by Natalie Ann
Yep, some might say she had issues to overcome in her life. A mother that was hard and bitter, a father that was absent, a sister that was pulled into a cult and two successful older brothers. But all she saw was what she had that she was trying to hold together.
“How is my girl doing?” Evan asked his niece Scarlet when Kaelyn walked in the front door.
Scarlet babbled her form of Uncle Evan that sounded more like the letter E and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Did you just get home?” Kaelyn asked. “I figured you’d still be working and was going to drop off these cookies for you and leave them on the counter.”
“Yeah, I cut out early. I’ve got a raging headache and aspirin wasn’t cutting it.”
“Do you feel okay?” she said, handing him the cookies and reaching for her daughter. “Maybe we should leave.”
“Don’t take my girl from me,” he said, turning and moving to the back of the house with Scarlet in his arms. “It’s one of those days where everything that could go wrong did. I was ready to call it a day once everything was under control.”
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Nothing major. Nothing more than what normally goes on. Business is great and booming but schedules are tight. People are out. There were issues at one of the apartment complexes I had to check out then figure who I could pull from where.”
“That’s your job,” she said. “You could have put your little laptop down and gotten your hands dirty and helped out.”
He half snarled at her. “I miss swinging a hammer and am slightly jealous of Ryan that he gets to be more hands on, but we all have our places in the business.”
“You could have another position,” she said.
“No. This is what I always wanted. It’s like any other job though, there are good days and bad ones.”
He’d gone to school for construction management. He could build the house just like his father, brother, and cousin. He had worked on them all through high school. But he didn’t want to do it his whole life. He wanted to be the one calling the shots. The one that was right and everyone knew and came to him for answers. He liked being the oldest and knew he had to step up with it.
“That’s because you like to tell everyone what to do,” Kaelyn said.
“Exactly.”
“But some of us don’t like to listen to you...even if you think you mean well.”
He snorted. His baby sister had put him in his place more than once over the years that she knew what she was doing and didn’t need him watching over her.
He’d argue it was his job and she’d throw it in his face to back off. He’d like to say he finally stepped back, but he wasn’t sure he ever would.
He tugged on her hair and then started to give Scarlet kisses on her cheek to make her giggle. He wasn’t as much of a hardass as everyone thought he was. At least not as much.
“I always mean well.”
“So, who are your new neighbors?” she asked. “I saw the SUV pull in when I was walking to the door.”
“No clue,” he said. “I haven’t even seen them. A package was delivered here by mistake yesterday and I brought it over and left it on the porch, but I haven’t seen anything other than two cars in the garage.”
“You haven’t even noticed them getting in and out?” she asked.
“Nope. I’m in the back of the house more so I wouldn’t see that. I’ve got no reason to go look out the window. Did you see anything?” he asked.
“No. The door shut before whoever was driving got out. You had to have seen their name on the package.”
“Since when have you become so nosy?” he said, setting Scarlet down as she started to wiggle. She’d take off running and looking at everything soon. He’d have to find some toys to keep here for her at some point, he was thinking. Of course, it’s not like his sister lived that far away, just a few miles over in the newer section of the development where Harris bought one of the biggest houses built in recent years.
“Just curious. I know you can’t stand having neighbors that bug you.”
“I can’t stand it when they find out who I am and then start complaining about the development,” he corrected.
“I get it,” she said. “Harris is still nervous about too many people knowing where we live and he worries about Scarlet.”
His brother-in-law was worth mega millions. More millions than Evan and his family. Not that many knew their exact wealth, but it was steep, only it was tied into the business more than their pockets.
“As he should be,” he said.
“We are too used to people wanting us for the wrong reasons,” Kaelyn said.
He snorted. Been there and done that.
The women he spent time with now were just those out for fun. If he got the inclination they wanted more, he was finding reasons to be somewhere other than with them.
Did he tell his family he wasn’t changing who he was? Well, that was the truth. There was a reason for it.
If someone didn’t like him for the person he was rather than what he could offer them, then they could go screw themselves with a very moldy cucumber.
He was who he was and he was happy that way.
Maybe.
5
Porch Pirate
Evan was mopping his kitchen floor when his doorbell rang and his phone went off with an alert of someone on the porch. He grabbed his cell off the counter and glanced quickly and saw UPS again and knew he didn’t have a delivery.
He put the mop down and decided to take his time since there was no way he could catch the driver that was pulling away to let him know he’d gotten the wrong house again. Here he was happy that his neighbor seemed to be keeping to himself, but the deliveries were becoming a pain in the ass.
And of course it was a big box on top of it when he pulled the door open and saw “Parker Reed” on it once again. It’s not even like he could yell at the dude for putting the wrong address down but rather it was the delivery driver who couldn’t figure it out.
