She frowned, standing up so she could clean her workspace before she got ready for bed. Alexander was different with everyone since he’d been working toward his sobriety. She wasn’t special in his new attentions, and she would do well to remember that. Just because she’d had a crush—or maybe something stronger than that—on him for years, didn’t mean he had any feelings for her in that way. In fact, it would be better if he didn’t. He was doing so well now, and she refused to do anything to jeopardize that.
Alexander Montgomery needed time to heal, and Tabby wasn’t a part of that.
She’d never been part of it. And that was just fine with her. Or it would have to be.
Her phone rang then, cutting into her music and the dangerous road her thoughts had gone down.
When she checked the readout, she smiled again. “Hey, Dare. I was just thinking about you.”
Her eldest brother chuckled. Though she could hear the sounds of the bar he owned in the background, he must have been off in a private corner since she could hear him pretty clearly. “Adding me into your planner, then?” he teased.
She huffed. “If you were closer, I’d punch you.”
“If you were closer, you’d live in Pennsylvania with the rest of the family and make our poor mother’s heart burst at the seams with happiness,” he said dryly.
She winced at the familiar argument. She’d moved to Colorado for college when she’d gotten a full ride at the University of Colorado - Denver thanks to her grades. It wasn’t the largest university in the state, but she’d wanted to move away from her small town and live in the large city next to mountains that seemed out of this world. Her three older brothers had stayed behind, though they’d gotten even more overprotective in their grumbling.
“You’re laying it on pretty thick, Dare.”
He sighed. “Sorry. Had a hard day at work and figured I’d call you this week instead of you calling me. Just wanted to hear your voice and make sure those Montgomerys were treating you right.”
Tabby’s shoulders relaxed as soon as he said the words, and she smiled softly as they talked. Though they were hundreds of miles away from each other, she was still as close to her family as she had been when she was living in the same small town. Dare, Fox, and Loch had babied her since the time she’d come home from the hospital, and her parents had let them. She’d been fiercely protected, loved, and adored.
And, to be honest, a little stifled. But now that she had a little distance, she knew it had been because of love and not anything else.
After she’d hung up with Dare, she cleaned up her living room and headed into her master bedroom, knowing she didn’t have as much time to take a bath as she’d planned. A short soak to work out the kinks and de-stress would have to be enough.
She turned on the tap and added a bath bomb that turned the water a fizzy purple that smelled of lavender and lemon. While that was going, she stripped off her clothes and piled her long hair on top of her head before putting a mud mask on her face. If she were going to relax for fifteen minutes, she might as well go all out.
As she stared at herself in the mirror, she did her best to think about relaxing and not about the thoughts that had been worming their way into her mind once again.
She needed to go back and search for them.
No, she told herself. She couldn’t continue to look and not only keep herself safe but also keep her sanity intact. It killed her little by little each time she searched for them and came up empty.
Tabby let out a breath and gripped the edge of the counter.
Stop it. Stop it.
With a groan, she pushed herself away and forced those thoughts out of her brain as she slid into the bathtub. She turned off the taps and made herself rest her head on the edge of the tub. She would relax before she went to bed, and then she’d wake up and work like she always did.
There would be no more searching for those she’d lost.
An image of deep blue eyes that were just as lost filled her brain, and she cursed.
And there would be no more thinking about Alexander Montgomery either.
But when she finally got into bed and rested her head on her pillow, she failed on at least one of those things. Alexander filled her dreams until she woke up exhausted, sweaty, and aching for something she couldn’t have.
How freaking embarrassing.
“Do you have the file on the Laymont place?” Wes asked as he frowned over his tablet. “I have it here but I think something’s missing.”
“Maybe if you didn’t spend all your time on your precious tablet and more time with a hammer in your hand, you wouldn’t feel like you were losing things,” Storm said dryly from his desk.
Tabby, used to their banter, quickly pulled out the backup paper file from the cabinet and walked it over to Wes. “Nothing’s missing in the online file. I just checked it. But the owners haven’t decided on the last requirements so we were waiting on that before proceeding. Remember?”
Wes pinched the bridge of his nose as he took the folder from her. “Hell. I knew that. What is wrong with me? I’m usually on point better than this.”
Tabby shook her head and went to the coffee maker they kept in their offices. They had an open floor plan for the five of them—Wes, Storm, Tabby, Decker, and Meghan—and while they kept a break room for everyone with an additional coffee maker, Tabby had found it best to keep the caffeine closer to the Montgomerys at all times. Soon, they would be adding a sixth desk once the new guy, Harper, was ready to move in, and she would have to figure out how to make that work, as well. It was rare for all five of them to be in the office at the same time since most of them worked on the project sites, but when they were all there, tension usually followed.
She quickly made Wes a cup of coffee as well as one for Storm since she was there and handed them over. While it wasn’t exactly in her job description anymore to make them coffee, she couldn’t help herself. Plus, it was better for everyone if the Montgomerys stayed caffeinated.
