Rough Ride

by Breezie Bennett

  “I won’t hurt her, man,” I say, already backing away and gently pushing my way through the crowd. “We’ll talk later. Swear.”

  “You’re damn right we will,” he says through a laugh, still shaking his head in total disbelief.

  Really hoping Kendall’s Uber hasn’t gotten here yet, I slip out of the bar and head down the elevator, which is taking a literal hour for some reason.

  Finally, I make my way through the lobby and out into the sticky humidity in the parking lot. I look around quickly, but I don’t see her.

  Fuck. I’ll give her a call.

  As I’m pulling my phone out of my pocket, I hear her voice. I glance around, wondering if I’ve maybe actually lost my mind.

  “Yeah, I’m just…I’m right in front of the entrance.”

  There she is, in front of the building, pacing around and holding her phone to her ear.

  “Kendall!” I wave a hand and jog toward her, my heart beating faster than it probably should be.

  She does a double take when she sees me, her blue eyes flashing in the moonlight. She’s still on the phone with, I assume, her Uber driver. Confusion floods her expression as her brows knit together.

  “Kendall, I—” As I walk up to her, a white sedan pulls up with a glowing Uber logo in the window.

  She draws in a breath and looks at the car, then back at me. “This is my ride. I’ll…see you—”

  She steps forward to open the car door, but I know I sure as hell am not letting that happen.

  I jump in front of her and shut the door as she opens it, glancing at the confused and irritated driver sitting in the vehicle.

  “Andre, what are you doing?” She draws back.

  I crouch down as the driver lowers the window. “Sorry, man.” I give him a friendly smile. “She’s gonna have to cancel this ride.”

  “Wha—” Kendall shakes her head and sort of laughs behind me.

  “Come on, man.” The driver rolls his eyes. “There’s a fee for that.” He studies me for a second, and suddenly his expression changes as his eyes widen, and he grins. “Wait a second. Holy shit! You’re Andre Smoke!”

  “Nice to meet you, bro.” I nod and pull out my wallet, sliding out a hundred-dollar bill and handing it to the driver through the window. “That should cover it. Sorry about the inconvenience tonight.”

  He takes the money and looks down at it, then back at me, laughing in disbelief. “Man, this is an honor. What a night!”

  I shake his hand. “Have a good one.”

  “Thank you, thank you.” He puts the car in drive, still smiling widely. “I can’t wait to call my boys and tell them about this!”

  The car speeds away, and I turn to Kendall. Her head is angled to the side, her brows raised in question. She looks hurt, which is killing me. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “I need to talk to you,” I say, matter-of-fact, inching closer to her.

  She backs away, nervously fixing a wrinkle in her top. “About something that you’ve deemed worth a hundred dollars?”

  “I’d have paid him a grand if that’s what it took.”

  She eases up a little. “Look, I just…I had a conversation with my brother, and I feel like such an idiot.”

  “You’re not an idiot.” I reach for her arm, but she pulls it away.

  “I’m here thinking that we live in some ridiculous fantasy world where you’re going to actually want to be with me, and we’ll live happily ever after and ride into the sunset.” She holds her palm to her forehead. “It was childish and stupid. Wyatt is right—you’re flighty with girls, and you don’t believe in permanence.”

  “Hey, stop.” I put my hands on her slender shoulders and level my gaze with hers. “Wyatt had no clue what’s going on between us. But when he told me what he said, I explained to him that you’re completely different than those other women. I mean, it was a brief conversation, I can explain more to him later. But he got the idea. He told you that stuff because he’s looking out for you. He knows I’ve never really been one for the idea of anything being set in stone forever, but what he doesn’t realize is…” I look at her, at her glowing blue eyes and her parted lips. “Now, when I think about it, the word ‘forever’ doesn’t seem so weird or scary.” My words surprise me as much as they surprise her.

  Her eyes widen, and she swallows. “Are you talking about with the house or with…”

  “Both,” I finish. “I’m still working on the whole home thing.”

  She smiles and relaxes, brushing a soft strand of hair out of her eyes.

