Real Men Knit

by Kwana Jackson

  “You’re right,” she said, giving him a bit of a shove and getting up, then taking the iron from the ironing board and marching toward the doorway. “Are you so full of yourself that you think I’d put so much of myself aside and give this much of my time and energy just for the likes of you?”

  His slight wince let her know that maybe her words were too hard, but she wouldn’t feel bad for them. He had nerve, and his ego needed a check.

  “Well then, go! I’m telling you that you can go!”

  She started down the hall back to Damian’s room, then turned back to him, surprised to find him not far behind.

  “It wasn’t like I needed your permission to stay in the first place. And it’s not like I’m staying for you.” She let out a breath, not sure in that moment why she really let it get that heated. Kerry lowered her voice. “Look. I’m not staying for you. That part is true. Not just for you. Though, yes, you can use my help, but it’s also true that you would be fine or close enough to getting by without me. I’m doing this to help you flourish and because I still believe in the shop. I don’t want to see it close. I believe in what Mama Joy built here over all these years. Almost as much as it was for you, this place was like home for me too.”

  Without her thinking, that damned errant hand came out once again and was now stroking his arm. Damn, he was way too easy to touch. She pulled back. “Didn’t you have dishes to finish? And I have a shirt to iron.”

  11

  Kerry didn’t have time to wallow in the embarrassment or the emotions of the conversation with Jesse because, just as she was finishing unplugging the iron and slipping into her blouse, Damian showed up.

  Deep in thought, she didn’t hear him come in over the sound of Jesse washing dishes, or maybe it was the sound of her brain stuck flipping over in hyperdrive about the conversation they’d just had back in Mama Joy’s room. It was good she’d gotten him back on track, but it was just barely, at that. And really, he was almost too much to take. Talk about thinking he was all that. She couldn’t with Jesse Strong, even if she wanted to at times. She paused midway through pulling on her blouse and thought of how he’d looked at her. For a moment in the midst of his desperation, she thought she had seen a hint of desire, but maybe she was wrong. Maybe she had only imagined it, or wanted to imagine it. But that was the last thing she should want or want to imagine. Shit. Kerry sighed. More likely than not it was just Jesse being Jesse. His usual way. She could call it flirty, but it kind of wasn’t. She knew that now. Still, the touch of his hand was so powerful, so electric, she couldn’t help but jump back as if shocked, and that shock, that immediate response, it damned well did make her angry. Just as much as his egotistical words.

  Kerry looked over at her phone. Crap. Why hadn’t she heard back from her landlord yet about the state of her building? Staying here much longer would definitely be detrimental to their relationship and her nerves. And lately her nerves had had enough—Mama Joy, the shop, her place . . . it was just one unnerving moment after another.

  “Sorry. If I thought my bedroom would be occupied, I would have knocked first.”

  Kerry quickly spun around. The arrogant voice at the doorway as she buttoned the last button on her top let her know that there was no respite on the horizon for said nerves.

  She glared at Damian, both pissed and embarrassed over having been potentially caught with her pants down. The embarrassment left little room for her to feel any type of way about being in his space. “Seriously, Damian, didn’t Jesse tell you I was in here?”

  “He didn’t,” he said with an arrogant smirk. “And, well, it’s not like I actually asked him. When I saw him in the kitchen washing dishes, I just assumed he must have been cleaning up after his company from last night. Or maybe she’d either just left or was still in his bedroom. How was I supposed to know the reason for his domesticity would be you, Kerry Girl?”

  “I wouldn’t quite characterize myself that way, Damian My Boy.”

  She let out a breath. She didn’t quite want to address the whole innuendo of being Jesse’s overnight guest, but yes, she still felt she needed to explain things. It wasn’t like she could argue with Damian’s assumption when it came to Jesse.

