Whatever You Need (The Haneys Book 2)

by Barbara Longley

  “We’d better be off. Thanks for carrying our bags for us.” She slid into the driver’s side before she did anything foolish.

  Wyatt held the top edge of her car door and peered at her. “Thanks for lunch.”

  She snorted. “Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches isn’t much of a lunch, but you’re welcome.”

  He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something else, but then closed it again. His hood still hung down his shoulders. He must’ve forgotten to pull it back up, and that, along with his blush, sent her heart aflutter. “See you, Wyatt.”

  “See you back.” He shut her door and stepped away.

  Kayla pulled out of her parking space and turned down the alley toward the street. She glanced into her rearview mirror. Wyatt still stood in the lot, watching her drive away. Her eyes welled, and she held her breath. Why, she had no idea. Never before had she reacted this way with anyone other than her son. She didn’t want to leave Wyatt, not even for a three-day weekend, and they weren’t even dating.

  “Mommy, can we have McDonald’s for supper?”

  She huffed out a laugh. “You just had lunch, and you’re already thinking about supper?”

  “Uh-huh. Can we?”

  “Not tonight. We’re having supper with Gammy and Pops.”

  “Tomorrow can we?”

  She grinned at him in her rear view mirror. “I love you, Brady.” Once again her son saved her from the morass of her own tangled emotions.

  “Love you too, Mommy.”

  By the time she pulled onto 35W South, Brady had fallen asleep with a picture book against his chest, and Kayla was left alone to think. She planned to do a lot of serious thinking in the next couple of days. Her outlook on love and life had been seriously tainted by her unfortunate BAMs. When she got right down to it, she lacked experience when it came to relationships. Maybe she needed an outlook makeover. Too little, too late?

  It would take all her courage and more to ask Wyatt for a do-over. How would he react if she tried to seduce him? After the way she’d kissed him, then informed him they couldn’t date, he might see her as flighty and indecisive. As sensitive as he was, fear that she’d change her mind again could lead him to reject her. Maybe, but she might risk it anyway. At the moment, not taking a chance scared her far more than the possibility that she might be too late.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Wyatt kept his tone low and leaned in toward Josey and Sam. “It’s my turn to ask for help.” Their cousins had joined them at The Bulldog, and they shared a high-top table next to the bar. The cousins had moved on from discussing the shocking news of Grandpa Joe’s retirement to talking about CHS Field, the new Saint Paul Saints baseball stadium a few blocks away.

  “Help with what?” Sam’s brow creased.

  “Seriously?” Josey smacked Sam’s shoulder. “With Kayla, of course.”

  Wyatt flashed his sister a grateful look. “Exactly.”

  “Hey, we’re heading out,” Jack Junior said, rising from his spot. “My wife will be fuming if I don’t get home soon. We’re going to her parents’ lake home early tomorrow morning, and I have items on the honey-do list that need to get done tonight.”

  “OK. Say hi to her for us, and give that baby of yours a squeeze for me,” Josey said. Wyatt waited until good-byes were said and the cousins were gone before he turned back to the issue at hand. “My apartment building is for sale. The sign went up this morning.”

  “I kind of figured that might happen when you told us the insurance company wasn’t covering the rewiring. I’m sure the owners realize that old building will need a lot more work in the near future, and it’s all the expensive stuff.” Sam fixed him in a pointed gaze. “So, what kind of help do you need with Kayla?”

  “I’m . . .” Heat rose to his face, and he tugged his hoodie forward. “It’s just that—”

  “Wyatt is in love,” Josey scowled at Sam. “Kayla said she doesn’t want to date him, but he’s been wheedling his way into her life in the hopes she’ll change her mind. And now that his building is for sale, he’s afraid she’s going to move away before he can get through to her.”

  “Wow.” Wyatt’s eyes widened. “You got all that from . . . ‘I’m’ and ‘it’s just that’?”

  She shrugged. “I’m really good at deductive reasoning, and Gram might’ve said something.”

