“You look great, Brax,” I said. That was a vast understatement. Time had been incredibly kind to Brax Mitchell. Who knew he’d grow up to be a chiseled hottie with killer cheekbones and long eyelashes?
“Thanks, so do you,” he replied, and to my chagrin, I saw he had dimples as well.
I put a hand to my messy ponytail and smirked. “Now you’re just lying to make me feel better. I’m a wreck.”
“You look amazing,” he was quick to add. “You always do.”
Feeling uncomfortable under his stare, I pointed down the hallway. “Toby’s working on the toilet.”
His brows lifted high. “Really? And how’s that going?”
“I’ve heard a few cuss words coming from that direction.”
He laughed under his breath, a deep pleasant sound that made my insides tighten. “The man is a wizard when it comes to game design, but home design and construction—I’m not so sure about that.” He lowered his voice on the last few words and gave me a wink. “I can take all the help I can get though.”
Glancing past me into the living room, he grinned. “The house has nice bones. I like all the built-ins. Toby was right—the place has a lot of potential.”
He seemed genuinely impressed with the place so far. I knew the house was a steal and it made me happy knowing he thought it had good bones. “I think so, too. I feel fortunate to have found it, and I got a smoking deal thanks to my parents and Toby.”
“That’s what I understand.” He reached out and ran long-fingered hands along the door casing. “Real wood, too.”
Those were the hands of a real man. Masculine and callused, probably from long days wielding a hammer. I didn’t want to think about how young he was and what that meant in terms of experience with construction. Honestly, I was ready to forgo experience when he looked so good. He would serve as a nice distraction in the coming weeks.
“My house is the same. I live nearby…in case you ever need anything.”
My stomach tightened at that bit of information. When I had left Maple Creek, he’d lived on the other side of town, in an old duplex with his mother. “You have your own place?”
“Don’t sound so surprised,” he said, once again laughing lightly. “Not all of us live at home with our parents.”
“Hey, I heard that!” Toby yelled.
I laughed under my breath and whispered, “My mom keeps telling me that if I’m not careful, I’ll have my brother as a renter.”
Brax shook his head. “She spoils him too much. He’ll never leave home. He has it too good.”
“That’s exactly what my mom said last night.” I rolled back onto my heels. “I’m impressed you have a house at your age.”
“I suppose I could say the same thing to you,” he said with a mischievous grin that made my pulse quicken. “I saved up and bought my first flip a week after I graduated from high school. When it came time to sell I couldn’t bring myself to do it, so I moved in instead.”
Again, I was really impressed that someone so young had been so adventurous. “Where did you work?”
“I started working at Drake’s Concrete when I was sixteen. Tough work, and yet it set off the construction bug inside me. I love the idea of taking something old and making it beautiful again. Drake taught me that.”
My gaze shifted to his hands. He wore a black Tungsten ring on his right hand, but no ring on the left. I wondered if he was dating anyone. He had to be, right? I mean, he had to be the hottest ticket in town. He was too gorgeous to go under the radar.
I found it hard to believe he was single.
Not that he’d be interested in someone almost five years older than him.
“How does it feel to come back to a small town after having lived in a big city for so long?”
His gaze was intense as he watched me, making me shift on my feet. How much had Toby shared with him about Ross? Given they were best friends, I had to assume he knew a hell of a lot about my situation. In fact, he might know the whole story, which made me uneasy. I didn’t want anyone’s sympathy, and so far, I had received a lot of it, especially from my mom’s friends. I appreciated their concern, yet I just wanted to put the past behind me. Move on and enjoy what was next for me.
“It feels good to be home,” I said with a forced smile. “It really does. I wish I had made the move months before.”
The side of his mouth lifted in a smile, then he flashed me a grin I remembered well from my childhood. To my surprise, my heart gave a hard jolt.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had such a strong reaction to a man.
Except for my ex. That first moment when we’d locked eyes from across a crowded room.
“I’m glad you’re back, Mandy.”
The declaration surprised me, and even more amazing were the emotions that he evoked in me as he watched me through those magnificent green eyes that were framed by long, dark lashes.
I couldn’t get over that this was Brax Mitchell. Little Brax Mitchell! The boy who had bent the frame of my brand new bicycle when he’d jumped it over the Rittenburgh’s hedge just minutes after I’d received it as a birthday present.
“Hey, buddy, did you even recognize my big sister?” Toby asked as he came down the hallway, instantly pulling my attention away from my churning thoughts.
Brax’s gaze shifted over me in a way that made the hair on my arms stand on end. His lips curved and his brow lifted. “I still see the girl in the woman.” His tone was silky soft.
Oh Brax…the things I could do to you. What the hell was I thinking? I had only been single for three months. The last thing I wanted, or needed, was a man in my life. Plus, I was gun-shy about getting into another relationship. I had been one hundred percent faithful to Ross our entire relationship. One man is all I’d had my entire life. I’d been so focused on getting out of this town that I hadn’t gotten tied up with anyone and had left Maple Creek with my virginity.
Thank God for that. Most girls my age couldn’t count their lovers on one hand.
