Page 3 of Waiting for You (Balsam Cliffs #3)

Fucking Liam. He really ruined my day yesterday, making me start the morning with an amazing muffin, then dashing all the happy vibes by forcing me to spend time with Evelyn.

Even if he doesn’t know why I don’t like her, which is so far from the truth, or why I don’t talk to her, he still knows I choose to not be around her.

I wish I could hate her. I wish I could want to stay away from her instead of forcing myself to stay away. I wish my eyes didn’t seek her out every time she’s in my vicinity.

Which is why, instead of tucking tail and running when I see her car outside Emerald Roasters, I go inside to accept my punishment of having to see her in my spaces.

I get in the line to order my coffee and let my eyes wander the room, looking for her.

I finally spot her in the corner booth talking to Mr. Darnell, our local insurance agent.

Her parents never wanted to bother with the small town business.

They’ve always had their offices in Portland and were never competition to Mr. Darnell.

Small towns like the small town guy for their business, not the city guy.

“What can I get ya, Hunter?” Franklin stands with his pad of paper, ready to take my order.

“Mornin’ Franklin, can I get an iced Americano and whatever Vi brought you today.”

“Oh you’re in for a treat. She’s trying out a pumpkin cheesecake muffin today. You’ll have to let her know what you think.” He puts his pad down and switches to the register. I love that he’s old school taking orders. “Seven, please.”

I hand him a ten dollar bill and busy myself with the straw wrapper so my attention isn’t drawn to a certain woman and I get caught staring like the creep I am.

Franklin returns in record time with my coffee and muffin.

Grabbing my food I turn and run out of there as fast as I can with the crowd coming in.

I can blame it on Wyatt if anyone calls me on it.

Today we have the inspectors coming to approve the construction we just did on two of the cabins on his property.

Well, one cabin and one shed that we turned into a cabin.

He’s hoping to use them as long term rental and has the lease ready to go as soon as the inspector approves the certificate of occupancy.

Backing out of my parking spot, I text Wyatt to let him know I’m on my way.

Wyatt: You better not be late. You know that old fucker hates me.

Me: What do you expect when the guy catches you with your fingers in his daughter’s pussy?

Wyatt: I was in high school. Shouldn’t dumb mistakes get left in the past once you graduate? facepalm emoji

Me: Let me know how you feel about that when you have a daughter. laughing emoji

If it’s true that your kid is your karma, Wyatt is fucked. Next to him, we all looked like angels as teenagers.

Pulling into Wyatt’s driveway he’s standing on his front porch waiting for me.

“It’s about time,” he greets me as I get out of my truck.

“It’s literally been four minutes. And we still have ten until he shows up for his fifteen minute early test to see if you’re ready or rushing.” I roll my eyes at both my brother, and this inspector.

Inspector Brighton is a hardass. Not that I have any trouble with my work being up to code, it just makes the process harder and longer than needed.

We fall into step with each other walking over to the first cabin.

I already know the place is perfect. My crew finished last night and I stopped by on my way home from the inn to go through and check everything over.

Of course I didn’t find anything wrong with their work, or even a speck of dust left.

“This place came out so good. I’m really impressed, Hunt.”

“Doubted me?” I raise a brow.

“No. I just didn’t know that a five hundred square foot shed could be such a nice studio cabin in the end.” Wyatt runs his hands along the granite countertop.

We did maximize every square inch of the space with a lofted bedroom. I think he’ll be able to get a good renter in here. The other cabin is a two bedroom, one bath at a thousand square feet. It’ll be perfect for a young couple or young family.

Tires crunch on the gravel driveway and both our heads spin to the front porch. We installed French doors on the front, giving more natural light, and making the small space feel open.

Inspector Brighton climbs out of his truck with his clipboard in hand, walking toward the open doors.

“Hunter, good to see you again.” He shakes my hand, and turns to my brother. “Wyatt.” He only gets a curt nod, nothing else.

This will be fun.

He goes to the back of the cabin and starts in the shower while I pull Wyatt out of the house. He likes to inspect on his own, without me or the owners in his way.

After twenty minutes, he meets us outside. “Ready for the next one?”

“Yes, sir. Want to follow us over there in the truck? It’s a bit of a walk.”

He looks at his watch. “Yeah, let’s do that. I’ve got another inspection scheduled.” Without another word he hops into his truck and we hop on the four wheeler parked outside.

He follows behind us along the dirt path that Wyatt created as a driveway and parks next to us when we get to the larger cabin.

Wyatt stays on the four wheeler and I lean against the hood as we watch Inspector Brighton walk into the second cabin.

“This guy is fucking thorough,” Wyatt states after another twenty minutes.

“He is. But he’s fair, and my crews are good. Sometimes I think he just stays in there to make us sweat it out.”

It takes another ten minutes but he finally emerges.

“You did a good job as usual, Keaton. I wish all the crews out there were like yours. Clean. Above and beyond on code regulations. I never have to worry about you rushing to finish before I show up. Come by my office after three and I’ll have all the paperwork ready for you.

” He reaches out to shake my hand, again ignoring Wyatt.

“Both are approved. You can start renting ‘em out.” Without looking at Wyatt before getting in his truck, he drives off.

Wyatt slaps me on the shoulder. “Hell yeah, brother!”

“I can’t believe you doubted me.” I shake my head.

