. “Do you want to explain this?”
She busied herself putting away food. “What’s there to explain? I’m a grown woman. And older than you.”
“Yes, you are, but you could have at least told us you weren’t living alone,” her father added, and she felt the blush move up her neck. It was embarrassing enough that they found out she was living with someone, least of all her boss.
“I would have told you eventually,” she said with a smile, trying to tease them.
“Just like your mother.” Her father walked over to her and gave her a big bear hug, and she felt safe and sound, like always when he was around. Now she knew why she fell in love with Alec so quickly. She felt exactly the same around him. Safe and sound.
“You always told me I was like her. But why just now?” She was curious to know.
“Your mother was good at keeping things from me and letting me get surprised. She always wanted to know how I would react.”
“Really?” Brynn asked. She’d never known that about them. She wasn’t trying to do that with Alec. It was more she was unsure of what to say and how to say it to them.
“My Colleen was a piece of work. She had me wrapped around her finger and you two kids knew that. In this case, you remind me of her.”
“That’s sweet. But I wasn’t really trying to hide it.”
Drew tilted his head. “That’s funny. You talk to us all the time, yet it never came up.”
She shrugged. No use denying it right now, it was over with. “Well, make yourself comfortable. I’ll get some lunch together for us.”
Hit Home
“So, do you want to tell me why you and Dad showed up out of the blue like this?”
“How is it out of the blue?” Drew asked, holding the two by four up for her. Alec had taken her father on a tour of the development while Drew and Brynn worked in the basement. She knew her brother and father weren’t ones to sit around for long. Once they were done with lunch, her father couldn’t jump up fast enough at the offer of the tour.
“As you so kindly said earlier, we talk all the time, yet you never said you were coming for a visit.”
“I didn’t know myself until last night.”
She shot the last nail through the
wood and turned to look at him. “Want to explain that?”
Drew laughed, then got the same mischievous look in his eyes that her father had earlier. It reminded her how much she missed them and knew she would when she decided to move away. “Dad said Mom wanted him to come see you.”
She turned sharply and sucked in a breath. “What?”
Shaking his head, Drew replied, “I know. It’s crazy, but he said he had a dream and Mom told him it was time to come see you. I didn’t argue with him. You know how he gets when he has those dreams of her. It’s Columbus Day weekend, so we just figured it was a good time to visit.”
Brynn hesitated for a second and then decided to venture out there. “Do you dream about Mom?” She knew her father did all the time. He often talked about their mother to them since she’d passed away. She realized now that was why she handled her mother’s death the way she did. Her father never let her forget the good times and the good qualities of his first love.
“Sometimes,” he said, shrugging. “Do you?”
“Not in a long time.” She laid the nail gun down. “But sometimes I feel her. I can’t really explain it.”
“I understand. No need to explain.”
Feeling more comfortable now, she helped Drew grab the wire so he could start running the electrical throughout the basement. “Does it bother you to feel it?”
“Not exactly. I mean it doesn’t weird me out, if that’s what you mean.”
She didn’t want to tell him about her reaction to Alec and her tattoo. That really wasn’t something you shared with your younger brother.
“Obviously it bothers you or you wouldn’t have asked.”
Drew always did seem to pick up on the little things. He was a lot like their father in that aspect. “I don’t think ‘bothered’ is the correct word. I guess in the last few months I’ve felt her presence at odd times, causing odd thoughts.” She shrugged and tried to make light of it. “Nothing more than that.”
