August (Erikson Brothers #3)

Chapter 1

After getting to her hotel room, Jacklynn was able to change into some pull-on pants and a comfy sweatshirt. Glad that he could get to know her better, August was heartbroken to have to leave her the next morning.

Christ, she had a body that didn’t quit. August had no idea where that thought had come from. More than likely from Martha Grable. Martha had taught them all how to woo a woman and to be a good companion. She’d be appalled if she were to have seen him last night and then again this morning. He was appalled at himself as well, at least just a little.

“Did you get home all right? I didn’t see you after you told me you got hung up on something.” Demitrius cocked his head and looked at him. “You have a hickey on your neck. What did you do while we were looking for you?” He couldn’t help himself. He smiled.

“I’ve met someone.” He asked him who then asked if it was the woman bartender. “No, she’s much too young for me. But she has an aunt that I met. I told her that I wouldn’t blab about what we’d done. So keep this to yourself.”

“Blab around? What is it—you had sex with someone? At the grand opening?” August asked him to keep his voice down. “Really? You mean you actually hooked up with someone there? I’m impressed. Jealous, too, but mostly impressed with you. I won’t ask you her name, but I’m going to be on the lookout for her.”

“Don’t. Please don’t. I feel stupid enough that we had unprotected sex.” He asked if he’d not listened to the sex ed classes they had in school. Then to Martha when she told them how to be a proper date. “I did. Probably more than you did. But it was as if we were on fire with each other and couldn’t wait. Much less think about it. Then, when I dropped her off at her hotel, we connected more by just talking to each other. It’s like I’ve found my one true love—though I don’t think I’d go that far as yet, but she’s wonderful. Intelligent. Beautiful. Smart. Beautiful.”

“You said beautiful twice. But I get the…the woman in red.” He turned and looked at him, shocked. “You connected to the woman that looked like candy on a stick, didn’t you?” He told his brother he needed to hang out with people more his age. “Don’t evade the question. It was her, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.” Demitrius put out his hand, and he shook it. “But seriously. You can’t tell anyone. I promised her that I’d not tell anyone and I know you well enough that you’d be hounding me all the time until I told you. So, just keep your mouth shut on this.”

“Do you know who she is? Who she’s related to?” He nodded, and his brother did as well. “I know that you’ve had trouble with Blackman Soil in the past, the brothers. What were their names?” He told him. “Yeah, that’s right, Richard and David Blackman. I’m betting right now they’re all over their sister for what happened last night. Not to mention their old man. Christ, he’s as bad as our father was, except for not being a drunk. Isn’t he about to retire soon?”

“Jacklynn told me that if she doesn’t get the head job of running the company, she’s going to branch out on her own. Her brothers haven’t the first clue on how to run a successful company, much less one that does landscaping.” Demitrius told him that he’d heard that about them. And that Richard had a temper. “I remember his temper. If his dad hadn’t stepped in, we would have gone to blows about the way they left me hanging on a project that was supposed to be his trial job. It took me an extra six months before I could get things the way that I wanted them. Not to mention one pissed-off customer. If not for Martha calling them, I’d still be in the red for that building.”

“I remember that. About five years ago now.” August told him it was about that long ago. “Did you ever get the final payment on the job? I remember that, too. The client didn’t want to pay for a shoddy job.”

“Martha again came to my rescue. I think that she kept Blackman and his sons away from me in some ways. I’m all right with that. I nearly quit designing after that.” He asked about the sister. “Nothing like the others. She’s the foreman on some of the job sights that come in. Jacklynn is more of a hands-on boss and works with her men to make sure they know if there’s a problem with something, she can go to bat for them. Mostly, she makes sure that her family stays out of her business.”

The two of them spoke for another hour while they worked out at the gym. He was on the treadmill, and his brother was lifting weights. It was a good way to hang out and a wonderful way to get into shape. He was ashamed to admit it, but he was sore this morning when he’d gotten up.