  “Mmm? What did Gram tell you exactly?” His grandmother had said she was the soul of discretion when he’d shared Kayla’s personal history. Kayla wouldn’t appreciate it if she found out he’d talked about her with his grandmother.

  “Only that you found someone you were interested in who happens to be recently widowed. Gram mentioned your young lady might still be grieving, and she hoped you wouldn’t give up on her.” She patted his arm. “No names were shared, and that’s all she said. But you mentioned taking Kayla and her son to the mall and fishing, so I know you’ve been spending time with her. Besides that, Kayla is the only girl you’ve ever included in one of our nights out. So . . . duh.”

  “What Jo said pretty much sums up my situation. I don’t even have Kayla’s telephone number. She’s going to start looking for a new apartment right away, and you know how it goes. People move away and lose touch.”

  “You could just ask her for her number, Wy,” Jo frowned.

  “I know. That’s not the point. Realizing I don’t have her number brought home to me just how tenuous our relationship is. That’s all. I’ve been working on getting her to see how perfect we are for each other, and now I need to up my game plan. I need a grand gesture here, or at least something that will keep her around for a while, so I can keep—”

  “Wheedling your way into her heart?” Josey said with a laugh.

  “Exactly.” He tugged his hoodie forward again.

  “Yep. You need to do something, especially since you turned the Mysterious Ms. M to the dark side.” Sam grunted. “Kayla looked a little rattled by that.”

  Wyatt groaned. “I know. We talked, and she said we’re OK, but I’m pretty sure it still bothers her. See why I need help?”

  “The Mysterious Ms. M? What are you two talking about?” Josey looked from Sam to him. “Oh, wait. Never mind. Sam told me about how you turned Kayla to the dark side in your Elec Tric series. Smooth move, dumb ass.”

  “Yes, and Kayla saw the title page, A Hero Has His Heart Broken, which I’d left on my drawing board.”

  Josey’s eyes filled with sympathy. “You’re screwed.”

  “Yeah, I know.” He shifted in his seat. “So can we get back on task? Grand gesture, people. I need a plan.”

  “That’s easy.” Sam sat back and crossed his arms. “Buy the building. Become her landlord, and you can keep the rent the same as it is now. Then she won’t have to move.”

  “Be serious.” Wyatt snorted and glared at his brother. “I mean something that isn’t crazy, something I can actually do.”

  “Do you know how much the owners are asking for the building?” Josey’s expression turned thoughtful.

  “No, but I’m pretty sure it’s a million or two out of my price range.” Wyatt rolled his eyes. “Come on, guys. I’m counting on you here.”

  “Just think for a minute,” Josey’s eyes took on an excited glint. “The income from the current renters will figure into what you can afford, and given the building’s location, it’s an excellent investment.”

  Wyatt shook his head. “It’s a money pit is what it is. You know what it cost the current owners to rewire the entire building. Rewiring is only the beginning.” He held up a hand and began ticking items off his mental list. “It needs a new flat roof, tuck-pointing, new concrete work in front and in back, new energy-efficient windows . . . Come to think of it, a twenty-first-century boiler and ductless air-conditioning would be nice. Hell, it needs to be replumbed, Jo. That’s a lot of copper pipe we’re talking about, and copper is damn expensive. Then there’s—”

  “OK, I see your point, but Wyatt”—Josey’s brow
rose—“it’s also two blocks from the Mississippi River parkway, trendy restaurants, shops, parks and good schools. The property would be an excellent investment, and the interest rates are still really low. That area has always held its value, even during the housing market crash, and right now the property values in the Mac-Groveland neighborhood are on the rise. Say we bought it and fixed it up. We could turn the apartments into condos, sell them and double our money.”

  “We?” Wyatt’s brow rose. “Our?”

  “Hmm. Josey makes a good point, and don’t forget we can call in some favors, get materials at wholesale and do a lot of the work ourselves. We are a construction company, after all.”

