I pull away, staring at her. “You’re early! I thought your plane didn’t land until tomorrow morning.”
“Couldn’t stay away.”
“The furniture hasn’t even arrived yet.”
“I don’t care.” My sister laughs. “I’ll sleep on the floor—or crash in your hotel room.”
Roman squeals in his car seat in the back. He reaches toward me, his fists opening and closing toward us.
As the taxi driver takes Lucy’s suitcases out of the trunk, my sister opens the door for Roman and unclips him from his car seat. Lucy heaves her son up, nuzzling her face into his neck and blowing a raspberry on his cheek. He giggles, squirming in her arms until she puts him down. He runs to me, wrapping his arms around my legs.
My throat is tight. My eyes are misty. I pick my nephew up and give him a big kiss as Lucy rubs his back, smiling.
“It’s good to see you,” I say, and I mean it. It’s only been just over two weeks since I saw the two of them, but it feels like an eternity.
Lucy nods. “You too.”
Roman giggles when I swing him high into the air. I cuddle him close and he plants a slobbery kiss on my cheek. I laugh, putting him down. He slips one hand into mine, and the other into Lucy’s, and the three of us turn toward the house.
“Here we are. Home sweet home.” I glance at Lucy, whose eyes are shining.
“It’s perfect, Rae.”
In that moment, I forget about Sawyer. I forget about Benji, about the garage, about my parents, about the past. The only thing that matters is that Lucy and Roman are here, they’re safe, and they’ll be settled soon. We’re in a nice neighborhood of a beautiful town. Lucy will be able to get her degree. I’ve bought a healthy business, which will keep Lucy and Sawyer going when I go back down to Houston to talk to my parents. I’ll be able to quit my job at my father’s business and start doing some freelance landscape design work. Then, I hope, Sawyer will take over the garage.
If everything goes to plan, my family will be together again. We’ll be able to accomplish what we wanted to do three years ago—start over, far away from Houston, together.
Maybe, if I’m lucky, my parents will come around, too. My family will be whole again.
As the taxi drives away, a neighbor arrives at the house next door, but I don’t have the energy to look over. I’ll greet them later. Right now, I just want to spend time with my sister and my nephew, basking in the promise of a bright future.
7
Benji
She’s here. She’s fucking here.
Everywhere I go, Rae Montgomery is sinking her claws in and trying her best to ruin my life, just like she did Sawyer’s. The house next door to Sarah’s has been up for sale for months. We were all surprised when it sold, but I never would have imagined it was Rae fucking Montgomery who bought it.
I can’t get away from her.
I’m fuming when my sister opens the door. Her eyes widen when she sees the expression on my face.
“Everything okay?”
“You have new neighbors.”
“Oh, lovely!” Sarah says, poking her head over my shoulder. I follow her gaze, seeing a woman who isn’t Rae pulling bags out of the trunk.
Another woman? Is Rae…into chicks? Is she a lesbian?
I try to keep the surprise off my face, but something clenches at my stomach.
Am I disappointed? Why the fuck would I care?
I hate Rae Montgomery with all the fire in my soul. She robbed me of my future business, and she betrayed my best friend. I don’t know why she’s here, or who the other woman is, but it doesn’t concern me. All the better that Rae’s batting for the other team. Makes it easy to ignore how hot she is.
Before I can stop her, Sarah dodges around me and walks toward the woman next door.
“Hi!” my sister calls out, raising her arm. I start protesting, then shrink back into her house, watching.
The other woman lifts her eyes, a soft smile tugging at her lips. She has the same chocolate brown hair as Rae, but hers is cut short. She smiles at Sarah, dropping the bag she was carrying and extending a hand.
“Lucy,” she says.
“Didn’t think anyone would ever buy this place,” Sarah says, jerking her thumb at the old house next door.
“My sister just bought it. Rae! Come meet our new neighbor!”
Sister?
I want to disappear. I wish I hadn’t come to visit Sarah today, but it’s Saturday, which means family night. I stay rooted to the ground, though, watching as Rae appears in the doorway, a small child in her arms. She smiles at Sarah, and my heart stutters.