When his cell phone rang, he was delighted to find that Jacklynn was calling him. Going into the hallway that led into the gym, he asked her if everything was all right. She laughed, a sound that he wanted to get used to hearing.

“I hope you’re as sore as I was when I got up.” He told her that he thought that he’d broken all the muscles in his body. “Good. That does make me feel better. The reason that I called is my father wants to meet with you about future projects. My brothers will be there. I won’t be.”

“Why not?” She told him pretty much the same thing that his brother had. That they were going to take over the company and he was easing them into it. “What happens to you? I mean, will you really go out on your own?”

“Yes, that’s the plan. I had a contract with my dad for a while, but it’s since ran out. Richard thinks that I’m going to continue working for the company with a cut in pay and no more working as a foreman. I have no idea why he thinks that I’ll agree to that, but then he’s Richard, so that makes everything right in his head.” She laughed again, but this time, it was forced. “I don’t know what I’m going to do if he tells people that I’m on my own. He’ll more than likely make it so that I don’t have any jobs to do, and that will put a lot of people out of work. I hired my own crew when I started out and most of them are only making it from check to check.”

“I’ll hire you. With the job that you did for the building that I designed, I’d gladly…I would make you a partner in my company. That way, I can chase you around the desk when there isn’t anyone around.” She laughed again, but it sounded so sad to him. Then she told him he didn’t have to do that. “I think it’s a brilliant idea. We can work together on the jobs and get them done in record time. With your crew able to start right away when the building is up, we’ll be able to get things to flow more easily.”

“And what will you do if my brothers make it hard on you? They will simply because they can.” August told her just what he’d do. “Buy them out? I don’t know if you realize this or not, but it would come at a pretty high cost. Even if they were willing to do it. It’s not been in my family all that long, but it’s still something that keeps them bread and peanut butter.”

“I love that. I’ll have to use that sometime when I’m talking to my brothers.” He saw his brother coming toward him and asked him to wait a moment. “I do have to confess something to you. I told Demitrius about our meeting up last night. Not any details, but he saw a hickey on my neck and put it together. He won’t say anything to anyone. But I wanted to know that I did that.”

“I’m not sure how I feel about that.” He told her that he was sorry. “I guess I’ll have to be more careful in the future about what I leave behind with you.”

He couldn’t help it. He laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. Christ, he loved this woman. Then he asked her when they could get together, not just for sex but on a date.

“How about tonight? I have a meeting with my dad at noonish today. Which means it’ll be around two, and after that, I might well need a shoulder to sob on. I don’t know what he wants, but it can’t bode well for me.” He asked her if she wanted him to go with her. She was quiet for a time, and he heard her cry. “You’re almost too sweet to be real, August. I’ll call you after the meeting. You could be getting into my heart if you don’t watch yourself.”

When she hung up, he stood there for several minutes, just listening to the dial tone. Turning to look at his brother, he wanted to tell him everything, including how she was taking over his heart and the business that he thought they’d make together.

“Sounds to me like you got it bad for her.” He asked him what that meant. “I mean, big brother, you’re about in love with the pretty lady, and it suits you. I hope you aren’t jumping the gun here. I don’t want you to be hurt.”

“This just feels right with her. It’s almost as if we were fated to be together. I know that sounds corny but that’s the way that I feel about her.” He headed out to his car with his brother as they talked about the date tonight. “I don’t even know what sort of restaurant she might like. I’ll just take her to something neutral. That way, we can both enjoy what we’re having and have a nice place to be, too.”

There were several restaurants that he thought of, and in the end decided that pasta and steaks were the way to go. As he was taking a shower, wondering if this was the real thing, he thought about Jacklynn heavy with his child. Leaning against the shower wall, it was all he could do not to run out of the house and find her to see if they could make it true if it wasn’t already. Christ, he did have it bad for her.

At one-thirty, he was ready to call it a day. He’d been working on contracts for a new subdivision that was going to go up in Columbus, Ohio. He didn’t much care for this sort of work but he needed to keep himself busy or go make a fool of himself by joining the meeting with Jacklynn and her dad. The way that she talked about him, it made him think that it wasn’t going to bode well for her. He didn’t know why but that was just what he was thinking.

