Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
APOLLO
“ T his place is damn cool,” Zeke says from beside me, and Wolf and Tanner nod their agreement. It’s our last morning here, and none of us is in a hurry to leave. “I should have come the first night with you guys. The date I was on wasn’t worth missing all of this. Was the food good?”
“You don’t want to know,” I inform him. “You’ll just be sad. Why did the date suck?”
“It didn’t suck ,” he replies as Tanner and Wolfe listen in. “It just wasn’t anything special. Then I ran into my neighbor on my way home, and she’s always a pain in my ass.”
“Cherry Dubois is a nice girl,” Wolfe replies, his voice mild.
“Cherry lives across from you?” Tanner asks.
“Yeah, and for someone who’s barely thirty, she acts like she’s eighty.” He shakes his head and pitches his voice higher, mimicking his neighbor. “‘Turn the music down, Zeke. I can’t think when you blast that music like that. You burned your popcorn, and now the whole building smells disgusting. Didn’t anyone ever teach you how to make it right?’”
I can’t help but laugh into the mimosa Luna proudly handed me on my way out here.
“Yeah, you think it’s funny because you don’t have to deal with it.”
“So, turn down the music and don’t leave the popcorn in too long. It’s not hard.”
“It’s the principle of it,” Zeke insists. “I don’t need anyone to mother me. Definitely not my neighbor. No matter how hot she is.”
“So, you think she’s hot .” Tanner grins over at Wolfe. “Now we’re getting to it.”
“I’m not blind, am I?” Zeke scowls out at the ocean, as if he can just picture Cherry in his head, and she’s on his last nerve. “If I didn’t have a view like this one, I’d sell the condo and move. But I like my place, and I’m not going to let my jerk of a neighbor run me off.”
“You spend most of your time at one of the garages with me,” Wolfe reminds his business partner. “You aren’t there enough to irritate her so much.”
“And yet, I do.” Zeke blows out a breath. “I guess it’s just a gift. So, it’s been nice to be here and not have to try to avoid her . ”
“If you feel like you have to avoid her, you either hate her or you’re in denial about wanting to get into her pants.”
Zeke narrows his eyes at Tanner. “I’m done talking about her. The point is that the inn is awesome, and it’s going to do great. It’s as good, if not better, than most five-star resorts I’ve been to. My bathtub is ridiculous.”
“Luna wanted really good tubs,” I inform them. “She says there’s nothing quite as luxurious as an awesome bath, and I think she’s right. The female guests will dig it.”
“So, speaking of women,” Wolfe says and looks my way, “is something going on with you and June?”
All eyes are on me as I take another sip of my mimosa, trying to decide how to answer. Do I want to confide in my best friends?
June wants to keep things just between us for a while. I don’t agree with it, but I don’t want to break her confidence, so I just shake my head.
“Nope. What makes you ask that?”
“Because I’m not blind,” Wolfe continues. “Something is different.”
“Nope, nothing different. She’s her usual sarcastic self.”
That, at least, is true.
“Hey, guys.” Sarah calls out as she and Luna walk out the sliding glass door, each carrying a tray. “We have some pastries for you to try that Mira wants our opinions on.”
“I’m still full from breakfast,” Wolfe says as he pats his flat stomach.
“I won’t pass it up.” Zeke takes a plate from the tray and pops what looks like a small muffin into his mouth. After he swallows, he sighs in happiness. “Luna, can I just move in here? I will happily pay rent. I’ll even earn my keep. I’m handy to have around.”
“Don’t worry.” My sister laughs. “I’ll keep you guys well stocked with this stuff.”
“Not me,” I inform her. “I’ll have to run about twenty miles to work off what I’ve already eaten.”
“He’s watching his figure,” Tanner says, and I flip him off.
That only makes him laugh harder.
“Where’s June?” I ask Luna.
“She’s plating the lemon and peanut butter cookies to bring out.”
I nod and stand.
“I’ll go help her.”
Ignoring Wolfe’s gaze, I walk inside and close the door behind me. And there she is, at the counter, arranging little cookies on the tray.
“What do you need?” she asks me.
“Just came in to help you carry this out there.”
Her eyebrows raise, and she glances over my shoulder to the others sitting just ten yards away on the patio.
