Page 21

Carson

“ H ere, try this.” With a hopeful grin, Wren pushes the purple cup toward me expectantly. “I’m testin’ another hobby, and you live closest to me, so you get to be my lucky tester.”

I sniff the liquid inside and glance up at her. “Makin’ lemonade is a hobby?” I arch a brow as I take a sip of the ice-cold drink.

She shrugs. “Sorta. Cooking is the item on the list… buuuut my fridge is empty, so I figured this was close enough.”

“Makin’ a drink is not cooking, Wren.” I gulp down the rest of the small glass and set it down on the porch railing, wiping the back of my hand across my mouth. “Delicious, though. Thanks.”

“It’s not too sweet?” she asks, scrunching her nose, making the light dusting of freckles more apparent there.

“Tastes perfect to me,” I admit, sliding my work gloves back on.

She beams. “I thought so too.”

It’s a little unexpected, her showing up again so soon after being here late last night for dinner. But I’m not complaining.

Wren shrugs while tucking her hands into the back pockets of her denim shorts. “So… No work at the diner today?”

I shake my head and walk back to the front yard where I was laying paving stones. “Not today. Electricians are over there, and I’d be no help with that. I’ll swing by tonight after they’re done.”

Most things I’m capable of doing myself. Electrical isn’t one of them. The last thing I need is another fire.

“No work for you?” I ask, realizing that she would typically be at work at this time of day.

“Yeah, I’m scheduled to go in this afternoon.”

I nod, continuing to line the stones along the pathway.

“Okay. Well…if you need anything…” she trails off.

“I’ll let you know,” I say over my shoulder.

“I guess I’ll just…” She points toward the road she just walked down, back to her house.

A stupid part of me wants her to stay and keep me company.

Since we moved back to town, we’ve seen each other almost every day, and I’ve gotten used to having her around.

The days never feel so dark when she’s around—especially here at this house.

I’ve accomplished a lot inside and out, and it doesn’t really resemble the place I grew up in anymore, but I think I’ll milk that excuse for as long as I can to have her around.

“I’ll teach you to cook,” I offer without turning around. The crunch of dirt under her feet stops.

“I know how to cook,” she admits with a laugh. “I was just tryin’ to find some joy in it, like other people have.”

I don’t miss the way her hand gently sweeps over the lavender bush beside her. The fact that she’s lured to it stirs something inside of me. I planted them to attract bees to the garden; little did I know I’d also be drawing her in.

Or maybe that was the point.

“Before we go fishin’ tomorrow night, we’ll cook dinner. Homemade pasta sound good?”

“Really?!” Her eyes sparkle with excitement. “I’ve always wanted to learn, but was too afraid to attempt it on my own.”

Based on that damn list, there are a lot of things she wants to try that scare her. And fuck me, I want to be the one to show her.

Shaking those thoughts from my head, I stand and dust my hands on my old, ripped jeans. “I’ll show you, Tink.”

The porch swing creaks as I sit, listening to the breeze and watching Wren’s car back out of her driveway. She’s finally headed to work after chatting with me for a while this morning.

She drives over the hill and out of sight, just as a black truck I’d recognize anywhere comes over the other side in my direction, a cloud of red dust trailing behind.

“This how you get work done?” Cal asks, hopping out of his pickup and reaching for his tool belt from the bed.

How the hell did I forget he was coming to help me today?

Probably because you were too busy thinking about the depraved ways you could help his sister with her little list.

“I don’t need your lip.” I glare in his direction, but he doesn’t pay me a lick of attention.

When you look at him, you can’t help but wonder if he’s really related to his sister. He’s got that usual all-black look: black T-shirt, jeans, hat pulled low over his messy dark hair. Guy looks like he hasn’t seen a barber in months. He’s a complete contradiction to Wren.

Cal and I have always been similar in how we think and operate, which is why we’ve always gotten along so well.

We don’t take offense easily and know how to read one another.

There’s not a need to constantly be up each other’s asses like some friends are.

We both value our privacy, but we would be there at the drop of a hat for the other.

“Where we startin’?” he asks, stepping onto the porch. “Or are you just gonna sit and sip cocktails while I work?”

I slowly pull the lemonade from my mouth and lick the remnants from my lips. “Fuck off.”

A grin cracks in the corner of his mouth as his hand lifts, flashing me his middle finger.

We get to work, and the hours fly by. We manage to strip most of the bathroom, including the old flooring. The new fixtures will arrive in the morning, so installation should go pretty quickly for me.

“Holy hell, it’s hot in here.” Cal wipes his brow on the back of his forearm as he leans against the wall. “You ever gonna offer me a drink?”

“I ain’t your maid. You know where the kitchen is.”

He rolls his eyes and walks toward the fridge. If that’s not a sign that he’s spending too much time around women these days, I don’t know what is. And not just the usual suspects—his sister, wife, and Indie—but now his five-month-old twin girls as well.

“We need to get you out more,” I holler into the kitchen.

