Proposal for Love

by Sharon C. Cooper

  “Okay, Stormy, we have to get going. Let’s leave Jerry to his company.”

  Jerry didn’t set Stormy down. He moved past Nate and carried her to the car.

  “You know if you want to come over for dinner, I’ll get rid of him,” Jerry said to the mother, nodding his head toward Nate. Nate almost burst out laughing. That was so like his cousin. He wouldn’t care if all the guys were hanging out at his house. Let a woman want to come over, he’d have them out of there in a heartbeat.

  Jerry opened the back passenger door and placed Stormy in the car seat. When he closed the door, he turned to the woman who was standing near the trunk of the car.

  “Just say the word. I’ll get us a babysitter and then you can have your way with me.”

  She rolled her eyes again and shook her head. “Whatever, Jerry. I’m sure whatever woman you’re hooking up with tonight is more interested in you than I am.”

  Jerry slammed his hand over his heart. “Dang, Rayne, you wound me.”

  Rain? As in rain…storm? What the heck is up with the weather names.

  Instead of going into the house and giving them some privacy, Nate stayed put. They were more entertaining than some of the latest TV sitcoms.

  “Why do you insist on always stomping on my feelings?” Jerry asked her, doing a pitiful job of looking wounded. When he tugged on the front of her shirt and she let him pull her a little closer, it almost seemed he had her attention. Until he said, “You know I love you.”

  “Bye, Jerry,” she said, irritation dangling from the word. She nodded at Nate before climbing into her old Chevy. After several attempts, the car finally started.

  “What the hell was that all about?” Nate asked when he followed Jerry into the townhouse.

  Instead of going up the stairs, they stepped into the first-floor bedroom where a pool table took up the middle of the floor. Jerry referred to the space as his game room. He had a flat screen TV on a far wall hooked up to a gaming station, as well as a dart board on another wall. The small refrigerator and cabinet above it held plenty of drinks and snacks.

  Nick racked the pool balls. “I’ve never heard you joke about marrying anyone.”

  His cousin took a long time to respond as he chalked one of the pool cues. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. She makes me say shit like that. It just slipped out.”

  “By her reaction, I assume you talk nonsense all the time.”

  “Can’t help it. There’s just something about the woman. I can’t put my finger on it, but she makes me want to try a monogamous relationship.”

  “Get the hell out of here. For real?”

  “Do I look like I’m kidding? Problem is, Rayne always turns me down. Can you believe that shit?”

  Nate stared at his cousin and then burst out laughing, unable to help himself. Unless he was arguing or fighting with someone, Jerry was rarely serious. But he was standing on the other side of the pool table, shock written all over his face. It was as if the thought of anyone turning down his advances were unheard of.

  It took Nate a good five minutes to gather his composure. It didn’t help that Jerry’s expression was of that of someone who had just lost their best friend.

  “I take it she’s had a front row seat to your revolving door of women.”

  “That can’t be it. It’s been months since I’ve brought anyone back here. Not since Rayne and ladybug moved in almost four months ago. So I’m not sure why she won’t give me any play.”

  “You’re serious?”

  “As a heart attack. She’s the one for me, man. I just have to figure out how to get her attention.”

  Nate didn’t know what to say. Jerry had never been serious about any one woman before, but Nate had his own woman problems. He wasn’t in a position to give anyone advice.

  “Looked like you and Stormy were pretty tight. How old is she?”

  His cousin’s whole face lit up in a smile. “Yeah that’s my heart. She’ll be five in a few months, and she’s as smart as a whip. She told me she wants to be an electrician when she grows up.”

  Nate laughed. His cousin might’ve been a screw up in some cases, but he was one of the best electricians in the city. And considering how he was going on about the mother and daughter, Jerry was definitely taken with the pair.

  “All right, enough about me. What’s up with your girl?”

  “She’s not my girl.”

  A slow grin spread across his cousin’s face. “If she’s not, how did you know who I was talking about?”