“Well, are you going to leave him standing on the front porch all day?” Toby asked, giving me a sideways glance before stepping aside so Brax could come in. “It’s not a bad little place, is it? Needs a bit of elbow grease, but I figure between the two of us, it will be as good as new before long.”
Brax’s brows furrowed as he crossed the threshold. “The two of us, huh? Don’t you have school coming up?”
“Yes, but from time to time I can pitch in…if the price is right.” He gave me a hopeful look.
“I can pay minimum wage,” I replied, knowing I needed to watch every penny.
“Perfect,” he said, wiping his hands on his jeans before he looked at Brax. “So…I’m having some issues with this toilet though. In fact, care to take a look? Damn thing is giving me a headache.”
“Dude, if you’re having troubles fixing a toilet, then what good are you going to be when it comes to a complete renovation?” Brax must have seen my expression because he put a reassuring hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Don’t worry, Mandy, you’re in good hands.”
CHAPTER 3
Brax
My heart was racing like a runaway train. I had thought my crush on Mandy was a thing of the past, but one look in those gorgeous blue eyes and I realized I still had it bad for my best friend’s big sister.
And now she was home to stay—living just blocks away from me, and I was renovating her house, which meant weeks and weeks of being under the same roof.
For as long as I could recall, I’d had a thing for Amanda Hathaway. Though I’d only been eight years old the first time I saw her, I still remembered how I felt at that moment. I’d come home on the bus with Toby¸ and we had been sitting at the kitchen table eating a snack when she walked through the door. There had been a heart-stopping moment when our gazes locked. I’d never forget that stare or the way her lips curved into a soft smile as she said hi.
Then the magic ended when her gaze shifted to the empty wrappe
r sitting on the table in front of me. Her smile quickly turned to a scowl when she asked if I’d just eaten the last cupcake.
Back then, we had never spoken more than a few words to each other.
That was a long time ago, back when we were still kids. Now she was a woman—a fact I was reminded of when I saw her in those yoga pants that molded to her curves.
I pulled my thoughts away from my best friend’s sexy sister long enough to fix the toilet. Toby had forgotten to put a gasket on where the tank met the bowl. It was a simple thing to fix, and soon we were back in the living room with Mandy.
A small chunk of hair had escaped her ponytail, and it was all I could do not to reach out and touch the strands that were dark blonde with highlights that brought out the blue in her eyes. She was a little taller than I recalled, standing well beneath my six-feet-two inches. She kept her shoulders straight, and I remember Toby talking about how she’d changed in the years she’d been away. Though she seemed friendly, I sensed she was being a bit guarded, which was understandable with what she’d gone through.
More reserved, he’d said.
Prepping to be a high society wife.
Although she’d grown up in a small town in a working class family, I had easily envisioned her being the wife of a successful businessman. Amanda had always had a sophisticated air about her.
“So are you going to get on with giving her an estimate to fix this place?” Toby asked, taking a drag off the vapor cigarette.
“Would you mind smoking outside?” Amanda asked, and I hid a smile. I had told Toby that a lot of people considered vapor smoking the same as cigarettes.
Toby frowned. “It’s vapor.”
“There’s still nicotine in it though.” She eased out the words with a smile that made my pulse race.
“You heard the lady, Toby,” I said, nudging him toward the door.
Toby rolled his eyes and headed for the door.
“Should we get started on the estimate?” she asked, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
I pulled my notebook out of my back pocket. “Where do you want to start?”
“The kitchen?” She led the way to where it was. “Since it needs the most help.”
I did my best not to stare straight at her perky ass, but it was tough not to. When she entered the kitchen and turned to face me, I made eye contact.
“Tell me, what would you like to see in here?” I asked.
Looking nervous, she chewed on her thumbnail. “I don’t know. I’m thinking of gutting it. I just don’t know what I can afford and can’t afford.”
“Toby said you have a pretty good budget. We can stretch it and give you a new house…if we do it right.”
She glanced at me and lifted a brow. “Oh, I fully expect you to do it right.”
There was the slightest hint of flirtation in her voice, which stunned me. Since hearing about her ugly split with her fiancé, I had half expected to find a shell of the girl I once knew. She wasn’t doing backflips, but she was strong. She had weathered being cast aside and replaced, and all with dignity and grace.
Her eyes narrowed, and she tilted her head to the side. “What, do I have something in my teeth?”
You’re so beautiful. “No, I just never expected to see you back in Maple Creek. When you left, I thought we’d lost you to the city for good.”
I wished I could take back the words as I watched her smile slowly fade. Just by mentioning Arizona, I had no doubt reminded her of what she’d left behind and what she had been through. She had been heartbroken. Completely devastated, her mother had said…much like my mom had had her heart broken by my father. Mom had referred to herself as broken. She’d been a woman with a son to raise, and at the age of twenty-one, she’d done it alone.
Working two jobs just to keep a roof over our heads, my mom had given up a lot to give me the best life she could. I wouldn’t lie—I had missed having a mom like Toby and Mandy’s, who had been home every single day to greet them when they got off the school bus. I had loved being at the Hathaway’s house and envied their perfect family life.
