I internally roll my eyes and find the inbox in the app, opening the new message that came in.
Stud123: Hey cutie wats up?
I roll my eyes before staring back at the phone as if that eye-roll would’ve magically changed the message I received. Dating sucks. I don’t even know why I did this. I was feeling like I’d miss my opportunity to meet the guy. You know, the one who gives you butterflies with a brief look. The guy who hugs you when nothing is going right in your life. The guy who smiles a secret smile just for you. The guy. I’m starting to think he doesn’t exist.
I didn’t even tell my friends I created an account on this app. No one knows—it’s my best-kept secret. Mostly because I’m embarrassed by what they’d think. I just have no idea how else I’d meet someone.
I delete the message without responding when an older message a few rows down jumps out at me. How did I miss this one?
I click on the message and read it. Okay, this guy seems normal. He greets me politely and asks how I’m doing. He gets bonus points for spelling everything correctly and using proper punctuation.
Tapping on his profile picture, I scroll through, reading his biography and zooming in on his two pictures. He’s cute. No Chris Hemsworth, but I’m no Victoria’s Secret model either. Realistic expectations are key. That’s what I’m learning.
Oh goodness, who’s going to want to date a thirty-year-old that has to move back in with her parents? My head flops back onto the couch, and I take a deep breath. I close the app without responding to this guy and shut down my laptop. My mind is wired, and I just need to grab my book and lie in bed until I fall asleep. That’s the only thing that will help me relax right now.
…
“Hey, I’ve been calling you since yesterday.”
I look up from the page I’m reading in my book and see Averly’s worried furrow greet me. “Hey.” I bookmark the page and close the book on my lap. “I’ve been working on the edits for Axel and Lia’s photos. Sorry.”
Averly sits on the armchair across from me in Cup-O-Joe, the coffee shop in town, and my favorite place to come and read when I need a break.
“How are you feeling?” I ask before taking a drink of my coffee.
“Much better.” Averly sighs, her shoulders relaxing as she mindlessly rubs her belly.
“I’m glad. What’s up?”
“Oh! Yeah, why I called you. Pregnancy brain and all that, but listen… I was thinking about the apartment situation and talked to Eli since he does remodels and maybe had heard about something opening up. He’s been working for Finn on our grandpa’s old barn to repurpose it into a small farmhouse. It’s almost done, and Finn might be interested in renting it. I know it’s further out than you’re used to, but it’s a great place. Not as cute as my cottage in The Farm House, obviously,” she adds playfully. Averly bursts into a wide smile.
“Seriously?” My eyebrows shoot up on my forehead. “The handful of available apartments are super expensive, so I’m guessing if Finn wants to rent this out, he’ll want to take advantage of the booming market.”
“Abbie, you’re one of my best friends. Finn isn’t the sole owner of that property. It’s our family’s, and he simply had the idea of converting it into a useful space before the weather tore it down. I’ll talk to him.” She nods with confidence. Finn is Averly’s brother, and if he’s willing to rent the small house, it’d be heaven-sent.
“Do you want to go see it?” She perks up.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at The Farm House?” She lives and breathes that bed and breakfast, even on the weekends.
“I got kicked out.” Averly purses her lips.
“Really?” My eyes pop open in surprise.
“Yeah,” she shrugs. “Melissa told me I needed a break. I was getting too worked up, and it was bad for the baby, and I hired her to look after everything so I could relax.” Her nostrils flare, and she rolls her eyes, the sarcasm dripping from her voice.
“Wow. Good to see you relinquishing some of the control around there.”
“Please, don’t remind me. I’m struggling with not driving back to make sure the waterslide is running smoothly, and no kids are hurt.” It’s good that she has someone to help her. Averly takes on too much on her own as it is.
Knowing that seeing the house will help distract her, I nod. “Sure, show me this house.”
“Awesome.” She stands. “And thanks, I know you’re just amusing me, so I don’t stress about work.” She links her arm in mine and grabs her tea before walking out of Cup-O-Joe.
