by Autumn Reed
“Should I take my shirt off? Would that help?”
“If you must.” It was in the sixties and the sun was shining, so he wouldn’t freeze. If he wanted to strip, I wouldn’t complain.
That was, until I noticed the woman several townhouses down. She was stretched out on a lounger in a skimpy tank top, a book open on her lap. If I’d had any cash on me, even I would have bet that she was only sitting outside to watch Cole and attempt to attract his attention. This wasn’t the first time I’d caught her “reading.”
“On second thought…” I inclined my head toward his neighbor. “You should stay fully dressed.”
He glanced at the woman then smiled. “I like you jealous.” Taking Snow from me, he set her on the patio next to Ace before walking me backward until I hit the glass door. He placed his hands on either side of my head and leaned his entire body into me.
“She can still see us,” I murmured as heat rushed to my belly.
“Isn’t that what you want? To show her I’m yours?”
When he put it like that... “Yes.”
“Then, let’s make sure she gets the message.”
His head lowered, and I wound my arms around his neck, meeting him halfway. The kiss was explosive, and I went from wanting to prove to some random woman that Cole was mine to just plain wanting him in one second flat. He was so good at making me feel desired, I couldn’t help but wonder if I did the same for him. Could he tell from the way I clung to him that I never wanted to let go? That I loved who he was, what he did to me?
Lips collided, tongues warred, and teeth clashed until I had to retreat in order to draw breath. “You sure showed her,” I panted.
“Who?” he said, nuzzling my neck. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re the only two people in the world.”
A knock on the glass right above my head made me jump, and I looked up to see Nicholas watching us from the other side of the door, clearly amused.
“I think Nic might disagree.”
Cole groaned before lifting his head and glaring at his roommate. “We’re kind of in the middle of something here,” he said loud enough to be heard through the door.
“Fine, but I have Mario’s, and it’s getting cold.”
My ears perked up at that. Once again, one of the Ts was spoiling me by picking up my favorite Italian food. “I am pretty hungry,” I admitted to Cole.
He shook his head. “Mario comes first. I see how it is.”
“Is the restaurant even named after a real person?”
“Better be,” he grumbled. “Otherwise, it’s false advertising.”
I laughed. “Stop pouting.” Lifting up to my toes, I bit down on his ear before whispering, “We can pick this up later.”
After calling for Snow to follow me, I slid open the door and sauntered into the house, smiling. “Hey, honey,” I said to Nicholas. “How was your day?”
“Not as good as Cole’s, that’s for sure.”
“We were showing off for your neighbor. I’m half-surprised she hasn’t paraded around in a string bikini yet.”
“She totally has,” Cole replied as he closed the patio door behind him and Ace. “Her roommate too.”
“Great,” I mumbled, my good mood dissipating. “So happy you noticed.”
He chuckled. “If you start parading around in a string bikini, I promise to notice you more.”
I smacked him on the stomach. “Not helping.”
Nicholas placed the takeout containers on the table, then pulled me into a hug. “He’s messing with you, Cinderella. I was there. He barely glanced at them before making a comment about desperation being an unattractive quality. They heard. It was pretty entertaining, actually.”
“Hmmm.” I glanced at Cole, who was barely holding back a laugh. “I guess you’re forgiven. Can we eat now?”
Nicholas released me. “By all means.”
“Where’s Shane?” I asked as I dug into my salad and breadsticks.
“He’s at the office with Ted. Said he’d probably get home late.”
“I sort of love Ted. Is that weird?”
“Depends,” Cole replied. “What kind of love are we talking about?”
“Not that kind. He was just so nice and funny and supportive. He and Shane banter like they’re best friends, not father and son.”
“Shane definitely hit the father lottery,” Nicholas said.
Cole nodded. “I’ve been trying to get Ted to adopt me since we were teenagers.”
“He probably would have gone through with it if he wasn’t worried about you hitting on his wife constantly.”
My mouth dropped open at Nicholas’s words. “Cole! Please tell me you don’t have a thing for Shane’s stepmom.”
He shrugged, not looking at all ashamed. “I might have had a little crush on her when I was a teenager.”
“That’s just wrong.”
“In Cole’s defense,” Nicholas interrupted, “Ashley is only seven years older than us and quite attractive.”
Ashley? Why did that name immediately make me think of cheerleaders and Playboy Bunnies? Probably because of the look of awe that crossed their faces when they spoke of her. I definitely needed to know more about this “quite attractive” Ashley.
“How old is Ted?”
Nicholas’s brow creased while he thought. “I’m pretty sure he was only nineteen when Shane was born, so forty-four? Yes, that’s right.”
“Wow, so young. And Shane’s mother?” I almost felt guilty for asking, but it seemed simpler to broach the subject with Cole and Nicholas. Maybe I’d finally get some information about what happened.
“She was eighteen and not at all ready to be a mom. Sounds familiar,” Cole added under his breath, obviously referring to his own screwed-up mother.
“She left them?”
He nodded. “When Shane was still a baby. She showed up for a while when he was eleven but disappeared again shortly after.”
