She thinks about that for a moment before nodding. Then a small chuckle escapes her lips. “I was thinking the same. That’s the reason they haven’t killed each other yet though, living in the same house and all. These two push and pull each other in a unique way. It’s an interesting dynamic, to say the least.”
“That it is.”
Just then, I’m saved by the bell, or rather the telephone inside the house, which we can hear ringing from the far side of the backyard. Someone needs to turn down that ringer, pronto, before Grandma suffers from hearing damage.
“Sorry, boys, but I have to take this. I’m expecting a call from Edna. Come say goodbye before you leave, okay?”
We nod in agreement.
Hudson gets up to stand next to me as we watch her rush back into the house. “Sooooo, you’re taking Monica up to Tahoe with you, huh?”
I don’t have to look at him to know he’s grinning. It’s easy to detect in his voice.
“Yup. Looks like it.”
“Mmmhmm.”
He stays silent, and I take the bait. “What is it?”
Shrugging his shoulders, he studies me. “Nothing, really. I was just thinking of that one time, a couple of years ago, when you wouldn’t let any of us stay at your place up there. You said it killed your writing mojo, but you’d happily find us a rental close by.”
Crap. I totally forgot about that. I barely refrain from shuffling my feet, not wanting to make this more awkward than it already is. “Monica is different.”
Well, if that wasn’t original.
Hudson seems to think the same since he looks ready to burst into laughter again. “I’m sure she is.”
I glance at him before starting to pick up our tools that are strewn across the grass. I could end this conversation right there, but for some reason, I feel like I need to defend myself. “I’ve been sharing a house with her for most of last year, Hudson. She doesn’t kill my writing mojo because I’m used to having her around.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I watch him cleaning up beside me. “I see.”
“She’s my friend, and I want to help her. Is there something wrong with that?”
Hudson drops a hammer into Grandma’s old toolbox and holds up his hands, that same smile still tugging at the corner of his lips. “Not at all. I just said it was interesting. That’s all.”
“Hmm.” I don’t believe for a second this is it. Hudson likes to be “helpful,” like Grandma.
He stops what he’s doing and regards me with a more serious look. “For what it’s worth, I think Grandma is right. If there’s anyone who can help her, it’s you. I know firsthand that Charlie’s been trying whatever she could think of, without any success, and they’ve been best friends for most of their lives. It hurts her to see Monica that way, but you already know that. I’m glad you’re trying this your way. Hopefully it helps.”
The way he still studies me makes it seem like there’s more he wants to say. “What is it?”
“Nothing really.” His smirk returns, and he shrugs his shoulders. “I was just wondering if there’s an ulterior motive behind it or not. I mean, I know you spend a lot of your time in your office while she’s trying to avoid life as much as possible, but you two still spend some time together. There’s obviously something between you, that was pretty much visible from the very first time you guys met.”
I scoff. “You mean, when she first came here after her accident and pushed all my buttons as much as she could?”
Hudson laughs, pulling up his shirt to wipe his face. “You loved it. Don’t even pretend otherwise, or I’m calling BS.” He points a finger at me. “Plus, don’t tell me you aren’t attracted to her. I’ve seen you check her out more than once before.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” A grin spreads across my face before I can stop it.
Dang it.
I’m such a bad liar, and I’m pretty sure he can see straight through it, but I really don’t want to talk about it. There is nothing to talk about. Maybe there used to be a spark when we first met last year, but that’s long been burrowed under Monica’s inability—no, unwillingness—to get back to dancing, and therefore back to actually living, rather than simply existing. “We’re friends.”
Very good friends.
No matter how attractive I find her.
Two
Monica
Charlie opens the door before I even have a chance to knock on it. “Thank goodness you’re here. I need some adult girl time before the little monster comes back, and while you’re here, you can help me clean up too. Pretty please.”
She grabs my arm and pulls me halfway through the foyer before I can even process her words. Good thing she’s been my best friend for as long as I can remember, or I would’ve whacked her over the head for manhandling me this way. “Hello to you too.”
