Kyle passed out the bottles of butterscotch beer to each of his friends. “Ella, these three guys are my business partners,” he said, surprising her with the introduction. “Wes, Max, and Connor,” he added, pointing at each man as he said their name.
She smiled at each of them while trying not to think about how hot and sexy Kyle looked wearing a leather tool belt around his waist. “It’s nice to meet you all.”
“Ahhh, the mysterious Ella Fisher,” the good-looking guy named Wes drawled as he twisted the cap off the bottle before taking a long drink.
She lifted a curious brow, somehow suspecting that Wes was somewhat of an instigator, even though he wore a charming grin. “Mysterious?”
His eyes flashed with a wicked sense of humor. “As in, we finally meet the woman responsible for Kyle’s shitty mood this past week.”
Kyle glared at his friend. “Shut up, Wes.”
Wes merely laughed. “It’s the fucking truth.”
“Totally the truth,” Max added with a nod, then tipped the bottle of soda to his lips to hide his own grin.
Ella could only imagine what Kyle had said about her after the way things had ended between them, and honestly, she wasn’t upset. He had the right to confide in his guy friends, just like she did with Claire—and clearly, the one named Wes obviously liked to give Kyle a hard time.
Ella glanced at the last guy Kyle had introduced, Connor, recognizing him from her impromptu visit to Premier Realty over a week ago. “I believe we kind of met at your office,” she said to him, because in actuality, they hadn’t said a word to one another. He’d merely given her a curt nod she’d found strange, then quickly dodged around her and left.
He cringed in embarrassment. “I’m really sorry about that day. I didn’t mean to be rude . . . ”
She waved away his apology. “Please, don’t worry about it. It was an odd day the whole way around.”
“Damn, this is good stuff,” Max said, checking out the label wrapped around the amber-hued bottle. “I might have to order a case of it.”
“I hope you do,” she encouraged with a smile. “You’d be supporting the local merchants who are trying to make a living selling their handcrafted wares.”
“Ahh, a couple of cases, then,” he added with a friendly wink before finishing off what was left in his bottle.
She returned her attention to Kyle, determined to break the ice between them. “So, how’s it going in there?” she asked, nodding toward the building.
“Good.” He pushed his fingers through his dark hair, the ends around his neck damp with sweat. “It’s going quicker than we anticipated, so we should be done with the cleanup in a few hours. I hope we weren’t being too loud and bothersome.”
“It’s fine.” She smiled at him, but his expression was unreadable. “I know it has to be done, and I know it can’t be an easy task. Old Man Piedmont was the worst kind of hoarder.”
“Yeah, he was,” he answered without any inflection in his tone.
Could things be any more awkward between the two of them? She shifted on her feet and decided that she wasn’t going to force Kyle to talk to her or try to make more small talk, because that’s how it was beginning to feel, like even a basic conversation with her was much too burdensome for him.
She glanced back at his friends, who at least had been far more friendly and talkative. “Well, I’ll let you guys finish up your lunch so you can get back to work.”
The three guys thanked her for the soda she’d brought out, and Kyle remained silent. But as she started back toward the market, she heard one of the guys say, “Jesus, Coleman, could you be any more of a dick to her?”
Kyle muttered a reply she couldn’t hear, which was probably for the best. Hell, maybe it was even for the best that they kept their distance and pretended to be friends. He’d been less than happy when she’d suggested the arrangement last week, and clearly time apart hadn’t changed his attitude about it. She didn’t like it either, but what choice did they have?
For the next few hours into the afternoon, Ella kept herself busy—and away from the front window—helping William sort through and arrange the produce bins, cycling out the old and bringing in fresh fruits and vegetables. Just as they finished and everything looked neat and tidy, two women she didn’t recognize walked into the store. Since Fisher’s Grocery was the main grocery in town, Ella pretty much knew everyone in Woodmont, though they did have occasional people who passed through.
Judging by the chic way they were both dressed—one in a pretty spring dress and the other in a fashionable capri-and-blouse outfit—she assumed they’d come from the city. They glanced around the store, looking a little lost and out of their element.
Ella approached them with an amicable smile. “Can I help you find something?”
The curvier woman with the long, wavy blonde hair turned around, her blue eyes sparkling cheerfully. “Actually, yes you can. My husband sent me over here to order some of the butterscotch beer that you sell.”
Ella took a wild guess as to who her significant other was, based on his reaction to enjoying the soda. “Max?”
She nodded. “Yes, he’s mine,” she said, happily claiming him before introducing herself. “I’m Hailey Ellison-Sterling.”
“And I’m Natalie Sinclair,” the gorgeous, dark-brown-haired woman said with a smile. “And Wes, the smartass of the group if you haven’t already met him, is my husband.”
Ella laughed at the apt description of Wes. “Yes, I did meet both of them, and Connor, as well.”
“I’m afraid I have to claim him, too,” Natalie said in a humorous tone. “He’s my brother.”
“Well, it’s very nice to meet both of you.” Ella tipped her head kindly at Hailey. “So, how much of the butterscotch beer would Max like to order?”
“Two cases, if that’s okay.”
