Page 47 of Down & Dirty (Holden Cove #1)

CHAPTER 47

CORY

“ T his is either brilliant or the dumbest stunt you’ve ever pulled,” Mack said, standing beside me with a hammer in his hand. “And with you, that toss up usually leans in the dumb direction.”

My eyes scanned the porch rail we’d just fixed. “Even if it blows up in my face, it’ll still be worth it.”

“You could have just bought one of those new constructions closer to the lake.”

“Nope. No charm. No character.”

“No termites. No drafty windows.”

I gave him a sideways glance. I knew my brother liked this house. He’d never have been so quick to help me fix it up otherwise. Mack was as loyal as the day was long, but if he really thought this place wasn’t worth the effort, he’d have made sure I knew. Instead, he’d shown up the day after I bought the old farmhouse, tools and insults at the ready.

“You have no vision,” I told him, giving the rail a shove to make sure it held.

“You have no job,” he scoffed. “Sinking all that cash into this place seems like a pretty big gamble, considering the woman hasn’t called you in weeks. ”

The same nagging fear stirred in my chest. But I shoved it down. Sky said she needed time. So that’s what I was giving her. I was just making good use of it.

I’d had my eye on this place since Thanksgiving, when she’d practically climbed over the seat to get a look at it on the way to the football game. Joey Jordan’s parents had been holding onto the old farm out of nostalgia more than anything else. And when I offered to buy it for cash, they’d been happy to let it go.

“She’ll call.” Sky might not have given me a time frame, but there was no way she’d ghost me, not after everything we’d been through.

“And if she wants to live someplace beside this sleepy podunk town? She’s a West-coaster.”

“Then I’ll sell it and buy something else. Wherever she wants to be.”

But I wanted to be prepared. Whenever Sky did call me, I was going to get on the next flight out, armed with a home for us to build a life in, and a hell of a lot of apologies.

Mack sighed, scratching the back of his neck like he had something to say. Finally, he huffed out a breath and looked my way. “You sure you’re done racing?”

My family never talked about my career, so it took me a second to register what he’d just asked. “Yeah. I’m done. The team is waiting on the announcement until they can shape the narrative or whatever. But I’m out.”

He shuffled on his feet, looking more uncomfortable by the second. “Well, if this stupid idea works, and you end up back here, we could put you to work, me and Dad. We could use the help.”

“I’ve been saying that for years.”

“Yeah, well.”

“So, you’re offering me a job?” I fought to keep from laughing, but he saw it anyway.

He ground his teeth, turning to stomp down the stairs into the snow. “If you’re too good for it, that’s fine. I know it’s not as refined as those watch ads.”

Working in the construction business sounded about as much fun as licking stamps all day. But even if it didn’t last long, I knew I could get them more organized than they were now. Maybe even scaled up a bit.

“I’m in.”

Mack paused halfway to his truck, glancing back at me over his shoulder. “If she says yes.”

“If she says yes again .”

She’d given me a chance once, and I promised if she did again, I’d never make her regret it.

“I’m heading out,” Mack called up the stairs as I rolled a second coat of white on the guest bedroom walls.

“Okay. Don’t forget the ladder tomorrow to fix the gutters.”

“Bring it yourself.”

I sighed. “It’s in your basement. You want me coming by to look for it?”

He grumbled an inaudible response, and then, “Stay the hell out of my house.”

“Sounds good, see you tomorrow.” I chuckled, dipping my roller in the pan as his truck pulled out, the sound of the snow crunching under his tires.

It was finally starting to stay lit past five, so I wanted to get at least one more coat done in this room before I called it a day.

When I heard the sound of him pulling back in, I shook my head, dropping the roller to go down and meet him. I didn’t need him tracking any more snow over the hardwood floors than he already had.

But when I yanked the door open, the air in my lungs turned to ice. “Skylar?”

She gave me a weak smile, shrugging one shoulder as she shut the do or to a rented four by four. “Your dad told me where to find you.”

My feet were stuck in place on the top step, and I leaned into the rail, glad we’d fixed that first.

