“Definitely.” Wyatt got up from the table, wrapped his doughnut in a napkin and drained his coffee cup. “I’ll text Josey. See you there around five?”
“Yep.”
Still a bit gob-smacked, Wyatt walked out of the building and climbed into his truck. His grandparents were in their early seventies. He’d known this day would come, but still, he couldn’t imagine not having Grandpa Joe running things at Haney & Sons. He just couldn’t wrap his head around what that might be like. He pulled out of the lot and turned toward home, wishing he could talk to Kayla about what he’d just heard. She’d be at school now, but maybe he’d catch her before she left for Iowa.
Thinking of Kayla brought her image to mind, especially the way she’d held his hand and told him he didn’t need to cover up with her. Her warmth, and the concern in her pretty blue eyes when she’d looked at him, had given him hope. He was certain she had feelings for him, but he was just as certain those feelings were conflicted.
Since their almost kiss, he’d been giving her space. Or maybe he’d been giving himself space. The distance separating them chafed, but what else could he do? If he pushed, she might shut him out completely, and that would be the end of something good, even if it was only a friendship.
He turned off Marshall Avenue onto his street and frowned. A man was putting up a sign in the front yard of their building. As he passed, he was able to read what it said: for sale.
“What the hell?” He frowned. What would this mean to the current residents? Given the great location, their rent could rise to an astronomical amount. The new owners could turn the place into expensive condos, or worse—the building might be razed to build a new luxury development on the spot.
He’d seen that happen to a few other old buildings in their neighborhood. And even two-bedroom condominiums were priced high. The new condos in their area went for close to half a million. Of course they had all the amenities, including more than one bathroom, and their old building didn’t, but he could see their apartments-turned-condos going for three to three-fifty.
He parked his truck and headed for the basement. Jon was already there and working. “Morning,” Wyatt said, getting to work himself.
His mind still spinning from the changes hurled his way, he somehow made it through the morning without making any mistakes. He kept his eye out for Kayla, hoping to catch her before she left for Iowa. How would she react to their building being for sale? Would she start looking for a new place right away? He needed to do something, but what?
The back door from the parking lot opened, and he heard Brady’s familiar chatter. He couldn’t keep the grin off his face, and already his outlook improved. “Let’s break for lunch,” he told Jon. “We can clean up while we’re waiting for the inspection.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be back in an hour.” Jon tossed a screwdriver into his toolbox.
Wyatt took the stairs two at a time to catch up to Kayla. “Hey, are you two ready for the big trip?”
“Yeah,” Brady chirped. “I get to see Gammy and Pops and Grandpa and Grandma Malone.”
“I’m going to make a pot of coffee and some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before we go. Are you hungry, Wyatt? Would you like to join us for lunch?”
“Sure. I have a bag of chips I can contribute. I’ll be right back.” He ran down to his apartment to his kitchen and grabbed the bag of potato chips from on top of his fridge, returning to the second floor just as fast. She’d left her door open for him. Taking in a breath, he walked in, closed the door behind him, and strode to the dining area. Kayla stood in front of her coffee pot, scooping fresh grounds into the filter.
His breath caught at the sight of her. The way she stood, her generous curves, her hair in a loose knot at the back of her head . . . until now, he’d never considered scrubs sexy, but on Kayla? Hot.
Reining back on his X-rated thoughts, he schooled his features to what he hoped came across as a neutral, friendly-neighbor look. Maybe he’d caught a break the other day, and she hadn’t picked up on the fact that he’d been about to kiss her. Friends don’t make out with friends. She hadn’t said anything. If she was willing to ignore the breach, so was he.
“So, I got a shock this morning,” he said, opening the bag of chips and placing them on the table next to the paper plates already there.
“The for-sale sign out front?” She glanced at him over her shoulder.
He grunted. “That too, but no. This morning my grandfather announced he’s retiring at the first of the year.”
“Oh? How old is he?” Kayla laid slices of bread on a cutting board.
“Seventy-two, but you wouldn’t guess it to look at him. He could pass for sixty easy. He’s in great shape, and so is my grandmother. They stay active.” He suspected the love they had for each other and for their family helped them stay young.
