“That we’re really together. Like, dating. He introduced me as his girlfriend the other day.”
“Ooh,” she says. “That seems like a big step for Weston.”
“I think it was,” I say. “I don’t know if he’s ever had an actual girlfriend.”
She gasps. “Oh my god, is he adorably terrible at it? Like, is he all awkward now because he doesn’t know how to properly date a woman?”
I laugh. “A little, yeah. Sometimes he says things and I’m not sure if he’s kidding. But for the most part, no. He’s taken me out on some really nice dates.”
“This is so great,” she says. “And I know you said I could gloat if I was right about something happening between you two, but I’m too happy for you to gloat.”
“Thanks,” I say, “but don’t get too excited. This is still so new. And it’s still Weston.”
“Yeah, I know it is,” she says.
“The good thing is, we know each other pretty well already,” I say. “You learn a lot about a person when you live with them. Even more when you take care of them after a car accident.”
“I bet.”
“He’s…” I sigh like a love-struck girl. “He’s so intense. He’s still the same guy, but I feel like he’s letting me see underneath the surface.”
“Are you bringing him to the wedding?”
“I haven’t asked him,” I say. “Is it okay if I do?”
“That’s what the little plus one is for,” she says. “And yes, obviously it would be great if he came with you.”
I smile. “Okay, yeah, I’ll talk to him about it.”
The front door opens and Alex walks in, dressed in a tank top and basketball shorts. “Hey, there’s my two favorite girls.”
“Kendra’s shagging Weston,” Mia blurts out.
Alex stops, his eyes on Mia, his mouth partially open.
“Mia, what the hell?” I ask.
She winces. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”
“I’m just going to go shower and pretend I didn’t hear anything,” Alex says.
I put a hand over my eyes and shake my head. “Oh, Mia.”
“Sorry,” she says, lowering her voice. “You know what’s great, though? Alex really likes him. Or at least, he did before he just found out Weston’s fucking his sister.”
“You don’t have brothers,” I say. “I’m sure you can tell Shelby all about your sexual exploits. Brothers aren’t so interested in hearing about their sisters’ sex lives.”
She giggles. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Alex knows I’m a grown up.”
“True,” she says. “Well, let me know about the wedding soon if you can. We have to give the final guest counts to the caterer.”
“I will. Thanks, Mi.”
When I get home, I find Weston on the couch with his tablet. He pulls out his earbuds and smiles. “Hey.”
Wow, I really love the way he looks at me. My cheeks warm and I smile back. “Hi. Sorry, I went over to Alex and Mia’s for a little bit.”
He shrugs. “It’s no problem.”
I put down my purse and hang up my coat. “I’m starving. Are you hungry?”
“Yeah, but I already ordered from that teriyaki place you like,” he says. “I’ll go pick it up in a few.”
“Thanks,” I say. “That sounds great.”
“Oh, did you want some?” he asks. “I only ordered for me.”
I look at him in surprise, my eyebrows raised.
He laughs while he gets up and walks over to me. “I’m kidding.” He slips his hands around my waist. “But you’re cute when you’re trying to decide if you’re angry at me.”
“You’re an ass.”
“You just realized this?”
I start to reply, but he shuts me up with a kiss. I really don’t mind.
When he pulls away, I keep my arms around his neck and bite my lower lip. I want to ask him about going to the wedding, but suddenly I’m nervous. What if he doesn’t want to go? What if going away together—to a family wedding, no less—is too much?
I can tell he knows I want to say something, but he doesn’t press me. He just waits, giving me a moment to collect my thoughts.
“So, I wanted to ask you something,” I say. “Obviously you know my brother is getting married soon. The wedding is down in Napa, so I’m going for the whole weekend. I was wondering if you’d come with me?”
“Of course,” he says.
“Really?”
He kisses my forehead. “Yes, really. You think I’m going to let my girl go to a wedding alone?”
“Have I told you lately how much I love it when you call me that?”
“What, my girl?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
He smiles again. “I love saying it. Now let me go get dinner. I’ll be back in about twenty.”
I smack his butt as he leaves and he winks at me.
The wedding invitation is in my little mail basket. I pull it out, write my name and a little plus one, then slide it into the return envelope.
Maybe it’s silly to be so happy over this. But the fact that I’m not just bringing a date to this wedding—I’m bringing my boyfriend—is making me all fluttery inside. Being a bridesmaid for the ninth time won’t be so bad, since I’ll be there with Weston.
24
Weston
“Maybe we should get up eventually,” Kendra says, her voice lazy.
I take a deep breath and open my eyes. I wasn’t asleep—just drifting in a post-orgasm haze. What was it I used to have against morning sex? Who the hell knows. Fucking Kendra first thing in the morning is a fantastic way to start the day. Especially when it’s a weekend, and neither of us have anywhere to be.
I glance at the clock. It’s closer to lunchtime than breakfast. Kendra has her head on my shoulder, her arm draped over my chest. One leg is bent, resting on top of mine. The sheets are kicked down to the bottom of the bed and her naked body molded against me looks fucking phenomenal.
