Cook Brothers: The Whole Flipping Family

by BJ Harvey

  Something tells me it won’t be easy, but the feeling I got when that smile of hers—albeit tired—was shining on me will make it worth the effort.

  Hopefully for the both of us.

  It’s only as I’m finally drifting off to sleep that I realize I still don’t know her name.

  I vow to change that as soon as possible.

  5

  Jamie

  True to my word, I don’t make a sound Sunday morning. To ensure that happens, I leave at the butt-crack of dawn and head over to Mom and Dad’s house, knowing they’ll both be up already and—if I’m lucky—I can kill two birds with one stone. First, I’ll check it wasn’t just beer talking last night and that Cohen really does want to help me with the floors today, and second, I’ll score a free breakfast care of my loving mother who never lets any of her boys go hungry. That’s probably why we’re all more than six feet tall and built like Bears linebackers.

  After giving a quick knock on the front door—a lesson I learned the hard way after walking in on my then empty-nester parents enjoying their freedom in ways a son never needs to see—I let myself in, seeing Mom halfway down the hallway, walking toward me.

  “Did your nose lead the way?” she asks with a smile. I pull her into a hug, lifting her off her feet and making her laugh.

  “Always with the bear hugs,” she muses when I lower her to the ground again.

  “Would you have it any other way?” I hook an arm around her shoulder as we move to the back of the house where the kitchen is.

  “Not on your life,” she replies. We turn the corner to find my father, Rick, and Cohen already at the kitchen table, coffees in hand, and plates full of food in front of them.

  “Dammit,” I mutter, jumping into action so I don’t miss out. It can never be said that us Cook boys don’t like our food. The rule of “first in, first served” has never been more true than it is in this house, and seeing Dad and my brother getting a head start on me, as well as half expecting the twins, if not Abi and Cade and their son to turn up at any moment, I decide to multitask: fill my plate while catching up with Dad and waiting for Cohen to emerge.

  “Sleep in this morning, James?” Cohen asks with a cocky grin. The little shit calls me James to rile me up, a habit he’s done since he was a dorky ten-year-old with an attitude.

  “Says the guy who still lives with Mommy and Daddy.”

  “Hey, I only moved back so I could join the family business.”

  “Nothing at all to do with the home-cooked meals after a long shift, getting your laundry done, and the lack of rent to pay?” I tease.

  He flips me the bird as Mom, Dad and I all chuckle.

  “Leave your brother alone,” Mom says. “He can’t help it if he’s a mama’s boy at heart.” Her lips twitch as she reaches over and ruffles Cohen’s hair.

  “Thanks, Mom. Nice to know you’ve always got my back.”

  “Well, it is nice to have someone else to get the blame for things occasionally,” Dad jibes, his lips twitching as Mom gasps.

  “Rick, take that back,” she demands.

  He pins her with a pointed stare. “Woman, I’ve loved you for thirty-six years and have lived with you for just as long. You know you blame me for everything.”

  “What else are husbands for?” she says, turning to wink at me.

  Cohen and I both start choking on our food as Dad emits a low growl.

  “Woman…” he rumbles. My brother and I just look at each other and roll our eyes, used to this kind of back and forth between the two of them.

  “What?” Mom asks, sounding bored. “After this long, there’s a fairly extensive list of pros and cons. Depending on the day or how much you’re bugging me at the time, your usefulness rating varies.” She finishes with a shrug and crunches some bacon in her mouth.

  Those are fighting words, and true to form, whenever my dad is challenged, he fights back. Surging to his feet, he moves to where Mom is sitting, holds out his hand to her, pulling her up when she obliges, then dips down. In the blink of an eye, Mom is shrieking to be put down as Dad carries her over his shoulder, down the hall, and up the stairs, muttering, “I’ll show you what I think about your damn pros and cons.”

  While all of this is happening, Cohen and I stand and lean over the table, piling whatever food we can onto our plates.

  “Are you coming with me?” I ask, downing the contents of my coffee cup as he disappears into the kitchen for a second and comes back giving me a “duh” look.

