Cook Brothers: The Whole Flipping Family

by BJ Harvey

  “Twins,” she says approvingly. She turns back to look at me. “I’m guessing Jamie is the bigger one?”

  My eyes widen. “What makes you say that?”

  “If looks could undress, you’d be naked as the day you were born already.”

  “They definitely aren’t hard to look at,” Betty adds, making us all laugh.

  I take another sip of my wine, no longer able to tear myself away from the guys and Ax as they each take a shovel and drive it into the ground, muscles flexing and tightening in magnificent ways.

  “This seems so sexist, but I really can’t seem to make myself care,” Ronnie whispers.

  “Fair’s fair. Think of all the construction sites women walk past and get heckled and ogled from,” I reply.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Betty says. “Enjoyable shows of masculinity like this are meant to be savored. We’d be doing womankind a disservice if we stopped watching now, especially out of some misplaced belief that we don’t have every right to do so.”

  I laugh and spin in my seat, holding my glass in the air for both of them. “Hear, hear. Besides,” I say, raking my eyes over Jamie as he shifts dirt from the new path to the garden lining the front of his porch, “I’m simply supervising my son.”

  That starts us all laughing, earning amused looks from the Cook boys. Axel frowns and waggles his finger at me. My son can tell me off as much as he wants, because until my man is covered up and no longer tempting me with all those sweaty muscles, that tight ass of his, and those bulging arms and broad shoulders, I feel it’s my duty to watch him do what he loves.

  That’s the excuse I’m going with anyway.

  A few hours later, I can see Ax fading but not wanting to show it around the guys. I crack open three cold beers from the fridge and a soda for Axel. With Ronnie in tow, I walk along the sidewalk and down Jamie’s driveway to rescue my boy.

  After handing the soda to Axel and ruffling his hair with my hand, I move toward my other man.

  “Hey,” I say, walking right up to Jamie, beer in hand. He leans his shovel against the porch railing, holding out a hand for the beer and then lifting his arm up for me to fit underneath, tucking me into his side when I’m close enough. He brushes his lips against my hair. “Enjoy the show?” he asks, dropping his mouth to my ear.

  “If you’re lucky, I’ll show you just how much later tonight.”

  “I should work in my yard more often,” he says with a husky chuckle.

  “My yard is your yard. Do whatever you like with it.”

  He nips my ear, dropping his voice to a whisper. “Change that to ‘do whatever I like with you,’ and we’ve got a deal.”

  “And now I wanna be sick,” Jax announces, earning a round of laughs. Even Axel joins in, no doubt not knowing why but doing it anyway.

  “Behave,” I warn, playfully smacking Jamie’s chest.

  “With you around, I’m not making any promises,” he says confidently.

  I see Ronnie has handed the other beers to the twins, her hands empty when I catch her grinning at me before switching her attention to Jamie with her arm outstretched. “You must be Jamie—otherwise my best friend has been checking out strangers again. Not that I’m condemning her for it.”

  Jax bursts out laughing, Bryant’s lips turn up, and Axel’s little head moves between all of us as he comes up to my side.

  Jamie shakes her hand. “And you’re Ronnie? April said you were coming over today.”

  “She didn’t mention you guys would be hard at work. I almost feel guilty for having to sit over there with a glass of wine and just watch.”

  “Oh, don’t feel guilty,” Jax says.

  Ronnie giggles. “Oh, I didn’t; I said almost. We were simply supervising Axel. Right, Ax?”

  “That’s what responsible adults do,” Jax replies, his body turned toward my best friend’s. This is an interesting development.

  “Exactly. I’m just fulfilling my duty as his aunt and godmother.” Ronnie’s lips curve into a smirk.

  “Aunt, ’ey? So, you and April are sisters?” Bryant asks, before taking another swig of his beer.

  Ronnie and I look at each other and snicker. “Not by blood, but we may as well be,” she answers.