“They can’t see in.” I wrap my arms around her waist from behind, pulling her to me. “There’s too much glare on the door, so now I get a few minutes alone with you.”
“They could walk in at any second.”
“And, thanks to the glass door, we’ll be able to see them come this way. Handy, isn’t it?”
She turns in my arms, and before she can protest, I boost her up onto the countertop so she’s almost even height with me.
“I don’t want to sit on those delicious cookies.”
“I moved them.” Nibbling on her neck, I make my way down to her shoulder as I nudge her T-shirt out of my way. “You’re way more delicious than those cookies.”
“Right.” She snort laughs. “Seriously, we shouldn’t do this here.”
“Says who?” I kiss my way up the other side of her neck to her ear. “Because I don’t see anyone telling me not to.”
“You’re incorrigible.” She laughs and then sighs when my mouth returns to hers. I sink into the kiss, enjoying every bit of her.
Finally, she presses her hand to my chest, giving me the clue that it’s time to back off.
“We could disappear back upstairs. They wouldn’t miss us.”
June scrunches her nose. “I think the rooms are already being cleaned for the guests coming later.”
“Damn.”
Now she laughs as I step back and let her hop off the counter before she passes me the tray.
“You can carry these, and I’ll grab the pitcher of mimosas for refills.”
Outside, everyone is laughing, and both trays that Sarah and Luna brought out are empty.
“I guess those were good,” I say as I set down my tray. “So I get first crack at these.”
“You snooze, you lose,” Wolfe says as I take the same seat I was in before.
June chooses a chair about six feet away from me, and deciding that she’s too far away, I reach over, grab the leg of the chair, and simply pull her closer, effectively positioning her under an umbrella.
“There, now you won’t burn.”
“How chivalrous of you,” Sarah says with a grin. “You two have been really nice to each other while we’ve been here. It makes me wonder if we’re in an alternate reality.”
“Nah,” June says, shaking her head. “We just called a truce for the weekend. I’ll go back to calling him an idiot later.”
“Darn,” Sarah says, and she looks genuinely disappointed. “I like it when you get along.”
“And I like it when he’s not an idiot,” June adds, which has us all laughing.
I want to pull her into my lap and kiss the hell out of her in front of everyone so that it’s clear we’re together. It might also show her that I want more with her than just fucking around together behind their backs.
But she hasn’t given me the green light to do that yet.
“These cookies aren’t the best,” Luna decides, looking at a lemon cookie. “Which is shocking because Mira never misses.”
“Everyone misses sooner or later,” Wolfe replies and takes her cookie, bites into it, and frowns. “Yeah, this one isn’t great.”
“The peanut butter ones are to die for,” June adds and grabs another. “Thanks for these last couple of days, Luna. It’s been awesome. If your guests get even a quarter of the treatment you’ve given us, you’ll be booked out for months. This will be the new it spot on the Oregon Coast.”
“Let’s put that out into the universe and make it true,” Luna replies with a laugh. “Because that’s my goal.”
“There’s no way this won’t be a huge success,” I assure her with a wink. “It’s incredible.”
Staying at the inn for a couple of days made me feel like I was on vacation, and getting back to work wasn’t easy.
But being on a job site with Juniper Snow makes it a little easier.
“There is no smoking on any job site,” June says, her voice rising as she points her finger at one of her crew. He’s a new kid, around twenty, who just moved into the area. I think his name is Josh.
“But, Boss,” Josh says, ignoring the look on her face and the way his coworker shifts from foot to foot nervously, “we’re outside. There are no walls in here yet, so it’s not like it’s going to stink up the place.”
“Aside from the fact that you’re wrong ,” she replies, her voice terrifyingly calm, “just whose job site are you on? Who signs your paycheck?”
“You do,” Josh replies with a scowl. “And you never let any of us forget it either. Women are such a pain to work for.”
She might kill him. I cross my arms over my chest, enjoying the show.
“Is that so?” June smiles and nods as if she’s giving his comment some thought. “Well, then, you no longer work for this woman. Take your shit and get off my site.”
Good girl.
“What?” Josh’s face turns mutinous. “Are you fucking kidding me? You can’t fire me just because I said that. I can sue your fat ass for wrongful termination.”
Now, I might kill him.
