by Bella Andre
“Bro-cation, here we come,” Sebastian said.
Daniel wasn’t fooled. “Charlie kicked you out so she could have some peace and quiet to finish her latest masterpiece, didn’t she?”
Charlie was a fantastic artist, her medium being metal, and had created the work of art adorning the center lobby of Sebastian’s San Francisco headquarters. She’d also helped Sebastian appreciate his own artistic talents.
Sebastian confessed, “She did suggest that a few days with the guys would get me the hell out of her hair.”
Their laughter rang through the open rafters.
Daniel was glad his friends had come. Once Tasha saw the kind of men he called brothers—good, solid friends who would do anything for each other—maybe then she would let down her guard and trust him.
Of course, that meant he’d have to devise ways to spend time with her this weekend. Fortunately, their visit to the vet was only hours away.
* * *
Tasha had always wondered what it would be like to be part of a big family, to have a real home you could run to when things were bad. Now, after traveling to the vet with Daniel and his friends—who scooped up nearly every squeaking, squishing, rattling, and tug-of-war toy in the pet store—she was pretty sure she knew.
Daniel’s family was wonderfully fun, crazy, and out of control in all the best ways.
Only Evan stood back a bit. All afternoon, she’d felt his eyes on her, as though he was assessing her. Taking in everything she said, breaking it down, then splicing the pieces back together, as if that might help him figure out what she was hiding.
It was utterly unnerving. Not only because she knew damn well just how much she had to hide. But also because she couldn’t seem to stop her headlong fall for Daniel…and wishing that things could be different.
He had been so wonderful at the vet, asking all the right questions: What should they feed the puppies, did they need extra vitamins, when should they have their shots, suggestions on training. The vet gave the puppies clean bills of health, saying they’d been rescued before permanent damage was caused by dehydration or starvation. In the vet’s expert opinion, the puppies were a German shepherd mix and about five weeks old, so too young for some of the shots they’d need. They’d have to come back, which meant more time Tasha would get to spend with Daniel.
Unless Evan figured things out first.
“Hey,” Daniel said softly, pulling her slightly away from the group in the pet store aisle. “This stuff is on me, okay? My friends are going crazy, so I’m paying for it.”
He must have seen the worried look in her eyes and assumed it was because she didn’t have the money for dog toys. “I don’t—”
He put a finger to her lips, and a sizzling hot flame burst to life inside her. Her whole heart and soul ached to lean into his touch and ask for more. But she couldn’t.
“I’m paying,” he said again. “For the vet, for the toys, the crate, for everything. No argument.”
“But—”
He moved in on her, so close she was hypnotized by his delicious all-male scent. She could close her eyes in a room and pick him out immediately.
“No buts.” His eyes were such a deep, alluring coffee color. She wanted to fall into his gaze. Into his arms.
It was a seduction, like the prelude to a kiss. Every nerve in her body shouted to feel his mouth on hers.
Until, over Daniel’s shoulder, Evan’s assessing gaze hit her like an avalanche.
“Thank you,” she said, trying to act normally, as though she wasn’t burning up from the inside out from that one simple touch. Feeling awkward and worried about what Evan—and the rest of the Mavericks—must think of her drooling all over their friend, she said, “I appreciate everything you’re doing.”
As Daniel frowned at her polite response, she was sure he was going to call her on it.
Fortunately, Will drew everyone’s attention as he scooped up Froggy and asked, “What about homes for them? My brother-in-law, Jeremy, would be ecstatic to have this little guy.”
“And my son, Noah, would love this dude.” Matt stroked Spanky’s ruff. “Maybe as a late birthday present.”
When Sebastian reached for Darla, her heart wrenched extra hard at the thought of letting her go.
“Tasha definitely needs to keep one.” Daniel leaned in close, saying for her alone, “To replace the cat you had to leave behind when you were a kid.”
He’d recalled her offhand comment. How could a man be so thoughtful, remembering details, big and little? Then come up with a way to make things better?
“What about you?” she asked. Something flashed in his eyes, a longing that was gone so quickly she thought she’d read it wrong. “Don’t you want one of the puppies?”
“I travel too much.” He turned to his friends. “Let’s think about it, guys. It’s a great idea to give them all good homes, but we should keep them together until they’ve had all their shots.”
“Noah will be begging to visit,” Matt warned.
“And Jeremy will be driving Harper crazy asking when, when, when.” The smile on Will’s face shone with love. Jeremy might be his brother by marriage, but Tasha saw vividly that he owned a huge piece of the big man’s heart.
Though she hated to let any of the dogs go, she felt the rightness of giving them to families who would love them with all their hearts. She touched Daniel’s arm. “I really can’t keep three dogs.” She lowered her voice. “I’m not sure I should keep even one.”
“You have to keep Darla,” Daniel insisted. “She needs you.”
Tasha was suddenly close to tears. Maybe it was all the changes over the last few months. The loneliness and despair. Followed by the warmth and cuddliness of the puppies. Then the Mavericks with their laughter and antics.
And most of all, Daniel, bringing such unexpected joy and desire into her life.