  “Nice,” Bryant says, nodding in approval, but his body language is in complete contrast to Jax’s. He is watching Ronnie closely, his eyes shamelessly raking over her just as hers had obsessed over him when we’d been watching them from the porch.

  “April tells me you’re flipping this place, Jamie. How much more to go?” she asks.

  He nods, following her eyes to look at the now sanded-back exterior of the house. The roof was finished this week. I know there’s still a lot of painting and finishing to be done, but construction inside is finished. “Three weeks until we’re supposed to be putting it on the market. It’ll be a tight squeeze to get it done in time, but working day and night, I’ll get it done.”

  “And he’ll tell his brothers when he needs help, won’t he?” Bryant adds, staring his older brother down. I thought Cohen was the intense one, but right now, Bryant is giving him a run for his money.

  “Wow. So, what happens when you sell it? Is this a one-time thing or something you do?” Ronnie says.

  “This is our first one. Jamie is working it full-time while us two and our younger brother, Cohen, still hold down our day jobs and help out whenever we can.”

  “So, you guys want the glory, and Jamie is the muscle?” Ronnie asks.

  “And the brains,” Jamie says wryly, not appearing to be bothered by Ronnie’s inquisition. “But to answer your question, provided we make a profit on this one, then it’s full steam ahead onto the next one.”

  Jax nods. “The plan is we’ll each be able to take a leave of absence from our jobs when we start to see a real turn-around. Then, who knows? We might all be working this gig.”

  “Let’s get this first one under our belts first,” Jamie teases, but I don’t miss the tic in his jaw and the tensing of his body. Definitely something to bring up with him later.

  “It’s gonna be finished in time, Jamie. You’ve got enough people willing to step up and help,” Bryant adds.

  “Yep. I’ll help you, Jamie,” Axel says, beaming up at my man.

  “See? With Axel on the job, we’ll definitely finish. Look how much we got done today with his help,” Bryant adds. These Cook men sure know how to make a little boy’s day.

  Jax grins before upending his bottle, finishing his beer, and holding his bottle in his hand. “That went down well.”

  “Damn, straight,” Bryant replies, holding up his hand for a fist bump with first Jax, then Axel.

  “Yeah,” Ax says. “Damn straight.”

  “Hey, Ax, you want a beer?” Ronnie asks teasingly.

  “Yeah,” he replies, his eyes wide.

  “Too bad,” Ronnie says, making us all laugh. Jamie makes me melt when he reaches out and rubs Axel’s hair the same way I do.

  “We’ve got more drinks at home, guys. I was gonna invite Ronnie to stay for dinner, and Jamie was coming over anyway. You guys are welcome to join us,” I say, looking between Jax and Bryant.

  They swap looks and both nod. “That sounds great. Thanks.”

  “And then I can show you my LEGO, Jax,” Ax says, craning his neck up.

  Jax grins down at him. “Yeah, Axel. Can’t wait.”

  The beaming smile on my son’s face has me blinking to stop from tearing up. Ronnie shoots a pornographic look Jaxon’s way. When he catches her eye, there’s no mistaking the reflecting interest either. This could get messy, but I’ve never been one to stop her when it comes to following her heart—or her other body parts. Ronnie is Ronnie; she was repressed for so long by family pressure and the weight of their expectations. She’s been slowly coming back into herself and seeing a flash of the wild child best friend I thought I’d lost. I’m not gonna stop her from doing anything—or anyone—she wants to. My job is to be there in the aftermath, whether it
be good, bad, or ugly.

  “Well, we’ll go back home and start getting the food ready. You guys come over whenever you’re done,” I say to the group.

  “Sounds good, lovely,” Jamie says, tilting my chin up with the top of his thumb and planting a hard, fast, and lust-inducing kiss on my lips.

  “Oh God, Ronnie, take her away before we see more than any of us want to see,” Jax groans.

  “C’mon, Ax. We need your help picking the food for dinner,” my best friend says.

  “Oh yay,” he says, his little eyes looking relieved. He looks up to Jamie. “Is it okay if I go home now, Jamie? Have I done enough work?”

