by Alicia Rae
“The hell you will,” I countered with humor.
“So, what are you going to do for work?” Damon inquired.
Relief flooded me at the change of topic, and I instantly made Damon my favorite brother of the two. “I’m not sure yet. Now that I have house-hunting out of the way, my next priority is finding a job. I’m not going to sit on my ass for two months.”
Jason perked a brow in interest. “That was kinda why we came over this morning—before you put our asses to work,” he teased. “Damon, Kyle, and I wanted to offer you a job. Since the grand opening of M & J Construction nearly two weeks ago, the phone has been ringing nonstop, and we could use an extra set of hands.”
“Count me in,” I answered without delay. I would always be there for my family at the drop of a dime.
After living and breathing the Marines for eight years, I was used to being in prime condition, so physical labor would be a welcome challenge. It would also be a way to escape from my mind, which hadn’t seemed to shut off lately. I could only hope that Damon and Jason would work me so hard that I had no time to think.
“I’m already going crazy from boredom,” I added with a grin.
Jason mirrored my expression. “We can fix that.”
“Good. You just tell me when and where, and I’ll be there,” I replied to my brothers.
“Seven o’clock sharp on Monday morning at the office,” Jason informed me.
“You got it.” I winked.
After a long first week of working with my brothers, I had a newfound appreciation for construction workers. Jason and I had busted our asses with a crew of six men at a new job site consisting of a two-week remodel of a small dental office not far outside of Lake Tahoe. We’d managed to keep a great pace, but we would have another grueling week ahead of us.
Even though every muscle in my body screamed and ached, I loved every second of it. It was exactly the R & R I had been looking for even though some folks might not understand what I meant. I needed a break from the military and the shit that plagued my mind, and the way to distract myself from it was to spend time with my family and keep myself physically busy, so construction work was right up my alley. I shook my head at my reasoning. Even I did not understand half of it, but I knew I just had to keep myself moving.
After the day’s work, I went home and cleaned up. The gang—Jason, Abbey, Damon, Gail, Kyle, and Lily—were all going out tonight for drinks, and they’d invited me to tag along.
I followed Jason’s directions to the local bar, parked my truck, and made it inside the front doors. My eyes scanned the room for everyone. The music was loud, and the lights were fairly dim, except for neon strobe lights that flashed about. I ignored how uncomfortable all the noise and people in a confined space made me.
Jason threw one hand in the air and flagged me down. “Blake! Over here.”
I sauntered over to the main counter of the bar, weeding my way through all the bodies. Fuck, I hate crowds.
They made it difficult to scan the room for dangers and plan for an escape route. I let out an anxious sigh, accepting that I would have to get used to the idea of being surrounded by people. With discretion, I automatically located the closest emergency exit just in case I would need it. I couldn’t help it. It was embedded in my blood from years of military training.
“About time you made it, man!” Damon teased from his spot behind Gail. His arms were wrapped around her as she sat on a barstool with a drink in front of her.
“No kidding!” Jason chuckled, setting his beer on the table. He casually rested his hand on Abbey’s shoulder. “I thought we were going to have to come drag your happy ass out of your new place.”
“I would have liked to see you try,” Damon scoffed before tossing back his beer. His eyes were light with amusement. “Don’t forget, Blake could always take you when we were kids.”
“That’s only because he’s older than me,” Jason retorted, sizing me up. “I think we are due for a rematch.”
“Anytime, little brother.” I smirked at him. I knew damn well I could not only take him out, but I could also do much more.
“Jeez.” Gail flippantly rolled her eyes. “You three men must have put your mother through the wringer and back as teenagers.”
Abbey leaned closer to Gail. “I’m beginning to think that now, too, after the three of them bickered all week.”
“You did have to put up with us.” I grinned at my future sister-in-law, Abbey.
She helped Kyle manage some of the ins and outs of the business.
“Although, now that you are marrying one of my brothers, you’re stuck with all three of us”—my grin broadened—“forever.”
“Shit,” Abbey muttered, full of mirth.
Gail’s eyes widened as she whispered, “Crap,” at the same time.
All the guys laughed good-naturedly at them, and I felt some of the tension I carried in my shoulders ease. I was awed by the powerful effect family and friends had on me.
“What did I get myself into?” Abbey asked humorously.
“Don’t panic, baby,” Jason crooned at her. “I got your back.”
“Don’t worry, Abbey,” Lily chimed in with a smirk, holding her glass of water. “They forget how much three women can be to handle.”
I gazed over at my cousin. I’d barely had the chance to speak with her since my arrival, and we had some catching up to do. The last time we had seen each other, it was the three-year anniversary of the passing of her parents and sister, and I had been rough on her. I wanted to make things right between us, but a bar was hardly the place, so I made the decision to let it go for now.
“Abbey doesn’t need any help.” Gail snorted, cutting off my wandering thoughts. “She has no problem snapping out orders. I’ve seen her at work before.”
“This is true.” Jason chuckled. “You can effectively boss the three of us around all week on the job site while knocking away at your own tasks simultaneously.”