He picked the box up, thankful it wasn’t heavy, just awkward, and then walked across the street since he saw the garage door open with two cars in there. An SUV and sporty little Mercedes. Guess the dude’s girl had some good taste, as that was more a chick’s car. He wasn’t sure he could even fit in the two-door vehicle.
He was bending over to put the box down and ring the bell when the door opened.
“Don’t even think about stealing that,” the woman he’d been admiring while she jogged a few days ago said. “I’m ready to call the cops and report you as a porch pirate.”
He was too stunned to say anything, but stood up and finally got a “Huh?” out.
“What, are you buffering?”
What the hell was she talking about? And damn, she was stunning up close.
Her brown hair was down and around her shoulders. Light brown eyes. Almost caramel. Sharp cheekbones and obviously a razor tongue to match. She had shorts on that should be illegal they were so high up on her long toned legs and then he noticed she was staring at him as he gave her the once over.
If she truly thought he was stealing the package, he was almost afraid she might tackle him to get it back.
Hmm, maybe he wouldn’t mind having her on top of him rolling around on the grass.
Then it registered what she’d asked him. “Buffering? What the hell is that?”
“You know, like when a computer is stuck and the circle is spinning while it’s trying to process something. You’re staring at me like you don’t know what to do over the fact you’d been caught.”
“Caught?” he said. “More like dropping your package off that twice now has been delivered to my house.”
“What?”
“I live across the street,” he said. “Two days ago UPS dropped a box off and I brought it over and left it on the porch. Since I saw the garage door open I figured someone was home and was going to ring the bell. Parker Reed lives here, right? Or did I drop his package off
at the wrong house like that idiot UPS driver did the other day.”
She started to laugh at him and her hand lowered that was holding the phone. “Sorry. I’m not sure what is funnier. Me thinking you’re trying to steal my new bedspread and pillows or you thinking I’m a man.”
“You’re Parker?” he asked.
“I am. And you are?” she asked, holding her hand out. “Sorry, but I should at least apologize for attacking you like that. A girl can’t be too careful alone.”
Alone, she said. Hmmm. Okay, guess there was no guy here. Or he was assuming that and maybe she was just alone at the moment.
But now that he was here he had to introduce himself and hope to hell she didn’t latch on or call him for some issues with the house.
“Evan Butler,” he said, reaching his hand out to hers to shake. The minute their palms touched it felt like electricity shot up his arm.
She must have felt it too because she laughed and jumped back. “Thanks for the shock. So Butler, as in owning this development?”
“I don’t own the development,” he said. “My grandfather built Paradise Place. So if you are asking if I’m that Butler, then yes. I work for the family business.”
Her eyes roamed over his body and he felt more heat moving into places that would make it rude if he mentioned them. He’d like to think she appreciated what she saw, but who was he to judge or even ask.
“I bet you don’t sit at a desk,” she said.
“Not if I can avoid it, but I do walk around with a laptop more often than not barking orders.”
“I could see that,” she said. “And I’m being rude. You were nice enough to bring this over and I’ve got you standing on the porch. Please come in if you’d like. Can I get you a beer?”
“I don’t want to keep you from anything,” he said.
“I just finished painting my bedroom,” she said. “I was washing my hands when I got a text my package was delivered and I was coming down to get it.”
“A beer might not be bad. If you don’t mind, I could use one. But I don’t want to keep you if you’re doing things.”
“Not doing much and could use the break. I painted my office and the small half bath the night I moved in before I had to fly out of town.”
“What do you do?” he asked. Might as well ask since she was being open and friendly. They’d gotten off on the wrong foot and then he didn’t want to be the ass that wasn’t trying either.
“I’m a pharmaceutical sales rep.”
Which might explain why it didn’t seem like someone was home those first few days after the house had closed. “So you aren’t around much then?” he asked.
“Afraid I might be having some loud parties?”
He followed her to the back of the house. He couldn’t remember what this house looked like when it was built, as the last owners had changed things and painted, but the paint didn’t look new in the main living area. Gray with a white and gray kitchen. The cabinets had been upgraded along with the appliances and the counters from the standard package, but it all looked the same as when it was built.
“I’m not around too much for that, but there are plenty of law enforcement in the development if things get out of hand.”
She smiled and the heat filled him once again. Damn, that had never happened to him before. “I know Ruby’s husband is one. She’d told me she lived here and her husband is an investigator. One of his friends is too or something?”
“Nathan Randal. Yes. I think he might be an investigator now. He was a trooper when he bought the house. Or maybe he still is. I can’t remember everything even though Whitney does and is always talking about it. I think he’s getting married next month too.”
“Sounds like you remember enough. Who is Whitney? Your wife?”
He started to laugh. “My cousin Whitney Butler. She works for the family business too.”
“Oh,” she said. “I thought it was the woman and child that was there last night.”
