Chapter One #4
A couple grand? Who the hell had that kind of money to drop on art?
It was a good piece made of old oak. He was always selective in choosing the perfect wood for every project.
He’d spent weeks on it, fitting in time when he could.
He’d been proud of the finished product, but the thought of anyone paying thousands of dollars was outrageous.
If he’d sold it on his own, he could’ve gotten around three hundred.
“Yeah, well, they overpaid.”
“No,” Kenzie snapped and shook her head, disapprovingly. “Jonah, it was amazing.”
He felt as though he were getting a scolding from his mother. A small ache burned in his chest. Those days were long gone. But it was a sweet reminder.
He pushed off the bench and shrugged. “It wasn’t anything special.”
“To the person who bought it, I’m sure it was.
” She tilted her head. “You took a hunk of wood and created this awesome, beautifully unique piece of art. Don’t downplay that, Jonah.
You’re really talented.” She lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers.
“Hell, I almost lost a finger practicing whittling wood with the knife you gave me.”
Whittling wood. He lowered his chin and bit back a smile. She didn’t understand the magnitude of how funny she was. Yeah, she and Bogs are a perfect fit.
Kenzie had asked him to teach her. That had been a first. He’d given her an old knife he’d started out with years ago. Jonah expected her to lose interest once she realized it wasn’t as easy as it appeared. But she didn’t. She wasn’t bad, just a bit clumsy.
“You cut off a limb, and I don’t think Bogs will appreciate it.”
She giggled, shoving her notebook in her bag and pulling out a few slips of paper.
She met him in the middle of the workshop and handed them to him.
He’d asked her for a few designs she liked, and from there he’d start on her table.
It was important to understand a person’s style before embarking on the project.
He flipped through the pictures, noticing what the first two had in common. Kenzie had an eclectic style.
“What do you think?”
He nodded. “I’m gonna keep these, and I’ll come up with some designs. Then we’ll pick out the wood and I’ll get started.”
“I’m so excited.” She clasped her hands, practically bouncing on her toes.
He always enjoyed his clients' enthusiasm about upcoming projects. However, most weren’t as animated as Kenzie. She brought a new element not only to his business but to his life.
He pinned the pictures onto his project board and grabbed another pair of gloves. She was glancing around the workshop, showing no signs of leaving.
“You hanging out?”
“Um …” She tucked her hands in her pockets, rocking back on her heels with a strange glint in her eyes. “No, I gotta run.”
“Okay.” He said staring back at her. Again, she made no move to leave.
She cleared her throat. “Don’t you want to know where I’m going?”
Jonah raised his brows. It was none of his business, and he hadn’t thought to ask. But there was something in her tone that made him think she wanted him to.
“If you want to tell me.”
“I’m meeting Roxanne in an hour.” She paused. “You know? Ethan’s sister.”
Jonah was well aware of Ethan’s sister, Roxanne.
Maybe too aware? He didn’t know her well.
Aside from a casual introduction and seeing her a few times, his contact with her had been limited.
But he knew Roxanne Barrett. The woman was impossible to forget.
And to ignore. Though he tried. When he was invited to a barbecue at the Garrison’s house, he’d made an effort not to stare at her, watching her every move.
He failed. Most guys would. Stunningly beautiful with long dark hair, bright blue eyes and a body most men would describe as a perfect ten.
And way out of my league.
“Alright, well, talk to you soon.” He stretched the gloves over his hands, prepared to finish his project. As it stood, he’d be working for the next few hours to meet the deadline.
He was about to start the sander when he noticed Kenzie standing in the same spot, staring at him. She was acting strange, even for Kenzie.
“You need something else?” He narrowed his gaze. “And don’t say the chair.”
She flattened her lips and squinted but remained silent. What the hell is up with her today?
Clearly, Kenzie had something to say. “Kenz?”
“How come you didn’t ask who won the bid?” She sighed. “I mean, aren’t you curious to know who spent all that money on something you made?”
What? Why would it matter? Once he made the donation, it was no longer his possession. Though his curiosity was now piqued not only with Kenzie’s strange behavior but with the recipient’s identity.
“How would you know? I thought it was a silent auction.”
Her cheeks pinkened. “It was and usually it remains anonymous, but Evie handled it, so she had the list of all the winners. You know Evie, right? Declan’s wife?”
“Yeah.” He hadn’t actually met her, but he knew about her. It wasn’t long after he returned to Houston that both Declan and Trent reached out to him. They’d filled him in on everything that’d gone down in the past few years. And it had been a lot.
“Evie let it slip.” She flattened her lips, but he noticed the small twitch. Kenzie rested her hand on her chest. “I mean, she didn’t tell me, but she told Cassie, who mentioned it to Emory,” Kenzie chuckled and spread out her arms, “who told me and Sadie because that girl can’t keep a secret.”
Jonah folded his arms, amused by the story. “So, who was it?”
She scrunched her nose. “I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Girl code.” Kenzie gave a curt nod.
What the fuck?
“Girl code?” He cocked his brows. “Didn’t you all break that by telling each other?”
Kenzie stared back in silence as if contemplating his logic.