  “It’s no big deal really. Well, maybe it is. I hope it’s not. There was an explosion at my place last night and Jesse came to get me. Well, Lucas came first, when the fire department was called. And he let me crash here. Jesse, that is. I hope it’s okay that Jesse said I could use your room.” She was rambling. Why was she rambling when she’d clearly said it wasn’t a big deal?

  Surprisingly, immediate concern came to Damian’s eyes. He grabbed her by the shoulders and looked up and down her body. “Are you all right? Was there a fire? You didn’t get hurt, did you?”

  She lifted her arms and pushed his hands down. “I’m fine. As you can see. Thankfully it wasn’t as serious as that.”

  “Yes, she’s fine. No need to be putting your paws all over her like that.”

  The bass in Jesse’s tone had both her and Damian spinning toward Jesse’s voice.

  In a flash Damian was back to his usual cool self, leaving Kerry wondering if the moment of kindness had ever happened and why Jesse was so weird. “You should talk. Paws? That’s funny coming from the original bear in the woods. Wasn’t it you I found with your hands all over her just the other day?”

  Hold up. Kerry could tell he was about to go back to a potentially dangerous place and emergency breaks were in order. “You two plan on growing up anytime this year, or nah?” she said.

  “I choose nah,” Jesse replied, and Kerry rolled her eyes, connecting for a brief moment with Damian.

  He gave her a slight grin, then sobered. “Seriously, what happened?” he asked, but now that he’d assessed that she was fine, he had divided his attention and was going toward the small closet. When he opened it, Kerry wasn’t surprised at all to see his suits and dress shirts all perfectly aligned and in color-coordinated order. She hoped he’d find time to help them with organizing the shop half as well, because this closet was a dream.

  “I thought you had your own place downtown?” she asked, her mouth working before her brain could stop it. She remembered too late that not even Mama Joy spoke about Damian and his downtown living situation. From what Kerry had gathered, Damian was half-secretive about it, which may or may not have had something to do with his roommate or sometimes bedmate being an older colleague at the financial firm he worked at. But who knew? Certainly not Kerry, and she didn’t have business opening her mouth to ask. She was the not-quite-Goldilocks who had slept in his bed without permission last night.

  “I do,” he said, his words short and clipped, “but I still keep a few things here.”

  She frowned but nodded anyway, vowing to stop the questions there.

  But Jesse took no such vow. “Yet you’re so quick to want to sell off your ready-made storage unit.”

  Way faster than Kerry and maybe even Jesse expected, Damian whirled on him. “Fuck you. You know I don’t think of this as a storage unit.” Damian stopped suddenly and let out a slow breath as if he’d surprised himself with his outburst.

  Jesse stared at him. “I was just messing with you.” He shrugged. “Well, sort of. But still. I get it. I know the decisions are not easy for any of us, bro.”

  “No, they really aren’t,” Damian said. “So how about you stop acting like it’s just about you and think about all of us?”

  Kerry caught the thickness in the air that came with the weight of Damian’s words.

  Jesse ran a sober hand over his face, and when he looked back at Damian, his eyes sparked with mischievousness once again, letting him and her know he refused to go there. “So, what is it then, why you here so early? You get into it with your sugar mama?”

  Damian looked at his younger brother like he was about two seconds from beating his ass, but Jesse just laughed
. Giving up, Damian turned to Kerry, she guessed refusing to give Jesse any more pieces in their little game of checkers. “I’m through with this one. Now come on, you didn’t tell me what happened with your place, Kerry.”

  Kerry paused, first taking a moment to get her bearings, then glad for the chance to defuse the situation. “I don’t have all or any answers really. I think it was something with the building next door. Some sort of explosion, and then I had water gushing from my pipes and was told I had to get out along with the rest of the people in my building. They say it’s just a precaution because of the building next door. I should be able to go back today. I’m sorry for invading your space.”

  Damian frowned, grabbed two suits and three shirts, and put them into a garment bag. “It’s no problem,” he said. “Not like I was using it.”