Like she’s been burned, she drops my arm and spins around, a desperate glint in her eyes I haven’t seen very often. Charlie is the one with a quick smile on her face, the sweet one, the caring one. I take a moment to look at her, to really look at her. She’s never been someone who cares obsessively about her appearance—not that she needs it with that natural “beach babe” look she’s got going on.
Usually, she looks better than she does today though. Half of her hair has fallen out of her bun while her light-gray shirt is decorated with all sorts of undefinable smears and patterns.
“What the hell happened to you? You look like you cooked a meal for a whole football team while running a marathon.”
She wipes a strand of hair out of her face, and I notice the red, blotchy skin on her cheeks. It extends down her throat, all the way to her chest. A little knot forms in my stomach at the sight because I know she only looks this bad when she’s really stressed.
“I actually wish I’d have something like that to show off, but I don’t.”
Like a big blinking neon light, I now also notice the shadows under her eyes. And does she look paler than usual? I haven’t seen her in a few weeks, and worry immediately spreads through my veins, settling deep in my bones as my thoughts run wild with possible reasons.
I wave my hand up and down her body. “Are you okay?” Then cold dread settles in my stomach, clawing at my heart in a suffocating panic. “Is the baby okay?”
She nods, her hand automatically going to her belly, even though there isn’t much to show off yet at the beginning of her second trimester. “Yes, yes. We’re all good, no worries.”
Since Charlie has been obsessed with her pregnancy, devouring every possible pregnancy book and blog, I’ve learned a lot along the way. That’s the only reason I know a lot of women don’t show until they’re about five months along. We’re all just waiting for that belly to pop overnight, like it seems to happen a lot.
After one more rub on her belly like it’s some magical genie lamp, she brushes the hair out of her face again. “It’s just been a long day and an even longer week, that’s all. Now, let’s go. The faster we clean up, the faster we can stuff our faces with the chocolate vanilla pastries I made for us.”
Well, who am I to say no to that? Lucky for me, my best friend is one of the best bakers in the world—as I’m sure every customer she’s ever had in her bakery here in town would attest to. So, when she spins around to march off, I silently follow her.
Charlie and her little daughter, Mirabelle, have been living with Hudson Mitchell for a little over a year now. Hudson is not only one of the hottest rockstars on this planet, but also happens to be Gabe’s brother as well as Charlie’s new fiancé. He just got finished with all the major touring last month after striking a more lenient deal with his music label. Now, he’s only doing a few special gigs a year, taking Charlie and Mira with him whenever he can. Other than that, he’s now a full-time resident of Brooksville, and everyone is over the moon to have him around more, especially his family.
When Charlie shared the news of being engaged and pregnant with me last month, I was thrilled for her. Sh
e’s been my best friend since we were little and only deserves the very best. Thankfully, Hudson knows that too, and treats her like the sun rises and sets with her. They are so sickeningly cute together, it keeps the sting in my own heart from seeing them at bay. Mostly.
It’s not like I’m looking for something anyway. I’ve learned my lesson. Fair and square.
When we make it to the kitchen, I stop in my tracks and gasp, the right words momentarily slipping my mind. “What on earth happened in here? It looks like a tornado blew through your house.”
“Yup, pretty much.” She lets out a sigh, propping her hands on her waist. “And her name is Mirabelle.”
Disbelievingly, I shake my head. “Mira did this?”
She nods and walks around the large kitchen island, picking up random things on almost every possible surface. “Welcome to the terrible twos. It looks like I hosted a party for ten rambunctious children, but in reality, it’s only been one little, crazy girl. Add my utter exhaustion to the mix and being tired of cleaning up after her all day long, and voilà. Welcome to our home.”