It was almost as if she’d finally come home.
Chapter Eleven
The men dropped off Tasha and the puppies at her place, carrying in the new crate, the dog toys, and all the other gear they’d bought. Once inside, they marveled at what she’d accomplished on her own, and Daniel loved seeing her bask in the glow of their compliments. Unfortunately, she turned down their offer to join them at his place for drinks and a barbecue dinner, insisting they’d come to have a guys’ weekend and she’d only cramp their style.
“I still can’t believe Tasha did all of that by herself,” Will said as the five of them sat on the back deck drinking beer. “And from watching your DIY videos, no less.” His grin took away any heat Daniel might have otherwise felt from the dig.
“But that roof—it’s still a total mess.” Sebastian shook his head. “I’m surprised she was willing to buy a place like that.”
“We can’t let her do it alone.” Matt clearly couldn’t believe Daniel wasn’t fixing her roof right this minute.
“She’s extremely independent,” Daniel said. “The only reason she’s accepted my help at all so far is because of the puppies.” He would have done so much more for her if he didn’t believe his actions would chase her off.
“She can’t refuse all of us,” Will insisted.
“But why the need to be so self-sufficient?” Evan mused. “Seems to me that she doesn’t want anyone getting too close. And I can’t stop wondering about the reasons.”
Sebastian immediately overrode him. “The why of it doesn’t matter. I’ve only known her a day and I’m already certain she’s a great person. Everyone has their issues, their demons, and we all deal with them in our own ways. The five of us know that better than anyone.”
“We sure as hell do,” Will agreed. “But regardless of whether she’s dealing with demons or not, one thing is certain—it’s going to take more than some videos and determination to fix that roof anytime soon.” He smiled broadly. “Good thing she’s got a handy group of guys hanging out nearby.”
“We could have it done by the end of the weekend.” Matt agr
eed.
They weren’t saying anything Daniel hadn’t already thought. But they didn’t know Tasha like he did. “You guys really aren’t getting just how badly she wants to take care of herself.”
“And you really aren’t getting just how badly we want to help her,” Will said.
“Besides,” Sebastian added, “Mom would read you the riot act for not helping someone in dire need.”
“Mom understands independence.”
“She sure does.” Will whipped out his phone and pushed speed dial. “But that won’t stop her from agreeing that we should put a new roof on Tasha’s cabin tomorrow.”
Even as Will held the phone to his ear, Daniel had the glimmer of a plan. The guys might be right. Tasha wouldn’t feel like it was him pressuring her if they all offered to help. And hopefully, she wouldn’t feel there were strings attached either. If you couldn’t accomplish a task one way, he’d always thought, you found another. And this way just might work.
“Mom, what are you up to tonight?” Will winced at her response. “You’re watching John Wick: Chapter 2? That is a seriously violent movie.” He rolled his eyes at her retort. “I’ll let you get back to the mayhem in a few minutes, but right this second, Daniel needs your encouragement to help his neighbor fix her leaky roof.” He nodded. “Yes, we’ve all met her and she’s great.” Grinning at Daniel, he added, “Really great.” He laughed at something Susan said. “I’m handing the phone over right now. Love you. Give a big hug to Dad.” Then he shoved the phone at Daniel while the others snickered.
“He’s in for it now,” Sebastian said in a gleeful tone.
“I’ve been waiting for an update on your neighbor,” Daniel’s mother said when he took the phone, scowling at the others. “Good thing Will decided to call.”
Daniel would have called earlier, but he’d still been chewing on her remark about bumpy relationships—and the ring of personal experience in her words. Standing, he wandered back into the house, away from the others.
“Were you ever serious with anyone before Dad?”
“No. Your father is the only man I’ve ever loved.”
So much for hoping she’d been talking about someone else. He waited for her to question why he was asking, but she didn’t. It was, honestly, kind of weird how silent she’d gone.
“So,” he said into the empty space, “it’s been a busy couple of days up here in the mountains.” He told his mother about Tasha finding Darla, Spanky, and Froggy in the cave, how together they’d hand-fed them every few hours through the first day and night, then outfitted them with a new crate and chew toys galore.
“Tasha sounds so sweet and caring.”
“She is, Mom. Fixing up her cabin, helping the puppies, the work she used to do as a graphic designer—all of those things light her up and make her happy.”
“She sounds amazing, Daniel. The boys seem to love her. She’s wonderful with puppies. And she loves your videos. If you ask me, you should snap her up right now. And of course you and the boys should fix her roof.”
Despite his mom’s edict, he ran a hand through his hair, thinking of his earlier concerns. Questions that had been echoed by Evan, although in a much harsher form. “I agree, we should definitely help with her roof. We’ll start tomorrow, even if we have to think on our feet to convince her.” He’d made up his mind on that before he even took the phone from Will. “But what bothers me is that I still haven’t figured out what drove her to give up her career and come here to live in a run-down dump in the woods. And why she’s so intent on going it alone.”
“I’m sure she has her reasons for wanting to be left alone and to keep herself closed off to everyone,” his mother said, echoing Sebastian’s thoughts. “Very good reasons, I’m guessing.”