“My sister, Abbey, bossy?” Kyle asked jokingly. A deep laugh escaped his chest. “Never!”
“We know who wears the pants in that house!” Damon chimed in between sips of his beer.
“You got that right.” Abbey winked at Damon.
Jason nuzzled against Abbey’s cheek. “Baby, I only let you think that because I love you.”
“And I’ll let that slide only because you ended that sentence well,” Abbey retorted to Jason. Then, she glanced around. “Where is Audrey? She’s supposed to be here by now.”
“Audrey’s coming?” Lily asked excitedly from her seat.
“Yes, Gail and I have some”—Abbey paused as if catching herself—“news to share with her.”
My eyes shifted to Gail, who was beaming a million-dollar smile. It must be some good news. Now, I was curious to know what was going on. I was quickly learning to never underestimate what a bunch of women gathered together in one room would say.
“Yeah, we do.” Gail snickered. “That is, if we can convince Audrey of our plan.”
“Uh-oh.” Lily sipped her water, glancing between Gail and Abbey. “What did I miss?”
“You’ll see.” Gail winked and then looked downward. She retrieved her phone out of her pocket and swiped her finger across the screen, lighting it up. “Speaking of Audrey,” she murmured, reading her screen. “Ah, what a buzzkill. Audrey can’t come out tonight.”
“Why not?” Abbey and Lily both asked over the music.
“Her car broke down on her way home from some errands this afternoon, and apparently, her parents won’t let her borrow theirs,” Gail replied with a frown.
“Gosh, her mom and dad are always such assholes to her.” Abbey sighed sadly.
That got my full attention.
“I know. I don’t know why Audrey continues to put up with all their bullshit,” Gail agreed as we all listened. She started texting on her phone. “I’m asking her if I can come and pick her up. That girl needs a break from her mother—aka the Wicked W
itch of the West.”
My whole body went tense at hearing Abbey and Gail talk about Audrey’s parents and the way they treated her.
What the fuck is going on?
I glanced over at Jason and Damon for answers, but they both just shrugged at me, appearing to have no information on the matter.
“Oh, good!” Gail said with excitement in her tone as she jumped from her chair. “Audrey said I could pick her up.”
Damon’s arm wrapped around her waist, and he pulled her back against him. “Oh no, you’re not. You’ve already had too much to drink.” He glanced between Jason and Kyle as they held their beers in their hands. “We all have, except for Lily, of course.”
“I haven’t,” I cut in, knowing I had an unmistakable urge to see Audrey. I wanted to figure out what in the hell Gail and Abbey were talking about with Audrey’s parents. An overwhelming primal need to protect her from any type of threat kicked in hard. “I’ll pick her up,” I added, using a tone not to be argued with.
Six pairs of wide eyes landed on me, but I did not care. Audrey had constantly been on my mind, and I had known it would only be a matter of time until I caved and pursued her. Knowing she was in trouble with her family had tipped me over the edge.
“Okay…” Gail said in a stunned voice, her eyes wide. Then, her brows drew together. “You should know, Audrey might be”—her voice faltered—“surprised to see you.”
I had no idea what Gail meant by that statement, but nothing would keep me from setting eyes on that green-eyed beauty this evening. I had to see her and know that she was all right. Nothing would stand in my way.
“I’m going to get her,” I said confidently, unable to explain the compulsion I felt inside. I didn’t even understand it myself. No one had ever affected me so.
Gail nodded and rattled off the address with directions. I was out the door with an indescribable pull to find Audrey.
I turned off my Ford F-250 and double-checked the address above the garage door directly in front of me. It dawned on me that I had jogged past this house at least twice this week during my nightly runs.
The small house was two stories with a peak at the top of what appeared to be an attic. It was an off-white color with blue gutters and matching window trim. The front patio was filled with brown wicker furniture, including two chairs and a swing.
I exited my truck to start walking up the short sidewalk leading to the front door. As I neared, I heard bickering coming from inside the house, and then a man yelled loudly. My whole body went taut as soon as I heard Audrey’s strained yet calm voice join in.
I wanted to bust through the door, throw the beautiful blonde over my shoulder, and leave. Somewhere in the middle of all that would be an ass-kicking to whoever was speaking so rudely to her. It was simply unacceptable. I balled my hands into fists and restrained myself, knowing I would probably scare Audrey shitless in the process. I had to find another way to help her.
My gaze landed on the doorbell, and I lifted my finger to press it. All noise in the house came to a dead halt. After what felt like fucking forever, the door cracked slightly open. Audrey flew out of it with rapid speed. Without looking at me, she spun herself around and slammed the door closed behind her. As she rotated again, she walked right into my chest with surprisingly strong force. It all happened so fast that I barely had time to band my arms around her slender waist to catch her from falling.
“What the—” Audrey screeched, attempting to jump back, as her gaze locked on mine.
I meant to release her by now, but my brain was clouded and distracted by the sweet scent of her perfume and the way her body felt against mine. She must have felt it, too, because her breathing had changed, now matching my own, and those green eyes of hers widened in pure surprise.
“Blake! What are you doing here?” Her voice shook with nerves.