  “I’m not fucking staying here and getting scarred for life. We have an agreement. When I’m on shift, they can do whatever they want. When I’m here, it’s hands off. So right now, I’d rather be any-fucking-where but here.”

  I nod because being the first born, I’ve been around my parents the longest, and when I say I’ve seen and heard things no child ever wants to hear, it’s no exaggeration. ”Let’s get out of here then. We can bring the plates back later.”

  “Fine by me,” he replies, halfway out the front door already.

  When we reach my truck and hop inside, Cohen grabs hold of my plate and pulls out a roll of saran wrap from his pants.

  “Dude?” I ask, my mouth dropping open at not only my brother’s preparedness, but also considering just how hygienic this whole situation now is. To his credit, Cohen doesn’t react. He just covers the plates before reaching over to put them both on the back seat.

  He faces the windshield. I slowly drive down our parents’ street while he puts his seatbelt on.

  “So, why were you really there for breakfast?” he asks, playing with the stereo like it’s his God-given right. Cohen may be the youngest, and he’s definitely the quietest, brooding, and intense brother out of the four of us, but that’s only around other people. When it’s us boys, anything goes, like the country music now filling the truck.

  I shoot him a side eye before shaking my head and turning down Bryant’s road. Since we forgot coffee, it looks like twin two is getting an early wakeup call too.

  “I promised the nameless neighbor I’d keep the noise down till after lunch. I was hungry, and I was gonna see if you still wanted to help me with getting the floors prepped.”

  “Wait… you still don’t know the neighbor’s name?” He splutters before he bursts out laughing. “Oh God, this is priceless. Bryant is gonna have a field day with this.”

  I pull into said brother’s driveway and put the car in park, spinning around to lean against the truck door and scowl at my baby brother with a death wish. “You really want to tell Bryant? I’m sure there are many things I know that you really don’t want the twins knowing…”

  “Like what?” he asks, his earlier amusement now somewhat tempered.

  “I don’t know,” I say with a sly grin and a nonchalant shrug. “Are you willing to take the risk?”

  “Fine,” he huffs. “No need to get nasty.”

  “God, I love having leverage on you fuckers.” I chuckle as I jump out of the truck and open the rear door to get my breakfast out. Cohen does the same.

  After walking around the back of the truck, I meet up with him again, and we move towards the back of Bryant’s house.

  “So are you going to find out her name? I know we all give you shit, but you’re not a man who mucks around when you’re interested in someone.”

  My head jerks slightly. “Who says I’m interested?”

  Cohen’s look of “do you think I’m stupid?” says it all. I’m saved from answering when a half-asleep Bryant opens the door without a second glance, walking away from us with a muttered, ”Just ask her out already, for fuck’s sake.”

  Cohen and I face each other and start laughing as we cross the threshold and walk inside, breakfast in hand.

  Before we can say anything, Bryant sticks his head out from the kitchen. “By the way, you fuckers better share that food with me, or else there will be hell to pay for waking me up before nine on a Sunday.”

  “Mom and Dad were—”

&n
bsp; He holds up his hand, his skin going pale. “Enough said. Stay as long as you like.”

  In the end, we do share with him, and then we all sit on his couch and talk shop for a while before my phone buzzes on the coffee table with a text message from Dad. He writes just four words.

  The coast is clear.

  Well, thank God for that.

  Later that day, Cohen and I have swung by the hardware store for supplies and are halfway through sanding the floorboards of the second bedroom when there’s a knock on the door. After pulling my face mask off, I wipe my hands on my shorts and move down the hallway and across the now shell of what will be an open-plan living area to see who it is. Expecting it to be one of my siblings, I swing it open with a “Why didn’t you just let yourself in?” to find my nameless neighbor and at her side, Axel. He’s come prepared to help out, a toy tool belt on his hips and a plastic hard hat on his head.

  Feeling it’s pertinent to address my unexpected contractor for the day first, I grin at his mother before giving him my attention.

