What kind of site?”
I stare at him for a beat, trying to figure out what’s going on and why he’s so interested.
When he just stares at me with a blank face, I give up trying to figure it out and make a choice.
“Construction. My dad owns Pierce Construction. My older brother, Robby, is starting the process of taking over the business. More responsibilities, overseeing his own sites, all that jazz now that my dad’s semi-retired. And when I say that, I mean he goes to the sites to give my brother and all the guys shit but still deals with most of the clients face-to-face, at least until he decides to fully retire. Then he’ll just go give everyone shit. My brother is worried about not doing the business justice, so on Saturday’s he hits the sites they’ve got going on and checks in on things just to make sure everything’s running smooth.” I pause, take a breath, and continue. “Robby stopped at their house, most likely to brag to my younger brother, Nate, that he got me to make him brownies because even though they’re twenty-seven and twenty-one, they’ll never stop trying to one up each other. My dad was telling me that next time I have to make him a pecan pie and that they get shit. Figuratively, not literally. That’d be gross,” I mutter with a scrunch of my nose.
When I finish talking he has (surprise) another weird look on his face. This one is one of disbelief mingled with the something I can’t put my finger on.
What he finds so hard to believe I don’t know and I’m not about to get into it.
I look at my watch, see I only have six hours to get me and Juliet home, make the brownies, wait for the cooling period before adding the other stuff and doing a quick warm up in the oven, get ready, and then get us loaded up to head to Mom and Dad’s.
I technically have plenty of time, but knowing me I’ll get distracted or something will happen and I’ll end up running late, so I need to get my butt moving and hit the road.
I look back to Grace, her face a mask of disbelief but mingled with delight. Looking around, everyone but Evan has disbelief on their faces.
Seriously, what?
“Is that all you need from me?” I ask Grace.
Her face loses the disbelief and a knowing look takes its place as her smile gets bigger.
“Sure thing! You and your new girl are all set to go. You still have my card, right?” she asks, waiting for my nod. “Give me a call and we’ll get her all set up, or if you have any questions just let me know!”
I nod, giving her a small lip tip, grab the starter kit from the counter and make sure I have a good grip on Juliet’s leash before starting towards the entrance door. I hear footsteps behind me and figure Evan has finally disengaged herself from Manny’s side and is following us out.
I just put my hand to the handle before I hear him.
“See you around, sweetheart.”
I look at him over my shoulder, past Evan who is indeed following me.
His previous look gone and now amusement and promise color both his face and tone.
“Yeah, sure thing,” is my noncommittal reply.
There’s no way I’ll run into him again.
I’m not going to be coming here again, at least never on adoption day, and I’d gone twenty-three years in this town without ever seeing him.
He smirks at me, a knowing look on his face, and crosses his strong arms over his chest. I hear a deep chuckle and swing my eyes to look at Rocco finishing, only to see Manny next to him with a huge, ass grin.
Seriously, what ?
I decide I don’t want to know; I just want to leave.
I give him my eyes one last time, and then turn back towards the door, shoving my way out to the parking lot.
It’s time to go.
Chapter Five
Lion’s Den
Shit.
I’m late.
* * *
I’d had to listen to Evan pester me with question after question about the whole ‘incident’ on the way home. They didn’t stray much from, “What the fuck
I stare at him for a beat, trying to figure out what’s going on and why he’s so interested.
When he just stares at me with a blank face, I give up trying to figure it out and make a choice.
“Construction. My dad owns Pierce Construction. My older brother, Robby, is starting the process of taking over the business. More responsibilities, overseeing his own sites, all that jazz now that my dad’s semi-retired. And when I say that, I mean he goes to the sites to give my brother and all the guys shit but still deals with most of the clients face-to-face, at least until he decides to fully retire. Then he’ll just go give everyone shit. My brother is worried about not doing the business justice, so on Saturday’s he hits the sites they’ve got going on and checks in on things just to make sure everything’s running smooth.” I pause, take a breath, and continue. “Robby stopped at their house, most likely to brag to my younger brother, Nate, that he got me to make him brownies because even though they’re twenty-seven and twenty-one, they’ll never stop trying to one up each other. My dad was telling me that next time I have to make him a pecan pie and that they get shit. Figuratively, not literally. That’d be gross,” I mutter with a scrunch of my nose.
When I finish talking he has (surprise) another weird look on his face. This one is one of disbelief mingled with the something I can’t put my finger on.
What he finds so hard to believe I don’t know and I’m not about to get into it.
I look at my watch, see I only have six hours to get me and Juliet home, make the brownies, wait for the cooling period before adding the other stuff and doing a quick warm up in the oven, get ready, and then get us loaded up to head to Mom and Dad’s.
I technically have plenty of time, but knowing me I’ll get distracted or something will happen and I’ll end up running late, so I need to get my butt moving and hit the road.
I look back to Grace, her face a mask of disbelief but mingled with delight. Looking around, everyone but Evan has disbelief on their faces.
Seriously, what?
“Is that all you need from me?” I ask Grace.
Her face loses the disbelief and a knowing look takes its place as her smile gets bigger.
“Sure thing! You and your new girl are all set to go. You still have my card, right?” she asks, waiting for my nod. “Give me a call and we’ll get her all set up, or if you have any questions just let me know!”
I nod, giving her a small lip tip, grab the starter kit from the counter and make sure I have a good grip on Juliet’s leash before starting towards the entrance door. I hear footsteps behind me and figure Evan has finally disengaged herself from Manny’s side and is following us out.
I just put my hand to the handle before I hear him.
“See you around, sweetheart.”
I look at him over my shoulder, past Evan who is indeed following me.
His previous look gone and now amusement and promise color both his face and tone.
“Yeah, sure thing,” is my noncommittal reply.
There’s no way I’ll run into him again.
I’m not going to be coming here again, at least never on adoption day, and I’d gone twenty-three years in this town without ever seeing him.
He smirks at me, a knowing look on his face, and crosses his strong arms over his chest. I hear a deep chuckle and swing my eyes to look at Rocco finishing, only to see Manny next to him with a huge, ass grin.
Seriously, what ?
I decide I don’t want to know; I just want to leave.
I give him my eyes one last time, and then turn back towards the door, shoving my way out to the parking lot.
It’s time to go.
Chapter Five
Lion’s Den
Shit.
I’m late.
* * *
I’d had to listen to Evan pester me with question after question about the whole ‘incident’ on the way home. They didn’t stray much from, “What the fuck
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