Finn
I tie my horse, Midnight, to a post by the farmhouse just as Averly is pulling in with Abbie. I rode over from our ranch when I saw her message.
“How’s my little sis?” I smirk as I stroll over to her, wiping my brow beneath my brown hat, and give her a hug.
“Bloated,” Averly deadpans.
I chuckle and shake my head. “Your humor just gets better and better. Hey, Abbie.”
“Hi, Finn,” Abbie gives me a tight smile that does nothing to hide her stress.
“Everything okay?” I lift my brows and look at her.
“Yeah,” she nods in determination.
“Averly mentioned something about you moving? The message didn’t go into detail. What’s going on?” I place my hands in my pocket and rock on my heels as she explains her situation. Her frown deepens as she tells me how she has to move out in three weeks.
“That sucks.” I scratch the back of my neck. “I didn’t have any plans for this house yet since we’re just finishing it up, but maybe we can work something out. It will be a good way to make back some of the money I’ve invested in it. That husband of yours didn’t want to give me a friends and family discount,” I turn to Averly and tease her.
“He gave you a very generous brother-in-law price.” My sister arches an eyebrow, defending her husband.
“Asshole,” Eli shoots at me as he walks down the path from the house and meets us on the front lawn. “Hey, babe. You’re not at work.” He lifts his brows as he leans in and kisses her forehead. I catch Abbie’s eyes and roll mine in exaggeration. She bites down her giggle and looks toward the house.
“I got kicked out.” Eli’s eyes widen as I chuckle. Leave it to Averly to get kicked out of her own bed and breakfast. Knowing her, she was driving everyone crazy with her overworked mind.
“Again?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Averly crosses her arms and faces me. “We’re here for Abbie.”
I nod and say, “Come on, let’s go inside.” I tilt my head toward the house.
We walk into the open space. It’s small, but it would be perfect for someone like Abbie. I hated to see this barn deteriorating as it aged, and I know how much my grandfather loved it. He refused to build anything bigger or more modern, saying this was the way the true cowboys worked. Before it crumbled, I had the idea of making it into a house.
“This is beautiful.” Abbie looks around the living space and tilts her head back to look at the sloped ceiling that is true to the original barn my grandpa built.
“Eli and his team did a great job. We worked with the space, so it’s an open plan, but the bedroom is private. The bathroom is here,” I point to the door across from the bedroom.
The repurposed wood keeps the weathered look. We added black-framed windows so natural light could come in. If I didn’t have my own house, I’d live here.
“Honestly, it’s perfect.” Abbie spins around before looking at me with a worried frown.
“What’s with the face then?” My eyes scan her face in amusement.
“What’s your asking price?” Her lips purse and her body tenses as if waiting for a blow that will knock her off her feet.
“We can work something out. Like I said, I have no plans for this house at the moment, but I wanted to save the structure before it fell since my grandfather loved this barn so much. It was going to sit empty for some time, so we can help each other out.”
/>
“Okay…” she narrows her eyes.
“Pay me what your current rent is now. Does that work?” My hands sneak into my jean pockets.
“Are you serious?” her voice spikes in disbelief.
“Yeah.”
“Thank you, thank you, Finn!” Abbie clutches her hands in front of her chest and releases a deep sigh. “You have no idea how much you just helped me. If you ever need pictures taken, I’m your girl. On the house. Literally,” she giggles.
“You got it, Abbs.” I smile.
She asks about contracts and the deposit, all things I hadn’t thought about yet, so we come up with terms before heading back outside where Averly and Eli are waiting.
I’ve known my sister’s friends since I was a kid, so anything I can do to help them, I will. It’s what our community is all about here.
Abbie’s the quiet one of the group. She only opens up once she knows you well, and I can imagine the stress of having to find a new place to live when you’re kind of a loner. When we were kids, and she’d come over the house, I’d sometimes catch her reading in our patio while Averly, Poppy, and Faith were inside doing their nails.