I’ve never seen her smile like that. I didn’t even know she was capable of it.
Her smile lights up her face. It changes everything. Makes her look soft, happy, and kind. Her eyes crinkle at the corners, and her nose scrunches ever so slightly. Is it just me, or do her freckles seem brighter? Even the scar on her eyebrow suits her when she smiles.
She’s cute.
I shake the thought away. She’s a robbing, stealing, lying, backstabbing excuse for a sister, is what she is. Who cares if she can smile? Even psychopaths can smile.
“This is Roman,” Lucy says, taking the child from Rae’s arms.
Sarah beams. She loves kids. My sister’s gaze shifts to me, and my eyes widen. Don’t call me over, I scream with my eyes. Don’t you dare.
“Benji!” Sarah waves me down. “That’s my brother. Benji, what are you doing there? Get over here. Come say hi.”
I see the exact moment Rae realizes it’s me. Her soft, hopeful smile slips right off her face, and the hardness returns to her eyes. The light inside her dims.
Guess the feeling is mutual.
Trudging over to their front lawn, I jerk my head at Rae, then turn to Lucy. “Nice to meet you.”
“And this is Roman,” Sarah says, shaking the little boy’s hand. He hides his head in his mother’s shoulder, and the two women laugh. I steal a glance at Rae, and I see her face soften again.
I don’t know why I find it so surprising. Everyone loves kids, don’t they? Why would Rae be the exception?
Maybe she has a heart, after all.
“Who’s that?” a little voice says behind me. My niece and nephew poke their heads out the front door, and Sarah waves them over.
“Bradley! Gabby!” she calls out, and introductions are made all around.
If I didn’t know any better, this would look like a normal, friendly interaction. New neighbors meeting each other. Welcoming a new mother to the neighborhood. I listen to Sarah asking Lucy to come along to her Mom and Tot’s swimming lessons and her weekly mother’s group. She asks Lucy what she does for work.
“I’m actually transferring to the university in September,” Lucy says, putting Roman back down on his feet so he can go meet the other kids. “I’m studying to be a special ed teacher.”
Sarah’s eyes widen, and a smile splits across her face. “I teach at Woodvale Elementary! How many years have you got left? I could get you a job there.”
My sister laughs delightedly at me, and I want to disappear. The last thing I want to do is make it easy for the Montgomerys to adjust to life in Woodvale.
“That would be incredible.” Lucy and Rae exchange a glance, and Rae smiles again. My heart clenches.
Sarah lets out a happy sigh, her eyes full of hope. Then, my sister opens her mouth, and my heart sinks.
“Why don’t you come over for dinner? You probably haven’t even got pots and pans unpacked.” Sarah smiles at the two women, chucking Roman on the cheek.
“Oh, we couldn’t,” Rae says, her cheeks turning red. She doesn’t look at me, but I know I’m the reason she’s refusing. Through their open front door, I can see a few unopened boxes, and Rae’s rental car is full to the brink. They haven’t unpacked anything, and Sarah is probably right. There’s no way their kitchen is ready to be used.
“Nonsense,” Sarah says. “We’ve got lots of food, as long as B
enji doesn’t eat it all. Oliver is out back at the grill. I’ll tell him to throw a couple more burgers on.”
Lucy smiles, throwing a hopeful glance at Rae. Rae gulps, flicking her eyes to me.
They’re not the hard, cold eyes I’m used to. She’s not telling me what to do or stomping on my life and burning everything I’ve worked for to the ground.
She’s asking permission.
I grunt, shrugging. Sarah’s face brightens, and I know my sister is my weak point. I’ll do anything for her. Give her anything. Put up with my soul-sucking new boss for a few hours, if it means Sarah gets what she wants.
The three kids are already thick as thieves, and Sarah hooks her arm into Lucy’s, telling her about fresh gossip at the school. Within moments, Rae and I are alone.
She takes a deep breath, wringing her hands in front of her stomach. “Benji…” She sighs, lifting her eyes up to mine.