  “Wait.” Wyatt propped his elbows on the table and buried his face in his hands for a few seconds. “Are you two suggesting the three of us buy my building, bring it up to date, and then sell the units off as condos? I asked for a freaking gesture, and you two turn it into . . . a business proposition and a project?”

  “Exactly.” Josey canted her head. “Is that third-floor apartment still vacant?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “My lease is up in a couple of months. I was going to renew it, but now I’m thinking that third-floor apartment in your building might just be my new place.”

  “You two are serious about this?” He looked from his sister to his brother. They both nodded. “I don’t know. A conventional loan would require at least five percent down, if not more. Do either of you have that kind of cash?”

  “We don’t know what kind of cash we’re talking about without first knowing how much the owners are asking,” Josey said, her tone a little exasperated. “But, if you don’t want to buy it outright, here’s another thought. You could talk to the current residents and see if any of them are interested in turning the place into a cooperative. That way, you wouldn’t have to come up with as much cash on your own. The down payment would be divided among those who want to stay.”

  “Or, turn it into condos.” Sam leaned forward. “You and the other renters could get together, figure the cost per unit, plus enough for the start-up of a general upgrade fund, and form an LLC as a holding company. At least find out what the building’s listing price is. It wouldn’t hurt, and if we do decide to go for it, I think we’d better act fast.”

  “Can you get me in to take a look at that empty apartment on the third floor?”

  “Sure. I still have the keys. Our caretaker moved out last week and didn’t bother to get them back from me. We can head over there right now if you want.” The possibilities crowding together in his brain ignited a spark of excitement. He had some research to do.

  “I think I’ll head home.” Sam checked his phone. “Haley should be finished with her book club by now. And by ‘book club’ I mean the opportunity to get together with her girlfriends, drink wine and gab.” He stood up and stretched. “Think about it, Wyatt. I’d be interested in investing, and I’m sure Haley would be cool with it too. Things slow down considerably for us during the winter, which would give us time to work on the place ourselves. Between the three of us, we have a lot of skills. Sweat equity, bro. The best kind.”

  “I will think about it.” What would Kayla make of the plan? Would she stay if he bought the building? There wouldn’t be anything in it for her, but if the residents turned the place into condos and they all owned the building collectively, then it would be a good investment for everyone involved. Did Kayla have the cash to buy in, though? Maybe she did. She did mention an insurance payout connected to her husband’s accidental death.

  He and Josey walked out to the sidewalk together. He pulled his car keys from his back pocket. “Where are you parked, Jo?”

  “I’m a few cars down from your truck.” She pointed toward Mears Park as they walked. “I’m excited about this, Wyatt. I’ve been thinking about investing in property for a while, but I don’t really want a house with a yard.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t like yard work or gardening. Probably because I work with my hands all day, and I’m on my knees on the job enough as it is. When I get home, all I want to do is relax.”

  “I get it.” Wyatt got to his truck and took care of the meter. “I’ll see you at my place in a few.”

  “I’ll be right behind you.”

  Did he want a house with a yard? Maybe not now, but someday, like when—make that if—he ever had a family of his own, a family that included Kayla and Brady. He might never get there with her, and that thought brought a hollow ache to his chest. He could jump through burning hoops for Kayla, and she still might not want to be with him as anything other than a friend.

  And what about his comic books? Did he want to take on a huge project like a twelve-unit, turn-of-the-century building? Doing so would seriously cut into his creative time. On the other hand, the work on the building didn’t need to be done all at once. They could take care of things one project at a time, and Sam was right. The winter months were slow for them. It wouldn’t hurt to check things out, and if he could muster up the nerve, it wouldn’t hurt to talk to his neighbors. Not exactly the kind of grand gesture he’d been hoping for, but Gramps always said property was the best investment.

  Tomorrow he’d call the listing agent for their building and ask questions. He’d also look into what it might take to turn the place into a cooperative or condos. At any rate, it would give him something to occupy his mind while Kayla was away. Which would be a good thing, since he’d started missing her and Brady like crazy the second their car disappeared from view.