“I can fire you because you’ve been smoking on my sites, which is in violation of the contract you signed when I hired you. Aside from that, you’re insubordinate, you’re lazy as hell, and I’ve had more than one of the other guys tell me that they’ve had to fix your screwups. You’ve been hanging on by a thread as it is, and you know it. So, go find someone else to put up with your punk-ass shit.”
“Fuck you,” Josh snarls and turns to stomp away. “I don’t need you. Hell, I was doing you a favor by staying on so long!”
“Great, no more favors for me. I’m crushed.” June blows out a breath as Josh starts the growly engine of his muscle car, and then we all watch as the kid speeds away. “Well, that’s one problem solved.”
“Sorry, Boss,” Rob Nelson, one of June’s longest-standing employees says as he shakes his head. “I told that little punk that he was going to get fired if he didn’t stop his crap. He didn’t believe me.”
“Well, now he does. Let’s move on with it, okay?”
“You got it.”
Rob nods, and when he walks off to get back to work, June turns and startles, surprised to find me standing here.
“Gotta say that I never liked the kid.”
“He’s too arrogant for his own good.”
“He’s an asshole.”
“That, too.” She wipes her hand over her forehead and then shrugs. “Now he’s gone.”
“He’s not your responsibility.”
“Yeah, I know. What are you doing here anyway? I thought my crew was the only one on-site today.”
“No, I had another job cancel, so I moved this one up.” I take a step toward her, wanting to tuck the flyaway hairs behind her ear, and she holds up her hand, stopping me. “What?”
“No funny business on a job site.”
“You have no idea that I was going in for some funny business.”
“I see the look in your eyes. I know what that means.”
“I don’t have a look.” I step toward her again, and she takes one back.
“Yes, you do, and you can just forget about it. I’m not kissing you here. It’s unprofessional.”
“You’re the boss,” I point out. “No one’s going to care. Besides, no one can see us.”
“There are eyes everywhere,” she hisses, stepping out of my reach.
“Hey, Boss,” Rob calls down from upstairs. “Is Apollo bothering you?”
Her lips tug into a satisfied smile. “No, he’s not. Thanks, Rob.”
I prop my hands on my hips.
“See? Eyes everywhere,” June whispers. “So, keep your grabby hands to yourself, Winchester.”
“I can’t help it if you’re so damn beautiful I want to touch you pretty much twenty-four seven.”
She blinks rapidly, and her lips part as if she’s going to say something before pressing them into a tight line. I enjoy the moment because it’s not often that Juniper gets flustered.
“Stop being charming.”
“Why?” God, she’s adorable.
“Because I said so.” Her gaze falls to my lips, and her tongue pokes out to lick her own, and I take an immense amount of satisfaction in knowing that she’s as attracted to me as I am to her.
“I have to go.” She turns to gather her things.
“Off to another site?”
“No, I have that meeting with Sally and Fred Newkirk about the property that asshole Eric wants to buy.”
I raise an eyebrow and immediately shift my day around in my head. “I’m coming with you.”
“You don’t have to do that. In fact, why would you do that?”
“Because I don’t want you to go alone.”
Just when I think she’ll roll her eyes at me, a soft smile touches the corner of her lips, and she shrugs.
“Okay, you can come. Do you know Sally and Fred?”
“Do I look like I just moved to town?” I think that punk kid she just fired is the only person within twenty miles that doesn’t know who they are.
June looks me up and down, taking her time with it. “Point taken.”
“Let’s go, then.”
“I’ll drive.” June tosses over her shoulder as she walks to her truck and unlocks the doors. “And then you’ll be my hostage.”
“Hostages are held against their will,” I remind her as I climb into her truck. “I’m here voluntarily.”
Since Huckleberry Bay is such a small town, it doesn’t take us long to drive over to the assisted living place where Fred and Sally live now, and when we walk inside, the receptionist smiles at June.
“Hey, Mavis,” June says. “I have an appointment to see Fred and Sally.”
“Sally called down and told me you’d be coming. You can go on up.” Mavis glances my way, and her smile widens. “Hi, Apollo. I like that shirt on you.”
June rolls her eyes and stomps away, but I just smile at Mavis and offer her a nod. “Thanks. Have a good day.”
“Does it ever get old?” June asks once the elevator doors close.
“Does what get old?”
“You know.” She waves her hand in the air as if gesturing toward Mavis. “Being ogled everywhere you go.”