Is it wrong that even with everything I know about her, I still love the way she says my name? It still makes me want to throw her over my shoulder and carry her to bed.
“It’s fine,” I grunt.
“I swear I didn’t know your sister lived here. I was just looking for somewhere for Lucy to stay. If it makes you feel any better, I’ll be leaving in six weeks’ time, as long as I get to talk to Sawyer before then.”
I study Rae’s face, and I see no animosity. No secrets. No pretense.
Is it possible she’s telling the truth? That she just wanted to give her sister somewhere safe to live?
As we walk back toward Sarah’s house, I gulp. Isn’t that exactly what I did when I helped Sarah with the down payment for this place? Haven’t I been working my ass off to make sure she and the kids have food on the table? I even got Oliver a job at the garage, even though Harold said we didn’t need another mechanic.
Glancing over my shoulder, I look at the rental car parked on the street. It’s a budget sedan. It certainly doesn’t look like something a Montgomery would drive, even temporarily.
What is it with this family? What am I not getting about them?
Rae puts a hand on my arm, and a current of heat flows from the touch. I pause, turning to look at her. With her hair down and just a little makeup on, she looks a lot more vulnerable than she did when we first met. A lot more human.
“I’m not here to make your life hell, Benji. I’m sorry about the garage. I wasn’t trying to ruin anything for you. I was just trying to help my family.”
My throat tightens. It sounds like she’s telling the truth. I nod. “It’s fine. I’d never have that much money to give to Harold anyway. It was a pipe dream.”
She gulps, and my eyes drift to her throat, then back up to her lips. When she’s here, like this, open and nonthreatening, it feels like she’s a totally different person than the one I’ve heard about. I didn’t even know her sister had a kid. Sawyer never mentioned he had a nephew. And where’s the father?
Rae gives me a hopeful smile, and I nod toward Sarah’s house. As we walk in and I hear the sounds of children laughing and their mothers talking in the kitchen, it feels almost normal.
But stealing another glance at Rae, I know there’s nothing normal about her. She has layers of secrets. Hidden memories she keeps to herself.
Roman runs up to her with a ball in his hand. He gives it to Rae, who accepts it as if it’s the most precious Fabergé egg in the world.
I wonder, then, seeing her smile as her nephew presents her with a toy, if she’s really as bad as I thought.
8
Rae
Sarah’s house is organized chaos, and Benji’s sister seems to thrive on it. The kids play with Roman, and Lucy takes a seat at the kitchen island. Sarah pours her a glass of wine as I watch from the doorway. They talk as if they’ve known each other a lifetime.
I back up slowly, banging straight into a big, broad wall of muscle.
Benji clears his throat. I spin around, heat rushing to my cheeks.
How does he do that? He can hate me with every atom of his being, and my body just begs for more.
“I was just going to go unpack the car,” I say, ducking my head to hide my blush. “Don’t want to leave all our stuff out there. We should be getting a delivery of furniture any minute, too.”
“I’ll help.”
I try to hide my surprise. I nod. That’s a departure from his usual I hope you burn in a fiery abyss attitude.
Benji follows me outside, and I try to ignore the thumping of my heart. I steal a few glances his way, wondering if he knows how attractive he looks in a plain, black T-shirt.
Maybe it’s because I’m used to seeing rich men wearing expensive three-piece suits or trying too hard with designer clothes that cost more than a normal person’s monthly wages. Maybe it’s because I’m away from home and outside my element.
Whatever it is, my head is spinning. My eyes keep darting toward Benji, and the way his shirt stretches over his broad frame. How his pants hang low on his slim hips, revealing a strip of skin every time he moves.
Sparks zip from one end of my body to the other until it’s hard for me to walk in a straight line. I force myself to keep my head facing forward, even though everything inside me is screaming to look his way again.
With Benji’s help—and his muscles—we’re able to unload the car and bring everything indoors. Our new home is a one-story, three-bedroom house. Once Lucy’s settled, I’ll go back to Houston. Eventually, when I move up here permanently, I’ll find my own place. For now, we’re rooming together.