  “But come on. I’m not an asshole. I would not have done…what we did if I planned on just dipping out. I know how much that meant to you.”

  She stifles a soft laugh. The sound of it is like music to my ears. She frowns deeply in what looks like mock anger. “Is it really true that my brother hired you to look after me?”

  “Okay…” I hold my hands up defensively and chuckle. “Nobody was hired. That was the reason I came to your office that first time, but as soon as I laid eyes on you, I didn’t need any reason to see you other than…to see you.”

  She twists her mouth and fights a grin, patting her hands onto my chest. “Very well played, Andre Smoke. Okay.”

  I wrap my arm around her shoulders and savor the feeling of holding her body tightly against mine. “So, you trust me? We’re good?”

  She sighs deeply and bumps her hips against mine. “We’re good.”

  Relief hits me harder than I expected, and suddenly it’s becoming clear as fucking day that I really, really don’t want to lose this girl.

  Twenty-three

  Kendall

  “Could we move it maybe just, like, an eighth of an inch to the left?” I squint at Desta. “Don’t hate me.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it, psycho.” She steps forward and signals to Jackson, who lifts the giant framed photograph of Death Valley, the famed LSU football stadium, off the wall and slides it a minuscule amount that somehow makes a world of difference.

  “Better?” Jackson grunts, straightening the frame.

  I give an exaggerated chef’s kiss and grin at the two of them. “Flawless, my loves. It’s the perfect piece in here.” I take a few steps back into the doorway of the back den we designated as Andre’s “man cave” and admire my work.

  Desta joins me and crosses her arms on top of her growing belly, nodding slowly with pride and approval. “Perfect, as usual.”

  I glance at her and meet her warm and comforting gaze. “I really love how this space turned out. It’s generic enough to be a fantastically aspirational ‘man cave’ for anyone who watches HGTV…”

  “But…” Desta holds up her index finger. “The personality of the homeowner totally shines through. The homeowner, who just happens to be an NFL player and also just happens to be sleeping with you.”

  Heat floods my cheeks as she nudges me playfully. “And I happen to be totally crazy about him.”

  Desta grins widely and clasps her hands together, bouncing a little on her toes. “Ah, new love. Okay.” She refocuses. “Staging’s done in here. We just got downstairs finishing touches, and…that’s it. This baby’s all ready for the big reveal.”

  I laugh and shake my head in disbelief. “I can’t believe it.”

  “However, in your case…” She shoots me a wink as we head down the staircase. “I have a feeling you’ll still be spending quite a bit more time in this house.”

  I inhale slowly and decide I can’t argue with that. In fact, I really, really hope she’s right.

  “So, you’re, like, totally over all that stuff Wyatt said, right?” She turns to me as we reach the bottom of the staircase.

  “Yeah.” I sigh and run my finger along the beautiful and sleek wrought-iron bannister we installed. “I am. Wyatt was coming from a good place, so I’m not mad at him. He genuinely had no idea that what’s going on between Andre and me is actually…real. He didn’t want me to have a fling and get attached.”

>   “So this is…” She smiles brightly at me, brimming with joy and glowing even more than usual. “Definitely not a fling.”

  I wipe a bit of sawdust off the whiteboard and batten as we walk through the finished formal dining room, which is decorated with a huge gray table and contemporary white armchairs. “Not a fling,” I confirm. “I know I could still get hurt… There’s always that chance.” I push in the chair at the head of the table an inch or two. “But I’m trusting him, and I’m just kind of…rolling with it.”

  “Words I never thought I’d hear from Miss Perfection herself.” She claps her hands. “You’ve come so far. And so has this house!”

  I bump her side with mine. “Let’s finish staging.”

  We head into the kitchen, and I’m once again overwhelmed by a sense of pride and satisfaction. Not only did I make this a breathtaking contest entry that I think actually stands a chance, I made it a home for Andre. And somehow, that means more.

  Suddenly, I hear a blaring ringing sound that is definitely not coming from a cell phone.

  Jackson walks into the kitchen and frowns, shaking his head with confusion. “Is that…a landline?”

