“Mason,” I say for the third time. If this fucking kid doesn’t answer me, I’m going to lose my shit.
“What?” he grits out. Oh, hell no.
“Look, kid. I know this is the last place you want to be, but let me tell you one thing. I don’t need you. I can hire someone to come in here and help me out. But your uncle is my friend, and he thinks this is a job you’d like. If you don’t want to make ten bucks an hour to be my assistant, I’ll just go run—”
“Ten bucks an hour?” he asks, jumping up from his perch.
“Yeah. But look—”
“No. I’ll do it. Ten bucks an hour is more than minimum wage,” he says with more excitement than I’ve seen from him since he got here.
“It is. But with that ten bucks comes a few expectations.” I watch as the excitement he showed me dissipates and his shoulders sag. “Oh calm the fuck down, dude. It’s not that bad.” The look on his face when I cuss and call him “dude” is hilarious. “I’m not your parent, and honestly, the way you behave? I don’t even want to be your friend. But I need some help if I want to keep up with this little side business I have. If you’re up for it, I’d be happy to have you. I won’t lie, the work is dirty and may seem boring at times.”
“Would I work here? At your house?” he asks.
“Yes. I work in what should be a garage but is my workshop. It’d be a few afternoons a week plus weekends. I have a few orders I’m behind on, but I was offered a larger project I really want to take on. If I do that, we’ll be working together for a few months. Do you think you can handle that?” He nods, wide-eyed. “I do have a few rules though. Want to hear them?”
Again, a nod.
“First, you need to leave your attitude at the door. I’m not playing this brooding teen game.” I wait for a response full of attitude, but to my surprise, I don’t get one. “Second, your grades come first. If you have a test, lots of homework, or whatever, that is the priority. And finally,” I say while I wait for him to look at me, “I want you to help. You’re not here to be my bitch and clean shit. I want you to help me with these projects. Learn how to work the tools, with my supervision, and have input.”
“Really?” he asks with awe in his voice.
“Which part? That grades are the priority?” I tease.
We laugh together, and all tension evaporates. I’m showing him a hutch I’ve been working on when Taylor walks in. I could pull him aside and tell him what I told Mason, but ten minutes with this kid and I know he just needs something of his own, and I’m going to give him that. The fact he’s Addison’s son is a bonus.
Mason and I are settling into our new life in Lexington. Dr. Burning is a great boss and keeps life interesting at the office, even if his sense of humor is slightly silly and corny. I’ve been attending yoga classes regularly, and breakfast after our Saturday class has become a regular thing for Dakota, Minnie, and me. Mason started a new job and as much as it kills me, I’m not asking him two dozen questions about what he’s doing. I know he’s working with a friend of Taylor’s and learning a skill. He promised me he’d make me something and surprise me with it. He and my brother indulged me with a few guarantees: one, it is not illegal and two, he enjoys it. That’s good enough for me. For now.
But today is the day I finally get to see where Mason works. He sent me a text earlier, asking if I could pick him up this evening. To my surprise, the address he gave me for his work is not a business; it’s a house. I’m not quite sure what he could be doing at someone’s home, but from the last time I dared look in his room, he’s not a housekeeper.
Pulling up to the house, I glance around the neighborhood. The homes sit on lots larger than my rental, which I envy. A few of the homes remind me of shows I watched as a kid, very 1970s. I park in the driveway behind a truck and tap out a quick text to Mason letting him know I’m here. When he doesn’t respond right away, I hit the phone icon and listen to the phone ring until the voicemail picks up. This kid. I swear he’s going to drive me to an early grave.
I guess I’m going to not only see where my son works, but with whom. As I exit my car and begin walking toward the front door, I hear loud music behind the house. That would probably explain why he didn’t answer my text or call. Diverting my destination from the front of the house to the back, I walk down the driveway to the garage. The large door is closed, but I spot the side door ajar, and as I approach the door and peek my head in, I’m hit with the smell of wood and the sounds of loud rock music and my son’s laughter. I’ve missed that sound. What I didn’t expect to be greeted with were the green eyes of Landon Montgomery.
