Wrapped in You

by Jules Bennett

  “You may think you have some hold on Sophie, but I know you’re just stringing her along.”

  Zach jerked at the bold statement from the prick. “What?”

  “Don’t act like you don’t know she broke things off with me,” Martin retorted. “I’m sure you were just waiting for this to happen. She’s always been infatuated with your family, and I see how you look at her.”

  Sophie broke things off with Martin? Good for her. Martin was an ass. And how had anyone seen how Zach looked at Sophie? He tried his hardest not to look at her.

  This breakup was not good news for Zach. There went one of his best excuses for keeping his distance from her. She deserved better than Martin, but definitely better than anything Zach could offer.

  “Whatever you and Sophie have going on is none of my business,” Zach told him, purposely sounding bored, as if he couldn’t care less. “If that’s all you have about the house, then we’re finished. But I will tell you this: If you’re jerking me around on this project because of your personal life, I suggest you rethink your strategy.”

  “Are you threatening me?”

  Zach laughed. “If I threaten you, you won’t have to ask.”

  He disconnected the call before he really did something that would cause problems down the road. Zach would love nothing more than to punch Martin in his smug face, but Braxton and Sophie would not approve. Added to that, Zach’s business had an impeccable reputation, started by his father. No way would Zach tarnish it, not when his father was the main person to help Zach turn his life around and give him chance after chance at redemption.

  Zach couldn’t help but smile. Sophie had finally ended things with Martin. Smart girl, but what did this mean? He shouldn’t care what she did with her spare time, her personal life, but damn it, he did. He couldn’t push her away and still want to know what was going on in her life. He had no right to anything from her. Yet the fact she was free and single now, especially after they’d kissed and she’d admitted her attraction, would only complicate things further.

  Shoving his phone back in his pocket, Zach headed to pay for his supplies. He had a bathroom to tackle and new frustrations to get out. Between the new plans he had to draw up and the bomb about Sophie being single, Zach was ready to do some demolition.

  * * *

  Sophie rubbed her head. “Yes, Mom. I’m doing fine.”

  She loved her mother, she truly did, but the woman hovered. No, hovered wasn’t even the correct term. The woman controlled . . . or tried to, anyway.

  “Martin and I just needed a break, and it’s really for the best,” she repeated for what seemed like the fifth time in as many minutes.

  “Why on earth would you end things with him?” her mother asked yet again, her tone even more shrill than the last four times. “He was perfect for you.”

  No, he was perfect for her mother and the ideal family her mother wanted Sophie to have. Her mother was still in denial about Sophie’s infertility, but that topic wasn’t one she was getting into today. Of course, even if Sophie wanted to discuss it, her mother always blew it off as something a specialist could fix. Yet another area they argued about. Hard to fix what wasn’t there.

  “When are you and Daddy coming back?” Sophie asked.

  “Changing the subject won’t make it go away,” her mother stated.

  “Martin and I are over, and I’d rather discuss your fabulous trip.”

  Her parents were constantly taking trips, whether it be to an exotic country or an ocean cruise, they were always on the go. Sophie often wondered how she could be so different from her mother, because being home was all that mattered to Sophie. She had no desire to travel the globe.

  “Oh, darling, I just had the best massage and facial.”

  Sophie eased back in her office chair as her mother went on about the masseur and his magical hands. Sophie knew all she had to do was turn the topic back to her mother and Martin would be all but forgotten. Her mother was a bit of a narcissist, but at times like this the selfish manner came in handy.

  Sophie printed out the forms for the property she’d just done an open house on. The first offer had come in and she needed all parties to sign the agreement before further steps could be taken.

  “But, darling, I really must get off of here,” her mother told her. “Your father has scheduled a lunch for us at my favorite place, before we board the ship.”

  Sophie said her good-byes and realized her mother never did tell her when they’d be home. The cruise was due to end in a week, but that didn’t mean anything. Her parents were known for moving from one adventure to another without coming up for air.

  Her cell chimed once again, this time lighting up Braxton’s name.

  She slid her finger across the screen. “Hey, Braxton.”

  “Got a minute?”

  Pulling the papers from the printer, Sophie placed them in a folder. “Sure. What’s up?”

  “Can you meet Zach and me at the new house? Apparently there was an issue with getting the building permit because of the kitchen layout and the electrical work with the exhaust.”

  “Seriously?” Sophie eased back in her chair and shifted to relieve the pressure from her hip. “What could be the problem? Has he ever run into issues before?”

  Zach might be grouchy, moody, and flat-out frustrating, but he was the epitome of professional when it came to his job. When his father had passed the business down to Zach, Zach had been so surprised at the amount of faith his father had invested in him, he’d thrown himself into the job. Sophie knew he took pride in the business his father had built up and he wouldn’t do anything to tarnish his dad’s reputation.

  So the fact that the building permit had been declined was absurd and hard to believe. The timing was too perfect to be a coincidence.

  Dread slid through her. Surely Martin wasn’t taking this breakup out on Zach and Braxton.

  “Never, that I know of,” Braxton replied.

  “Who told you guys of the problem?” she asked.

  “Zach just said he received a call from the city office.”