When his phone rang while he was getting himself a sandwich, he saw that it was from Jacklynn. It was all he could do not to try and go through the phone for her when she sobbed. He asked her what had happened.

“Can you come and get me? I’m a mess.” He picked up his key and headed to the door. “I’m at the Blackman corporate offices. Don’t ask me the address I have no idea where it’s at. Please?”

“I’m in my car right now, and I know where the offices are. I’m on my way, honey. Just hang on, and I’ll be there in ten minutes.” He wanted to ask her what was wrong but didn’t. She seemed to be upset enough. “I’m coming, sweetheart. Just hang on for a few minutes.”

He had to take several deep breaths before he left his driveway. He’d nearly pulled out in front of a car; he’d not been paying attention. Keeping his speed down, it took him exactly ten minutes to make it to the building downtown.

As soon as he pulled up, she opened the car door and told him to go. While he drove around, not knowing where to go, she sobbed in her seat until he could find a place that was good enough and quiet enough that he could pull over and help her. As soon as the car was off, he reached for her, and she nearly tumbled into his arms, crying harder.

~*~

She didn’t know how long they sat there, but she was feeling better now. Looking up at August, she couldn’t believe her luck in finding just the right person for her. Clinging to him, she asked him if he’d tell her something. Anything.

“All right. I can do that. I never told you this, but I think that you should know. I’m wealthy. That sounds like I’m bragging, but I wanted you to know that when we get together, and right now that’s about all I can think about, you won’t have to work another day in your life if you don’t want to.” He told her how Locke had bought the winning ticket that had made them all billionaires. August even told her about their abusive father and how they had left town without anything but the shirts on their back. “Then we broke down, literally in front of Martha Garble’s home, and after that, our lives kept getting better all the time. Two of my brothers are happily married, and I’d like to think that I’m next in line for that marital bliss. Tell me what he said to you so that I can go in there and bust his face in for you.”

“Such a romantic. He told me that I was fired. I guess someone saw me with you, and he was told that you came up to my room afterwards. Not to mention not leaving until this morning. I just let him talk at me. Not to me, mind you, but at me until I had enough and left him there screaming at me to sit back down.” He told her that he was sorry. “I think that if it hadn’t been you and I, he would have found another reason to have tossed me out. He has it in his head that I’ve soiled the name Blackman. I didn’t even point out that I’m over eighteen and have been for some time.”

“Will you marry me?” She told him no once again. “You do know that I plan on asking you every day—maybe every hour until I wear you down, don’t you? Anyway, this allows us to be partners. Does he know who you soiled yourself with?”

“No. I didn’t tell him, either. I was so…I knew that he was going to not allow me to take over the business but to have said—he called me a slut. Who says those kinds of things to their own daughter? Richard had to marry Linda when she got pregnant. She didn’t want to. I don’t think she particularly cared for him. And I know that she doesn’t now. Hang on. That’s my phone.” He drove them to a fast-food place and ordered at the drive-thru. She could have kissed him as she was starving right now.

Not being able to eat this morning, and then he did this to her right around lunchtime…Jack almost missed what was being said to her. Asking Linda to slow down a moment, she took a long drink of her soda before asking her what she said again.

“Richard just told me that your dad fired you from working—who the hell does he think he is? And Richard is walking around like he’s got the biggest fucking dick. I did tell you that he’s barely noticeable when we fucked didn’t I?” She told her that she had and didn’t care to think about her brother’s dick. “Well, I’m filing for divorce. I’ve had enough of this family and their mentality of thinking. Bastards, all of them. They’re still pissed off that I’ve only had the two children, and they’re both—oh no, they’re both boys—I can’t thank you enough for being there when I had Peter and staying with me when I got my h ysterectomy. You’d think that I cheated on him because everyone knows that the Blackman males only produce boys. He hates our children because he thinks they’re sissies. So what? They like to cook and play with dolls. They’re kids, for Christ’s sake.”