I want to laugh because I still have a hard time believing that one little child can make such a mess. Not to speak of being the cutest one ever. Instead, I bite my lip to keep it in, seeing that Charlie is already stressed enough. “Why didn’t you say anything? I could’ve come to help. And why the hell did you want us over for dinner today if you’re that exhausted? You’re crazy. You guys should’ve come over instead.”
“Oh goodness, no. You guys leave for your trip tomorrow, and I wanted to have you over.” Her eyes go wide. “Plus, at this point, I’m not sure I’ll ever take Mira to anyone else’s house ever again, or anywhere else, for that matter, unless she’s buckled in safely.”
“Are you sure we’re talking about the same child here? The Mira I know is a sweet two-year-old who loves to sing and play with her cars.”
“Yup. Same child. Just seems to think she turned into a little defiant sixteen-year-old overnight. She wants to do everything herself and gives you a bad attitude if you tell her no. Then, she gets mad and things start flying left and right. It’s like someone put a little Hulk inside my toddler that comes out at random times.”
Charlie dumps a bunch of toys into the big toy box at the side of the open living room area before she goes back to pick up more.
“Well, at least she's not going to be a pushover. Gotta look on the bright side, right?” I grimace and shrug my shoulders, ignoring the dirty look she throws my way. Then I help her clean up. “Where is little Hulkine anyway?”
“Hudson took her to pick up some takeout when I decided I wasn't going to cook today after all. I hope that's okay with you.”
I blink my eyes at her. “Are you kidding me? Don’t ask stupid questions. You know we love takeout.”
Charlie cracks her first real smile since she opened the door for me. “I thought that stemmed more from your inability to cook.”
I put my hands on my hips. “Hey! I can cook.”
“Says the woman who almost burned down Gabe’s whole cottage last year when she tried to make popcorn.”
I throw my hands up in the air. “That was an accident. The oil shouldn’t have caught fire that quickly. Besides, the medicine wasn’t supposed to knock me out.”
Charlie points a finger at me. “Maybe. Just don’t ever do anything like that again. You could’ve gotten seriously injured, Mo. You scared me half to death.”
I stretch to touch her hand. “I’ll be more careful, okay?”
The memory of the embarrassment I felt when Gabe and I stood on the lawn, watching the firefighters put out the fire in his guesthouse is still fresh. It was the guesthouse I’d lived in for a few months and actually really loved. It was my little home, the four walls I felt safe and comfortable in after my accident. All it took was one little mishap and poof, it was gone. Well, partially anyway.
For some reason, Gabe never got it fixed, and whenever I asked him about it, he told me it would be easier for me to stay at the house with him anyway.
Gabe not only helped me get out of the guesthouse unscathed, but also took me under his wing, offering me yet another roof over my head. Apparently, he was ready to save the day in every possible way, and I had to put my foot down when it came to our living arrangement. We fought about it for what felt like forever, and Gabe finally agreed to let me at least pay for my share of the food. I wanted to pay my part for everything, but he wasn’t having it. In the end, I was happy we found a way where I wasn’t completely living off of him, because that was the last thing I wanted.
I built up a healthy nest egg over the years, the contract with my dance company paying well. I was more than grateful for having it and able to live off of it for a while, even though I wasn’t planning on having to use it after getting into an accident and breaking my leg.
If it wasn’t for my savings and Gabe, I couldn’t have taken so much time off without any income. But that will have to change soon. I’ve decided to go back to work this fall with my dance team, one way or another. If I can’t actually dance, I’ll be working behind the scenes. At least, that was the offer I received from my manager.
Charlie seems to be happy enough with my response and nods, thankfully dropping the topic after that. It’s not like we haven’t talked about it before anyway. “So, coming back to you and Gabe. Are you good to go on vacation together? I mean, I know you’re already sharing a house, but doesn’t it feel different to go to yet another place together with just the two of you? And remember not to distract him, do you hear me? I need him to finish his book.”
A snort escapes my mouth at the slightly crazy look she’s giving me. That woman loves Gabe’s fantasy books, treasures them even. “I’ll be on my best behavior, I promise. Plus, you know I’ve been after him to finish it for weeks now.” Even though I still haven’t read them, I still want him to succeed because I know how much it means to him.
