“Oh…” Mason’s hurt puppy dog eyes almost get to me.
“Ari’s helping me study after this, but I was here last summer, in case you forgot. I like helping.”
“Since when?” Mason puts his hands on his hips, looking adorably awkward with this situation. I should feel guilty about enjoying it but after his rejection last night, I deserve to indulge in a little fun.
Justice kneels down and picks up the other little shovel. “Better check in with Kerry and see where she needs you, bro.” He glances up and smirks, obviously enjoying having one up on his brother. “Me and Ari got this here.”
“It’s great you came, though.” I touch his arm and give it a tiny squeeze before turning my back on him and kneeling down next to Justice.
“Did you talk to her about painting?” I ask Justice as we both dig in the dirt and Mason just stands there watching.
“Yeah, she said after lunch we can paint at the next house.”
“Great. Thanks.”
“Guess I’ll see you guys soon.” Mason walks off in the direction of the house. I watch him navigate around volunteers edging the lawn, painting the trim on the house, sweeping leaves, and whatever else needs to be done on this house whose occupant is a senior citizen unable to do the work themselves. He says hello to a couple of people I’m guessing work for him based on what Ray told me.
Justice catches me watching and I turn back to my work. “You know Ray, right?”
“Yeah, he’s been a contractor for the company for years. Used to boss me around when Dad brought me on site.”
“Well he said Mason gives the guys extra bonuses for coming.”
Justice stops his work and gives me a sly grin. “You don’t have to defend Mason. I get it. He came here to impress you, but he is a good guy. Trust me. I know.”
“Sorry, yeah.” I shake my head and scoop up a pile of weeds and walk it to the trash a few feet away. When I step back to our area, Justice is giving me a side glance before refocusing on the ground.
“So, what’s the deal with you guys?”
I kneel back and watch his golden-brown shoulder-length hair swaying as he digs out the weeds. I can see why Mason might be jealous. All the Bridges men are attractive, but I can tell Justice is the lady killer. Where Mason and Logan are handsome and mature-looking, Justice has the look of a male model. And he’s incredibly sweet and easy to talk to—I don’t even care if it’s his schtick to get women; he doesn’t seem to treat me that way. “What did Mason tell you?”
“Nothing. We haven’t spoken much since I’ve been back. But Dad said you were a friend and needed a place to stay for a while.”
“Well, that’s true.”
He stops his work and watches me a second. “Hey, it’s cool if you don’t want to tell me.”
“Honestly, it’s not easy to talk about. It’s a little embarrassing that I’m in this situation.”
“Well, embarrassing I know. I honestly don’t know how I’ve made it this far as much as I screw up.”
“Do your brothers have anything to do with that?”
Someone drops a wood crate in the driveway, and we both jump and look over before turning back to our little pow-wow.
“The screwing up?” he asks.
I laugh. “No…”
“Yeah, they’ve both been there for me, probably more than I deserved. I can admit it now. I mean, yeah, they can be naggy as shit. But considering the loss our family has had, I’m grateful for both of them.
“You sound more mature than I thought you’d be.”
He could have taken that the wrong way, but he just lifts one shoulder and lets it fall.
The sun peeked out at some point and now casts a nice glow on our little crew. Justice sits back on his heels, his lean body cut with muscles isn’t a terrible sight to see.
“I’ve changed a lot,” he says, stabbing at nothing in the dirt. “I just don’t think my family has caught up yet. I thought football was in my future but my body is my biggest rival.”
“I’m sorry. Mason mentioned you’ve had a lot of injuries. But being on the team must have some perks. The girls?”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” He flicks his head to the side as if to swing the hair from his view. “Don’t get me wrong, there’s lots of girls. But they’re so superficial. I never saw it until I started getting hurt and off my game. Now I just want to graduate college on time.”
“I’m sure your family’s proud of you no matter what.”
“Well, I don’t want to let them down…or myself. Which is why I’m taking summer school.”
“Doing what it takes is admirable. Estoy feliz de ayudar.”
He cocks his head and then shakes it. “Crap, something about help?”
“Si. I said, I’m glad to help with that.”
“Gracias.” He smiles and offers me a water bottle. “You know, I’m really glad you’re staying with Mason.”
I return the grin and take the bottle, his kindness is endearing, makes him more attractive. “Thanks.”
He’s staring at me now but not in a flirty way. His head is doing this subtle head bob, like he had a realization. “It’s nice to hang with a chick and just talk…like friends.”
I can see and hear the sincerity and that warms my heart. I could definitely use more friends. “It’s nice for me too, Justice.”
“What’s nice?” Mason asks, arriving at our little spot.
“Hey, did they give you a job?”
Yes, I purposely avoided his question and based on his expression, he’s wondering why. “For all of us, actually. Come on.”
“We’re not done,” I say, glancing over at Justice, who shrugs.
“Someone will finish up for you,” Mason says with a hand on his hip. He gazes across the yard to the next house. “You wanted to paint, right?”
I sit back on my heels and wait for his attention to return to me. Justice continues to work beside me until he notices me waiting and flings dirt at Mason’s pants. “Bro!”