Mandy cleared her throat. “I’m the first to admit that I didn’t always love this town, but I’ve grown to appreciate it. I’m kind of looking forward to the slower pace.”
Her comment made me smile. I loved Maple Creek and always would. I could never understand people who said they wanted out of the small town. To me, Maple Creek would always be home. “So what are you doing for work?”
“You’re looking at it.” She shifted on her feet. “I thought spending time remodeling the house would be good for me.”
I measured her kitchen, writing down measurements as I went. “Good…so you’ll be available to work as my assistant.”
“That depends,” she said, her voice taking on that flirty quality again.
“And what would that be?”
“Will you cut me a deal?” she asked, a grin teasing the corners of her mouth.
I knew I was walking a fine line here. She was my best friend’s sister, and I respected that, yet I couldn’t help but envision us together. “You’re family. Of course I will.”
She grinned. “What a surprise you are, Brax.”
Had I been that transparent? “What do you mean?”
Grabbing a water bottle, she took a drink, all the while not taking her eyes off me.
An inner excitement raced through me. I knew that look. She was interested, and for some reason that surprised me. All these years, I’d wanted her to see me as someone other than her brother’s best friend.
“You’re different than I thought you would be,” she said.
I could read a lot of things into that statement. I chose to believe by her expression that she meant it in the positive. “Well, I’m not at all surprised at the changes in you, Mandy.”
Her brows furrowed. “I’m surprised you even remember what I look like.”
Was she kidding? Her features had been etched in my memory. She’d been my fantasy for years and when she’d left Maple Creek for college, I’d been bummed out for weeks. “I remember when you were about fifteen, hanging with some friends at the county fair. You were wearing this yellow sun top and cut-off shorts with a little smiley face patch on the right back pocket. Toby and I followed you and went on every ride you did.”
“You were stalking us?” she asked, a playful grin on her face.
“Not stalking really. I just thought you were cute.”
She looked stunned by the declaration, then covered it by pressing her lips together.
Her eyes narrowed. “So basically you were eleven…”
“Yeah, but I wished I’d been fifteen that day,” I replied, unable to resist, having heard the sarcasm in her voice.
***
Amanda
Cute?
Had he actually said he thought I was cute? Settle down, Amanda. That was over ten years ago. Clearly he’d had a sort of crush on me back then, especially if he remembered what I’d worn to a fair so long ago.
Not knowing how to respond, I dropped my gaze to the floor between us. I was no longer that dewy-faced teenager with stars in her eyes. I was a twenty-six-year-old adult who had wasted seven years on a man who had then tossed me aside for someone more desirable.
I cleared my throat and once again made eye contact. Damn, the boy was easy to look at. “Life was a lot easier back then, huh?” I said, opening up one of the old cabinets and getting hit with a musty smell that had me wrinkling my nose. “So you’re thinking new cabinets versus painting them over?”
He walked up right beside me and reached out, his long-fingered hand tracing the edge of the cabinet door that I held.
Jesus, even his hands were beautiful.
“I think they have about ten coats of paint on them,” he said with humor in his voice. “I don’t know. We could do prefab cabinets. It’ll be cheaper—unless you had your heart set on custom.”
I tried not to smile. “My budget has to go a lo
ng way, so let’s go with prefab.”
We spent the next ten minutes talking backsplashes, countertops, sinks, lighting, appliances, and paint. Room by room we went, and I tried my best to stay focused as he went about jotting down notes and taking measurements. I liked the way he eyed everything and seemed to be into the process, telling me his ideas for design. His excitement was contagious.
“I’ll work up a detailed list tonight and I’ll email it to you.” His tone was all business. “If you decide to go with my bid, then maybe we can set up a time to pick out cabinets, tiles, flooring, paint colors, decking…the works.”
My eyes widened, and he laughed. “Don’t worry. It’s not as daunting as it sounds. And you can bring your mom if you’d like.”
I wasn’t so sure about bringing Mom along. Then again, maybe that wasn’t such a bad idea. She knew real estate. “Sounds like a plan.”
I approved Brax’s bid that same evening, and at eight fifteen the following morning, my mom arrived at my house and set about making herself useful by ironing my clothes while I blow-dried my hair. She had leapt at the chance to go with Brax and me to the cabinet store and had even printed out pictures of cabinets she thought would look nice in my house.
She always made me smile. Her once blonde hair had gone gradually darker and she wore it in a short but stylish shoulder length cut. I had always been used to her wearing jeans, but now with her new career in real estate, she had made a concerted effort to “dress up” as she called it. Today, she wore a pretty red blouse with black dress pants.
Brax showed up wearing black work jeans and a nice-fitting t-shirt that formed to his pecs. I paid more attention to his tattoos today, especially the eagle on his right upper arm that I knew went back into his shoulder. The detail was amazing, and he’d caught me staring more than once.
I’d spent a little more time on my appearance today, with my hair in fat curls falling down my back. Dressed in my favorite pair of skinny jeans and a cream colored button-down shirt rolled up to the elbows, I wore wedge heels to make myself a little bit taller. I was still shorter than him.
Bad Boy Rebound Page 2