  Nate released an irritated sigh. “Do you want to break or what?” he asked, ignoring the comment as he removed the rack from around the pool balls on the table.

  Jerry went to the other end of the table and lined up the cue ball. Nate wasn’t ready to talk about Liberty. Heck, what could he say? I’m falling for a woman who ripped my heart out once and might do it again.

  “So you guys were pretty tight until she up and married some rich punk, huh?” Jerry asked after breaking the balls, sending them scattering all over the table. When two striped ones dropped into the pockets he said, “At least I can see why you fell for her. The woman is hot.”

  Nate frowned, not sure how he felt about his cousin referring to Liberty as hot. She was definitely a looker, but it was too weird knowing others noticed. “I guess I don’t have to ask where you got your information.” Nick was the only one, besides their father, who knew why he and Liberty parted ways.

  “Don’t be mad at Nick. After you stared the woman down and then carried her out of the bar last night, we all figured there was some serious history between you two. So now that she’s back, what are you going to do?”

  “I have no idea,” Nate said without hesitation, watching as his cousin sank another ball before missing his next shot.

  “It’s obvious you still care about her. I say go for it.”

  “Of course you would now that you’ve found the love of your life,” Nate cracked. “But some decisions aren’t that easy to make.”

  “Well, like a wise person once told me, until you make a decision, nothing is going to happen.”

  “And who told you that?” Nate asked, lining up his next shot.

  “It was just something from a book.”

  Nate glanced up in surprise. “Since when did you start reading?”

  Jerry’s brows drew together. “Hell, I read!” he snapped with indignation, but dropped the attitude when Nate gave him a yeah, right look. “Okay maybe Rayne told me, but still. It’s good advice.”

  Nate fell out laughing. Stopping by Jerry’s place was turning out to be a good decision. Nate had a feeling he’d be laughing for the rest of the evening. Just what his troubled mind needed.

  Chapter Twelve

  Liberty sat at the round table in Nate’s office, listening as he, Nick, and their cousin Toni argued about her not wearing one of the J & S company shirts. Instead, she wore a T-shirt that boasted: The only thing more badass than a plumber is a woman plumber.

  Toni claimed she only wore the attire to work when scheduled to help in the office, but Nate, and especially Nick, insisted it wasn’t a professional look.

  “Fine! I’ll save these shirts for when I’m not working. Are you happy now?” Toni snapped, folding her arms across her chest. “Jeez, the way you two are acting, you would think I had a marijuana plant or a joint on the shirt. What do you think, Liberty? Are you offended by what it says?”

  Liberty’s brows shot up as three sets of eyes zeroed in on her. “Um…um nooo, I’m not offended by it.” She held up her hand to stop Toni from getting too excited. “But, I have to agree with the guys. It’s not very professional for the office.”

  “Okay, then it’s settled. Only company shirts going forward,” Nick said, pinning Toni with a firm glare.

  Sorry, Liberty mouthed to Toni, who gave her a small smile and waved off the apology.

  This was Liberty’s first time meeting the petite plumber and she liked her immediately. The four of
them had gathered to work on a part of the proposal that needed Nick and Toni’s input. For the past hour, they discussed concerns and reevaluated the proposed budget for the Unity Tower project. Though the work was serious, it had been fun watching Toni’s interaction with the brothers. They treated her more like a little sister than their cousin, all the while accepting her input and respecting her suggestions.

  Also during the last couple of weeks, Liberty had an opportunity to watch how the twins interacted. Nate and Nick were fraternal twins, but except for their skin tone, they looked identical. Nate was a rich dark chocolate, while Nick had more of a milk chocolate skin tone. Some of their mannerisms were similar, but Nate was a little more polished, gentler and calmer, while Nick seemed quick to snap and had a rougher edge to him. With the tattoos covering his arms, he definitely had a bad-boy vibe going on. If Liberty had met them both at the same time, she had no doubt Nate still would’ve been the one to grab her attention first. There was something so addictive about the man that years apart hadn’t suppressed.

