by Amy Vastine
She nodded as a tear escaped and ran down her cheek. His kindness was overwhelming given the hateful things the women had said.
“Cream,” he said to Connie. “And an apple danish. Make that two. Heck, make it three.”
The smug expressions on Jeanne and Kathy’s faces slipped away. Bonnie couldn’t look at Mary for fear that she’d really lose it and be a blubbering mess.
“I’ll be outside,” she said, heading for the door. It seemed best to wait for her new friend outside, where things would hopefully be less hostile.
Another hand touched her arm, this one not so big. “Hey,” Mary said. “I’m sorry.”
“Are you?”
Mary glanced over her shoulder at the other two and gave Bonnie a nudge out the door. She followed and waited for the door to close. “I am. They shouldn’t treat you like that or force other people to treat you badly, either.”
“Well, it’s becoming a regular thing round this town. I’m getting used to it. I mean, I can’t go to any Cole family businesses without being treated like a criminal. It’s like they have wanted posters hung up everywhere to warn everyone and anyone not to do business with me. And the people who I thought were my friends don’t answer any of my calls or texts.”
“She’s really upset about what happened, Bonnie. Her dream wedding became her worst nightmare. I would bet that Lauren didn’t even know that was her worst nightmare until it happened, because she never in a million years would have thought Mitch would do that to her.”
“Thank you for saying what Mitch did to her and not what Mitch and I did to her, because I didn’t do anything, Mary. You have to believe me. You know me. When would I have ever run around with Mitch behind Lauren’s back?”
“I know you didn’t, but it doesn’t matter what I know or think. You know how she is when she’s hurt. She needs me around because otherwise all she has is those two and Theresa and Wendy, who are equally overjoyed with the possibility of moving up the ranks in Lauren’s friendship circle.”
That was a frightening thought. They were all vying for the best friend spot without a real care for Lauren or what happened. Bonnie couldn’t feel bad for Lauren and her lack of quality friends right now, though. Not when she didn’t even have one person in her corner.
“You have to convince her of the truth. I can’t keep living like this. Did you know she got my dad fired? She’s out of control, Mary. She’s even making things hard for Aaron because he’s being nice to me.”
The lack of surprise on Mary’s face spoke volumes. She probably knew everything Lauren was doing and had done. “Keep your head down a little bit longer. The less of a target you are, the less she’ll come gunning for you. I have to go or they’ll tell Lauren I was talking to you.” Mary pushed the door open at the same time the biker was backing out of it.
“Sorry,” they both said at the same time. Mary went in and the biker handed Bonnie a tray of three drinks. “I forgot to ask for two bags,” he said.
“Please, bring those danishes to your family. How much do I owe you for the coffee?” Bonnie asked, fumbling to open her purse while holding on to her coffees.
“You don’t owe me anything,” he said, strapping his frappés into cup holders attached to the saddlebag on the side of his motorcycle. “Anyone with the patience to deal with those awful women in there deserves a few free coffees.”
Bonnie felt the swell of gratitude inside her chest. “Thank you,” she managed to choke out. “You have no idea how much your kindness means to me. I wish there was a way to repay it.”
“Do you know how many strangers strike up a conversation with me? I’ll give you a hint—zero. People tend to judge me the minute they see me. You, however, treated me like I was like everyone else in there. I know good people. You are good people, no matter what those harpies in there had to say.”
“Thank you,” she repeated. There was no way she could possibly convey how much he had turned this horrible experience into a positive one. “My name is Bonnie, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Bonnie. My name’s Sasha.” Bonnie’s face must have registered her surprise. “I told you I shouldn’t judge anyone’s name. I used to hate it until my mom sat me down and told me my name means defender and that people named Sasha tend to be leaders who show great bravery. After that, I felt a little bit like I had a responsibility to live up to my name.”
“It fits you perfectly, Sasha. I hope you enjoy your visit with your sister and niece.” She started for her car when a thought popped into her head. “Hey! Any chance you have any construction experience?”
* * *
DAVID AND AARON had established a strict timeline for this flip, and it already felt like they were behind schedule. Time was money in this business, and with only two people doing all the work, this job was going to cost more than he’d like. Since Bonnie had left to get coffee, they’d only cleared out two rooms. At this rate, the house would be finished in two years instead of two months.
After tossing the disgusting broken couch into the dumpster in the driveway, David pushed his dust mask down over his chin. “We may need to rethink our game plan. We should think about what changes are musts and which ones we can cut to save time.”
Aaron didn’t want to give anything up. The plans they’d drawn up were perfect. Maybe he would have to hire people from farther away. His father didn’t control the world, only his little slice of it.
He slipped off his dust mask. “We aren’t giving up anything. If I have to fly guys in from Portland, I will.”
“And eat up all your profits?”
The idea was to make a living doing this, but if he had to take a loss on this first flip, he would. Aaron was willing to do it to prove to his dad that he couldn’t stop him from doing what he wanted to do.
“Whatever it takes to get this project done on time.”
David shook his head. “It’s your money, kid.”