Brady appeared, wiping his wet hands on his shorts. “Mommy, can I have one side with strawberry and one side with grape jelly on my sandwich?” He climbed up on his chair and offered Wyatt a wet fist.
“Of course.” Kayla took two jars from the fridge.
“Come here, kid.” Wyatt opened his arms. “You’re going to be gone for a whole week. I need a hug.”
Giggling, Brady stood up on his chair and took a flying leap into Wyatt’s arms. “I am definitely going to miss you, Superkid.” Wyatt held the little boy close. “Who’s going to listen to me read my comic books while you’re away?”
“Mommy.”
Wyatt peered at Kayla over Brady’s head. She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth and kept her eyes on the PB&Js. Was she blushing? Maybe it was the thought of being alone with him, so . . . yeah. The near kiss thing got to her, or it might still be fallout from the Elec Tric comic book where he’d turned her to the dark side. Oh, wait.
He stifled a groan. He’d been so wrapped up with the changes coming his way it hadn’t occurred to him until now that Kayla had probably read through all of the comic books he’d given her. Hadn’t she said she couldn’t wait to read them?
What must she think of the Mysterious Ms. M, since he’d created her shortly after Kayla had moved in? More important, what did she think of him? All the episodes were numbered and dated, so she’d know he’d been watching her. What if she viewed his using her image as creepy? Worse, what if he’d strayed into stalker territory in her eyes?
“What kind of jelly do you want, Wyatt?” Kayla asked without looking at him.
He tried to swallow against the desert the inside of his mouth had turned into. “Half and half like Brady’s sounds good. Thanks.” He set Brady back on his chair.
“Hearing your grandfather is retiring upsets you?” Kayla smeared peanut butter on the slices of bread.
“It shouldn’t, but yeah, it hit me pretty hard.” He raked his fingers through his hair, pushing his hoodie off in the process. “I remember being a little kid and playing with hand tools in his office while he, my dad and my uncles talked about jobs. Gramps has been a permanent fixture at Haney & Sons since the day the company started.” He blew out a breath. “Honestly, I can’t imagine the place without him.”
“Change is always unsettling, but you’ll be fine. You’ll adjust, and it’s not like he’s disappearing from your life.” She brought the sandwiches to the table, still on the cutting board, and put two halves on each of their plates. Then she went back to the fridge and took out an individual box of chocolate milk.
“You’re right. They want to travel, and I’m happy for them.”
“Who will run the place after he retires?” She stuck a straw into the milk for Brady.
“Two of my uncles.” Wyatt put chips on Brady’s plate before adding a pile to his. “Can I have one of those boxes of milk?” Wyatt shot Kayla a hopeful look. “I love chocolate milk with a good PB&J,” he said.
“Of course you do,” she said with a laugh. “Help yourself. They’re on the bottom shelf of the fridge.” She took the bag of chips from his hand.
&nbs
p; Their fingers brushed, her fault this time, and an electric current shot through him, causing his heart to pound. Visions of more skin-on-skin contact with her flooded his imagination. His desire for her had grown with each passing week. He’d probably go up in flames if they ever did get naked together. He bit the inside of his cheek in an effort to squelch his lust and crossed the kitchen to the fridge for a chocolate milk.
“I’m not happy to see this building for sale. Moving is such a pain, and Brady and I like it here.”
“You’re not going to do anything right away, are you?”
“I don’t know. I should at least start looking, since most places aren’t available for months in advance anyway.” She shrugged. “I just hope nothing here changes too drastically until after I finish my program.”
“I don’t wanna move,” Brady added around a mouthful.
“I don’t either.” Wyatt frowned. “Hopefully it won’t sell for a while, and even if it does, it takes months for anything to happen. Maybe things won’t change at all, and we’ll just send our rent checks somewhere new.”
“Not likely.” Kayla huffed out a breath.