  “Mind your grandfather, Brady,” Kayla said, while clearing the dinner dishes from the table. “And be gentle with the animals.”

  “I will,” Brady replied, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He slid off his chair and placed his napkin on the table.

  “Well, come on then, biddy-buddy.” Her dad reached out a hand. “Let’s go see the menagerie.”

  Brady took his grandfather’s offered hand, and the two started for the door. “What’s a menageree, Pops?”

  Kayla shared a grin with her mom and carried the dirty dishes to the sink. “Thanks for dinner, Mom. As always, it was delicious. I don’t remember the last time I had your famous fried chicken.”

  “I haven’t made it for quite some time, but I remembered how much you love my recipe.” Her mom busied herself with putting away the leftovers. “We miss you and Brady so much, Kayla. Have you given any thought to looking for a job close to home once you’ve graduated? You’d have help with Brady, you know. Since my job is here on the farm, he could stay here with me while you’re working, and it would save you the cost of day care.”

  “I’ll think about it.” With her apartment building up for sale, where she’d be living in the near future was suddenly up in the air. Moving back to Decorah didn’t appeal to her, though, even with her family here. She didn’t want to be anywhere near the Malones with all their guilt- inducing judgmental attitudes.

  “Good. That’s all we can ask.” Her mom shut the refrigerator door and glanced at her. “Besides all the relatives, we’ve invited the Malones over for the barbecue Sunday evening. They’re excited to see you and Brady.”

  “Great.” She couldn’t help the bitterness in her tone. “I wish you’d talked to me first. I’d rather have them visit with Brady while I’m not here.”

  “But why, Kayla?”

  “You know how they are. They blame me for everything, including the fact that Brad joined the army and died.” Just thinking about her in-laws brought back all the humiliation and hurt of being married to a boy who hated her, a boy she’d been pressured into marrying. “But you know what? It wasn’t my fault. Brad and I were a couple of stupid kids who made a mistake. We didn’t love each other. We didn’t even know what love was at that age. Neither of us wanted marriage, but did anybody listen to us? No.”

  “We all thought it would go easier on both of you if you married and shared Brad’s last name. After all, this is a small town, and you know how
people talk.”

  “Yeah, well, Brad gave his son his name, but that’s all Brady ever got from him. Brady and I would’ve been better off without him. I could’ve found a way to go to college instead of wasting time working at a crappy job and waiting for my husband to come around.”

  “Oh, honey . . .”

  “We are better off without him.” Guilt burned through her. “I know it’s awful to say that, and I never wished him any harm. But . . . Brad was not nice to me, Mom. He was a verbally abusive, unfaithful bully. I could accept his bitterness and abandonment of me, but I couldn’t bear the fact that he didn’t love his own son. Brady is an intelligent, sweet, amazing little boy, and he didn’t deserve to be treated so poorly.” She shook her head. “How I got so lucky with my son when his dad was such a selfish, immature jerk, I’ll never figure out.”

  “We had no idea. We thought we were doing what was best.”

  “I don’t blame you and Dad. The good Reverend Malone can be very persuasive. I’m sure Joyce and David thought they were doing what was best, too, but . . . My baby and I were the ones who suffered. There was nothing best about any of it, and my husband just up and left.” Her throat tightened. “He didn’t have to deal with anything beyond sending the occasional check home.”

  Kayla turned to face her mother. “Brad planned to divorce me after his last tour of duty was up. He’d found someone else and told me he was in love. Actually, he found several someones during our short and miserable marriage. He made no secret of his affairs either, and I’m sure that was another way to get back at me.”

  Wow. She’d lost control, and all of the ugly she’d kept bottled up for years just spilled out of her. “Being married to Brad left me scarred, and it left me scared. I’m not sure I’ll ever trust anyone enough to completely give my heart, and that just sucks, because I’m only twenty-four.”