  She wasn’t sure that it really wasn’t a problem but was glad Damian wasn’t too put out over her using his bed.

  Kerry went down to the shop right in time to catch Val coming to the door. In impatient Val form, she was both ringing the shop bell and dialing Kerry’s cell at the same time. “What are you doing here at this hour?” Kerry said, letting her in. “After last night, I thought you’d be sleeping in. Besides, it’s your day off.”

  Val was done up today in workout gear—tight Lycra that showed off her curves—though Kerry knew she wouldn’t be caught dead actually working out in her designer leggings and matching crop top. Working up a sweat would ruin the effect of her suspiciously flawless makeup. Kerry frowned. Val’s makeup was flawless. Too flawless for it to have been a good night with Craig, that was for sure. She knew her friend, and if all had gone to plan, she would not be at the shop looking ready to conquer the next conquest at this hour of the day.

  Val’s brows drew together as she gave Kerry a “Spare me” look. “Girl, it’s not even worth the conversation . . . but I’ll fill you in later,” Val mumbled under her breath, then flipped her frown to a huge smile as Jesse came down the steps followed a few moments later by a stone-faced Damian. One of her perfectly arched brows rose at Kerry, and Kerry gave a “Don’t start” look. As if that ever worked on Val.

  “Hey, boys. How are both of you on this fine morning?” she said in her best flirty, round-the-way-girl type of way.

  “We’re good,” Jesse replied while Damian stayed silent. “How about you?” He paused. “Did my boy take care of you last night, get you home all right after you both disappeared from the restaurant?”

  Val’s smile immediately vanished. “Your boy?” She shook her head. “Your boy didn’t get me anywhere.”

  Jesse raised his brow. “I was just making sure he treated you okay.” He looked at Val skeptically. “And you treated him okay.”

  There was a not-too-polite snort from Damian at that.

  Val smiled again as she looked from Jesse to Damian, then back at Jesse again. “Oh, come on, I’m sure your friend is fine.” She sighed dramatically, then shrugged. “Also, I’m insulted. Why would you think I’d hurt anyone? I’m as gentle as they come. Not that there is or would be anything to worry about when it comes to Craig. Not a thing at all.”

  Val made a face before turning Damian’s way. “This is not something we need to be discussing so early in the morning.”

  By the way Val smiled at Damian, Kerry could tell that Craig was a distant ten-hour-ago, long-forgotten past.

  “Damian,” Val started, and Damian looked up at her with annoyance over being directly addressed at all. It was amazing how he pulled off such aloofness. “It’s been a minute since I’ve seen you around. But it looks like life has been treating you well.” Her eyes roamed his entire body suggestively and, well, yep, Craig was officially done.

  But then Damian blinked and cocked his head to the side, and Val seemed to remember the circumstances as to why he would be in the shop at this hour of the day. She cleared her throat. “I mean treating you well, all things considered. I’m still so very sorry for your loss. Mama Joy is a terrible loss for all of us. I can only imagine what you all are going through.” The tone of her voice told Kerry her words were sincere. She could only hope that the guys would recognize that sincerity too.

  Shifting her eyes, Kerry saw the harsh scowl Damian was shooting Val’s way. What the hell? Val may be a little too open with her words at times, and yeah, a bit crass, but she was still Kerry’s friend and she didn’t want to see her hurt. Kerry stepped forward when she saw Damian take a small step and open his mouth as if he was about to deliver one of his cutting remarks.

  “Val always enjoyed helping out with the kids when Mama Joy would come by to give the children lessons at the center,” she said.

  “I really did,” Val said quickly, her voice laced with an odd desperation that was unlike her usual clapback self.

  Kerry looked at Val with confusion.

  “I bet you did,” Damian shot back, and Val’s brows drew together.

  Okay. This was dangerous, but at least it was more like her friend. For a moment Kerry thought Val had been kidnapped and her body taken over.