“Are you watching my house?” he asked, his smile dropping.
“No. That would be rude and it’s not me,” she said firmly. She got cool real fast too. Looked like they both could get their backs up.
“Sorry if I insulted you, but you can’t imagine what it’s like when people know I live here and want things done or have issues.”
No reason to talk about women that wouldn’t leave him alone even after he’d ended things with him.
“I’m sure that is frustrating. However, I was coming home last night and when I pulled in the driveway I saw a woman and small child and thought there was a young family living across the street more than anything else.”
“My sister, Kaelyn, and my niece, Scarlet,” he said. “My bad for jumping like that. I’ve been told a time or two I’ve got a quick flash response and can come off like a jackass.”
“I might have been told that too. Not that quick flash response but the jackass part. And I’m sorry. We seem to be getting off to a bad start. How about that beer that I should have gotten for you?”
“Only if you’re having one,” he said, waiting to see what she’d do or say.
“Sure.” She pulled out two glasses and then said, “Check out what I’ve got and take your pick. I’ll drink any.”
He opened the fridge and saw three nice IPAs, and grabbed two. “Good taste in beer,” he said to her.
“My brothers will be here tomorrow for dinner. I know what they like.”
“My sister is the same way with me and Christian.”
She poured both beers and then handed his over. “Another brother?” she asked. “Do you want to sit on the deck?”
“That’s fine,” he said, following her to the deck and sitting in the shade. It was quiet and secluded back here like his own backyard. “And yes, Christian is my brother. He works for the family business too.”
“I figured as much, though I’m not sure I could work with my family no matter how big the company was.”
“It has its moments,” he admitted. “But my mother and aunt never worked that I can remember more than filling in at the office. They had kids fast and raised us.”
“So it’s more than your father by the sounds of it?”
“Just conversation or more?” he asked.
“Conversation over a beer. I can get on the website and probably find out everything you are going to tell me if that is what you’d prefer.”
She was right. No reason to not answer her. “My father, Michael, and his brother, my Uncle Matt. They are more into acquiring other properties now or on the commercial end of things. I’m the oldest of the kids and oversee all the projects at a higher level.”
“So you get to deal with all the bull crap,” she said.
“Exactly,” he agreed, taking a sip of his beer. “Some days I miss taking my mood out with some tools, but most days it’s better this way. Christian is an engineer. Kaelyn doesn’t work for the company. She’s a physical therapist and sometimes I think she was the smart one.”
“Women can be,” she said, smirking at him.
“So I’m told a lot in my life. My cousin Whitney does everything in terms of ordering and new construction contracts in the office. She plays nice when the rest of us don’t. Her younger brother, Ryan, oversees the construction crews and gets to slam shit around when he wants.”
“Sounds like that might be the best part of that job.”
“I used to think so when I did it. So tell me about you?”
“I told you what I do for a living. I was just assigned a more local territory, meaning I’m on the road in the car instead of an airplane.”
“So that would be the two cars in the garage. The Mercedes has to be your personal one.”
“Yeah, they don’t normally hand those out as company cars,” she said, laughing. “Though that would have been nice. I’ve got two older brothers. Marcus and then Jeremy. I came six years after Jeremy and then my sister Erin two years after me.”
“Big fami
ly like us. Are they around here?”
“My parents live in Latham. We moved here when I was a freshman in high school. My brothers were in college then and both work in the area now. Our family is mostly close. Erin is no longer with us,” she said.
“I’m sorry,” he said, staring into her eyes. He could tell she didn’t want to talk about it and he wasn’t going to ask. “Where did you move from?”
She smiled as if she appreciated he didn’t pry too deeply, then realized he never had conversations with women like this and wondered what was going through his own head.
“Chicago. We’ve moved around a lot with my father’s job. He works at GE, but we’ve been here now for a long time. I think he’ll retire here, but who knows if they will stay? My mother talks about wanting to live in a warmer area. My brothers will stay in New York. At least for the foreseeable future. I don’t think they want to start taking more tests and getting other licenses.”
“They can only work in New York?” he asked.
“They are both doctors and started practicing in the past few years or less. Some states cross over with licenses, but not all.”
He was trying to figure her age out and then what her brothers might be doing since they were older. Knowing they just started working led him to believe they might be specialists. Again, he wouldn’t ask, not his business.
“So how do you like the development so far?” he asked.
“It’s nice. You saw me running the other day, so I was checking out different areas.”
She called him out and he’d give her credit for that. “I did. Did I stare too long at you?” he asked.
“I think you were completely fine,” she said with a big grin on her face.
“So then the next question I find myself asking is, just you living here?”
“Yes. And so the same question should be asked right back?”
“Just me,” he said.
“I’ve got a lot more packages on order,” she said, grinning at him. “Wonder if one of them brings you back here again.”