August asked her if she wanted fries, and that was when Linda realized that she wasn’t alone in the car. After telling her it was all right, not mentioning his name, she told her that she’d had the best sex in her life, and that was why she’d gotten fired.

“Good for you. I’m filing in the morning. I don’t suppose you know a good attorney, do you?” She told her that she did, actually, and told her the name of Zander Erickson. “Why does that name sound familiar? Not that it matters I’m taking Richard to the cleaners after the way that he treats me. Did I tell you that he has to tie me to the bed to have sex with him? Christ, I should have—scratch that. I’d not have my boys if I had aborted one of them. I love you, Jack. Please don’t tell them what I’m up to. I know that he’ll try to kill me if he finds out.”

After getting off the phone with Linda, she told August what was going on. “I knew that he didn’t know about her getting a hysterectomy, but I had no idea about the rest of it. Do you suppose my brother David does the same thing to his wife?” He finished off his burger and fries, and the two of them went through the drive-thru again. This time, he got her a chocolate shake, and he had another burger and fries. She could really get used to this sort of treatment.

“I have a question for you. Two, I guess. Will you marry me now? Today, if we can get it arranged? And the first one is if you will be my partner in my Erickson Design business. The first question, if you answer yes, means that we won’t have to change our name to Blackman and Erickson Design. The first one means that we get to have all kinds of fun all the time and maybe not get as much work done as we had hoped. Not a big deal. I have enough money to last us several lifetimes.”

“Yes.” He asked her which one she was answering. “Yes to both. In the event that I’m pregnant—and I do hope that I am, no one will be the wiser about it. Not that I care…We’ve only known each other for a whole day, and I’m saying yes to marrying you. Don’t you think that’s a little fast? Anyway, and if you were serious, then I’ll help you find enough crap on my family to make it so that you get a good deal on buying Blackman.” She looked at him hard. “I think that I love you, August. I want you to know that I’ve never said those words to anyone before, either.”

“And I love you, Jacklynn.” She asked him if he was going to call her that all their life together. “Not unless you hate it, or if that’s what your family calls you. If so, then I’ll call you whatever you want.”

“My middle name isn’t all that much better. I get called Jacklynn Sue when someone is upset with me.” He asked her if he could call her Jacklynn. “So long as you only say it with love in your heart.” She laughed. “Now I sound sappy.”

For the rest of the afternoon and evening, they toured his home. It was a great deal bigger than her family home, and for that, she was thankful. That thought had her wondering if she was only marrying August to get back at her dad, and right then, he got down on one knee and proposed to her.

“Jacklynn Sue Blackman, will you consent to being my wife? Having babies with me and growing an empire by taking over your father’s business.” She asked him about the ring. “I have it. Hang on a minute.”

He left her standing in the kitchen with a very nice elderly lady who was introduced to her as May. The cook for the household. She winked at her when August came back and got down on the floor again. It was, she thought, one of the most romantic settings that she could ever want. A man in his jeans and dirty tee shirt proposing to her barefooted and mustard in his short but sexy beard.

The ring that Martha had left him was more beautiful than she could have picked out for herself. It was an opal, which also happened to be her birth month of October, that was surrounded by smaller diamonds. The band was Tiffiany, and the wedding ring to it was wide and had diamonds and opals alternating around it, making it look very sparkly and bright.

“Will you? Marry me, I mean?” She nodded the lump in her throat, making it impossible for her to speak over it. When he put the ring on her finger, she was surprised that it fit her so well. Almost like it had been made especially for her.”

The kiss was wonderfully soft and greedy. All she could think about was that even during the sex last night, they’d kissed several times. This one was special. It made her feel like a woman in all the right places. And all thoughts of thinking that she was marrying him for all the wrong reasons went right out of her head. She truly did love August with all that she had in her heart.