  “You must be my new worker,” I say, earning a wide, beaming smile.

  “Yup. Mommy says you can’t work without me and need my help.”

  I struggle to hold back my chuckle. I love that she made it all about him because the look of pride on his face is totally worth any shit she’s given me in the past week. Not that I’m complaining. I’m not about to tell her that our little game of push and pull has been the most fun I’ve had in a while, or that a man like me loves the challenge a woman like her presents.

  “Mommy says she needs to supervise me, and that I have to wear my hard hat at all times.” He glances at his mother before looking back up at me. “Is it okay if she makes sure we do a good job?”

  “Sure is,” I reply. “You might get dirty though. Are you okay with that?”

  He lets go of her hand and walks past me like he owns the place. “Oh, yeah. Mommy says I’m always getting messy. It’s what boys do, and since you’re a big boy, you must get dirty too.”

  It’s totally wrong, but I can’t stop myself from meeting his mom’s now wide eyes. I wink at her, which earns me a quick scowl but also a gratifying blush, one that deepens when I sweep my gaze down her body and back up, liking what I see as I do. She’s wearing a white tank with light blue bra straps peeking through, dark blue denim shorts that show a very nice amount of skin, and finished off with sneakers. By the time I reach her face again, she’s biting her lip, which of course makes me focus on her mouth.

  Needing a distraction, I look back down at Axel. It may be slightly underhanded, but needs must and all that. “Hey, buddy?”

  “Yeah?” he replies, his chest puffing out a little as his fingers toy with the plastic hammer on his belt.

  “No one’s allowed on the building site without first giving their full name. Can you say it out loud for me?”

  His mom snorts behind his back, but Axel’s attention stays on me. ”My name is Axel Rhodes Williams,” he says proudly. I nod and hold out my hand.

  “That’s a strong name, Axel. You may enter the building site,” I say, sweeping my arm out to welcome him in before straightening just as the nameless neighbor moves inside.

  “Uh-uh, Mommy. You have to give your full name, or else you can’t come in,” Axel announces from my side.

  She glances down at her son. “Mommy Williams?” Her eyes lift to mine, her brow quirking in a silent challenge.

  “No, silly,” he says with a high-pitched boyish giggle. “Your real name.”

  “Nurse Williams?” she says, shooting him a wink.

  “Mommyyy…” he moans. “I’ve gotta get to work and help Jamie.”

  She looks at me, her glare meeting my amused one before she goes back to her son. ”April Rose Williams. Now can I enter?”

  Axel tugs on my hand and beams up at me. “Can she, Jamie?”

  I tap my finger on my chin as if considering his request. “If you vouch for her, I think she can enter.”

  I turn and hold out my hand to his mother. I’ve always said that so much can be said without saying anything at all, and the moment April slips her hand in mine to shake it; I swear I see surprise, wonder, confusion, and a little edge of conflict in her gaze. I’m experiencing every one of those feelings too, as well as warmth, softness, and an overwhelming urge to do more than just shake her hand. What do I even do with that?

  “Do I have permission to enter?” she says quietly, and even that has an effect on me. Needing to move this along before I do or say something completely stupid, I pull away and usher her in.

  “Oooh, and Gran is baking muffins,” Axel says, his entire body near-on bouncing with excitement. “She says I can have some if I work hard and build stuff.”

  “We should go do that then,” I reply with a grin. “We wouldn’t want you to miss out.”

  The little guy nods. “And if you work hard too, you could come and have a muffin with me.”

  April gets in before I can answer. “Axel, Jamie probably doesn’t eat muffins when he’s working.”

  “No, silly. This is after we’ve finished. He can come over, right, Mom?”

  She reaches out and rubs his shoulder. “Jamie might be busy later.”

  “I like muffins,” I say with a shrug. April’s hand stills and her head snaps toward mine, her warring feelings on this development are plain to see. Now I definitely want a muffin. It’s more than that though. I barely know this woman, but I do like to go toe-to-toe with her. She ignites something inside of me. I want to know who she is—outside of being a single mom living with her ex-mother-in-law. I want to get inside her head, discover what makes her tick.