“Gail was already drinking at the bar, so I offered to pick you up,” I explained, looking down at her.
“Oh.” Audrey frowned.
As if coming to her senses, she tried to back out of my arms again, and I let her go this time. Her back bumped into the closed front door behind her, making a thump.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to,” I admitted truthfully, not feeling the need to hide it.
Her mouth dropped open, and her expression showed she was at a loss for what to say.
I suddenly felt out of my element, but I softly inquired, “What was all of that?” I gestured to the house in front of me. All the while, I restrained myself from bursting through her front door and yelling at who I assumed was her father who had been disrespecting her.
Audrey closed her eyes for a few seconds, but it seemed to last forever. When she opened them, it was as though visible shields had slipped over her stunning eyes, darkening and protecting them. I found myself wishing I hadn’t asked just so I could undo the change and see her, the real her, again. But if I hadn’t asked what was going on, I would have no power to help the underlying cause.
Audrey shook her head. “It was nothing.” She exhaled and then gave me a small smile as if trying to reassure me. “Everything is fine,” she added hastily.
I was not convinced. However, she had no reason to put her trust in me since we barely knew each other. I had a feeling if I continued to probe, I would get nowhere—or worse, I might frighten her. Against my better judgment, I let the subject go—for now.
“All right.” I tilted my head toward my truck. “Come on. Your friends are waiting for you.”
Audrey expelled a large gulp of air in relief.
I took a backward step to give her some space. She took a forward one to follow, so I turned on my heel and sauntered over to my vehicle. I went to the passenger door to open it for her.
She hesitated and glanced up at me. The vulnerability in her eyes clenched my heart. I had not felt this feeling, that sense of compassion, in so long that I was beginning to wonder if I’d lost it. Yet, standing next to Audrey for less than five minutes had resurrected it from somewhere deep within me, and I was at a complete loss.
I knew I had arrived in the middle of a heated argument with her parents, and I fucking hated seeing the broken, defeated look on her face that she was trying so hard to mask. If I could not fix the problem with her parents at the given moment, then I could damn well make it my purpose to bring the light back into her eyes where it belonged.
“Thank you,” she said softly. She wrapped one hand over the other in front of herself as a protective gesture or to keep some space between us.
Confused, I asked, “For what?”
Audrey’s mouth opened, and then she paused as though holding back what she was originally going to say. “Picking me up,” she offered at last before hopping up into the front seat.
“You’re welcome,” I replied before shutting the passenger door.
I came around to my side, climbed onto the driver’s seat, and started my truck.
Once I hit the main road and knew where I was, I could not refrain myself from asking, “Are you okay?”
Audrey looked over and smiled kindly at me. “Yep,” she responded unconvincingly.
I stifled back a sigh, realizing I would have to earn her trust rather quickly before I lost my mind at her ability to be extremely vague. I admired her strength, but it frustrated me at the same time.
“So, are you settling into the area?” she questioned at my silence, redirecting our conversation from herself.
I let her as I continued to drive, so she would not feel uncomfortable. “I am. It’s very peaceful here, which is new to me.”
“It is,” she agreed with a quick glance my way before looking onward. “The quietness and scenery are two of the things I miss most about living in Lake Tahoe.”
“Why did you leave?” I asked before I could stop myself. I was unable to refrain from invading her privacy because I wanted to know more about her.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Audrey shift to
face me. I kept my eyes on the parking lot as I parked the truck in an empty space, hoping she would open up to me even if it would just be a small part of herself.
“That is”—her appearance was an equal mix of being thoroughly appalled and flustered—“none of your business.”
The little mischievous part of me was powerless to refrain from peeking over at her with a smirk on my face. “For now,” I agreed.
Those green eyes of hers shot daggers at me, and her eyebrows drew together at the center with a challenging look. My blood pumped furiously inside my veins, all heading south.
God, she is even beautiful when she’s pissed. Now that takes character. I impishly grinned on the inside.
“Never,” she corrected, her voice an octave higher. “Maybe we should get one thing straight before we go inside.”
“And what might that be?” I asked, going for innocence.
“You seem like a great guy, Blake, really, but I don’t date,” Audrey stated with utter conviction ringing throughout her voice. “I won’t ever date, so no, my personal life won’t ever be up for conversation.”
Her expression suddenly softened as if she instantly felt guilty for the way she had spoken. But the look in her eyes tried to convey something entirely different. Perhaps it was determination for independence. Seeing such rapidly shifting emotions in her puzzled me.
She added, “I sincerely apologize if that sounded rude.”
Okay, now, my head was spinning. Thank God I was sitting down at the moment.
That whole speech is not something a guy usually hears out of a woman’s mouth—ever. It’s not like I’m proposing marriage here.
“Huh?” I murmured, confounded. “You lost me in the first part. You don’t ever date? What the hell does that mean?”
She gave me a contrite shrug. “I’m sorry,” she breathed softly. “But it is what it is.”
Without another word and without giving me a chance to respond, she spun around, opened the door to jump down from the seat, and scurried away toward the bar, leaving me to stare after her.