  Liberty tuned back into the conversation with the cousins. Toni explained why she thought they needed to add more of a cushion to the proposed completion schedule for the project. Over the past hour, she had definitely earned Liberty’s respect with her knowledge of the construction industry and her ability to fit in easily within a male dominated environment.

  “All right, I think that’s all we needed from you guys,” Nate said to Nick and Toni. “Me and Liberty will tweak the proposed time-line to accommodate for J&S schedule. Oh, and I noted that LCA will pull all required permits.”

  Liberty nodded and double-checked that she had indeed added that information. “Got it.”

  For the past couple of weeks, she and Nate had spent a few hours each day pecking away at the proposal. They had at least three more working meetings before they would be ready to submit. Considering how they started off, Liberty hadn’t expected them to work so well together. After talking for hours, following her drunken stupor, it was as if they hadn’t lost thirteen years.

  She looked up to find Nate staring at her, something he’d been doing a lot of lately. She held his gaze for a moment, her body thrumming with awareness. With just a look, he had the ability to make her feel things she hadn’t felt in years. Even when they dated in college, he’d been so in tune with her that she could easily forget anyone else was around. Her desire to get reacquainted with him built with each passing day they spent together.

  “Damn, why don’t you two just get a room already,” Nick said and stood.

  “I agree. I think that’s our cue to cut out and give them some privacy,” Toni added, standing as well. “Those heated looks you guys have been sharing is enough to burn down the whole building.”

  Warmth surged to Liberty’s cheeks and she glanced down at her laptop, shocked that anyone had noticed. Just once she would love to spend time at J & S without embarrassing herself.

  “Don’t let them get to you, Liberty. My family is known for saying whatever is on their mind. Do like I do. Ignore them.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” Toni said. Liberty looked up as Toni and Nick headed to the door. “Oh, and nice meeting you Liberty, even if you don’t like my shirt.” She smiled with those last words, letting Liberty know she was kidding.

  “Well, I’m heading out. See you guys later. If you need me, hit me up on my cell phone.”

  When Nick walked out, Liam showed up in the doorway. Tall with a runner’s build and dark soulful eyes, he was handsome like the other Jenkins men Liberty had met. He wasn’t as well built or as sexy as Nate, but she could be biased. She had tried keeping those old, romantic feelings for him at bay, but each day they spent together, they grew closer.

  “Sorry to interrupt guys, but Nate, did you have a chance to rework the numbers for the Grisham assignment?”

  “Yep, all done. I had planned to email you the information this morning, but it totally slipped my mind.”

  “I guess with the beautiful distraction sitting next to you, I can see why.”

  “I know, right? It’s a wonder I’ve been able to accomplish anything lately.” Nate smiled without looking up from his laptop and Liberty’s whole body flushed. Hanging out with them was good for her ego. She couldn’t remember the last time someone referred to her as beautiful.

  “Okay, I just emailed you the changes.”

  “Cool. Thanks. I’m out of here. Take care Liberty.”

  “Thanks, you too,” she said as he closed the door.

  “How about we knock off and grab an early dinner?” Nate asked.

  He stood and stretched his arms high above his head, his shirt pulling tight against his muscular form. Liberty tried not to stare, but the man’s body was a work of art even sheathed in clothes. Dressed down in a beige polo shirt that fit snug over his muscular chest, his biceps bulged against the sleeves. She didn’t know when he had time to work out, but his thick arms and flat abs were sure signs of someone who had a strict fitness regimen. She yearned to run her hands up and down his beautiful dark skin and feel his well-honed muscles ripple beneath her touch.

  “So you interested?” Nate asked with a raised eyebrow.

  Liberty’s eyes widened. Wait. What? Was he propositioning her? “Um…interested?” she stammered.

  “Dinner. You and me.”

  “Oh. Yeah, right, dinner,” she said, embarrassed at the route her thoughts had taken her. Of course, he wasn’t talking about anything other than food. What the heck was wrong with her? The last few times they’d met, her mind conjured up one fantasy after another with him being the main star.