Mason looks down and shakes the dirt off with a scowl. “What’s the problem?”
“We want to paint but we should finish this first. I don’t want to risk it getting left undone.” I reach up with the trowel and shoot him a determined look.
He only hesitates a moment before taking the tool from my hand and kneeling beside me. “You’re right.”
The Mason I much prefer has finally emerged. It’s when he lets go of his controlling side, when he gives up his “plan” and rolls with it. Yes, flexible, bendy Mason is going to be fun.
I jump up. “Great. I’ll get all these to the trash while you guys finish up. It shouldn’t take long with all us working together.”
“You know how to use that thing?” Justice asks Mason.
“Bro, I helped build the crib you slept in.”
“That was a long-ass time ago.”
No answer from Mason. Good, he’s taking the high road.
Unfortunately, Justice won’t make it easy. “How’s it feel to be a minion for once, Mase?” Justice says with a smirk.
“Shut it, kid.” He holds up the little shovel. “Wouldn’t take much of a hole to bury your skinny ass.”
“Whoa, you sound like Logan. Guess that’s what happens when you take off the suit, huh?”
I drag the trash over and place it between the two. “Boys, do we need a time out?”
“Mason does.”
“You two…” I look down on them with a hand on my hip. “Mucho ruido y pocas nueces.”
They both look up in question, and I debate if I should give them a complete explanation for the saying that basically means I was telling them they are all bark and no bite. But they don’t deserve that much, so I give them the literal definition. “It means, lots of noise, very few nuts.”
They glance at each other in question and then back to me before we all bust out laughing. It only takes twenty more minutes to finish the job we committed to, and then we are off to the next
house.
Once we get our assigned area, I start to wonder why I wanted the job of painting anyway. We are on the side of the house doing the very thing I do at my job at Bridges—drab, one-color monotony. Then I look at the two guys on either side of me and I know it’s different. This is much more fun.
We make our way down the side of the house and with the three of us working, we will finish in no time, so I stop for a drink. Really, that’s an excuse to watch Mason work with his brother. Assuming the same stance, taking the same grip on the brush, and utilizing the same long, smooth strokes, they are not just brothers but students taught the same technique.
“You miss it.”
Justice looks over at Mason and Mason glances over his shoulder at me. Because we all know who I’m talking to.
He grins but quickly reins it in. “Maybe.”
A little glow murmurs in my chest when I consider that Mason is likely here because of me. That alone makes my heart skip but that Mason is possibly re-discovering this side of himself is icing on the cake. “Then, I hope this isn’t a one-time thing.”
“You gonna do it again, Ari?” Justice asks “They do this all over so when you move, you could—”
“Move?” Mason’s head snaps to me.
It’s not as if he thought I’d be staying with him for long, but I assume his surprise is more about me sharing things with Justice.
“Yeah… I told Justice I’d probably move to National City to be near Kiki.”
“Oh, right.” Mason gives me a single nod but the lost look in his stare is what causes the empty feeling in my gut.
“Don’t worry, Justice. We’ll make sure you pass that Spanish class before I go.”
“Gracias, bella dama.”
Mason rolls his eyes, though I don’t think he knows exactly the compliment his little brother just gave me.
“Ooh, gracias.”
We finish that side of the house and then complete the opposite side. With so many volunteers, everything is done quickly and we are no longer needed here. The last house on the agenda has enough volunteers that we call it a day. Of course, I couldn’t leave without adding my special touch. The elderly lady who lives in the house we were painting came out to offer us water. I’m guessing that was her excuse because once she came out, she asked if we could paint her mailbox. I told her it would be no problem, but I also left her a fun surprise in the form of a little crop of trees with a couple of colorful birds in them.
The three of us walk back down the street to where we started and where Justice and Mason parked their cars. We come to Justice’s car first but as he rounds the front, Mason and I stop short. I’m sure he’s wondering like I am who I should go with, since I came with Justice.
“Why don’t we all grab something to eat?” Mason says first, saving me from the awkward question.
“That sounds nice…” I look to Justice and wince because I may have forgotten he was thinking I’d help him study right after.
Standing with the driver’s side door open, Justice checks his phone. “If it’s cool with you guys, I’m going to pass. Just remembered something I need to do.”
“Yeah, we’ll see you soon.” Mason takes his keys out and points to his car.
I nod and follow. “Thanks, Justice. Text me later and let me know when you want to meet.”
“You got it, Señorita.”
In the car, Mason is quiet when he drives out of the senior community neighborhood. It doesn’t seem like we’re going back to his place so I ask, “Where are we going?”
“All that work made me hungry. I know this great surf and taco place by the beach.”
“Oh.” It sounds good but it seems odd he didn’t ask first.
“You don’t want to go?”
“Yeah, sure. I was just wondering.”
Mason turns on the radio as we head directly into the sun. I open the window and lean to the side, enjoying the invigorating air.
“You want the AC?”
“No, I’m good. I like the fresh air.”
I can’t tell if he’s relaxed or something’s bothering him, but I don’t ask. He parks on a side street and though I don’t know where this place is, I do know the area and we are headed toward the ocean. When it comes into view, instead of taking in the breathtaking scene, I halt in my tracks.