I thought of Shane’s response when I asked him for his pet peeve on our first official date. People who disappoint me. It stuck with me, and now I understood. His mother had probably shown up and given him hope that she had changed and that things would be different. Clearly, she’d only disappointed him. My heart hurt thinking about it. What made a mother treat her child so carelessly?
The Ts all had exceptionally bad mothers, and lately, I was ready to add my own to that list. “I have a proposition.”
Cole’s mouth slowly transformed into a seductive smile. “What kind of proposition are we talking about?”
“Not that kind,” I said, repeating my response from earlier. “I propose that we put a household ban on discussing our crappy parents.” I spread my arms out wide. “This should be a safe, happy place. We shouldn’t have to even think about them here. They don’t deserve it. What do you think?”
Rather than disappearing, his smile softened. “I think that’s perfect.”
I turned to Nicholas, uncertainty washing over me when I noticed his grim expression. Had I angered him somehow? Did he think I was being disrespectful to his family by insinuating he had crappy parents? He’d said as much before, but that didn’t mean I had the right to do the same.
“What do you think?” I asked timidly.
Air whooshed out of him, like he’d been holding his breath. “I think you’re damn good for us, Emma Harris.”
Chapter 5
The irritating sound of my phone alarm woke me, and I reached for it on my nightstand only to realize I wasn’t in my bedroom. Forcing my eyes open, I peered through the dark room, instantly recognizing Nicholas’s furniture. How did I get here?
Thinking back to last night, I remembered watching a movie with Cole and Nicholas, and then…nothing. After staying out so late with Shane the night before, I must have fallen asleep early. Nicholas obviously carried me to bed and set my alarm. But where was he?
After silencing my phone, I forced myself out of his cozy bed and freshened up in the bathroom. As I made my
way down the hall to the kitchen, the tantalizing scent of pancakes wafted toward me. Much like the morning after I’d officially stayed with the Ts for the first time, Nicholas stood at the stove, shirtless. I would never tire of the sight of all those glorious muscles on display.
“What’s the special occasion this time?”
He turned around and grinned. “Birthday pancakes a couple of weeks late?” I was happy to see that he was wearing his glasses again, and his hair was disheveled. He looked like boyfriend Nicholas instead of movie star Nicholas.
“In other words, you wanted an excuse to eat your favorite breakfast food?”
“Are you complaining?”
I carried the butter and syrup to the table. “Not at all. We could always call them celebratory pancakes. Shane told me about the building you guys bought.”
He pointed his spatula at me. “I like the way you think.”
Once we were seated, each with a stack of pancakes, I pushed him for more information. “Where’s it located?” There were still quite a few vacant buildings, and I had no idea which would be best for residential purposes.
“It’s on the end of the block, down and across the street from Loft25.”
I mentally strolled down the block, picturing the buildings. “Oh, yeah. It used to be a factory, right? Four stories?”
“That’s the one.”
“Do you have an idea for the design yet?”
“The problem is that I have too many ideas. Do we want to go more modern industrial or urban chic? Gleaming hardwood or stained concrete? Wood or steel beams?”
His whole demeanor changed when he talked about renovation plans, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Shane was right. By encouraging Nicholas to follow his dreams, had I changed his life for the better? I wanted to think so. My natural tendency to meddle had to be good for something.
“Whatever you decide will be amazing.”
“You might have too much faith in me. I’ve barely even started on Chelsea’s project, and now Shane and Cole are counting on me to direct this massive and expensive renovation. What if I can’t hack it?”
“Shane and Cole believe in you. I believe in you. What else do you need?”
“Five or ten more years of experience.”
Despite the dry response, he was smiling, and I knew he appreciated my support. “So, when do I get a tour of this musty old factory you guys bought?”
“Whenever you want.”
“What about this afternoon? I’m stopping by Chelsea’s for an update. Will you be there?”
“Either there or at the club. Text me, and I’ll meet you.”
“It’s a date.”
Unlike the other times I’d visited Chelsea’s future office, the place was hopping with activity. I could hear banging as I approached, and a large dumpster sat outside the entrance, filled to the brim with everything from flooring to drywall. Considering how empty the space had been already, I was having trouble figuring out where it all came from. Not that I knew anything about demolition...or renovations, for that matter. And I’d never actually been in the storage room in the back.
I opened the unlocked door and peeked my head in. Chelsea was nowhere to be seen, but three men were tearing down drywall. The significant amount of dust in the air made me immediately cover my mouth.
“Excuse me,” I called out from behind my hand, not wanting to step fully into the room. The men paused in their work to look at me. “Do you know where Chelsea is?”
“Emma, is that you?”
One of the men pulled down his mask, and I recognized him as Miguel—bartender at Loft25 and Simone’s flavor of the week. Of course, now that she’d been seeing him for a couple of months, she might eventually have to admit he was something more. She’d told me he worked in construction during the day, but I hadn’t realized he was hired on this project.
“Hi, Miguel.”
“Give me one minute, and I’ll meet you out there. No reason for you to come in here and get all dusty.”