Though his mother was talking about Tasha, Daniel couldn’t help but wonder if she was also referring to herself—as if she’d once been in a similar sticky position where she’d thought she needed to hide out, away from everyone she cared about and who cared about her.
It was that weird note of personal experience in her tone that made him antsy.
“But maybe,” his mother continued, “what she really needs is the right person to come along and show her that it’s safe to open herself back up. Someone who isn’t going to run when she gets scared and tries to push him away, even if it’s the last thing she really wants to do.” She paused for a moment. “Take it from me, I know all about it.”
Daniel’s heart pounded loudly, pulsing in his ears. Was she going to divulge something about her relationship with his father that he’d never known?
“How do you know?” The words croaked from his throat.
“Will was so tough. Matt was so desperate to show he didn’t need us. Sebastian wanted to hide his artistic talent for fear of ridicule. And Evan couldn’t admit how badly he needed a mother. None of my boys were anywhere near ready to open up when they first came to live with us. Your father and I had to be so persistent, even if it sometimes felt like our love was driving them away, rather than bringing them closer.”
But what about Dad? Did something happen between the two of you?
Though the questions were on the tip of his tongue, they never made it all the way out. Not only because he was nervous about hearing her response, but also because something told him his mother wasn’t ready to completely confide in him.
And if there was anything to confide, was it his business to dredge it up all these years later? Especially if it changed everything he’d believed to be true for so long…
“What if I think I’m helping,” he finally said, “but really I’m only mucking things up more for her?”
“You might make things worse.” His mom was always cheerful, but never sugarcoated. “Or maybe that’s just the excuse you’re giving yourself, the worry you’re clinging to, so that you don’t have to risk putting your heart out there for her.”
He’d taken risks in a dozen different ways—he’d put his money on the line, gambling with his patents, hoping he could actually sell the products, risking the whole operation by going global, overextending his resources. Even the DIY show had been a gamble. He thought of the moment Tasha had paused the video on that first day, leaving his mouth gaping. That was all people might have seen, just a gaping mouth. It had been wild speculation.
But the truth was that in all his risk-taking, his heart had never been up for grabs.
“What’s really holding you back, Daniel?”
He wanted to ask her the same thing. Instead, he answered the question about Tasha. “I’m just wary because she’s wary. I can’t help feeling she’s hiding something.”
“Maybe she is. When you’re young, you don’t always make the right decisions. You get yourself all mixed up. You’re not even sure what’s right or wrong anymore. You do what your family thinks you should do.”
“Your family?” He stressed that one word. His grandparents had been gone by the time he was a toddler. He’d never known them. And oddly, now that he thought about it, his mom never talked about them.
He could hear her breathing, as though she’d been running. Or was panicking about something. “I meant Tasha’s family. I’m just being hypothetical. You know what I mean. You just…” She trailed off into nothingness.
But he no longer believed that she was being hypothetical. Or was simply talking about Tasha.
“Mom—”
“I have to go now, Daniel.”
“But, Mom—”
“I said I have to go.” If he wasn’t mistaken, she’d actually snapped at him. His mother, who never snapped, who always had words of wisdom, who always knew exactly what to say. Then she did the weirdest thing of all. “I’ll talk to you later.” She didn’t even say his dad was calling her back to watch the movie. She was simply gone.
Daniel stared at his phone, half expecting the line to still be open, that she was coming right back. But his screen went blank.
This was more than mere bumps. His mother
had fumbled and over-explained. Then she’d hung up on him.
Something had happened in his parents’ marriage, he was nearly certain.
And he was very much afraid that whatever it was would bring into question all his beliefs about the very foundation of what marriage and love were supposed to be.
Chapter Twelve
Tasha had taken only one sip of her morning coffee when the pounding of work boots pummeled her porch and male voices boomed in the air. She opened the door to five big men with impressive tool belts and was instantly overpowered by their size, their good looks, their innate confidence—as if they owned the world.
Which, among them all, they practically did.
Daniel stood in front like their emissary, too beautiful for words. “We’re here to help. Especially with the roof. But anything else you want done too.”
Her mouth opened, and the only thing that came out was a stunned, “The five of you came to help me?”
Tears of gratitude pricked at her eyes that these powerful, successful men—four of whom were, for all intents and purposes, strangers—would offer to help rebuild her cabin.
These past months, she’d been so focused on how she could have missed the darkness inside her family that it was hard to wrap her head around such a selfless offer. One she badly needed, considering her cabin truly had been uninhabitable during the recent storm. There was no way she and the puppies could make it through another one.
“Working vacation,” Matt said, his smile as wide as his face. His son must be absolutely lovable.
“We all spend too much time at our desks,” Sebastian added, “and need a good workout.”
“Speak for yourself.” Will flexed his biceps. “I get plenty of workout time.”
They amazed her with their humor, always ribbing each other. Five big, happy, smiling guys…who surely would abhor her if they knew her story. Especially given that she couldn’t accept their help, then immediately shove them out the door again. They’d want to get to know her. Good God, what if they wanted her to meet their wives and girlfriends?