“Don’t move.” I grab my phone, angling the camera so it gets more of her than me, and take a picture.
“Did you just take a picture of us? We’re naked.”
“That’s why I took a picture,” I say. “Your ass looks amazing.”
“You’re not keeping that, are you?” She lifts her head. “You can’t have naked pictures of me on your phone.”
I lift my phone again and take another. That one probably has my dick in it, so I’ll delete it later. But it’s fun to get her riled up.
“Hey.”
She grabs for the phone, but my arms are a lot longer than hers. I hold it out of her reach and kiss her.
“Fine,” she says. “But don’t let anyone see that. And don’t accidentally text it or something.”
“Trust me, baby, I won’t let anyone see you.” I grab her ass with my other hand. “This is mine.”
“Oh, you think so?” she asks with a little grin that shows her dimple.
“Yes,” I say. “All mine.”
She takes a deep breath and moves her arm so she can rest her chin on her hand. “I guess I’ll have to let all my other boyfriends know. But they’re going to be so disappointed.”
I drop my phone and grab her, flipping her to her back and pinning her arms down, my hands on her wrists. “You think that’s funny?”
She smiles. “Yes.”
I stare at her for a long moment. At her deep brown eyes. Her dark hair, fanned out across my pillow. “You know I’m not… that there’s no one else, right?”
Her expression turns serious. “Yeah, I know. Me neither. Were you worried about that?”
I roll off her and lie on my side, resting my head in my hand, and she turns toward me. “No, not really. But I’m not always good at talking about things.”
“You’re not so bad,” she says. “You don’t need to chat about every little thing. But you say what’s important, when it needs to be said.”
“Well
, this needs to be said.” I reach out and brush my fingers down her cheek. “There’s only you.”
Her eyes start to glisten and she bites her lower lip. “Yeah. Same.”
I lean close and kiss her forehead. “Good.”
My hand slides down to her hip and I nudge her onto her back. I cup her breast and feel her nipple harden against my palm. I kiss her slowly, my mouth moving over hers, enjoying the feel of her soft skin.
Her phone dings and she groans. I pull away and glance at the nightstand.
“I should probably see who that is.” She reaches over and grabs her phone. “It’s Caleb. He’s supposed to be off today, but he has to go in and he doesn’t have anyone to watch Charlotte.”
“I guess I have to let you get up.” I palm her breast again and suck on her other nipple.
She moans, running her fingers through my hair. “Mm, I don’t want to go.”
“Text him back and tell him you’ll be there in a little bit.” I move down the bed and push her thighs open. She’s pink and swollen, her pussy already wet again. “But I have to make you come again first.”
I didn’t have plans for the day, and with Kendra gone, I’m bored. I get a few things done and consider going into the office to catch up on charting. But I need lunch first.
The hinges on one of the kitchen cupboards are loose. It’s crooked and feels like it’s ready to fall off when I open it. I take a closer look. The screws are probably stripped. It would be easy enough to fix.
I glance around, thinking about all the little things Kendra’s been meaning to fix around here. The loose hinges. Her bedroom door that won’t stay shut. I know she wants to replace the light fixture in the bathroom; I think I even remember what the new one she wants looks like. And she keeps talking about putting up new curtains in the living room.
Who knows when she’ll get to all that stuff. Owning an old home means there’s always something to upgrade or fix. Kendra spends so much time working, not to mention helping everyone else, she never has time for this kind of thing. Today is typical; her brother needs her help, and she doesn’t hesitate.
She’s always taking care of other people. A thought hits me and I feel like a jackass for not thinking of it before—who’s taking care of her?
I grab a quick lunch—leftovers she packaged neatly in the fridge. Like always, she left me a post-it note on top with my name and a little heart. Because of course she did. She’s constantly making sure I’m fed. I’ve been getting so used to it, I haven’t even thanked her lately.
I suppose a case could be made that I thank her in the bedroom—hard and fast, as often as possible. But I’m smart enough to realize that isn’t enough.
After lunch, I head to the hardware store. I walk down the aisles, thinking of all the things the house needs. I’m sure there’s more, but I get supplies for enough projects to keep me busy for the rest of the day.
Back at home, I get to work. I fix the cupboard and replace a few other loose hinges for good measure. I replace the light fixture in the bathroom. The new one fits perfectly and looks much better. She has good taste. The curtain rod in the living room is making the sheet rock crumble where it’s attached, so I have to make another trip to the hardware store to get supplies to repair that. But once I do, the wall is good as new. It will need some touch up paint, but the new curtain rod is sturdy and looks good. I’m not sure if she’ll like the curtains I got, but they match the couch, and she can pick something else if she wants. I’ll just re-hang them for her.
The afternoon wears on, and I tinker with a few more things. Replace some outlets. Put a new doorknob on her bedroom door. I test it out a few times; it clicks closed on the first try every time. I add some WD-40 to the hinges on all the doors so they don’t squeak. There’s not much I can do about the squeaky floor. The hardwoods are old, and although they’ve been refinished so they look nice, they’ll always be noisy. But I kind of like the way they creak. It’s endearing. It’s Kendra.