  “Buddy, you were so much help today. Thank you.” Jamie holds his hand out for Axel to shake, making any chest swell with pride. My words from this morning echo in my head. You’re good at this dad thing.

  Every time I see Jamie and Ax together, Jamie proves my sentiment true.

  This may be a new relationship, but the way I feel for Jamie, the way he feels for me, and the way he is with Axel prove one thing. Moving from slow and steady to fast and full-on isn’t always a bad thing, especially when it feels so goddamn right.

  It feels like everything in our lives has been leading us to this—and each other.

  20

  Jamie

  MONDAY

  April: Hey. Are you still coming over for dinner tonight? I can bring you a doggy bag if you’re still busy?

  Jamie: Shit. I totally lost track of time. I’m knee-deep in paint right now and don’t have time to stop. Are you working tomorrow? I can’t remember what you told me.

  April: Yeah, I start four days of twelve-hour shifts from tomorrow night.

  Jamie: Lunch tomorrow then? I’ll bring the food; you bring your smile.

  April: Okay. Make sure you sleep tonight. I could always come help.

  Jamie: It’s going to be a late one. I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. I miss your lips.

  April: Sweet talking will almost make up for missing dinner.

  Jamie: Guess I better keep it up then.

  April: You’ve never had a problem in that department.

  Tuesday

  April: How’s your night going? I’m on a dinner break so thought I’d check in with you.

  Wednesday

  Jamie: Sorry I missed your message last night. I was doing the finishing touches to the master bath. I’ll try and catch you before your shift tonight.

  Thursday

  April: Jamie, I’m getting worried about you. I know you’re under the pump, but you’ve gotta take care of yourself. Come sleep here once you’ve finished for the night. At least then I can make sure you’re fed and getting some rest.

  Jamie: Only if you’re sure. I don’t want to keep you up.

  April: Worrying about you IS keeping me up. Just let me help in any way I can.

  Jamie: You’re too good to me.

  April: I know. I’ll expect payback at some stage.

  Saturday

  April: I woke up and you were gone. You were supposed to kiss me goodbye first. I’m going with Betty and Axel to swimming this morning, but Axel and I can pop around this afternoon to help you with anything. Just let me know.

  Monday

  April: Missed seeing you yesterday. I hope you’re doing okay. Not too long to go until you’ll be finished. We should celebrate when you do. Let me know where.

  Jamie: I’m the one who’s supposed to be paying you back, remember? I’ll make a reservation and let you know.

  Tuesday

  April: I can come over tonight and help you. Just let me know, and I’m there.

  Jamie: After working all day, I can’t ask you to do that. You take it easy. I’ll call you tomorrow.

  Coming into this project, I knew a ninety-day flip would be a hard ask. It wasn’t just the fact that we were doing it on a tight budget, or that out of us four brothers, I was the only one doing this full-time. This project is my baby; the one I quit my job for and went all in on.

  When Jase, Ezra, and I sat down after I first found this house, we came up with a plan that—although ambitious—was achievable. That was after Jase, Ez, and I did a walk-through and noted what needed to be done in every room, to every part of the exterior, and in the garage. It didn’t include some “wish list” things that I’d hoped to get time to do—mainly replacing the fencing—but it also didn’t anticipate having to repair April’s garden, spending an extra eight thousand on fixing a cracked basement wall, or losing four days off the schedule when the site was shut down because of it.

  That’s led to now, another night I should be spending with April and Ax. Instead, I’m here at the house. I’ve got old walls to be resurfaced, new walls to be smoothed out and primed, old and new walls to be painted along with the doors, bathroom vanities and cabinets to be installed, tiling to be done in the laundry, and then planting in the front and back gardens. Next, I have to stage the house with Mom and Abi before meeting with the agent, all in a week and a half.

  Try as I might, I’ve let the pressure get to me, and as much as I didn’t want to let it affect my personal life, thanks to the lack of time and not wanting to let anyone down—my brothers, Jase, Ezra, myself—I’m epically failing. I’ve called off the driving range tonight, and I’m covered head to toe in dust. Despite working all day with barely a break, I’m hungry and tired, yet determined to keep going.