“We just added on four new projects when we usually only add one or two at a time,” Tabby said smoothly. “The Gallaghers took up that restoration project we passed on because, frankly, that’s their gig and not ours as much anymore, but we’re still over capacity. That’s why you hired Harper, though he hasn’t started yet since he had to finish up his old project before he could start here. You’re working on a hundred different things at once, and you keep forgetting that I’m here to help you so you’re trying to do my work, as well. Not to mention the fact that you neglected to let Decker do his part on the Henderson house at first and put him in a bind because you felt the need to micromanage—something you don’t usually do with Decker. He’s our lead contractor and your brother-in-law and damn good at his job, but for some reason, you’re freaking out about it. So why don’t you sit down at your desk since your pacing is putting me on edge, drink your coffee, and check out the four to-do lists I left for you. They’re color coded just as you like.”
Wes sipped his coffee and stared at her over the brim of his mug. When he lowered his arm, he narrowed his eyes. “You know, people used to think I was the brains behind Montgomery Inc. Now, I’m thinking you took over my job.”
“Hey, I’m sitting right here, you know,” Storm said dryly from his worktable. Though he’d joked with Wes about being on the computer all the time, Storm tended to do many of his designs on software.
She rolled her eyes. “Shut up. We all do our parts, and if we work together, it’s not that scary. When you try to do everything, you get buried. And I don’t mean just you. I mean all of us.”
Wes went back to his desk and plopped down on his chair. “I hate it when you’re right.”
Tabby blinked quickly and made sure her face looked just a bit confused. “Oh, poor baby. You must hate it often, then.”
Storm barked out a laugh as Tabby ducked from the flying ball of Post Its aimed at her head. Wes had decent aim, so she figured he’d missed on purpose. Working wi
th Wes and Storm made it easier day by day to be so far away from her family.
She went back to work, answering phone calls and going through bills as the brothers joked with each other. It was still early in the day, and she knew more people would be dropping in and out of the building throughout the work shift. Montgomery Inc. was one of the top construction companies in Denver. They worked all over the city and each of the suburbs, putting up new buildings and repairing old ones. They did upgrades on smaller homes, as well as new builds on larger office buildings. The one thing they hadn’t tackled yet was a skyscraper since that wasn’t in their division, but she had a feeling if the Montgomerys had the means, they’d see it as a challenge and make one kickass high-rise.
While they worked in one room most of the time while they were in the building, they had other offices as well if they needed privacy or had to meet with clients. She loved the layout and never felt like she wasn’t part of the team or as if she were lower than the others.
A little before lunch, the front door opened, and Meghan, Decker, and Harper made their way in.
“It’s freezing outside, and yet there isn’t a single flake of snow,” Meghan said with a sigh as she peeled off her outer layer of clothes. “I mean, it’s supposed to be winter, and yet we’ve only had two snow storms.”
“And since it’s Denver, it usually just melts a few hours later,” Decker added. “That’s good for us, though. More work on the outsides of the buildings. And since you literally work with dirt, it not being frozen is a good thing.”
Tabby smiled and tilted her head in hello as everyone went to their desks. Well, not everyone. Harper didn’t have a desk yet since he technically didn’t work for Montgomery Inc. for another couple of weeks. Officially anyway.
“Hello, Harper.”
Harper tilted his chin. “Hi, Tabby. I have the rest of the paperwork you needed. Thought I’d drop it off before I head back out to my site.”
He handed over a stack of papers, and she smiled, taking them from him. He could have used the digital booklets she’d set up, but a lot of these guys liked paper more. They all worked with their hands for a living so it only made sense.
“Thank you,” she said and gave the papers a quick glance. “You should be all set once I go through all of this. Welcome to Montgomery Inc.”
Storm came up at that point and put his hand on Harper’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Welcome, man. We’re glad to have you.”
“Hell, yeah,” Decker put in, running a hand over his beard. “I’m glad you’re coming in to help, man.” Harper would work directly with Decker so they could parallel each other when the time came. Decker was the lead contractor but they needed a second so Wes didn’t have to run himself ragged plugging up the holes.
“You guys are the best,” Harper said simply. “I want to work with the best.”
“Damn straight,” Wes said with wink.
“You know what we really need,” Decker said after a moment. “A new plumber. Harrison retired last fall, and having to schedule with contracted companies is killing our timetables.”
Tabby took notes as they spoke, though it wasn’t a full meeting. She always took notes in case someone said something that needed to be taken care of right away or even later and they happened to forget. And as she was the one who helped with the scheduling, she knew they were in desperate need of an in-house plumber.
“I can go through our files and see who we could reach out to. You have anyone in mind?” Tabby offered.
Storm opened his mouth to say something, but paused.
“What?” Wes asked. “You thinking of someone?”
Storm shook his head. “Maybe. No. Not really.”
Tabby shared a look with Wes. Well, that wasn’t cryptic at all. Before Storm could elaborate on his weird statement, the door opened again, and Alexander walked inside. Goosebumps broke out over Tabby’s arms, and she held back a shiver. Damn it. She used to be better about keeping her facade when it came to him, but ever since he’d come back—a little quieter and a little more introspective—she hadn’t been able to focus like she should.
“Hey!” Storm said with an easy smile on his face. “You came.”