Bonnie’s car pulled up in front of the house, followed by a guy on a motorcycle. They both walked up the driveway together.
“Not only did I get you guys some coffee, I found some extra hands that actually know what they’re doing and will have no trouble picking up a sledgehammer.” She looked up at the man next to her. “Sasha, meet my dad, David, and my...friend, Aaron.” The way she paused made Aaron wonder why she wasn’t sure what to call him. “Guys, this is Sasha.”
Sasha was a mountain of a man. It was a bit confusing how someone like Bonnie goes to the coffee shop and comes back with someone with tattoos and chains.
The three men exchanged greetings. Sasha’s huge paw engulfed Aaron’s when they shook hands. Only Bonnie would make friends with someone who not only looked like he could ride with the Hell’s Angels, but also could be a lineman for any professional football team.
“I thought it would be a good idea for him to see what he was getting himself into before he actually commits,” Bonnie said.
“Well, then, come with me, Sasha,” David said. “I can show you what we’re dealing with and go over what we’re thinking of doing here.”
They went inside, and Aaron helped Bonnie with the coffee. “Look at you, making friends wherever you go.”
“He really just came to my rescue, and I realized I could repay the favor.”
Aaron’s eyebrows pinched together. “You needed to be rescued? What happened?”
She shook her head and handed him his coffee. “It’s not important. Let’s focus on the fact that I found you a helper.”
“Bonnie, what happened?” he pressed.
She rolled her eyes and tried to come off like it was no big deal. “I guess there was a bridesmaid reunion at The Bean this morning, and they were not happy to see me.”
Nowhere in this town was safe for poor Bonnie. “I’m sorry.”
Bonnie shrugged. “It is what it is. They are all loyal t
o Lauren, and as long as she hates me, so will they.”
“She doesn’t hate you. She thinks she does because she’s hurting.”
“You’ve said that before. Saying it again doesn’t make me believe it.” It was clear that Lauren wasn’t the only one hurting. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and convince her that he wasn’t only planning to fix up this broken-down house, but he was going to fix her broken relationship with his sister as well.
“I would love to work on this house,” Sasha announced as he and David rejoined them outside. “When can I start?”
“You can start whenever you want,” Aaron said. “We’re going to be here every day until it’s done.”
“I will not be here on Sundays,” David added.
“You’re only going to take off Sundays?” Aaron asked. He didn’t expect David to work on the weekends.
“Do you want to finish this place before the end of the year?”
“We’ll have this house ready for sale before you know it,” Sasha said. “I will be here tomorrow. What time do you two start?”
“I’ll see you tomorrow at eight.” Aaron extended his hand. The two men shook on it. He wasn’t sure how Sasha had rescued Bonnie, but he knew he owed this man a debt.
It was also a huge relief to know they’d have one more person on their crew. Aaron would find more. He had to if he wanted to finish this house in a reasonable time frame. Just another reason for him to fix things between Bonnie and Lauren. If he could do that, he would be helping himself as much as Bonnie.
David clapped his hands together. “Break time is over. Let’s get back in there and get this place cleaned out before lunch. Bon Bon, you staying or going? Because if you’re staying, you’re working.”
“Put me to work. I can stay until lunch.”
David threw his arm around her. Father and daughter led the way back inside. Aaron had to keep his envy in check around them, but it was difficult not to feel jealous of their close relationship. Aaron dreamed of having something like that with his dad, but all he got from his father were high expectations and lectures about not living up to them.
Bonnie got suited up. Even in rubber gloves and a dust mask, she was adorable. She picked up a garbage bag and got to work cleaning up the mess in the living room. Lauren wouldn’t have stepped foot in this house, let alone touched someone else’s garbage. Bonnie wasn’t like Lauren, which was why she was the best kind of friend for his sister. Lauren needed people like Bonnie. He would make sure she remembered that.
* * *
“YOU CAN’T GO in there,” he heard Riley, Lauren’s assistant, say as he walked into his sister’s office. She wasn’t going to be happy to see him regardless of how he looked, but she would especially be perturbed by the fact that he smelled and was covered in grime. He only had an hour to get this chat over with, so there was no time to go home to shower first.
Lauren sat behind her desk, typing on her laptop. Her eyes lifted, and her neutral expression changed to a scowl instantly. Her gaze returned to her screen.
“Leave,” she said. “I’m never talking to you ever again.”
Aaron loved his sister. He didn’t always like her, but he loved her. He almost sat in the chair across from her before deciding he probably shouldn’t touch anything in his condition. “Good. I don’t want you to talk—I want you to listen.”
She had to be struggling to stay quiet. He could see her clenching her jaw.
“I came to tell you that you were right,” he said. That piqued her interest. She stopped typing and looked at him through narrowed eyes. He knew she was hoping for something she wasn’t going to get. “PBM sandwiches are the bomb.”
Lauren groaned and went back to whatever she was doing on her laptop. Her office was so tastefully decorated, Aaron paused to take it all in. The walls were a soft gray with white trim. The wood floors were also stained gray, with a huge white leopard-print rug covering them. Her blush-pink chair was armless and on wheels. Pink peonies sat in a crystal vase on her desk. Every accessory had been carefully chosen. When he ended this feud between her and Bonnie, he was going to have Lauren help him decorate his house.