  I rationalize that this is only for two more weeks, then I can sleep, and spend time with April and Ax, and maybe even go out somewhere with just the three of us.

  I need to get the house finished, staged, on the market, and hopefully sold quickly—then I can breathe a little more freely. I have to make this work. I’m more determined than ever to turn this venture into a successful business, one that can be profitable for both me and my family. Also, one that can help me build a future and prove to April that I can—and will—support her and Axel. That I can be the man for them and be an equal partner as we work toward our future.

  My phone rings from the kitchen where I purposefully left it so I wouldn’t be distracted. Now more than ever, I can’t afford to make any mistakes. Knowing I should answer it, I lower my face mask, shake myself off, and move down the hallway, catching Cohen’s name flashing on the screen before the ringing stops. I press redial and call him back, hearing him answer the phone without it even ringing.

  “Hey, still alive there?” he asks. “I saw April at the hospital today, and she mentioned you might be feeling the pressure.”

  That answers that question. I’m obviously already failing at hiding my stress from April. Enough for her to say something to Cohen anyway.

  “I’m okay. Just busy,” I reply.

  “Yeah, and you’re also you’re own worst enemy when it comes to keeping things to yourself and not letting people help you.”

  “I don’t need help.”

  “Says the man with twenty thousand dollars of his brothers’ money invested in this.”

  “Thanks,” I snap back. “Good to be reminded that I couldn’t do any of this without the help of my younger brothers.”

  “Age has nothing to do with it, Jamie. It’s your inability to let us help you—willingly, I might add—without thinking it’s detrimental to you in some way. We didn’t go into this with you because we didn’t think you could do it without us. We did it because we know you can, and we want to be part of your dream.”

  Fuck, that feels good. He doesn’t give me much of a break before he keeps going.

  “And I know you’ve been working every waking moment—and probably some sleeping ones—getting the house finished, but you’ve gotta cut yourself some slack.”

  “I don’t have slack to cut, and I’m the one who quit everything to do this flip. You guys all have full-time jobs.”

  “We all knew that going into this, and we know this is your baby, but we’re willing to help you get to the finish line. The delays weren’t your fault; neither was having to spend the spar
e money on the extra roof repairs, the basement, and even April’s fence. There are so many people waiting to help you, Jamie.”

  “I don’t think I’ve heard you call me Jamie this much in years. I must really be in trouble.”

  “Don’t worry. You’ll always be James to me.”

  “Good to know. And Co?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you. I know I haven’t been good to be around.”

  “It probably isn’t me you need to explain any of this to. Get to the end of this, take her out, talk to her, and let her in.”

  “I have…”

  “I mean share, unload, tell her why you work as hard as you do. Let her know everything you want and why you’re running yourself into the ground to get there.”

  “It’s for them.”

  “Yes, but it’s also for you to provide a future. April is one of the smartest women I know. She’s probably worked it all out already, but you need to make sure she knows that it’s for the future you want with her and Ax—not just for you. United front, and all that.”

  “When did my twenty-nine-year-old brother get to be so smart?”

  “It’s from watching you fuckers screw up your lives.”

  “Thanks for the pep talk, Co. I may not be the easiest person to be around sometimes, but—”

  “You should know, out of everyone, you’re my emergency contact. You’re the person who I’d call before anyone else in the family. If I am in trouble, it’s you. If I need a smack around the head, it’s you. If I need an organ—”

  “I get it,” I say with a smile. “Thanks, Co. I think I needed you to tell it to me straight.”

  “Is it gonna change anything?”

  “Probably not for this project, but I will talk to April. I’m not willing to lose her for anything—not even this house.”

  “That’s the thing you haven’t realized yet. You’re not going to lose her, but you may lose yourself if you keep trying to make everyone happy. You’re no good to anyone if you’re dead on your feet and unable to function outside of working on the house.”