“I did not.”

“Liar. You were sweating the last ten minutes he spent in there.”

“Who takes thirty minutes to inspect a thousand square feet?” He throws his arms up in the air.

“A thorough inspector who has it out for the owner of the property he’s inspecting.” My head falls back as I let out a big belly laugh at Wyatt’s misfortune.

We get back on the four wheeler and go back to his house. I follow him inside to fill my coffee cup before a busy day spent visiting a few other sites.

“So. Want to tell me why Liam pissed you off by making you help Evelyn Thomas bring her stuff up to the inn?”

“How the hell do you know that? Are you girls gossiping about me?”

He laughs at me. “When it comes to you and Evelyn, yeah, we are.”

“He didn’t piss me off. It was just… early.” Shit. I’m up every day before seven a.m., they all know that.

“You’re lying. Want to hear what I think?” He leans backward on the counter next to me, crossing his ankles.

“Not even a little bit.”

“Lucky for you, I’m going to tell you anyway.

” He takes the coffee cup out of my hand, sipping the black coffee.

“I think you loved Evelyn, maybe even still love her. But you never acted on it because of Roman. Now, you have to watch Roman get his happily ever after with Ems, after going behind your back, and you’re pissed that you gave up on your dream girl because of some outdated, dumbass bro code you two had with your sisters. ”

I swallow hard, letting myself control my reaction while the coffee pot is my only witness. If only he knew how fucking close to the truth he is.

Finally I can turn to face him. “A happily ever after? Have you been joining the girls at Emerald Roasters for book club with Mom?”

“You can throw shade at me all you want, those books are good. But this has nothing to do with the books and everything to do with you. I’m going to let you slide this time, but you need to talk to Rome.

It wasn’t his fault you two acted like idiots in high school, and it’s not his fault you held onto those stupid rules. ”

I roll my eyes at him, putting the lid on my to-go cup. “Yeah. Sure. I’ll stop and grab your paperwork this afternoon.”

I walk out without another word to him and directly into my truck.

It pisses me off how right he is. Especially about the high-school version of Hunter and Roman.

I sit next to Roman in the principal’s office. We’re at the end of our sophomore year, awaiting our fates on the baseball team.

Roman punched Chad Shurman for talking about his sister and when he swung back at Roman, I took my hit. Evelyn is a freshman and we swore at the beginning of this year that we’d both have our sisters’ backs when they got to high school.

That’s what today was. Chad was talking about…

well things he shouldn’t have been thinking about Eve.

But his real mistake was that I’m in love with Evelyn Thomas.

And unbeknownst to my best friend, I’m pretty sure I’ve been in love with her since before I even knew what love was.

But I pretend that she’s just Roman’s annoying tag-along sister because he’d kick my ass if he knew. Just like we did to Chad Shurman.

“Boys. My office.”

Coach calls us in with the principal since this technically happened at school in the dugout.

We trudge through like our feet are stuck in cement blocks.

“Sit.” Coach motions to the two empty chairs. “Care to tell us your version?”

“No, sir. I’m ready to take my punishment.” Roman sits tall. Resolute in his decision to protect his sister.

Me, however, I’m terrified of the principal calling my Pops to tell him I’m being kicked off the team.

“You’re not even going to try and defend us? He deserved it!” I mutter under my breath.

“What did he do to deserve being punched not once, but twice?” Coach asks.

“I don’t know that I can repeat exactly what he was sayin’ about Evelyn Thomas, sir, but I bet you could imagine what a crass boy might be sayin’ about a pretty girl.” My lips press into a thin line, remembering his words.

Roman shoots me a look with his eyes narrowed at me for calling Evelyn a pretty girl. Or possibly me telling Coach when he didn’t want to. Either way he’s not happy with me.

We’re let go a few minutes later and told that a decision will be made by the morning regarding our consequences.

“What the fuck was that, man?” Roman shoves my shoulder.

“What?”

“You’re just airing all that shit about Eve? No one else needs to know what was said. What if they talk to her? Now she’s gotta know?” He’s real pissed at me.

“You know I want to protect her too, but we shouldn’t lose our spots on the team because of Chad being a douchebag.”

“Yeah. How bad do you want to protect the pretty girl, Hunt? Somethin’ you wanna tell me about Eve?” He stops walking so suddenly that I run into his back.

“What? No! Of course not. I’m just trying to save our asses.”

He stares at me for a few moments, scrutinizing me to see if I’m lying. But instead of saying something to me he stalks off in the opposite direction, but then turns back to me. “Listen, promise me right here and now. Neither one of us will ever even think about the other’s sister. Ever.”

I hold up my hands in defeat, wanting to cross my fingers behind my back. “Promise, Rome. I’d never do that.”

He nods, turning and walking away, leaving me with my lies.

It feels like just yesterday Roman and I were making that promise.

Now here we are and I found out a short three months ago that my best fucking friend had been screwing my sister when I found them in his office with his cock out.

He had been doing it for a year behind my back, with no intentions of telling me.

Even though they’re the real deal, it doesn’t make it sting any less that he went back on the pact I’ve stuck to.

This whole morning has reignited the anger I feel about losing the love of my life and he gets the so-called happily ever after with my sister.

No, I definitely won’t be talking to Roman any time soon. Or apologizing, no matter how much Mom wants me to.