What if Kayla and Brady moved away? Sure, they were friends, but friends often drifted apart, lost track. He couldn’t let that happen. He wanted so much more with her. His stomach clenched. Torn between caution and the need to tell her how he felt, Wyatt struggled. “Kayla . . . I need to tell you . . . what I want to say is . . .”
“Hmm?” A smile graced her face, and her brow rose slightly.
She stole his breath when she looked at him like that. The words he needed to say wouldn’t come. He swallowed a few times. “I hope you have a great visit home this weekend.” Her smile disappeared, and her expression fell. Was that disappointment flickering through her eyes?
“Thank you. We’re looking forward to our visit. Aren’t we, Brady?” She rose from her chair. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“I’m good with chocolate milk, thanks.” Wyatt took another bite of his sandwich. Had Kayla been disappointed? What had she been hoping he’d say?
“Wyatt, d’you know what?” Brady popped a chip into his mouth.
“No, what?”
“I know a joke. D’you wanna hear it?”
He nodded. “Can’t wait.”
“Knock, knock.”
“Who’s there?” Wyatt asked, already chuckling.
“Cow says.”
“Cow says who?”
“No, silly! A cow says moooo!” Brady dissolved into giggles.
“All right, I’ve got one.” Man, he really would miss Superkid this week. Nobody knew how to lighten the mood like this happy five-year-old boy. “You ready?”
Brady nodded.
“Knock, knock.”
“Whooo’s there?” Brady called.
“Wooden shoe,” he answered.
“Wooden shoe who?”
“Wooden shoe like to hear another joke?”
Brady laughed again, and Wyatt shared a grin with Kayla.
“All right. My turn,” Kayla said, her expression once again open and bright. “Ready?”
“Yep.” Brady popped another chip into his mouth.
“Knock, knock,” she said in a singsong voice.
“Who’s there,” he and Brady said in unison.
“A little old lady.”
“A little old lady who?” Brady’s voice rose with his excitement.
“I didn’t know you could yodel,” she said, a look of surprise on her face.
Brady’s childish laughter lit Wyatt up, while Kayla’s open smile and the sparkle in her eyes as their gazes met sent a thrill straight through to the core of his being.
“Mommy?”
“Yes?”
“What’s yodel mean?
Kayla laughed, and then she did some pretty hokey yodeling. “That’s what yodeling is.” She reached over and tousled Brady’s hair.
Wyatt wanted more lunches like this, the three of them being goofy, laughing together. He wanted dinners too, and bedtimes. Especially bedtimes. His gut wrenched. He couldn’t let Kayla and Brady slip out of his life. He just couldn’t. Their apartment building would sell quickly, and Kayla had said she’d start looking for a new apartment right away. He dreaded the possibility that she’d drift out of his life.
When things had looked their bleakest for Sam and Haley, he, Josey and Sam had hatched the perfect plan to help his brother win back the love of his life. Tonight he’d ask Sam and Josey for help, and together they’d come up with a plan—something that would finally break through Kayla’s defenses and force her to see how perfect they were for each other. He thought so, anyway. How to convince her was another matter entirely.
With their silly knock-knock jokes still hanging in the air between them, Kayla lost herself in Wyatt’s warm brown eyes, and a rush of longing nearly ripped her heart in two. She’d read through all of the Elec Tric comic books the other night. With the world of demons on the Mysterious Ms. M’s heels at every turn, and Tric’s archenemy DD urging her to join their ranks as her second-in-command, Ms. M found herself in desperate straits in each issue. Wyatt’s alter ego had been so tender and protective toward the Mysterious Ms. M, rescuing her again and again.
Clearly the superhero had fallen for his damsel in distress. He believed fate had brought them together, and he’d done everything in his power to keep her safe. Wyatt’s Elec Tric character had been solid and constant. He’d never let Ms. M down, never got on her case for putting herself in harm’s way.
He was just . . . there for her, wearing his heart on his stretchy blue superhero sleeve. And what did the poor guy get in return? The Mysterious Ms. M rejected him and crushed his heart, that’s what. Yep. Pretty sure his art imitated his life. Oh, the remorse—how it bit, and so did its bitchy sister, Regret. Ms. M had made the biggest mistake of her life. Had she made the biggest mistake of her life too?