“Thanks.”
After closing the door, I breathed deeply, drinking in the fresh air. As I scanned the street, I was surprised to realize that I was already seeing the area in a different light. It had been less than two months since I first stood outside Loft25 and really considered the warehouse district, but my perception had changed dramatically since then. There was so much possibility here, and I loved that the Ts were helping make it a reality.
Miguel stepped outside and smiled at me. “Are you here to see Nic? I think he might be at the club.”
“No, actually. Chelsea is letting me follow her renovation for a school project I’m doing. I was supposed to meet her here about ten minutes ago.”
“Oh, that’s cool. She ran to pick up a late lunch. She should be back soon.”
“Okay, no problem. Simone didn’t tell me you were working on this project.”
He smiled, his teeth bright white against his dark brown skin. “I haven’t had a chance to tell her yet. Nicholas convinced my boss to put me in charge, which means more responsibility and better money.”
“That’s great. Congratulations.”
“It’s all thanks to your boyfriend. Well, one of them.” He dipped his head. “Am I allowed to say that?”
I laughed. “It’s fine. We’ve gone public now.”
“Good,” he said, looking both embarrassed and relieved. “I better get back to it. It’s only my second day on the job, and I don’t want to screw it up.”
“See you later.”
As soon as Miguel disappeared inside, I heard my name and saw Chelsea rushing toward me with a brown paper sack. “Sorry, sorry. I was starving and thought I could make it back before you got here.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m just happy to see that work has started.”
Her smile was brilliant as she reached me. “Me too! It’s finally starting to feel real. There’s a picnic table around the corner, if that works for you.”
“Sounds good.”
I followed her to an ancient picnic table and tried to ignore all the bird droppings. The warehouse district desperately needed better outdoor seating options. Maybe I could convince Shane to bring it up at the next meeting with the other business owners. A few benches and trees would go a long way to making the area more attractive and walkable.
Chelsea handed me a paper-wrapped sandwich. “I hope you like roast beef.”
“Definitely, but you didn’t have to get me anything.”
“I don’t like to eat alone. Besides, I’m guessing you either skipped lunch or ate a salad.”
She was right, so I accepted the sandwich and took a large bite. “For the record, I ate breadsticks and pasta for dinner last night and pancakes for breakfast, so I’m not exactly a salad-only girl.”
“What’s your secret, then? Are you a runner?” Her face squished up, like she couldn’t imagine anything worse.
“Not even a little bit. Yoga is my exercise of choice.”
“Hmmm. I could maybe handle that.”
“I can recommend an app, if you want to try out some simple workouts.”
“That would be great,” she said, finishing her sandwich in record time. “Now, what can I tell you about the renovation?”
I pulled my notepad out of my tote, then asked, “What is the timeline for completion?”
“If things go as planned, it should be finished in eight weeks.” Her face lit up. “That reminds me. I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“You’re graduating in May, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And you don’t have a job lined up yet?”
Where was this going? “No…”
“What would you think about working for me?”
I dropped my sandwich onto the paper. What was up with people offering me jobs I wasn’t qualified for? “Chelsea, that’s so nice, but I don’t know anything about marketing.” I was seriously starting to soun
d like a broken record.
“No, but you’re obviously smart. And we get along well. In a small office, that’s one of the most important things. Also, my current employee is about a decade older than me. We need someone young, who is knowledgeable about social media and what appeals to your generation. Even though we’ll finally have a physical office, it’s still an internet business. A large percentage of our clients are in their twenties, and that number is growing.”
Her arguments rolled around in my head, and I had to admit that I wasn’t completely against the idea. The offer wasn’t that different from Shane’s, but Chelsea wasn’t my boyfriend. I wouldn’t have to worry about mixing business and pleasure. And she seemed genuinely excited about the prospect of me working for her.
“Don’t decide right now,” she said. “I just wanted to mention it now to give you time to consider it. I want to hire someone shortly after we open the office, so you have a while to think about it.”
“Okay, I will think about it. But I’m going to send you my resume, transcript, and a letter of recommendation. I want to make sure that if you make a formal offer, it’s because I earned it.”
Chelsea laughed. “That is precisely why I like you so much. You’re a straight shooter, and an honorable one, at that.”
Once she finished answering my questions and we set a time for our next interview, I texted Nicholas, and he agreed to meet me in front of the factory in a few minutes. I shot a couple of photos of the exterior with my phone, knowing this would be one more future business to add to my project. At this rate, I would end up writing an entire book on the subject rather than a simple article. I needed to sit down with my outline and cut a few of the topics I’d originally planned on covering.
“Hi, beautiful.” I spun around to find Nicholas striding toward me, a wide grin on his face. “Ready to not be wowed?”
“What’s with the pessimistic comments today?”
“I’m being realistic. While I’m certain this building will be utterly transformed when we’re done, it’s currently a dump.”
I tilted my head. “I guess that’s better.”
He led me around to a side door. “I convinced the owner to give me a key, but we don’t officially own it yet, so don’t touch anything,” he teased.