“So?” Averly asks.
“She’s movin’ in,” I smile, answering for Abbie.
Averly squeals and hugs Abbie. I look at Eli, who is staring at me with confusion and gives me a shrug. Women, I shake my head.
“Are you sure I can move in next week?” Abbie looks at me with hopeful eyes.
“Of course. The appliances will get here soon, right, Eli?”
“They are the only thing that’s missing, and I have a delivery scheduled for Monday, so you’ll be good to go.”
“You guys are the best,” Abbie’s shoulders sag as they release tension.
“We’ve got your back.” I smile and tip my hat as if I were in an old western film.
“Thanks.” Abbie seems visibly more relaxed than when she arrived with Averly.
I’m glad we could figure out a solution for her. I have a weakness for beautiful women, and the way Abbie is so oblivious to her own beauty is enough to bring me to my knees. I’m not blind to it.
“Will you be at Clarke’s tonight, Finn?” Averly asks.
“Yup. Guessing you will?” I narrow my eyes. She’s been more of a homebody lately, so I’m surprised she’s mentioning it.
“I really don’t want to, but…” Averly turns her head, and her eyes roll up to look at Eli standing beside her. “Apparently, now is the time to go out and socialize because once this baby is born, I’ll be wishing I was able to have adult time. Basically, Eli is feeding me bullshit excuses to get me out of the house.”
Eli chuckles beside her, wrapping his arms around Averly. It came as no surprise to me when I found out Eli and Averly were dating. I knew it would eventually happen after I recommended him to renovate Averly’s bed and breakfast. What came as a surprise was when he knocked her up. However, he stepped up to the plate right away. Averly took a little longer to get used to the idea.
“It works,” he shrugs unapologetically. “But if you want to stay home and…”
“Hey, buddy, we have barriers we don’t cross, remember? That’s still my baby sister,” I holler. Eli laughs and shakes his head, nuzzling Averly’s neck.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I’m all for them being happy, but I don’t need to see this.
“It’s fun messing with him,” Eli tells Averly, loud enough for all of us to hear.
“Asshole,” I mutter and turn my attention back to Abbie. “Don’t worry about anything. The place will be ready, and you won’t have to stress about where you’re going to live.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Finn.” Abbie’s green eyes meet mine.
“Don’t mention it.” I shake off her compliment and nod. “I gotta get back to work. I’ll see you guys later.” I once again tip my hat and untie Midnight, climbing on and riding away. Few women are off-limits, but Abbie Murphy is one of them.
Abbie
I have a place to live. I want to shout it from the rooftops, but then I’d die of mortification when everyone’s attention is on me. The house is stunning. As soon as Averly parked in front of the wooden home with big windows, I fell in love with the surrounding nature and the peacefulness. Cozy and just the right size for me, it felt like home as soon as I walked inside.
I feel such relief. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay Averly and Finn enough for this. When Finn said I could pay him the same amount as my current rent, I wanted to wrap my arms around him and squeeze him in the tightest hug. He didn’t even ask what that amount is.
“Thanks, Averly. I really appreciate you talking to Finn about renting the house.” I look at her as she pulls out of the property.
“Don’t mention it, really. It’s better than having it sit empty after the work that’s been put into it, and it solves your problem. Do you really like it?”
“Are you kidding me? A new house that no one has lived in before on a beautiful piece of property. What’s not to love? Yeah, I’ll have to drive instead of walk to Clarke’s. So what? I was going to have to do that anyway wherever I moved.” I shake my head, checking the time on my phone.
I have time to start packing some of my belongings before going to Clarke’s tonight. I’ve made a deal with myself about getting out of the house more, seeing people. As much as it pains me at times, I need to find a balance between soothing my introvert heart and socializing.