“We have to get going,” she said, rising from her chair. “It’s a three-hour drive, and I told my folks we’d be there for supper.”
“Do you need help carrying your bags to the car?” Wyatt gathered their empty paper plates, napkins and milk boxes.
“I don’t want to take you from your work.” His offer nearly brought tears to her eyes. Wyatt always carried her tubs of laundry and helped her with her groceries. He helped her with Brady, and he was providing her son with the most excellent male role modeling possible. Like Elec Tric and the Mysterious Ms. M, Wyatt was her go-to guy, even though he didn’t get much in return.
“It’s no trouble, and I’m heading downstairs anyway. All we have left is to gather our tools, sweep up the remnants and do a final check while waiting for the inspector.” He stuffed the trash into the bin.
“I need to change my clothes, and then we’re ready.” Kayla filled her thermos with coffee and flipped the off switch. “Try to use the bathroom, Brady, and then go get your backpack with your books and toys. I left it on your bed.”
“OK.” He shot down the hall toward his room.
“Wyatt, everything is going to be fine with your grandfather retiring.” She wiped down the counter and straightened up. “When your grandparents aren’t traveling, I’ll bet your grandfather will hang out at your office a lot. I’m sure it’s not an easy change for him either.”
“You’re probably right. He’ll get bored without us to boss around.” He shot her a wry grin. “I should’ve known something was up when Gram told me Gramps was learning to golf.”
Kayla scanned her tiny kitchen. “Brady is going to miss you while he’s gone,” she told him. I’ll miss you.
“I’m going to miss him too.”
“Leaving him there is going to be weird. I’ve never been separated from my son for more than a night since the day he was born.” She sighed. “This place is going to seem so empty without him.”
“We can hang out,” he said, his face flooding with color. “If you want to, that is.”
“I’d like that.
”
Brady bounced back into the dining room with his backpack slung over one shoulder.
“I’ll be right back,” she said. “We’ll get out of your hair in a few minutes, tops.” Kayla hurried to her room and changed into jeans and a T-shirt. Then she rolled their suitcases to the living room.
Wyatt took the two bags out into the hall. She locked the door and took Brady’s hand, and they followed Wyatt down the stairs and out the back door. The impulse to throw herself into Wyatt’s arms to kiss him good-bye nearly overwhelmed her. After she popped the trunk, and he hoisted their bags inside, an awkwardness filled the space between them. “Well, have a great weekend, Wyatt.”
“You too.” He stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and took a step back. “Drive carefully.”
Brady threw himself at Wyatt. He lifted her son and tossed him into the air before giving him another hug. “Mind your mom, Superkid, and no backseat driving.”
“OK,” Brady said, grinning. “Are you gonna read comic books to Mommy without me?”
Wyatt winked at her, and her pulse skyrocketed. “Maybe, but I can always read them again with you when you come home.” He set Brady on his feet and opened the back door of her car.
“Gammy and Pops are going to bring me home.” Brady climbed into his booster. “You can read to Pops too. Pops likes comic books, and d’you know what?”
“What?” Wyatt asked, leaning into her car to buckle her son’s seat belt.
Oh, boy. Wyatt’s jeans fit so perfectly over his very fine backside. Kayla forced her gaze away from the enticing sight and opened her car door.
“I have a great grandpa too.” Brady threw up his hands, like that was the coolest thing ever.
“Wow. You’re one lucky kid.”
“Uh-huh.” Brady nodded. “Bye, Wyatt.”
“Bye, Brady. See you in a week.”
Wyatt straightened out of her car and faced her. “Do you want to catch a movie one night next week? There are some good ones out right now.”
“Sure. That would be fun. I haven’t been to a movie that wasn’t animated for I don’t know how long.” Her voice came out all breathy. A kiss. All she wanted was one stupid kiss—well, that and his arms around her—but until she’d worked through her own mixed-up feelings where Wyatt was concerned, she’d keep her hands to herself.
Whatever You Need (The Haneys Book 2) Page 18