We finally get most of the toys put away and walk over to the kitchen island where I pull out one of the barstools and sit down.
I watch her while she gets some plates for us. It’s familiar, yet something I realize we haven’t done in a while. Just a simple get-together. I actually can’t even remember the last time.
Before I can think about it anymore, I get distracted when Charlie pushes a plate in my direction.
She looks chagrined before a chuckle escapes her lips. “Sorry, Mo. You know I can get a little crazy when it comes to my favorite authors and their books.”
“I do, and you know I love that about you, my little bibliophile.” I stick out my tongue before grabbing one of the pastries from the tray she placed between us.
At least her peace offerings are delicious.
“Are you causing trouble again, sweetheart?” Hudson walks into the kitchen, smiling at Charlie with what is undeniably still one of the sexiest smiles I’ve ever seen. But we all know there are plenty of women swooning over the successful rockstar, not that he seems to notice it much anymore. Mira and Charlie are his world, and he’s only got eyes for his girls. Being around them, it’s impossible to miss their love.
Thankfully, a lot of his more insistent fans have finally gotten that memo too, especially with the latest engagement and pregnancy rumors going around. They haven’t confirmed anything yet publicly, but I’m sure once Charlie starts showing, things will calm down even more in that aspect. Hopefully. The last thing they need is any drama surrounding their expanding family.
Hudson’s wearing his signature look of dark jeans and a white T-shirt, his dark hair hidden under a baseball cap. He and Gabe look so much alike but then so different at the same time too—it’s hard to explain. When I focus just on their features, like their eyes, noses, and mouths, they’re almost identical. But when you look at their faces as a whole, they aren’t. Kind of fascinating, really.
If I might add, both are deliciously yummy though.
Hudson finally seems to realize I’m here too and nods h
is head in my direction. “Hey, Monica.”
He places the takeout bags on the counter, pushing them away from the edge—no doubt so Mira can’t get her little grabby hands on them.
Like I said, he’s only got eyes for the two leading ladies in his life.
Dreamy.
Mirabelle is still in his arms, now struggling to get down. “Momo, Momo.” She points at me with her little fingers, and once she’s safely on the ground, she runs to me as fast as her short legs can carry her.
Now that’s what I call a welcome.
I slide off the stool and squat down onto her level, enveloping her into a big hug. “Hi, sweet little girl. How are you? I’ve heard some things about you. Have you been giving Mommy and Daddy a hard time?”
She shakes her head as if she knows exactly what I’m talking about before giving me a toothy grin. “Mira good girl.” Then she giggles, and we all have to chuckle at the sight.
Gosh, she’s such a cutie with her blonde ringlets and blue eyes. I’m a total sucker for her.
She’s got everyone wrapped around her little finger, which I bet doesn’t help with the trouble she’s been causing.
Getting close to her ear, I whisper into it. “I believe you, don’t listen to them. You’re the cutest thing ever.”
She giggles again in response just as another set of footsteps enters the room.
“I have to agree with her on that.” Gabe comes up behind me, bending down to take Mira from me.
He throws her in the air before pulling her in for a hug. Mira immediately snuggles into his chest, the same way she does with Hudson. It’s a sight to behold, but then, I’m not surprised. She’s got everyone under her spell, especially the Mitchell men.
Total poison for my ovaries too, or anyone’s, I’m sure.
Even after a year, I’m still not immune to seeing either of the handsome brothers hold her. It just never gets old. But who could blame me?
The two siblings both have the same brown hair—Gabe’s is now a little longer than Hudson’s—and brown eyes, but Gabe is built a little broader. After living with him all this time, I know it’s a testimony to him working out religiously. He says it helps him figure out his stories. Not that he needs a reason for it, really.
The Mitchell Brothers Collection: A Feel-Good Romance Box Set Page 35