Seconds later, she shook her head. “No, we broke the silent auction code, if there’s such a thing. But if I told you who won the bid, that’d be breaking girl code.” She paused with a small smile playing on her lips. “Now, do you get it?”
He could tell from the look on her face that she really wanted him to understand what she was saying. The problem was he didn’t. Why couldn’t she just tell him? Clearly, she wanted him to know.
“No, I don’t get it.” He turned toward the workbench and leaned over to get his sander. “But I get the feeling you wanna tell me who it was?”
“I do,” she blurted.
Jonah slowly angled his head. Kenzie had her quirky mannerisms, which he’d always appreciated. But this was a little over the top, even for her.
“But I can’t.” She narrowed her eyes and spoke slowly. “Girl code.”
What the hell is happening? Jonah didn’t have female friends except for Kenzie. His interactions with the opposite sex were usually limited to pleasure. Even with all his experience, Jonah was at a loss.
“This right here.” He pointed, waving his finger between them. “Is the reason I’m single.”
She rolled her eyes. “Jonah, how can you not get what I’m trying to tell you?”
He sighed, turning to face her.
“One. Because you won’t tell me. And two, because I’m not a female, so I have no clue what you’re trying to do here.”
“Ugh.” She groaned and for a brief second, he thought she was going to stomp her foot in frustration. Jonah tried to steel his features, but it was impossible. This whole conversation was ridiculous, and he caved into his amusement, smiling.
“I’m leaving.” She waved her hand and headed for the door.
Women are strange creatures.
He grabbed the sander with his finger on the power button but stilled when Kenzie called his name. She was at the door with her hand on the knob.
“I’m sure Declan doesn’t give a shit about girl code.”
What the hell did Declan have to do with this? As if she were reading his mind, Kenzie smiled and wiggled her brows.
“He knows who it is.” Kenzie winked and walked out the door.
Jonah stood silent in his shop for a few minutes, replaying his conversation with Kenzie.
It shouldn’t have mattered who won. Before Kenzie’s odd behavior, he would’ve never inquired.
This was the last thing he should be thinking about right now.
He was on a deadline. Time was of the essence.
If the project didn’t get finished, he didn’t get paid.
He had no time to waste on Kenzie’s riddles.
Fuck!
He grabbed his phone from his back pocket and pulled up his messages, searching for Declan’s name. A simple text would get him the answer with no further talk about girl code.
Jonah: Hey Dec. Do you know who won the bid on my piece from the auction?
He put his phone off to the side of the table and scanned the project.
Jonah needed to stay focused. He centered the wood on the table and inspected where he’d left off.
He slid his hand across the bottom edge and then grabbed the sander on his left.
A beeping alert sounded, and he glanced at his phone.
Declan: Been meaning to reach out. Evie put in a bid but lost. You think you can make another one for her?
Jonah grabbed his phone.
Jonah: Done. Should take me a few weeks.
Declan: Take your time, man. Appreciate it.
Jonah watched the screen, expecting another text, particularly the answer to his initial question.
He got nothing. Maybe Kenzie was wrong and Declan didn’t know.
He ground his teeth, tossing the phone onto the table.
He was investing too much thought and time in the mystery.
He gripped the handle of the sander and was hovering over the wood when his phone pinged again.
He closed his eyes briefly and drew in a deep breath. With all these distractions, it would be a miracle if he got this completed before the client arrived to pick it up. He jerked his head, quickly glancing at the screen.
Declan: Roxanne
He lowered the sander onto the table. Roxanne Barrett was the winning bidder?
Kenzie’s voice played over in his head. I was outbid and, from what I heard, by a couple grand.
Why the hell would Roxanne drop that much money on his art piece?
There was always the charity aspect, but he was sure there were better things she could’ve bid on for a couple thousand dollars.
Fuck me. He dragged his hand over his head with his eyes locked on Declan’s last text.
Roxanne.
Jonah clenched his jaw. He’d never admit it, but he’d thought of her far too much. And not as his friend’s little sister. In fairness, he was a thirty-year-old guy with a healthy sex-drive and an imagination. Who could blame him?
However, thinking of her was where it stopped.
Besides the obvious, her being his friend's sister, Roxanne was younger than him. He’d never pursued a woman with an age gap.
They had different life paths and hers was the polar opposite of Jonah’s.
He was tied down with responsibilities most people couldn’t fathom.
It’d been that way since his parents died and he was left to raise his two younger brothers.
His twenties resembled those of someone in their forties, and most days, Jonah felt the stress.
It weighed heavily, but he never complained.
Everyone was dealt their hand, and this was his.
Still, he was forced to give up some perks in his twenties.
Mainly, relationships. There weren’t many women who found his responsibilities appealing.
He’d had two in the last twelve years, and they’d ended after less than a year.
Jonah couldn’t give them the time and attention they wanted and needed when he was playing stand-in parent.
After the second disastrous breakup, he threw in the towel. It was for the best.
Jonah turned back to his workbench and powered up the sander with one thought playing in his mind as he worked in silence.
Roxanne and a couple thousand dollars.