“That’s true. It is a beautiful lot. I’m sure you’ll take stunning photos. Maybe get some inspiration.” Averly’s soft voice calms me. Being a perfectionist and an analytical person allows her to see things clearly at times where I see a mess. I hadn’t even thought about the photos I’d be able take by living outside of town.
“You’re right,” I nod. “It’s going to be great.”
“You’ll come to Clarke’s tonight, right?” She turns to look at me once she’s parked across from Cup-O-Joe.
“Yeah, I’ll go for a bit. I’m going to start packing when I get home and want to edit a few more photos from the wedding, so they’re all done by the time Axel and Lia return from their honeymoon, then I’ll head over.”
“Awesome. Poppy and Faith are going, too. It’ll be fun. Soon I will be home with a tiny baby demanding all my attention.” Averly frowns.
“Hey, this is a good thing.” I smile and touch her swollen stomach. “It’s an adjustment, but it doesn’t mean your life is ruined.”
“I know,” she sighs, her eyebrows pulled together, creating a valley between them. Her hand gently rubs circles over her belly. “I’m just scared. I’ve never had anything so unpredictable in my life before, and I’m still working through it. I’m ecstatic about this baby and excited to see how life changes.”
I reach over the center console and hug Averly. “Everything is going to be okay,” I whisper.
“Thanks, Abbs. Ignore me, I’m just hormonal and emotional.” I sit back and notice Averly wiping the corner of her eye.
“We’ll spend time together tonight. Enjoy the warm summer night, laugh, and dance.”
“And celebrate your new home!” Her eyes widen as she perks up.
I giggle and nod. “That too.”
I step out of her car and practically skip the entire way to my apartment, giving thanks that I found a place to live. And from what I know, there won’t be a surprise family member moving back to town this time.
…
I look at my friends talking while I nurse my Jack and Coke. The music and loud chatter in Clarke’s are deafening. I lean forward when Faith says something and ask her to repeat it.
“Averly just told me you’re moving into the barn Finn renovated.”
“Yeah,” I call out above the music. “It’s beautiful.” The music comes to a stop as it transitions to a new song, causing my voice to boom all around us. I bite my lip and widen my eyes. My cheeks heat in embarrassment as I look around.
“What’s beau
tiful?” Ainsley, Knox Bentley’s wife, asks.
“I’m moving to a barn-turned-house that Finn fixed up. My landlord needs my apartment for his daughter, who is moving back to town,” I explain without dragging out the details.
“Cool. Averly had mentioned that those renovations were coming out really nice,” Ainsley smiles.
“They really did. The house is beautiful.” I take a drink of my cocktail, the sweet burn moving down my throat.
Knox says something to Ainsley, causing her to giggle and turn toward him. Poppy and Harris are in their own bubble, and Averly and Eli are laughing about something. It seems as if everyone is in a relationship as I look around the bar area.
The message I received a few days ago burns a hole in my phone, so I grab it and open the app. Everyone is busy, even Faith is staring at something on her screen, so I risk typing a reply. I won’t meet anyone if I don’t try on my end. Having a screen between us is a good icebreaker.
It doesn’t take long for him to reply, which surprises me since it’s a Saturday night.
NickRom15: I’m good, how about you? I was already thinking I wouldn’t hear from you.
His response makes me smile since he was aware of the fact that he had even sent me a message, that I wasn’t just one of many messages he sent in hopes someone would reply.
BookishAbbs: I’m good. Yeah, sorry about that. Your message got kicked down in my inbox
NickRom15: Popular, are we?
BookishAbbs: Not really. More like inappropriate messages.
NickRom15: Oh yeah, the joys of online dating. I get those, too.
BookishAbbs: Really?
NickRom15: Yeah, you wouldn’t believe the things some women send.
BookishAbbs: Oh, wow
NickRom15: I’m glad you wrote back. From what I read on your profile, you seem like a normal person and you like reading
You Make It Easy: A best friend's brother romance (Love in Everton Book 5) Page 2