  “Oh!” I blurt. “Andre has a landline. Only for his mom. She doesn’t believe in cell phones.”

  Desta and Jackson stare at me in shock.

  “If you ever met Beverly Smoke, you’d understand.” I smile at the many memories of Andre’s sweet and sassy mother coming to pick Wyatt up from our house or having wine with my mom while we all played in the streets.

  “Answer it!” Desta chirps. “She’s your future mother-in-law.”

  I feel my eyes widen in response, and a flood of nerves washes over me at the thought. “I’ll just pick up and tell her Andre’s not home.”

  Future mother-in-law. Desta’s crazy. I hate how much I love the idea of that.

  “Hello, Andre Smoke’s residence,” I say hesitantly after I pick up the ancient-feeling receiver, ignoring Desta cracking up behind me.

  “This is Andre’s mother. I’d like to speak to my son.” Beverly’s voice sounds exactly as I remember it.

  “Hi, Mrs. Smoke. This is actually Kendall Collins, Wyatt’s younger sister. Do you remember me?”

  “Well, good Lord in heaven above. Little Kendall! The waif with blue eyes. ’Course I remember you!”

  I laugh, totally able to picture her sweet smile and bright eyes. “How are you?” I ask.

  “Well, sweetheart, I’m just lovely. But I do miss my baby boy, that’s for sure. We talk every single day, and I was hoping to catch him.”

  “Oh, that’s so sweet.” My chest feels warm. “He’s actually at football practice right now. And I should probably explain what I’m doing at his house,” I say on a slightly nervous laugh.

  “Honey, come on now. My baby tells me everything. I already know you’re upgrading and renovating that big ol’ house of his for a fancy TV program. I think it’s just wonderful what you’re doing.”

  I relax and lean against the counter. “Oh, that’s great! I wasn’t sure if he’d told you that it was actually my team doing the reno or anything.”

  “Of course he told me, silly girl!” She laughs heartily. “Your parents are like family to us, and of course I love Wyatt as if he was my own. I thought it was just a beautiful thing that you and Andre have reconnected down there in Florida and you’re helping him so much.”

  “It’s been amazing. He’s…amazing.” I wonder for a second what else Andre’s shared with his mom. “We’re finishing up the last touches on the house today.”

  Beverly takes a deep sigh, and I can practically hear her grinning. “That’s just wonderful. You know that homes and houses…that’s a tough area of life for my Andre. He likes to be a big macho man, you know. Act like nothing gets to him. But it gets to him, what happened when those tornadoes hit. Even after all these years…it gets to him.”

  My heart tugs. “I know. I’ve really been trying to make this a home for him. To make him feel like it can be more than just a place to crash. I know it’s sensitive, but I feel like I’ve definitely gotten through to him, at least a little.”

  “Oh, Kendall, honey. You’re just making my heart smile.”

  “Well, you’ve raised quite a man. He deserves it.” I’m surprised by how forward I am, but it feels good to talk candidly with Andre’s mom.

  “Oh! I just thought of something.” I hear some papers rustling on the other end of the call. “Could you tell me Andre’s mailing address down there? I want to send you something for the house. For decorating.”

  “Of course.” I recite the address as I twirl the cord of the phone.

  “Wonderful. Try and surprise him with it, maybe. Don’t let him see it until it’s already in the house and everything’s all done.”

  “Noted. I will save it for reveal day.” I smile and shake my head, wondering what on earth Beverly Smoke wants me to put in the Esplanade House.

  “All right, then, honey. I’ll let you get back to it. And tell my son to call his momma!”

  I laugh softly. “You got it. Have a great day!”

  “Bye, sweetie.”

  I hang up the phone and let out a breath, surprised and relaxed by how easy and natural that conversation was.

  “Babe.” Desta grabs my arm and gives it a stern shake. “I know you’re swoony and gooey and mushy and all those other falling-in-love adjectives, but we got throw pillows to pick out, stat.”

  I ruffle her hair, for once. “I’m sure anything we pick will be beautiful.”