I point to the master bedroom.
“That’s Lucy’s room,” I say. “You can take her bags in there.”
“You’re giving her the master?” Benji tilts his head.
I shrug. “I don’t need much space.”
He stares at me as if he doesn’t know if I’m kidding or not. I try not to squirm under his gaze, choosing instead to haul my own worn-out suitcase to the last bedroom down the hall. As I duck inside the room, I take in a quick breath, putting my hand to my forehead.
Being around Benji is exhausting and exhilarating all at once.
The doorbell rings, and I head out front to see who it is. When I see the delivery truck and two men in fluorescent yellow shirts, I open the door with a smile.
“Uh, Rae Montgomery?” the man at the door says.
I nod. “I’ll sign for those. Three mattresses and frames, right?”
“And a table and chairs.”
“Right. Of course.”
I must be frazzled. I’m usually on top of all these details. What else did I buy? I’ll have to check my account—moving is expensive.
As Benji walks into the room, making my heart skip a beat and my lungs constrict, I know why I can’t think straight right now.
It’s him. Whenever he’s near, my brain turns to mush. I can’t think about anything except how big he is, and broad, and how freaking good he smells. His presence has the power to turn me into a hair-twirling, eyelash-batting, heart-thumping mess.
With a trembling hand, I sign the delivery paper, then watch as the two men start to unload the van. I direct them to each bedroom, expecting them to stay and set up the flat-pack furniture. When they shut the truck and climb in, I run out onto the front lawn.
“Uh, excuse me? What about assembly?”
“That costs extra,” the driver explains. “We have three more deliveries to make this evening. It’s late. Sorry. They’ll send someone out tomorrow if you call the store.”
Without another word, they drive off, and my shoulders drop. I turn to see Benji in the doorway, a smirk playing over his lips.
“Don’t,” I say, shooting him a glare.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t laugh. Whatever snide comment you have ready for me, spare me. Just this once.”
He opens his mouth, and I expect to hear something about me being rich and helpless and disorganized.
Instead, Benji nods toward his sister’s house. “I’ll grab
some tools. I can help you with the beds.”
When Benji makes a move toward his sister’s place, I catch his hand in mine. Warmth blooms over my skin, wrapping me in delicious heat. I bite my lip, staring into Benji’s eyes.
He doesn’t pull away.
“Why?” I ask softly.
“Why what?”
“Why are you helping me?”
Benji takes a deep breath, his blue eyes gleaming as he meets my gaze, and finally shrugs. “I don’t know.”
He pulls away from me, and I watch him head toward Sarah’s garage. I walk back inside, dragging the new dining room table over to its proper place and positioning chairs around it. At least they came fully assembled. The beds are a different story.
Benji reappears with a tool bag and a platter piled high with three burgers and a mountain of salad. “Sarah insisted,” he explains.
My heart swells as a lump reappears in my throat.
When I came to Woodvale, I was expecting some tense times with my brother. I thought it would be difficult to settle into a new place, but I did it for Lucy. Her college program is good, and I thought there was a chance Sawyer would forgive me for not coming with him.
I didn’t expect kindness from strangers. I didn’t expect neighbors to talk to me, let alone invite me over for dinner. I certainly didn’t expect the big, burly mechanic—who’s made it very clear he doesn’t like me—to help me more than anyone else.
No one has helped me out of the goodness of their heart before. No one’s made me dinner and brought tools over to my house, despite thinking I stole their business opportunity out from under them. I come from a cutthroat city, where my father is the top dog. A place where backstabbing is normal, and everyday kindness doesn’t even happen every year, let alone every day.
This is overwhelming. I grip the back of a chair to steady myself.
Benji’s blue eyes search mine as he sets the platter down on my brand-new dining room table. I point to a chair, and we each grab a burger. As I take a bite, I study the mountain of a man in front of me. He feels my gaze and lifts his eyes up to me, jerking his chin at the platter.
Won't Miss You: A Brother's Best Friend Romance (We Shouldn't Book 4) Page 6