“I don’t think that’s necessarily the case.”
She cuts me a side-eye look of annoyance and taps her foot.
“No,” I decide after a moment. “It doesn’t get old.”
“You’re so ridiculous,” June says, and when the door opens, she hurries ahead of me. I catch up to her quickly, pull her to a stop so her back is pressed to my front, and bury my lips in her hair next to her ear.
“The only one I’m looking back at is you, Juniper. Don’t forget that.”
She clears her throat, takes three steps forward, and raises her hand to knock on the Newkirks’ door. Only, before she makes contact, the door swings open.
“Well, June,” Sally says with a happy smile. Her hair is as white as snow, and even though she’s just a tiny thing, she looks healthy as can be as she opens her arms in an invitation for a hug. “Come in, dear. And you brought Apollo. What a lovely surprise.”
“He asked to come along,” June says as she hugs the little woman. “How are you, Sally?”
“I’m fit as a fiddle. Fred is soaking up some sunshine on the balcony. Why don’t we join him?”
“Sounds good. How is he?” I ask, and some of the enthusiasm from just a moment ago falls from her face.
“He’s getting by,” is all she says as she leads us through the small apartment to the glass door that opens out to a little balcony. It has a great view of the mountains in one direction and of the ocean in the other. “Fred, honey, June is here, and she brought Apollo Winchester with her.”
“Oh, good.” Fred turns and tries to get up, but I hurry to shake his hand and keep him in his seat. Fred’s health took a turn for the worse last year, and the couple made the decision to move into the assisted living facility so Sally would have help if she needed it. “It’s good to see you.”
“You, too,” I reply. “It’s a beautiful day to sit outside.”
“That it is. Never get tired of the sea air.” Fred gestures for us to sit, and once we do, Sally smiles at June.
“What can we do for you, dear? Is everything all right at the chapel?”
“Oh, yes. It’s great, actually. When I have some more work finished, I’ll have to take you over there so you can see all the progress.”
“We’d like that,” Fred says.
“I actually came to talk to you about another piece of property,” June continues. “The lot next door to the chapel with the two abandoned buildings on it.”
“Oh, we’ve had a few offers recently to buy that,” Sally says. “In fact, one young man has been very insistent.”
“I told her to just sell it,” Fred adds. “We don’t need it.”
“Is his name Eric, by any chance?”
“Yes, that’s him. He’s from the city, and he’s not terribly friendly, but he offered a good amount of money for the property.”
“Sally,” June says, leaning in, “I had a conversation with Eric recently, and he told me about his plans for that property, as well as the rest of the town.”
Systematically, June tells them everything she knows about what Eric plans to do. Hearing it again makes my blood boil, and I can tell by the looks on Sally’s and Fred’s faces that they feel the same way.
“I knew something was off about that man,” Sally says when June finishes. “What do you suggest, June?”
“Well, I would like to buy it from you. One reason being that I don’t want Eric, or any other developer, to get their hands on it, but another is that I’d like to restore the existing buildings and rent them out.”
Fred and Sally share a glance.
“I like the idea of the buildings being restored,” Fred says slowly. “I was born in the house closest to the street.”
“I didn’t know that,” I murmur, but I feel like maybe I should have, considering everyone at this table has deep roots in Huckleberry Bay.
“Of course,” Fred continues, “those buildings are in rough shape. I don’t know if they’re salvageable.”
“I would like the chance to try, and if they’re not, I could rebuild them, keeping the same style as the originals. I don’t want to build a huge bed-and-breakfast or hotel. I want it to look like it always has and still be functional.”
“Sold,” Sally says, slapping the table.
“We haven’t even discussed the price,” June says, letting out a surprised laugh.
“I’ll sell it to you for a dollar,” Fred says.
“I don’t think that’s allowed anymore.” I shake my head, grinning. “But I know that June would pay fair market value. Hell, maybe I’ll go in on it with her.”
“A joint business venture,” Sally says with a happy sigh. “Oh, that’s romantic.”
“No, it’s not,” June says and narrows her eyes at me, as if to say, shut it.
“We’ll come up with a fair price,” Fred says. Clearly, his mind is already made up. “If we’re going to sell, I want it to be to June, and to you, Apollo, if you want in on it. I know that you’ll make it special.”
“Thank you,” June says. “This is going to be awesome. ”