  She turns to me with her mouth gaping open in shock. “I’m sorry, did aliens come and abduct my control-freak perfectionist best friend? Did you just say anything would be fine?”

  I roll my eyes as we head into the main living room to finish staging. “I said anything would be beautiful, yeah.”

  My mind flashes with images of laughing and talking with Andre in this house…walking down to the beach with him that first night… losing my virginity in the secret room…

  I smile. “This house is already perfect.”

  Twenty-four

  Andre

  “Absolutely positively indubitably no peeking!” Kendall’s standing on her toes in order to keep her fingers pressed against my eyes as she guides me to the front door of the house.

  “I am indubitably not peeking,” I say on a laugh.

  I’m actually surprised by how damn hyped I am to see the finished project. Even though I’ve been living in my house the entire time, and I’ve basically already seen every step of the process, Kendall’s radiant excitement is truly contagious.

  “Okay, up this step.” Her voice reaches an enthusiastic squeal as I step through the door and keep my eyes closed, because, well, it matters to her.

  “All right, Andre Smoke. Are you ready to see your brand-new beachside mansion?”

  I chuckle. “You’re using your HGTV voice, aren’t you?”

  “Hey! I’m practicing for when we win the whole damn competition.”

  I reach around and give her sexy waist a little squeeze. “That’s my girl.” The words sound right.

  I like that she wanted to do a private reveal tonight, with just the two of us. No crew or team or cameras or anything. She wanted it to be special, so of course it is.

  “Okay.” She draws out the word and slowly moves her hands off my face. “Ta-da!”

  “Holy shit.” I smile and look around and really take it all in. I’m honestly pretty shocked at how insanely nice it looks in here, now that it’s been cleaned up and finished and everything is pristine—the way Kendall likes it. “Kendall Collins, you’re a freakin’ genius.”

  She takes a bow, her hair flipping like a giant blond wave when she swings back up. “Thank you, thank you. Now, I know it’s not really that big of a surprise, but everything really does look different when it’s truly finished.”

  “No, seriously…” I laugh as I study the whole space some more. The cool gray modern couches in the sitti
ng area when you walk in, the way she replaced all the windows with new ones that are, like, three times as big, the floor that’s definitely wood but also looks like the sand on the beach. “This is so sick.”

  She pumps a fist and bounces a little. “This is only the entryway.” She hurries ahead of me, and I grab her arm to stop her, swinging her back toward me and bringing her lips directly to mine.

  I hold her close as I kiss her, feeling everything between us growing stronger and brighter and better every second.

  “We can do that later,” she says with a grin. “The staged kitchen is truly something to behold.”

  “All right, all right. We can do that and a hell of a lot more later.” I give her a wink.

  She reciprocates by blowing me a sexy kiss as she walks down the hallway ahead of me and into the kitchen.

  I admire the sleek-looking cabinets, pressing my palm onto the black-speckled countertops that we picked out at that warehouse that day, smiling like a child at the memory.

  “It’s great, right?”

  “It’s unbelievable. I love how you took that wall down, and now it’s just like, boom—ocean.” I point at the huge glass slider that you can now see from every spot in the kitchen and living room. “Right there. Just the whole-ass ocean in my kitchen.”

  “The whole-ass thing.” She stretches her arms wide.

  “Are those fake apples?” I frown and nod toward an unnecessarily large bowl of red apples on the kitchen island.

  “Yeah…” She lifts a shoulder. “Staging is weird that way. But even though the contest doesn’t air for several months, HGTV is coming to start filming the houses in the running to choose finalists in just a few days. So…we staged. But obviously since you live here, feel free to do whatever you need. We’ll spruce it up again before any cameras come in.”

  I pick up a plastic apple and toss it in the air. “These babies should satisfy my fake-fruit needs for, like, the rest of my life.”

  She giggles and shoves me playfully, and I savor every electric spark that fires off between us.

  As we walk through the rest of the house, each room just seems to get better than the one before it. It all really looks amazing, everything modern but still relaxed, bougie-looking but still fun… She really hit the nail on the head.