Alexander stuffed his hands in the pockets of his coat, pushing the camera bag he carried back just a bit. He rocked on his heels and stared at everyone, a little cautious. The room had gone quiet when he’d walked in, and Tabby had a feeling he hated that.
“You asked me to,” he said softly. “If it’s not a good time, I can come back later.”
Wes moved forward. “You’re always welcome. It’s a family company, after all.”
Something stark flashed over Alexander’s face, and Tabby gripped her pen hard enough to leave an indent on her fingers. “So, what do you need?”
Storm cleared his throat. “I don’t know exactly. I figured we’d give you free rein on what you think would work. Tabby would probably be the one to talk to since she knows where everyone is located at all times, or at least close to it.”
Alexander met her gaze, and she forced herself not to flush—or at least she tried to. It wasn’t like she could actually control that particular body function.
“Sounds like a plan,” he said roughly.
“Let’s go to one of the office rooms and I’ll show you what we had in mind.”
Tabby stood up quickly and gripped her planner—her lifeline—before making her way to him. And though she’d walked through the room countless times before in the heels she wore, the front of her left foot hit the hardwood at just the right spot—or wrong spot depending on how you looked at it.
She tripped, her hands flailing out in front of her. Her planner shot out one way, her pens the other. The others called out to her, and though everything happened in seconds, she could hear each individual voice and see the panicked look in Alexander’s eyes.
Before she hit the ground, though, strong arms wrapped around her and brought her to a hard chest. She grunted as the breath got knocked out of her, and she slid her feet along the floor until she found her balance. Alexander held her firmly to him, his head lowered. She looked up at him, mortified.
“Uh, thank you.”
“You okay?” His voice was low, a bit gruff, and did such horrible things to her. She wanted to press herself flush to his chest and take a bite out of his chin.
And that was not Tabitha Collins.
She didn’t drape herself around a man and swoon like some Regency heroine.
Screw that.
She pulled herself away and straightened her clothes. “Thanks for catching me. I seem to like making an entrance…even after I’m already in the room.” Storm had picked up her planner, and she took it from him, resisting the urge to clutch it to her chest and make sure it was unharmed.
“So, now that I’ve shown you my graceful walking skills, let’s head over to the office.” She turned on her heel—carefully this time—and strode toward the rooms in the back, careful not to make eye contact.
She’d just made a fool of herself in front of the man her heart refused to forget, and now she had to work with him on this next project. Closely.
It seemed today was going to be a very long day.
Very long.
Chapter Three
Alex held back a wince as his brother, Austin, dug in deeper, working on the shading part of his new tattoo. He was on his side, Austin hovering over him as his older brother finished up the last of the tree design they’d been working on along Alex’s ribs. It might be cliché to want a symbol of rebirth and growth on his body, but it had been done countless times before for a reason.
He was trying to be a new man while attempting to remember where his roots needed to grow so he could stand up straight against the fierce and gaping hollowness that had been his past.
“Need a break?” Austin asked as he wiped down some of the ink, blood, and plasma that had seeped out with each passing wave of the needle.
“We’re almost done, a
ren’t we?” Alex asked. He sucked in a breath as Austin went over a particularly tender part of his ribs. While most people usually hit the point of the inking process where euphoria set in, Austin had stopped tattooing right when Alex had passed the point of pain and entered into that buzz. Alex didn’t want any connection to the buzz, the happiness that came from getting a tattoo—not when he could go too far and make a mistake.
Ink was an addiction for some people, and Alex couldn’t afford another craving.
“We are,” Austin rumbling, continuing his work. “I just don’t like seeing you wince.”
Alex chuckled softly, trying not to move while Austin did his work. “I thought all big brothers liked picking on little ones.”
Austin grinned then, a flash of white under that big beard of his. “Yeah, and you’re the littlest of all my brothers, so you would think that’d be my goal. But, nah, I like you guys too much to want to keep punching the lot of you, especially since I’m over forty now.”
Alex was the youngest son of the Montgomery clan. Only Miranda was younger among the eight of them. Yet other than Meghan and her first marriage, he had been married the longest before his divorce. He’d been young, just nineteen, and an idiot when he’d gotten married. Now he felt far older than his years—divorced, broken, and a hell of a lot stronger than he was before.
Or maybe that was weaker.
He just didn’t know anymore.
“How’s Austin doing?” Maya asked as she made her way over to them. She smiled down at him without her usual smirk, and he wanted to sigh. He missed that smirk—the one she gave the rest of her siblings as a sign of love. Oh, Maya might still love him, but she was always so damn careful around him. All of them were.
Yet he couldn’t blame them.
“All done,” Austin said. “He’s just fine, Maya. You’re just jealous that he came to me instead of you.”
Alex grinned as Maya flipped him off. The two owned and operated Montgomery Ink and always fought over who got to tattoo their friends and family. Like the rest of his siblings, he took turns between them, and it just happened that his first tattoo since he’d gotten out of rehab was Austin’s. The fact that it was also his biggest one had to annoy Maya, so he figured, at some point, he’d go through the whole ordeal again on the other side of his ribcage. He was going to end up with an entire body full of ink one day—just like the rest of them.
Ink Exposed Page 3