It’s always a chore to get him away from his wife and daughters, and I usually wouldn’t ask him to leave them, but I knew Indie would be at their place helping his wife, Lucy, with the girls today, so I asked him to give me a hand and speed up the process of finishing this house.

“Yeah,” he agrees. “I’d be happy just to get some damn sleep,” he yawns, closing the fridge. “Didn’t peg you as the lemonade type.” He brings the cup to his mouth and downs the drink in one go.

“I didn’t make it.”

His eyes light with interest. “You seein’ someone?”

Cal never gives a shit about people’s dating lives. He’s definitely spending too much time around women.

“No,” I shake my head. “Wren made it.”

I toss the last of my tools into the toolbox and slide it against the wall to take to the garage later.

“Shoulda known. It’s fuckin’ sweet as hell.”

“So why are you gettin’ another glass?” I ask as I watch the yellow liquid splash into his cup.

“Cuz I’m thirsty, and you ain’t offered anything better.”

“There’s a hose outside.”

After taking another large swig, Cal lowers the glass and points a finger at me. “Hey. Hose water is fuckin’ delicious. We’d have been dehydrated little shits if it weren’t for that stuff.”

“Exactly. Go use it.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “You’re such a dick.”

After he fills a third fucking glass, I consider actually telling him to drink water. I still want more of Wren’s lemonade, and he’s nearly finished off the whole pitcher that she made for me.

“You got my brain spinnin’ now.”

“What’s that?” I have no idea what the hell he’s talking about anymore.

“You ever gonna settle down? Find you a woman and pop out some little assholes like you?”

An automatic scoff escapes me. It’s a natural response—one I’ve done for years out of habit. “Doubt it.”

“Why’s that?” His eyes study me, but he isn’t being pushy, so I don’t feel a need to shut this down.

I sigh. “It’s complicated.”

“Try me.” He raises his glass to his mouth again while leaning against the kitchen counter.

After years of keeping everything to myself, I rattle off the list of excuses why I can’t be in a relationship.

“Too many potential problems. I’d fuck everything up. She deserves better.” I hold up a finger for each reason, as if I’m checking off a list.

His brows lift. “So there is someone?”

Fuck .

“No.”

“You fuckin’ liar.” He grins. “Look. If you don’t wanna talk about it, fine.

You know I’m here if you ever need to. But if you like this girl, go for it.

Yeah, you’re an ass. But hey, so am I, and look at me.

I’m puttin’ pigtails in little girls’ hair and married to the sweetest woman alive.

If I can do this, so can you. Trust me, I know it’s terrifying, but some things are worth goin’ after. ”

A part of me wonders if I told him it’s his sister, whether he’d change his tune.

I’ve never gotten that impression from Cal or Wilder, but there’s still a part of me that wonders how they’d react to us being together.

I’ve never been the serious type, though.

It’s been pretty easy to think that I can go my whole life alone.

Seeing her with another person hasn’t killed me.

Sure, it fucking hurts, but I’ve survived.

Maybe it’s time to stop simply surviving and finally live.

Wren and I never discuss our dating lives—not that I’ve ever had one—but whenever I see her with someone, I’m man enough to admit I dig up every damn thing I can find on the guy—especially after that piece of shit, Greg.

I never told anyone about what happened with that asshole, and I never will.

But that was the second time my protective instincts kicked in around her, and I went into fight mode.

If she hadn’t left with me at that moment, I might’ve killed the guy.

As far as I know, she hasn’t really dated since then. She’s always busy with work or helping anyone and everyone.

Cal places his cup in the sink and steps over to me, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “Well, this was fun and all, but I have some much prettier people to get home to.”

“Right. Thanks for your help today.”

“Any time.” He throws a wave over his shoulder. When he gets to the bottom of the steps, he stops and spins back toward me. “If you need me, just ask—for the house, diner, or whatever. You know I’ll be there.”

The Becketts have always been my family. Sure, they are all my friends, but they have always meant more to me than just that one simple word.

I nod. “I know.”

I watch him leave as the sun dips below the horizon, casting an orange glow across the sky.

Tink

I know you hate texting, but is there anything you need me to grab from the store for the pasta? I work late, but I can swing by the store before we cook tomorrow.

Nope. I got it all.

Tink

Are you sure? I really don’t mind.

Positive.

Tink

Okay

How was your day?

I let out a sigh. I’d much rather talk on the phone or in person, but I know she gets bored during the evening shift when most patients are asleep.

Propping my head up on a pillow on the couch, I prepare to have a conversation via text message.

It was fine. Yours?

Tink

Pretty good. The morning was much better than the evening has been. But thankfully, there are only a few more hours left.

Did my brother stay long? I saw him pass me on the road when I left today.

Yeah, he left just a bit ago.

Tink

Oh! That’s good. I bet you were glad for some real help for a change lol.

No.

Tink

No?

He drank all my damn lemonade.

Tink

Haha! I’ll make you some more and bring it over tomorrow