When she gets home, I’m back in the kitchen, tightening some of the pipes under the sink. I hear her come in, but I can’t see her; I’m lying on my back with my head in the cupboard.
“What are you up to?” she asks, crouching down so she can look beneath the sink.
“You didn’t have a leak down here yet,” I say. “But some of the connections were getting loose. I replaced a piece here, and figured I’d make sure everything else was in good shape.”
“Wow, thank you,” she says.
I get up and put the wrench on the counter. “Sure. I did a few other things while you were gone.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, come here.”
I show her the cupboard, opening and closing it a few times. The curtains. The bathroom light. Her bedroom door. I point out a few other things I took care of as we walk through the house together.
“This is amazing,” she says, her voice filled with awe. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
I shrug. “It’s not a big deal. It needed to be done, so I did it.”
She steps in and puts her arms around my waist. “It is a big deal. This stuff has been stressing me out for months, but I never seem to have time to deal with it. Thank you.”
I smile at her and lean in for a kiss. My chest swells with gratification. It feels amazing to do this for her. None of it was hard—just a couple of trips to the store and a few hours of work. But the payoff—seeing her so happy—is worth it a hundred times over.
It’s a similar feeling when I successfully reconstruct a woman’s breasts after she’s had a mastectomy. Deep down, I know I do those for myself. Because I need to feel like I’m doing something worthwhile. And this—taking care of my woman, doing something that makes her life easier—it’s like that times a million.
My phone rings from my bedroom. Kendra lets go and steps away, giving me another huge smile. I kiss her forehead before going to my room to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Hi Dr. Reid,” a male voice says. “It’s Mike with Robinson Construction. I’m just calling to let you know we completed work on your house. We got everything wrapped up this afternoon. We just need to have you come by for a final walk-through.”
It takes me a second to respond. My house is done? That’s right, it was supposed to be finished this week. “Right. Yeah, I can do Monday morning. Early.”
“Great,” he says. “Does seven work?”
“Sure,” I say. “See you then.”
I hang up and stand in the middle of my bedroom for a long moment, gaping at everything like an idiot. But it’s not my bedroom. I was only supposed to be here for a few months. Just temporarily until my house was done.
Now it’s finished.
I guess that means I have to move out.
I’m filled with a sense of dread. The thought of waking up anywhere else—without Kendra—feels so wrong. But we haven’t really known each other that long. The time we’ve spent actually dating is even less. What am I supposed to do? Ask her if I can stay? Offer to have her come live with me? Obviously we’re living together now, but we never decided to take that step. We just both lived here, and when it turned into more, it seemed silly to have her sleeping in the next room.
So what does this mean?
She appears in my doorway, a smile on her face. “Hey. Have you had dinner yet? I’m starving.”
“No. I’m hungry too.”
“Everything okay?” she asks, her voice light.
I pocket my phone. “Yeah, fine.”
“You’re all dirty, so let’s just grab some takeout,” she says. “I can go if you want.”
“No, I’ll come,” I say. “I’d rather go together.”
She steps closer and pops up on her tiptoes to kiss me. “Sounds perfect. I’ll get my purse.”
Fuck it. My house isn’t going anywhere. I’ll deal with it later. I follow Kendra out, smacking her lightly on the ass when she closes the front door.
25
Weston
Tanya pokes her head in my office. “Do you have a minute?”
“Sure, come in,” I say. “I needed to talk to you, actually.”
She sits down in the chair across from me. “Okay. What’s up?”
“I need you to reschedule my appointments next Thursday,” I say. “Kendra’s brother is getting married down in Napa, and we’re leaving that morning. I thought it would be Friday, but she wants to get down there a day early.”
She nods, tapping on her tablet screen. “Shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll take care of it.”
“Thanks. Did you need something?”
“Yes. Your four o’clock just canceled. Jenna at the front desk had me take the call. It was one of your mastectomy patients.”
“Well, obviously we won’t charge her a cancellation fee,” I say.
“No, of course not.” She shifts in her chair, looking down at her lap. “The thing is, the patient’s husband called. He said that she… well, she died.”
Her words hit me like a punch in the gut. “What?”
“She’d been told she was in remission, which was why she was going forward with reconstruction,” she says. “Her husband didn’t make it clear if this was a recurrence, or a secondary disease. But they got the news a few weeks ago that her cancer was back, and it was extremely aggressive. She was dead within two weeks. They’d forgotten she had this appointment, which is why they hadn’t called sooner. I’m sure her family is just trying to pick up the pieces.”
I stare at my desk, my stomach twisting. “Thanks for letting me know.”
Tanya stands, but hesitates near the door. “Are you okay?”
I smooth out my expression and meet her eyes. “Of course. Just make sure Thursday is clear.”
“Right,” she says. “No problem.”
Taking a deep breath, I rub my chin. Dead. Just like that. I bring up her appointment on my computer and find her name. Suzanna Holton. I don’t know her, aside from having met with her for a pre-op consult. She was supposed to be one of two pro bono cases I was taking on this month.
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