“Absolutely.” Ella was thrilled that more of the soda was going to find its way into the city. “Why don’t you follow me, and I’ll take down your order and delivery information to pass on to the supplier.”
While Natalie casually browsed the store, Hailey accompanied her to the far-end register that wasn’t currently being used. Ella retrieved an invoice pad and wrote down the order while the other woman gave her the home address where Max wanted the cases of soda shipped to. Hailey handed over a credit card for payment, and when they were done, they joined Natalie, where she was trying various samples of shea body butters that were on a small display.
“Oh, my God, this stuff is amazing,” Natalie said, her eyes round with both surprise and pleasure as she rubbed a dollop of the lemon-grass-scented lotion onto the back of her hand. “I’ve been looking for something that doesn’t leave a greasy residue, and this cream is so soft and silky on my skin. You have to try it, Hailey.”
Her friend applied a small amount to her hand, as well, and they both went on about how amazing the product was.
“It’s made with all-natural, organic ingredients and essential oils,” she told the women. “It’s terrific for hydrating your skin.”
“I’m going to take one of each scent,” Natalie said, picking up jars of the three fragrances on the shelf, and Hailey did the same.
Ella took them back to the register to ring up their purchases. “So, what made you come into Woodmont today?” she asked, trying to make conversation—because the two women certainly weren’t dressed to do physical labor next door.
“We wanted to give the guys some moral support and see where Kyle used to live since we’ve never been here before.” Natalie tilted her head to the side, her gaze inquisitive. “Did you know Kyle growing up?”
“You could say that,” Ella replied with a small laugh as she wrapped up the jars of body butter. “We dated in high school.”
“Oh!” Hailey looked at Ella through new eyes. “You must be Ella!”
The blonde woman’s reaction momentarily perplexed Ella, until she realized that, while the two women had introduced themselves ju
st a while ago, Ella hadn’t mentioned her name at all. “Yes, I am. How did you know?”
“Because our guys gripe and grumble worse than women,” Natalie said with a roll of her eyes. “Wes kept complaining all week about what an awful mood Kyle was in, all because of some old girlfriend named Ella who lived in his hometown who’d put him in the friend zone when that’s the last place he wants to be.” Natalie raised her eyebrows, as if looking for more information on the subject from Ella.
Horrified that she’d been the topic of gossip and these two women knew more of her private life than she would have liked, Ella buried her blushing face in her hands and groaned in dismay. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
“I’m sorry, Ella,” Natalie said, touching her arm compassionately and pulling her hands away until they were looking at each other again. “We’re not the kind of girls who judge, and trust me when I say we get it. Making things work with our guys wasn’t easy, either. Wes and I were frenemies for years before I realized he was definitely a jerk, but he was my jerk,” she joked.
“That’s so true. Not easy at all,” Hailey jumped in before Ella could say that there was no making things work between her and Kyle. “I staged a fake engagement with Max that he didn’t have any clue he was a part of until I was caught in the lie. Luckily, he agreed to pose as my fiancé, but considering I’m a matchmaker by trade, it was all a bit embarrassing, and it took me a while to realize that Max wasn’t faking his feelings for me at all.”
Their stories made Ella smile, even if she knew a happy ending like that wasn’t in the cards for her and Kyle. Resolving her father’s dislike of the Coleman family after all these years was nearly impossible, not to mention that Kyle was content with his life in the city, and Ella could never be happy there. She had a market to run for her father, which was their livelihood, and responsibilities in Woodmont she could never shirk like her sister so easily had.
She finished the women’s transactions and gave them each their bags with their items after tossing in a few samples of some homemade caramels from another artisan. “It was really nice to meet both of you,” Ella said, meaning it. At a different time, or in another place, she could easily imagine these two women as her friends.
“It was a real pleasure meeting you, too. We hope we see you again sometime soon,” Natalie said meaningfully.
Ella couldn’t deny the pang of sadness that tightened in her chest. Unfortunately, unless they came back to Woodmont for another visit, she knew she’d probably never see them again.
Chapter Nine
Kyle tossed the last of the sledgehammers, shovels, and other demolition tools that they’d used throughout the day to clear out the property into the bed of his truck. He slammed the tailgate shut, then went to lock up the building for the night.
It was nearing six in the evening, and he’d sent all the guys home over an hour ago, once there was finally nothing left inside the structure but the framework and bare bones, which was exactly where he needed the space to be since everything was going to be rebuilt to new specifications. He was hoping the permits would be approved quickly so the new construction could start soon, and once it did, he knew from experience the remodel would go fast.
But for now, the heavy lifting had been done, and he’d been grateful for the help he’d had today. While his partners and laborers had gone back to their places in the city, Kyle decided to stay one more night so he could do a final walk through the building tomorrow morning to make notes for the renovation supplies he needed to order that week.
As he walked toward the large double doors leading into the new event center, he cast a surreptitious glance over at the market, which was also shutting down for the night. Employees were pulling in items from the sidewalk, and Kyle could see William, the longtime manager, cashing out the registers while the younger clerks wiped down counters and straightened products on the shelves.