  They might have been getting along fine, but no way was he interested in anything but finishing the proposal. She didn’t even know if he had finally forgiven her for walking out on him in college. If the way he’d been treating her lately was any indication, she would guess yes. But Liberty didn’t want to assume. She didn’t want to come right out and ask him since she wasn’t prepared for a negative response.

  “Sure, dinner sounds fine.” She glanced at her watch surprised that it was already five o’clock. She didn’t really have extra money to eat out, but she couldn’t pass up a chance to spend more time with Nate. That would win out every time over going home on a Friday night to an empty apartment.

  Thirty minutes later, she pulled into the parking lot of Kendricks’ Seafood & Steak House. Liberty had insisted on driving her own vehicle to the downtown restaurant instead of riding with Nate. She used the excuse that the restaurant was closer to her apartment, and it didn’t make sense for him to have to drive her back to her car. But that wasn’t the only reason she preferred to drive. Lately, she thought about Nate morning, noon, and night. Riding in the car with him would’ve felt too personal. Like they were more than business associates. Already spending so much time with him was messing with her mind and her libido. Bringing back memories of what they once had, and dreams of what could’ve been. If it were possible to do her life over again, Nate would definitely be at the center of it.

  “But you don’t get a redo,” Liberty murmured and pulled into the first parking space she found.

  By the time Liberty parked, Nate was at her driver’s side door. She undid the locks and he opened the door, extending his hand to help her out of the vehicle. How was she going to keep from falling for him again when he kept doing things like this? Isaac had started off being gentlemanly, but he stopped trying in their marriage when he figured out she was still in love with Nate.

  “I’m starving,” Nate said as they walked toward the restaurant. “Did I mention that Martina’s husband owns the place?”

  “Wow, no you didn’t.” Nate explained how Paul Kendricks had been a state senator who loved to cook and wanted to one day own his own restaurant. After he and Martina married, he hadn’t run for a new term and chose to oversee his restaurant and start planning for expansion.

  Liberty had officially met Martina a few days ago. She’d been nice enough, but the lit
tle amount of time they’d spent together she feared Martina would comment on that day in Nate’s office when Liberty fell apart. She hadn’t, but she kept looking at Liberty with a Cheshire cat grin as if she had a big secret.

  Nate pulled open the glass door, allowing Liberty to enter first. The sensational smell of food, as well as friendly chatter greeted them when they walked in. Standing just inside the entrance, Liberty took in the chic interior with a wood planked ceiling similar to the one in Nate’s family room. The fancy light fixtures emitting a soft glow over the room made the black and white photos pop against the sparkling walls. Soft jazz playing through the speakers added to the ambiance of the large space.

  Most of the tables and booths were already occupied despite it being fairly early for a dinner crowd. Even the semicircular bar was congested with people occupying the bar stools and those standing close by. Thinking there was a waiting list, Liberty spotted a seat in the small entrance area where others were sitting.

  “Where you going?” Nate whispered, stopping her with a hand on her arm.

  “I figured since we’ll have to wait, I’d grab that seat over there.” She pointed to the leather bench where two women were sitting.

  “There’s a family dining room in back reserved for the Jenkins and the Kendricks whenever needed. It’s empty and waiting for us, unless you’d prefer to eat in the main dining room.”

  Eying the hostess holding two menus waiting for them, Liberty flashed a small smile. Alrighty then.

  “Nope. That works for me.”

  Liberty learned more and more about the Jenkins family every day. The grandparents had built the construction company from nothing to give their family members a good start in life. Nate made it clear that none of them were forced to work for the family business, but most of the grandkids had their first jobs with the company. When the grandfather, Steven Jenkins, was ready to retire, Nate’s cousin, Peyton, had taken over. Thanks to her, the company had become a multi-million-dollar operation. Liberty had already been impressed with what she’d learned about the company, but knowing that a woman, who was also an electrician, had grown the business, impressed her even more.