“Seriously. They are the best. I see why you loved them when Mrs. Windsor used to make them for you.”
She folded her arms across her chest and changed the subject, a clear sign that he had struck a nerve. “Why do you look and smell like you’ve been sleeping in a garbage dump for the last week? Is that what happens when Daddy cuts you off?”
“I’ve been working at my house. You know, the one you and Dad are trying to keep me from flipping.”
“I’m not trying to do anything to you but get you to leave. You’re gross and I don’t want to talk to you.”
“I don’t care if I smell. I need you to hear me out. You and Bonnie have always been like sisters. I’ve always felt like I grew up with two annoying little sisters, not one.”
“I won’t talk about her with you,” she interrupted. “I told you, she is dead to me, and if you keep this up, you will be, too.”
“You know who’s dead? Mrs. Windsor is. And I know Mrs. Windsor was basically like a second mom to you. I don’t think I have ever seen you cry as hard as you did at her funeral. Your best friend, the woman who welcomed you into her family, would not betray you the way you have convinced yourself she has. You know Bonnie better than anyone. You know that’s not who she is. She’s a good person who goes grocery shopping for her widower dad once a week and makes friends with scary-looking biker dudes while in line for coffee. She has been more worried about how my working with her dad is going to impact my relationship with you than how it could make things worse for her. She does those things because she’s thoughtful and kind. She’s not some minx who knowingly lured Mitch away from you. Mitch probably fell in love with her because she’s clueless about how attractive those qualities are.”
Lauren stood up and slammed her palms on her desk. Her face was flushed red with her anger. “Do not talk about Mitch, and do not tell me Bonnie didn’t know what she was doing! Do you really believe Mitch would leave me for her without some conniving on her part? Theresa was right. Bonnie has been jealous of me our entire friendship. She has always wanted what I have. It’s obvious she finally decided to try to take something that was mine.”
“You’re wrong,” Aaron asserted. So were all her other “friends,” who weren’t half the friend Bonnie had been. Lauren shook her head. “You are so wrong. The saddest part of all this is that you’re the one losing the most because you refuse to admit that maybe, just maybe, someone liked Bonnie more than they liked you.”
“Get. Out,” she said through clenched teeth.
Aaron didn’t have anything else to say anyway, but he did notice this weird feeling in his chest. It had started as soon as he had begun defending Bonnie. Maybe Mitch wasn’t the only one who had fallen under Bonnie’s spell.
CHAPTER NINE
“REMIND ME TO never make you mad,” Sasha said, taking a step back.
Bonnie gripped the sledgehammer a little tighter and took another swing like it was a baseball bat, smashing it into the wall separating the living room from the dining room. Demolition was way more fun than cleaning up garbage and ripping up stained carpet.
“She’s got lots of pent-up frustration,” her dad said, standing beside Sasha with his arms folded across his chest. “I can’t wait to see how long it takes her to tire out.”
Bonnie whacked the wall again. “Are you two going to just stand there watching me or are you going to get to work?”
“I could use some help over here,” Aaron called from the kitchen. “We need to take out the counters and knock down cabinets.”
Bonnie rested the sledgehammer on her shoulder. “Oh, I want to knock down cabinets.”
“You can’t stop in the middle of a job to do another one,” her dad said. “Nothing
will ever get finished.”
Sasha punched a hole in the drywall underneath one of Bonnie’s, then ripped a chunk off with his bare hand. “She got it started. I can finish it.”
Bonnie and her dad exchanged a look. Sasha was a one-man wrecking machine and worth every penny that Aaron was paying him. She lugged the sledgehammer over to the kitchen, excited to break something rather than just put holes in the wall.
“Can I smash them?” she asked Aaron, winding up to take a swing.
He grabbed the sledgehammer and pulled her closer to him. “Whoa, slow down there, Rosie the Riveter. Maybe we should unscrew them from the wall.”
He smelled too good to be working construction. He was supposed to stink like sweat, not expensive cologne. Bonnie found herself momentarily intoxicated by him. It wasn’t only his scent that had her captured, but the way he gazed into her eyes made her weak in the knees. Since when did Aaron look at her like she was something other than his little sister’s friend? He was like family. She shouldn’t be feeling things when he was near.
Pretending she was completely unfazed, she pulled away. “Well, that’s no fun. I’m going to go back to knocking down walls, then.”
He was quick to stop her from going. “Fine, you can sledgehammer a couple, but let’s start with the counters.”
Bonnie needed to shake off whatever just happened between them in those few short seconds and get back to taking out a few weeks of frustration on this house. She could only wrestle with one emotion at a time.
Aaron showed her how to hit the overhang from underneath it rather than from above. As hard as she tried, she wasn’t strong enough to pop it off. After half a dozen attempts, her forearms were burning.
“Maybe we should take turns. That way we won’t tire out,” he suggested, kindly not making her feel like a failure by simply taking over.