“Mom!” Mason shouts as he runs up to me. It isn’t until he’s snapping his fingers in my face, laughing, that I pull my gaze from a now smiling Landon.
“I tried texting and calling you when I got here.”
“Sorry, I didn’t hear it,” he says, looking at his feet. When Landon clears his throat behind him, Mason looks up wide-eyed. “Oh crap, sorry. Hey Mom, this is Landon. My boss.”
“I’d say co-worker is more like it. How are you, Addison?” Landon smiles at me and dammit if I don’t smile back.
“Do you know my mom?”
“We’ve met,” I say quickly. “Are you ready to go? It’s getting late, and we need to figure out something for dinner.”
“Yeah, sure. But first, I want to show you what we’re doing. It’s so cool.” I begrudgingly follow Mason around the garage, or what he calls the shop, as he points out various pieces of furniture and large art pieces hanging on the wall. I’m in awe of the craftsmanship, but more importantly I’m floored by the way Mason beams as he explains everything to me. Who knew my kiddo was into woodworking?
“This is really great, buddy.” I turn to Landon and plaster on a fake smile. “Thank you for showing him all of this,” I say, waving my arm around the room.
“Mason is a natural, and I’m lucky to have him. Don’t forget to show your mom your special project.”
I turn to Mason whose eyes go wide as he claps his hands and turns and walks to the far end of the room. I realize after he’s stepped away that Landon has actually moved closer to me; I can feel his breath on the back of my neck. Shivers run up my spine as I attempt to move away from him, but he places his hand on my shoulder.
“Addison, I think you have the wrong idea about something.”
Turning to face him, I take a step to the side and raise an accusing brow at him. “I think I understand perfectly. Mason, let’s go.”
“Here, this is what I’m working on,” Mason says as he holds a small box out to me. I take the box from him and run my fingers across the top.
“Mason, did you make this?” I ask, wonderment filling my voice.
“I did. It’s cool, right? Landon said the best way to learn is to just build. So I thought maybe a late Christmas present for you would be the best thing to start with. Do you like it?”
“Sweetie, I love it. It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
“Cool. I’m ready now. Can we get pizza?”
I groan. This kid and his pizza. I get it; he’s a teenager and burns calories by being awake. But what he forgets is I am not a teenager and pizza is my weakness. And my nemesis.
“How about something else? Maybe somewhere with salad?”
“I know the perfect place,” Landon says.
“That’s fine, we’ll figure it out. Let’s go, Mason.”
I don’t bother waiting for a response and walk out of the garage and down the driveway to my car. I tap the fob once to unlock the door and climb in behind the wheel. My heart is racing, and I’m so pissed at myself for reacting this way. I’m not sure what I’m feeling at this point. Excitement at seeing him again, which is stupid because he’s a jerk, and frustration that my body reacts to him at all. I’m also grateful to him for working with Mason and obviously being part of the reason he’s laughing and smiling more these days.
A tap on the window startles me and I look over as Mason points
at the door, and I realize I didn’t unlock his door. I tap the unlock button and start the car while he climbs in. As I pull out of the driveway, I look up to find Landon standing in the driveway with his hands in his pockets as he watches us leave. When he smiles and offers a little wave, I have to remind myself I’m not interested in anything that man has to offer.
“Mason, just order a pizza, I’m too tired for anything else.” I sigh.
“Yes,” he shouts as he taps on his phone, and the minute I hear him add on a salad to the order I laugh. Damn kid.
I’m running late to class and only have a minute to get my mat out and my heartrate down before Sierra dims the lights. I offer a quick smile to my friends and notice two new faces among them—a beautiful redhead who waves hello to me and the beautiful pregnant brunette from the office. Ashton. Great. I’m going to have to bow out of breakfast if she’s coming. I can’t trust myself to not tell her about her cheating boyfriend, or baby daddy as she referred to him.