“Where is my wife?” The doorbell must have rang at some point and she hated tearing away from August. When one of her brothers spoke again, she could hear the anger in his voice. And he was spitting mad. “Jacklynn Sue Blackman, where the hell did you hide my wife? I’m going to beat you to death if you had anything to do with her leaving me. She’s going to give me a son that is worth something, or so help me, I’ll make you regret being born to me as a sister.”

“I already do regret that.” She didn’t engage with Richard all that often, especially when he was as upset as he was right now. “What on earth makes you think that—did you say that she left you? I’m assuming that she left you a note or something. Did she take your sons, too?”

“Those things are not my children. And I’ll say when she can file for—who the fuck are you?” Jack did the introductions; however, she left out the part where he’d proposed to her, and she’d said yes. No point in stirring the pot, she supposed. “You talked her into this. I know you did. You’re to stay out of my marital issues and keep your mouth shut. Where is she?”

“How am I supposed to keep my mouth shut and tell you where your wife is? Not very smart of you if you ask me.” When he doubled up his fist and looked as if he was going to punch her, August stepped in front of her and grabbed her brother’s hand. She couldn’t have been more happy in that moment. “Richard, I’d like you to meet my future husband. August, this is Richard, my pathetic excuse for a brother who seems to think that I’ve stolen his wife.”

“I think that it’s time you left while you still can. And I’m talking now before I have to—you know what, just get out of my home.” He asked him what he was going to do about it if he didn’t. “May? If you’d be so kind in calling the police, this man is making a nuisance of himself.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are? I’ll have you know that I eat men like you for breakfast.” It was May who asked him why he’d go around eating men. Unless that’s the way he rolled.

“Then I guess it will be all right. Whatever floats your boat, as they say. But Mr. August here has asked you to leave, and you should get your bottom out of here. The police won’t take none too kindly about you trespassing where you’ve been told to leave.”

He lunged toward August who didn’t move. Richard was biting up the wrong tree right now, and he was going to get himself killed. This would mean that her dad would find out about her getting married before she had a chance to make it right. Damn him for being such a prick.

The police showed up and arrested her brother when he refused to leave. Asking her again where his wife was, she told the officers she didn’t know. But she did wish her the best of luck in getting out of her marriage to her brother.

After he left, she was pulled into the arms of August. It was about the nicest place to be when she was upset. And right now, she felt as if she’d taken on the world and had come up short. Christ, she honestly felt like Richard had knocked her around a few times. It made her worry about Linda and Mary if she left her other brother, David.

“I’m calling the courthouse.” She thought that it was to press charges against Richard but he was asking if there was a time that the two of them could get married. Today wouldn’t be soon enough, he told the person on the other end of the line. “Great. We’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

After hanging up the phone, he pulled her into his arms. Telling her that the sooner they were married, the better it would be. He told her that Richard might not remember the introductions now, but he would soon, and that would not bode well for either of them. Then he asked her if she was all right with that.

“Even if you were to tell me no, I think you should stay here from now on. It’ll be safer for you in the event that either one of your brothers some looking for you.” She asked him what he’d do if they were to hurt her, telling him that they’d hurt her before. “They won’t again, on this I swear on your heart.”

She shivered at his words. It was scary. She thought whatever he would do to them, it would be the last time that they touched her. She had a feeling, too, that even if she wanted to put off marriage for a while, she’d still be as safe as she could be in his home rather than her own. Her brothers and her father were not men to screw with. Jack had figured that out the hard way.

“Let’s go. Not that I think that this is a terrible move. I want you to promise me that if you get sick of me or want out, just tell me, and I’ll do my best not to bother you again.” She looked up into his eyes and couldn’t believe the love that she could see there. “Oh, August, where have you been all my life? I love you so very much right now that I’m overwhelmed with it.”

His brothers stood up with him. No one was there for her but the court secretary. And she couldn’t have been happier about the arrangements. As soon as they were pronounced man and wife, she pulled him to her and sealed the deal with a kiss. She just hoped that he didn’t regret this anytime soon. She would hate for him not to be in love with her.