  Sophie had no doubt who’d placed that call, but she wasn’t going to start stirring the pot, because if Zach and Martin talked, there was already trouble brewing.

  “When do you want to meet?” she asked.

  “Zach is working there now. I’m free whenever, so just tell me your schedule.”

  She glanced over her planner, though she tried to keep it memorized. “I can be there in a couple hours. I just have to get some papers signed and run a few errands. Does that work?”

  “Sure. See you there.”

  As eager as she was to get the new listing under contract, Sophie was more eager to get Chelsea’s project under way and find out exactly who had called Zach, though she suspected she knew the answer to that one.

  After making a few calls and setting up two showings for other properties, Sophie gathered her folders and slid them into her messenger bag. By the time she got out of the office, she realized she was running late.

  The early summer sun had her squinting as she stepped out onto the sidewalk and walked the half block toward her car. The streets in town were becoming busier during the day now that school was out. More kids were playing in the park, splashing in the fountain, and riding bikes along the designated paths. Families were setting up picturesque picnics on checkered blankets, and Sophie couldn’t help but feel that familiar tug on her heart at the sight.

  With the park being across the street from her office, she often got a view of all the activities. She didn’t feel self-pity for her circumstances. Pity wouldn’t give her the ability to have children. But that didn’t stop her from feeling that clench to her heart each time she saw a happy family.

  She was human. She hurt. She’d like nothing more than to be immune to the sight of children running to their mom’s or dad’s open arms. Adoption was an option, sure, but she’d really like to be married before diving into that process.


  And at this rate, she wasn’t walking down the aisle anytime soon.

  She also wasn’t focusing on Zach. Nope. She refused to do so. She refused to relive over and over how amazing he felt against her, how he kept trying in some Zach-style way to protect her from himself. The man was noble to a fault, and damn if that didn’t make him even more appealing each time he pushed her away.

  As she slid behind the wheel of her SUV, she glanced at her watch. She’d be meeting him in just under an hour. Hard not to think of the man when she was constantly seeing him or . . . damn it. She couldn’t not think of him. She tried, somewhat, but he just kept popping into the forefront of her mind.

  He wasn’t only stubborn in real life, he was quite infuriating in her thoughts as well.

  Sophie focused on her potential sale as she went to meet the parties for signatures. Once she was finished, she drove toward the edge of town and up the small incline toward the property. Sophie absolutely loved this setting. The sprawling two-story Civil War–era home certainly had seen better days, but that was all cosmetic. With all the rich history and beauty, something with all this charm couldn’t just be built. The old mossy oak trees had stood for decades, providing that perfect Southern backdrop for such a magnificent home.

  Smiling as she approached the two-story mansion, Sophie could almost see the place as it had once been in its grandest of forms. She could picture horses and buggies coming up this slope, women in full skirts greeting their men as they came home from the war.

  She glanced toward the two small cottages in the distance near the pond. If this place could talk, Sophie knew the stories would be epic.

  Braxton’s shiny truck sat next to Zach’s beat-up work truck. A slight difference in the vehicles, much like the differences in the men themselves. One always seemed to be polished and put together. The other was rough around the edges but definitely reliable.

  Leaving her bags in the passenger seat, Sophie slid her cell into the pocket of her skirt. The sun had really warmed things up today, so she left her cardigan in the car. Making her way up toward the front door, she made a mental note to figure out something grand for this entryway. The landscaping and path leading to the main entrance should really make a statement . . . something other than “this place has been neglected for decades.”

  The old handle wiggled beneath her hand as she pushed the door open. The creaky hinges gave off a haunted-house vibe, but Sophie knew that was just another item in the long line of things that needed replacing. Though she hoped Zach found a door that was similar to the one currently hanging. She really wanted to capture the essence of the original house with some modern-day touches.

  “Zach? Braxton?” she called, her voice echoing in the open empty foyer.

  “Kitchen,” Braxton yelled back.

  Sophie smoothed her hair back over her shoulders as she made her way toward the back of the house. The musty smell was almost overpowering, and she only prayed they didn’t find mold, or at least a very minimal amount. Mold in older homes was a financial suck and extremely dangerous. The last thing they needed was too many unexpected problems, though renovating was never as simple as anyone planned and unfortunate expenses always happened.

  As she stepped into the wide entryway leading to the kitchen, she spotted Braxton with his hands on his hips, standing over Zach, who was on his hands and knees beneath the old, rusty sink.

  Zach muttered a curse from inside the cabinet and Braxton threw her a look. “He’s getting crankier. You’ve been warned.”

  “You mean it can get worse?” she joked.

  Pushing out from beneath the cabinet, Zach came to his feet and wiped a hand down his face, no doubt ridding himself of the cobwebs he encountered. She recalled how much he hated spiders. Even as a rough and tough teen, he’d get one glimpse of a spider and start trembling and stomping on the thing until it was beyond dead.

  Best not call him on his fear right now if he was in a mood. Then again, when was he not in a mood?

  Still, he looked fantastic with dirt smudges across his face, his ratty T-shirt pulled taut across his broad chest and those holey jeans that fit his lean hips like the proverbial glove.