  Val gave him a drawn-out up and down that now held little admiration, and her smile could cut granite. “That nasty-assed attitude work for you down on Wall Street, Damian?”

  He shrugged, unfazed. “It doesn’t not work.”

  She continued to stare at him, then licked her lips dramatically before shrugging as good as she got. “I bet it does, but it’s still not cute. A thank-you would have sufficed.”

  Damian twisted his lips before finally nodding and relenting. “Thank you.” The corner of his lip went up ever so slightly in what could have been a smile but Kerry knew was not.

  Val smiled wider now, though, then turned back to Kerry, seeming to forget Damian’s snub and going right back to their conversation. “Though, as for help, I don’t know how much I really was. You and Mama Joy were never any good at getting these thumbs of mine coordinated. Lord knows you both tried.”

  Kerry shifted her gaze from Val to Damian, wondering if she’d imagined the exchange but knowing she hadn’t. Jeez. Being in the midst of this crew, it was at times hard to keep track. She reminded herself to stay focused and on her toes. Right now that focus was on Val and keeping her in line. “You were worse than some of the kids. Even tried Mama Joy’s patience with your impatience. A right gnat you are.”

  Val laughed. “Yeah, but at least she didn’t give up on me.” Her voice grew wistful as she looked around the shop. Kerry caught the slight glistening of tears in her eyes. “I thought maybe this summer would be the summer I actually got it.”

  “You can still get it.”

  Val blinked and snorted. “So, you’re saying you’re not giving up. You’re gonna teach me?”

  Kerry sighed, then smiled at her friend. “Yeah, if I don’t have to beat that ass too much. You are a nerve plucker. I may just pass you on to Jesse.”

  Jesse’s eyes went wide, and Val laughed. “Now I am insulted, Jesse Strong. Is this how you plan on running Strong Knits? Because I suspect you’re going to have plenty of women coming in for lessons once the word gets out.”

  “Private lessons? Maybe I need to dust off my needles.” Lucas walked through the front door as he made his little declaration, and once again Val’s eyes lit up. Kerry couldn’t resist smiling. Val was like a kid in a candy store.

  “What are you doing here?” Damian asked.

  “Good morning to you too,” Lucas said, unfazed. Then he turned Kerry’s way. “I came to check on Kerry and see how she is after her harrowing night.” He put on a show then, flexing biceps that did not need to be flexed. “Complete with FDNY rescue and all.”

  “I thought you said it was no big deal,” Damian said, deadpan.

  Kerry laughed. “It wasn’t.”

  “No, it definitely wasn’t,” Jesse chimed in. “And if I recall, all you were was a government messenger. It was me doi
ng the actual rescuing.”

  Kerry’s eyes shifted between the three of them, not quite knowing what they were really arguing about. Then her phone buzzed with a message, taking her attention from the strange but entertaining morning show.

  Her heart dropped. “Shit!”

  Like the trained rescuer he was, Lucas was immediately at her side.

  “What is it?” he asked, his firm grip at her elbow and forearm.

  Kerry looked at him. Then over at Jesse. Her eyes went to Val and she pushed her cell out to her friend.

  Val read the text and Kerry saw the corner of her lip quirk up.

  “The message is from her landlord. Turns out the building next door caused some structural damage to her building, so it is temporarily uninhabitable for the next few weeks.”

  “It says maybe up to six!” Kerry wailed.

  “Yes, maybe up to six,” Val said calmly, as if Kerry’s life wasn’t being completely destroyed by that damned text. “But on the upside, you are allowed to go in and get your things today between ten and one under the supervision of the FDNY”—she made a gesture toward Lucas—“and they are offering temporary apartments during the time you are out of yours.”

  “Yeah, in either the Bronx or Brooklyn on a first-come, first-served basis. What do you think those odds are, and what will my commute be like getting from the community center to here to wherever me and my bags are staying?” Kerry blinked back tears and the room began to spin.