“I guess you’re ready?” I asked, huffing out a laugh, because suddenly I wasn’t. The sight of her threw me so far off balance, I felt like I’d need more than a minute to regain myself.

She came around the hood of the car, her steps hesitant as she took in the state of the house. It wasn’t ready for her yet either.

“I wasn’t expecting you to see it like this.” But whatever fear I had of her appraisal, it faded with the grin that spread across her face.

“What were you expecting?” She cocked a brow, the spark of challenge in her eye giving me hope and making my heart race.

“To fly in with some mocked-up photos of this place’s potential and a lot of promises.”

When she shook her head, her smile slanted. “More Hollywood magic, then?”

“No,” I told her as she hit the bottom step, her face tilted up to hold my gaze. “Nothing fake about this.”

She dropped her eyes to where her hand skimmed up the rail, climbing each step so slowly my palms began to sweat. When she got the top, I backed up to give her room, and she turned to face the driveway and the field on the other side.

“This is quite the spot.”

“You seemed to think so,” I said, working hard to keep the expectation out of my voice. If this wasn’t what she wanted, that was okay too.

Her eyes closed, the air slipping out of her as she swayed beside me. “Thanksgiving.”

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see it. “And then at Christmas you said you liked it here.”

When her eyes opened, they landed on mine and the low angled light made her crystal blue irises glow. Skylar was stunni ng every day, but after missing her for weeks, it almost hurt to look at her.

“Before you decide if you still do, can I show you something?”

There was apprehension on her face, but she nodded and I held out my hand. I tried not to let her see me wince when she took it, her ring finger still bare.

I led her into the house, past the piles of supplies and cans of paint and spackle. She carefully picked her way through the living room, peeking through the doorway to the kitchen before I guided her up the stairs.

Our footsteps echoed around us as the walls lit up in orange and yellow, and my heart beat an unsteady rhythm when I reached for the first door. Skylar was biting her lip, her cheeks stained with a red that could have been from the cold outside. But I think she was as nervous as me.

As I slowly pushed through the doorway, I told her, “I know it seemed like I wasn’t listening to you. I sure as hell didn’t show you I was. But I promise you the only thing I ever wanted was us.” Her eyes scanned the room, growing wide and round as her mouth fell open. “All of us.”

“ Cory ,” she gasped, letting my hand slip free as she stepped further inside. Painted a cool sky blue with a racecar bed and an art table in the corner, Micah’s name was hung on a triangle banner over a dresser. A photo of the three of us was propped up on the corner.

Sky spun in place, her hand on her throat. “I can’t believe you did this.”

“Why not? I love Micah too.”

Water shimmered in her eyes. “I know you do, but,” she looked down, swallowing. “I get that he’s not yours.”

A fire burned in my chest. Micah might not be my son, but he was a rad little human and I’d missed him just as much the last few weeks.

“I don’t need Micah to be mine, Sky. He’s a part of you, and I love e very fucking thing about you. I feel lucky that you both came into my life.”

I took her hand again and tugged her out of the room. We went past the bathroom and I threw open the door at the top of the landing. Crisp white walls and shining hardwood floors surrounded us in the master, but when I turned around, Sky’s eyes were glued to one spot in the room.

The wall of photos had been one of the first projects I’d finished. I’d needed it, coming in here every day before I left to remind myself of what we’d had. Of what I was fighting for.

“This is us, baby,” I said, pointing to the wall of photos.

Selfies from last fall. Blurry shots I’d snapped with my phone. Her face in the morning light. My chin above her head when I’d cut myself out of the frame trying to take a picture of the two of us. A shot she’d taken of Micah and I playing Legos in her tiny hotel suite.

A tear streaked down her face as her eyes flicked from one image to the next.

“I quit racing. Because risking all of this was the most arrogant, selfish thing I’d ever done. And I promise you, I will never, ever , make you doubt how much I want this life with you again.”

She was shaking her head, her breath coming out in choppy bursts.

“And if you don’t want to live in Maine, that’s fine. I’ll sell this place and buy another one. Because wherever you and Micah are, that’s my home.” I stood in front of her, taking her hands, the tremble in them matching mine. “You’re my home remember, gorgeous? Please let me be yours again.”