He stops two feet ahead of me and turns back to face me. “What’s wrong?”
“That’s what I want to know.”
He sighs and glances quickly over his shoulder, the way we were heading. “I’m just…hungry. So, can we go?”
I shake my head and fold my arms. The ocean breeze flings my hair around my face but I don’t move it away.
He takes two steps and stops right in front of me. He takes hold of my elbows. “I’m sorry. It was actually a pretty damn good day. I just didn’t like…” He looks to the side, obviously struggling to say the words. “I know you’re going to hound me until I say it, so I will. I’m jealous.”
I laugh but when his lips pull tight, I regret it and wince. “Sorry, but why?”
“You and Justice seem so close, so fast.”
“Well we are the same age.” I giggle, throwing his words back at him.
“Age is just a number, right?”
“Exactly.” I bat my eyes at him before I grow serious again. “Yeah, we’re friends. I thought you’d be happy.” He drops his hands from my arms, showing me that was a dumb thing to say. “Come on…” I roll my eyes. “You’re the one who didn’t want—”
“No.” His hands shoot to my face when he interrupts me and then his lips are on mine. The pressure is sweet and short-lived when they leave as fast as they came. “I never said I didn’t want…to.”
This pinballing around is driving me a little batty—not to mention I’m hungry—so I growl with impatience. “Then what do you want, Mason?”
“I…”
“And don’t say I don’t know.”
“Look, just because I’m trying to do the right thing and not take advantage of you and the situation, doesn’t mean I want to watch you getting close to my own brother for Christ’s sake.”
“So, you’ll just keep kissing me but telling me we shouldn’t?”
His chin drops to his chest, and he takes in a deep breath before returning his gaze to me. “You’re right, but I can’t seem to stop that.”
“What if I don’t want you to stop it?” I move my hand toward his and brush my fingers across his skin.
He sighs and shakes his head. “Don’t kill me…but I don’t know.”
“Then what do we do now?”
He moves to my side, wraps an arm around my shoulder and squeezes. “How about we go eat?”
Chapter 13
Mason
Coming home to something new has become the norm with Ari as my temporary roomie, but I never expected to pull up to find Megan’s car in my driveway. Thankfully, I’m pretty sure Ari is not here. But the fact that Megan used the key I never got back pisses me off. We’ve been playing phone tag since she got back from the desert but with everything going on with Ari, I haven’t tried that hard to connect, if I’m being honest.
I pull past her BMW and into the garage, hoping she doesn’t hear the door and come out to meet me. I need another minute to collect my thoughts before I go inside. My brain was already fried from the meeting I had with Dad and Logan about this house-flipping venture. The pieces are coming together and all that’s left is picking that first property to take a leap with. To my surprise, Logan has done incredible research on that end, so we’re definitely close.
I jiggle my wrist and go to check the time on my watch but realize I forgot to put it on today. For some reason, that makes me smile. I haven’t minded being out of my routine lately and it’s clearly because of Ari. I pull my phone from the center console and review the last correspondence I had with my field team manager and with Ray about the Westfield job. I told them both to do whatever it takes to finish it up so I could be free
and clear from The Meyers Group as soon as possible. By the looks of the last report, we’re almost there.
With no other option, I head inside to find Megan sitting on a bar stool, legs crossed under a tight-fitting black skirt paired with a flowing canary-yellow blouse. Being beautifully put together is nothing new for Megan, but I’m seeing her in a whole different light now. She’s not a bad person; I wouldn’t have been dating her otherwise. I suppose I’m the one who’s different.
She slides off the stool and comes to greet me. “Hope you don’t mind I dropped in.”
We hug and I kiss her on the cheek and then pass her to set my stuff on the counter. “Of course not.”
When I turn, she draws an imaginary line with her finger from the top of my head to my feet. “I think I love this look. Casual. A bit rugged.”
Yes, I’ve been backing off the suits unless I’m meeting with clients. I just hope Megan doesn’t think it’s because of Ari. Suits in the summer make no sense if you’re sweating your ass off, especially when you have to visit a job site. Instead of complimenting her, which I’m guessing she’s waiting for, I say, “It’s good to see you.”
“Is it really?”
I turn and lean against the counter. Her tone wasn’t defensive, more matter-of-fact.
“Or is that just you being polite?”
I decide right then I’m going to get through this as quickly and painlessly as possible, hopefully before Ari gets home. “How was your trip?”
She dips her head in a slow nod before she replies. “Okay, I’ll play along. It was…productive. A little boring at night…”
“Megan…”
“Look, I know we can’t rewind the clock. I mean truthfully, I did hold out a little hope…but as soon as I saw you walk through that door, I knew. I could see it in your eyes.”
I wasn’t going to ask what exactly she saw. I could guess. “I’m sorry.”
“Me too.”
“Then what brought you here?”
She walks over to me and leans on the counter next to me. “Business.” I hesitate a beat before I attempt to state my protest and she speaks again. “This is different.” She reaches for her phone on the counter and slides it over. With two taps of the screen, she reveals an image of a house. “I know you’re ready to take a step into real estate, and I think this would be an excellent jumping off point.”
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