My lack of sleep last night, thanks to Mason needing me to pick him up from work again and me having to see Landon, is catching up with me, and I’m not able to suppress the yawns as we move into Warrior I. Minnie shoots me a concerned look, but I wave her off and attempt to focus on my pose. I finally manage to rid my mind of all thoughts and immerse myself in the class. As always, by the time we’re coming out of Savasana, I feel better and ready to face the day.
When the lights come on, I open my eyes and rise from my mat. I don’t realize I haven’t spoken to my friends until Dakota taps my shoulder. Startled, I gasp and turn to her.
“Wow, jumpy much? You’re supposed to be all zen after yoga.” Her tone is teasing, but I see the concern in her eyes.
“Sorry, I was more zoned out than I thought. I didn’t sleep much last night.”
“Hot date?” Minnie asks with waggling eyebrows.
Scoffing, I roll my eyes and follow the group toward the cubbies to slip on my shoes. Everyone is chatting among themselves as I grab my keys and phone.
“Addy, right?” Ashton asks.
“Yes. How are you feeling, Ashton?” I ask as she rests her hand on her stomach.
“I’m much better. You were right, rest was what I needed.”
“You two have met?” the beautiful redhead says before introducing herself. Piper. She was the bride at that wedding my brother made me go to.
“Yes, Addy is Doc’s new nurse. And Taylor’s sister.”
“Oh! Taylor’s sister! This is great. We want all the dirt. Your brother is quite the mystery in this town,” Dakota says as she begins walking toward the door. “Ladies, we have a breakfast to get to and dirt to be told. Let’s move it.”
“I think I’ll pass today,” I say as we exit the studio.
“Nope. Not happening. Something is going on here,” Minnie says, motioning toward my face with her finger in a circular motion. “You need girl talk and carbs.”
I laugh because she’s got me there. Carbs will probably make all the difference. “Fine,” I agree as we make our way down the street.
Breakfast is fun, and I regale the girls with stories of my brother when we were kids. I know these ladies and their boyfriends, or husband, are friends with Taylor, so I’m surprised they don’t know more about him. Sure, he’s a private guy, and his years in the military only added to that privacy, but still, the only one who seems to know him at all is Ashton, and that’s probably because she’s worked for him for a few years.
“Okay ladies, my man is on his way here to pick me up. I finally have enough energy for us to go shopping and start our registry for this little nugget,” Ashton says, rubbing her hand over her baby belly.
“When do you find out the sex?” Dakota asks, taking a drink from her coffee cup.
“We aren’t. I know, I know. Before you say anything, or this one,” Ashton says, pointing her thumb at Piper, “starts in on me, we want to be surprised.”
“I didn’t find out either,” I say, and she smiles at me.
“See, not everyone has to know all the things, Pipe.”
“Whatever, I want to spoil my niece or nephew and win best aunt status right out of the gate. Just humor me, and let me find out. That way, I can start shopping now.”
Everyone laughs when I catch a glimpse of a very handsome man as he approaches our table. But, it isn’t the handsome blond who has my attention, it’s the man standing behind him.
Landon.
Great, this fun breakfast just went to shit in two seconds. I busy myself folding and unfolding my napkin when I hear Ashton squeal and laugh. “Baby daddy! Yes! Let’s do this. I just carb-loaded and will be ready for a nap in a few hours. Get me while you can.”
My eyes fly up when I hear the voice respond to her and don’t recognize it. “Baby, stop calling me that. I feel like we’re on an episode of Maury or something.”
Baby? He said baby. He said it, not Landon.
I sit stunned, my mouth open, and not a word spoken as I look to Landon who has a shit-eating grin on his face. When he nods his head at me and raises a single brow, I suddenly feel like the biggest idiot ever.
“Wait, I thought Landon was your baby daddy,” noting how inappropriate that was to say.
“Landon? God no. No offense, Lan.”
“None taken.”
“Oh, because he took me to the doctor? No, I was too sick to drive, and Jameson’s truck broke down. This is the one who’s responsible for knocking me up.”
“Hey, I proposed too.”