  Whatever his mood was, it wouldn’t ruin the scenery. He was still the sexiest man she’d ever laid eyes on, and she hadn’t forgotten the image of him bottle feeding a puppy. Could the man be any more adorable?

  Sophie bit the inside of her lips to keep from laughing. If she called him adorable she’d see a whole new side of grouchy.

  “It’s doable to rework the entire kitchen,” he stated, resting his hands on his narrow hips. “Damn it, I shouldn’t have to. I’ve been over this and over it, and I know there was nothing wrong with the original plans.”

  Sophie crossed her arms to ward off the chill of the old home, now wishing she’d grabbed her cardigan from the car.

  “Martin did this, didn’t he?” she asked.

  Zach’s dark eyes landed on her, sending a whole host of new shivers racing through her. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “It does if this has anything to do with me.”

  Braxton stared back and forth between them before letting out a sigh. “Martin called, didn’t he?”

  Zach ignored the question as he walked around the perimeter of the spacious room. He studied the exterior walls, muttering under his breath, and the fact that he wouldn’t address the question told her all she needed to know.

  “I’ll talk to Martin.” And let him know exactly how his misuse of power could get him into trouble, because acting like a toddler not getting his way, he was just asking to be called out. “Don’t draw up any more plans for now.”

  Zach jerked around. “Like hell you will. This has nothing to do with you, Sophie. Leave it.”

  “Then tell me Martin didn’t call you.” His eyes continued to hold hers, but she wasn’t backing down. “He’s abusing his authority and we all know it.”

  “I’m not afraid of him,” Zach stated with a laugh. “He can’t hold off on this forever.”

  “So it was him who called you.”

  Zach’s eyes narrowed. “Drop it.”

  “Can you two cool it so we can get this figured out?” Braxton asked. “Arguing won’t fix this, and we need to get the building permit so Zach can get started and move in.”

  “Damn it, Braxton!”

  Sophie glanced from brother to brother. “What’s going on? What does he mean, you’re moving in?”

  “Nothing,” Zach muttered, shooting death glares at Braxton. “Let’s figure out the best layout.”

  “No, I want to know what he meant,” Sophie insisted. “Why are you moving in here? You have a house.”

  “I’m not getting into this.” Zach crossed to his notepad on the counter and started jotting something down. “I think the industrial stove we discussed will still work fine on this wall near the back door. There should be no problem running the exhaust out here. What do you guys think about keeping the fridge over here, too? For a cook, it would make sense and save steps.”

  “You should ask Liam his opinion,” Braxton said.

  “Yeah, well, he had his chance to help and chose not to.” Zach moved his gaze from the wall in question to his notes, as he scrawled down something else. “And the other exterior wall could have more cabinetry and a long counter for prep. I want to keep the sink in the new island.”

  “Excuse me?” Sophie chimed in. “I’m not done with the topic of Martin or the fact you think you’re moving in here. Can you guys please clue me in?”

  Zach dropped his pencil and rubbed the back of his neck as he stared up at the ceiling. “I’m putting my house on the market. Martin will always be a pain in my ass, but nothing I can’t handle.” He brought his eyes back down to her. “There. Can we move on now?”

  Crossing the room to stand directly in front of the stubborn man, Sophie crossed her arms. “No, we can’t move on. I want to know why you’re selling your house.”

  And why hadn’t he ca
lled her to list it?

  What was going on here? There was no way Liam knew this was going on, and this was one situation she wasn’t going to clue him in on. It wasn’t her place to tell.

  “I don’t have time for this. I’m figuring up the new plans, refiguring the cost for extra wiring, and the last thing I want to talk about is my house.”

  Zach’s voice was dangerously low, but Sophie was done tiptoeing around him and his moodiness.

  She turned to Braxton. “What do you think about the sale?”

  Braxton shrugged. “It’s not my house, but I agree with Zach’s reasoning and I’d do the same if I were in his shoes.”

  “And Liam? What does he think?”

  Braxton threw a glance over Sophie’s shoulder. “We haven’t told him yet.”

  Sophie closed her eyes and sighed. There was so much hurt in the family, she didn’t even know where to begin trying to help them patch all the pieces back together.

  “Don’t you think he should be in on that decision?” she asked, turning back to Zach, who kept his back to her as he studied his notes.

  “He’s coming in sometime this weekend,” Zach replied without facing her. “I’ll tell him then.”

  Before she could reply, Zach turned and brought that dark, intense focus directly down on her. “This is none of your concern.”

  Why did he continue to say things to hurt her? Why did he act like she had no personal connection to this family? And more importantly, why was she standing there beating her head against a brick wall?

  With a slight nod, Sophie backed up a step. “You’re right. None of this is my concern. I don’t know what I was thinking. Just because I was part of your family for years, I practically spent my teens in that house and loved your parents like my own, I couldn’t possibly care about you guys or that house.”

  She turned to leave when Zach called her name.

  Sophie merely held up a hand and kept walking. She was done. Officially done with Zach Monroe and the way he treated her . . . treated everyone, for that matter. He’d not even mentioned anything to Liam, and regardless of the bad blood that flowed between them, Liam deserved to know what was going on.