  “Hey, Jamie, who was it?” Cohen asks as he enters the room. “Oh hi… wait, don’t I know you?”

  She tilts her head and studies him. “I’ve seen you around the hospital. I work in the ER. You must be the EMT brother who had to make a house call last weekend,” she says, sliding her eyes to me and lifting a brow.

  Cohen laughs and walks over to us. “That would be me. You must be the caring neighbor. I’ve heard a lot about you,” he replies, knowing exactly what he’s doing.

  “Is that right?” she says.

  “Although he didn’t know your name.” The little shit has a smirk the size of Texas now. Payback’s a bitch, Co.

  “That’s because I never gave it to him,” she replies matter-of-factly. “Sometimes it’s better to make a guy work for it.”

  My eyes narrow on her.

  “You probably know our brother-in-law too, Cade Carsen?” Cohen asks. I groan and shake my head when she nods as both of them start laughing, Axel joining in too, although he probably has no idea what is so funny. God, even Cade knows her.

  I shake my head and look down at my feet, my lips tugging up of their own volition. “Yeah, yeah. Keep it up, you two.”

  Cohen puts his arm on my shoulder and gives me a none-too-gentle squeeze. “Aww, James. All this time and Cade and I could’ve put you out of your misery.”

  “It’s only been a week,” I grumble, feeling somewhat sheepish, which is completely not me. Sliding my eyes to April, I catch her head tilted in what I’ve come to recognize is a habit of hers when she’s trying to work something—or in this case, someone—out. And, not for the first time, I think it’s fucking cute.

  “Um, hello,” Axel says, interrupting the now somewhat awkward conversation with me being the butt of the jokes. “Are we going to get to work? Things to build, muffins to eat. Remember, Jamie?” He puts both hands on his hips, looking every bit of the impatient kid he is.

  “You’re right, buddy. We don’t have time for slackers like my brother, Cohen here, do we?”

  “Nope,” he says, accentuating the P. I nod, unable to stop grinning at him. He’s such a cool kid; it must be near impossible for April not to bust a gut laughing at his antics.

  “Follow me, Axel. It’s time to get to work.” I hold out my hand, and he quickly grabs onto my fingers. Just how much
I like the sight of it hits me like a sledgehammer.

  I upended my entire life to make this vision of mine—building a business, flipping houses, creating dream homes for people to make their own memories in—a reality in the hope that one day, I can do the exact same thing for myself. Part of that vision is a family, a partner who is proud of what I do and who supports me without question, and children of my own.

  April and her rambunctious son have made me want that more than ever before.

  And a quick glance at April’s face as Cohen and I help Axel use the electric sander has me wanting one more thing—a chance to find out everything there is to know about April Rose Williams. Now I’ve just got to work out how to make that happen.

  6

  April

  I haven’t been opposed to dating since my ex-husband disappeared off the face of the earth five years ago, but between Axel, work, looking after Betty, and just life in general, it hasn’t been at the top of my to-do list.

  I’m not sure of the why or the how, but there’s something about Jamie that intrigues me and makes me want to know more. He’s so at ease around Axel, taking my little firecracker son and all his antics in his stride. It’s shown me there’s a different side to him than the single-carefree-guy-living-alone impression I first had.

  Jamie is no longer the man next door who drives me crazy but also intrigues me. I mean, he is, but now there is a tangible connection there to people I know.

  While I’ve worked with Dr. Cade Carsen for a while now—he even asked me out once back when he was a resident, and both of us weren’t married—I’ve seen Jamie’s brother Cohen around the ER quite a bit as well. He’s friendly, a little standoffish, and all business normally, but he’s a good guy.

  And despite our head-to-heads, I know Jamie is good people as well. I wouldn’t have brought Axel over this afternoon if I didn’t think that. Part of me can also admit that I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to watch Jamie working with his hands—especially when the hot weather today had me hopeful he’d be wearing a wife-beater.