Kyle pulled out the keys to the building and secured the doors and lock, debating on whether or not to head over to the store to talk to Ella and apologize to her, because as much as he hated to admit it, Wes had been right in calling him a dick for his behavior toward her during their lunch break. The woman made him crazy, and his purpose for being so abrupt with Ella was to show her that he was just fine and dandy with that fucking friends request she’d issued.
But he so wasn’t okay with any of it. Having her so close was like being taunted with the sweetest piece of candy but being told he could only look at the delicious, tempting, sugary treat because it wasn’t his to touch or taste. And fuck, he wanted to touch and taste Ella again in the worst way possible, and knowing that he’d been banned from indulging his sweet tooth had made him a stupid, pouty, and irritable brat, like a recalcitrant little boy who hadn’t gotten his way.
Yeah, definitely not one of his finer moments.
He wasn’t sure if she was still at the store or if she’d already headed home and her employees were shutting everything down for the night. Hell, he didn’t even know if she’d talk to him after the ass he’d been.
Not sure what he wanted to do, he exhaled a deep sigh as his cell pinged with a text notification. He pulled the phone from his pocket and read the message from Nolan.
Hey. You mentioned that you’re staying in town until tomorrow morning when I saw you earlier. Got any plans for tonight? his friend asked.
Other than heading back to his mom’s, eating dinner, and taking a long, hot shower to wash away the sweat and grime, his night was pretty wide-open. No, not really. What’s up? he typed back.
I thought we could head over to the Roadhouse and have a few beers.
Kyle groaned. The only reason a guy went to the Roadhouse was to try his best to get laid, and knowing what it was like to be deep inside of Ella, the thought of being with another woman any time soon left a bad taste in his mouth. It would be like trading in fine champagne for cheap tequila, and he’d discovered that he fucking loved the taste of champagne.
I’m not sure I’m in the mood . . .
Oh, did I forget to mention that Claire happened to tell me that she was going to be there with Ella tonight? Something about a girls’ night out . . .
Kyle felt the hairs on the back of his neck bristle. Well, that certainly had him reassessing his answer, because the only thought in his mind was imagining some asshole coming on to Ella, and he’d fucking kill anyone who touched her.
If Claire is going with Ella, then why are you going? he asked curiously.
Why the fuck do you think? I want to keep an eye on Claire, but if I go alone I’m going to look like a goddamn stalker, so I need it to look like I’m there for a casual night out with a bro. We’ll keep a low profile and let the girls have their fun, but I, personally, want to make sure no one messes with what’s mine.
Damn, Kyle definitely understood that territorial feeling, like something was clawing his insides to shreds. Are you and Claire exclusive?
No, but that’s not the point, Nolan replied, clearly not giving a shit that he and Claire had yet to have that committed-relationship conversation.
Wouldn’t it be easier if you did make things exclusive with her, instead of tailing her wherever she goes like a creeper? Kyle smirked as he hit the send button. Okay, now he was just giving his friend shit, because Nolan was obviously into Claire in a big way, and the situation was clearly making the other man a little crazed.
Look, I only just realized I want to be exclusive with Claire. Like the moment she texted me to tell me that she wouldn’t be able to see me tonight because she was going out with Ella to the fucking Roadhouse. The fact that I’m feeling possessive as hell pretty much says I’m fucked where she’s concerned.
Kyle chuckled as he replied. Roger that.
Good. So, are you in or not?
I’m in. Kyle hoped to God he didn’t regret his decision. He wasn’t sure he could even handle watching another man talking to Ella, knowing that the guy was probably mentally undressing her as they spo
ke.
I’ll pick you up at nine, Kyle added. Which was when the place really started getting busy on a Saturday night.
By the time he was done texting with Nolan, most of the lights at the market had been shut off, so he nixed the idea he’d had to go and apologize to Ella. If he was going to see her at the Roadhouse anyway, he figured that would be just as good of a time, and a great excuse, to talk to her and keep her occupied so no other guy had a chance.
* * *
Finding a parking spot at the Roadhouse on a Saturday night was nearly impossible. The designated area was packed with vehicles, forcing Kyle to park his truck in the next grassy lot over and him and Nolan to make the extra trek to the bar.
After leaving the new Celebrations building, Kyle had driven to his mother’s and gone through the routine he’d already had in mind—he’d eaten the pot roast dinner his mom had waiting for him and spent an hour talking with her about the day while they’d enjoyed the meal together. Then, he’d taken that long, hot shower, and since he’d had the time, he’d shaved his neck and trimmed his beard and added a splash of cologne. He’d dressed casually, in dark jeans and a black T-shirt, because tonight was supposed to be about having a beer or two with a friend, and nothing more. Oh, while keeping an eye on Ella. Yeah, that, too.
Kyle glanced over at Nolan, who wasn’t wasting any time getting to the building that was already reverberating from the loud music playing inside. “You do realize, don’t you, that this plan of yours could backfire?” he asked, wanting to make sure his friend was aware of the liability inherent in his plan. “That Claire could get pissed as hell that you’re crashing her girls’ night out?” As for Ella—Kyle reasoned that she’d already relegated him to platonic status, so he shouldn’t pose a threat to her having a fun evening, right?
The Book Boyfriend Series Box Set Page 45