“Yes, dear. Okay, let’s go; I don’t have a lot of time before the nugget demands a nap.”
Once Ashton slides out of the booth, the rest of the women begin muttering about heading home, and before I realize it, I’m alone in the booth staring into a pair of dark green eyes. God, he really is good looking. And I realize I probably owe him an apology. Thank goodness I left a little room for some crow because I’m about to eat some.
I’d just finished inspecting Jameson and Ashton’s air conditioning when Ashton texted Jameson for a ride. Normally I wouldn’t tag along, but when he told me where Ashton was, the sudden need for a burger and shake was overwhelming. So, I hopped in my truck to follow him to the diner. Imagine my surprise when I spot, through the window, the raven-haired beauty who has been running circles through my mind.
I should move on and let it go, but so far I haven’t been able to. Something about the animosity she’s shown toward me, animosity I didn’t understand until today, has me intrigued more than frustrated. I should be frustrated. I should be pissed that someone I thought had enjoyed hanging out with me has suddenly acted as if I’m the furthest thing from fun in her lifetime.
As the ladies each slide out of the booth and pass by me, I nod in greeting. When Minnie stops to look from me to Addison and then back with a knowing grin, I simply smile and push her along with a bump of my shoulder. Both she and Dakota make it only a few steps before they turn back and smile and then high five one another.
Brats.
Sliding into the booth across from Addison, I take in her beauty. Her dark brown hair is twisted into a messy bun on her head, and her face is void of a stitch of makeup. I note a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose and have a sudden desire to reach out and touch each one.
What. The. Fuck.
I’ve never thought about reaching out and touching a woman’s face before, let alone to touch a freckle. Hours. I’ve only spent hours with this woman, and yet she has me thinking of ridiculous notions like petting freckles.
My gaze shifts from her face and regardless of how much of a pussy I sound like, talking about freckles, I am a red-blooded man, and the way her tight purple top fits her breasts, has me giving a little extra eye time to them.
A throat clears and I realize I’ve been busted in my assessment of purple Lycra. My eyes fly up to meet a pair of brown eyes the color of the darkest chocolate, and for a moment, my mouth dries.
“Looks like you’ve made a few f
riends since you’ve been in town,” I say in an effort to break the awkwardness of my gawking.
“I have. I only met Piper and Ashton today. They seem very sweet.”
I laugh, but we’re interrupted by the waitress before I’m able to respond. After taking my order of a double bacon cheeseburger with extra grilled onions, French fries, and a vanilla shake, she clears the plate left on the table and refills Addison’s coffee. After she’s walked away, I begin to comment on her “sweet” assessment of the girls but she speaks first.
“So, I think I may owe you an apology. I, uh . . . well, shit.”
Addison isn’t looking at me as she speaks. Instead she’s focused on the wall to my left, staring at it while twisting her hands. Nerves. She’s nervous and kind of adorable.
“Why’s that?” I ask, sitting back and placing my arm on the top of the booth.
“I thought you were a cheating bastard?”
It’s barely a whisper, but I hear her clear as day and throw my head back in full blown laughter. A blush darkens the freckles on Addison’s cheeks, and it only fuels my laughter.
“Okay, you don’t have to laugh so hard. I apologize.”
“You don’t have to apologize.”
“But, I do. I assumed things and made up these scenarios in my head. When I saw you in the office with Ashton, I just about died.”
“I could tell something was wrong that day. I’d been thinking about you, about New Year’s Eve. And then you were there. So cute in your pink scrubs.”
Addison laughs and mutters “Yeah, right.”
The tension is finally gone and Addison visibly relaxes. We make small talk about the town, her job, even the weather, before the waitress reappears with my food. I pour an ungodly amount of ketchup on the plate and look up to see Addison with a scowl on her face. It’s something about the way she looks at me that makes me want to push the envelope a little, so I scoop my burger and dip it in the ketchup before stuffing half of it in my mouth. Looking up at Addison, her eyes are wide, and I almost choke on my food when I begin laughing.
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