Chapter Fifteen #2
Cassie giggled and turned around. “Just Bogs.” She blushed and rolled her eyes. “When I met T, he was working undercover. He saved my ass one night. It’s a long story I’ll save for another time but after he helped me out, I made him brownies and brought them down to his office.”
“That’s sweet.”
Cassie burst out laughing. “That’s what I thought! Until I got there and well, let’s just say T wasn’t as appreciative as I had hoped.”
“So, it wasn’t love at first sight?”
“No way, I couldn’t stand T when I first met him. I thought he was the biggest asshole on the face of the planet.” Cassie smiled and shook her head. “Strange how life works out, huh?”
Kenzie nodded.
“Come on. The girls are dying to meet you.”
They made their way into the living room and Kenzie saw three women pulling what looked like plates and utensils from a large armoire. She wasn’t even sure who Cassie meant when she said ‘the girls’ but she was about to find out.
“Look who I got?”
Kenzie’s eyes widened at Cassie’s words. She tightened her lips so as not to laugh. She was making her sound like a prize. Kenzie would admit that did something to her ego. Usually, it was Taylor who got all the fanfare. This was kinda cool.
The girls turned around at the same time. She gravitated her attention to the girl with the red curly hair. She smiled in a mocking way, like she was about to make a smart-ass comment.
“Is this the chick that Bogs suckered in to thinking he was a gentleman? Oh my God, she looks normal.”
What the fuck? The redhead smirked and winked at her. Kenzie wasn’t exactly sure how to take her comment but the rest of the women burst out laughing. Cassie pulled her hand sending Kenzie a jolt and landed arm in arm with her.
“Don’t listen to her, Emory enjoys being a bitch.”
The redhead smiled. “I’m good at it.” She reached out and Kenzie shook her hand. “I’m Emory.” Bogs had given her a brief rundown of his family. Emory was his brother, Ethan’s wife, and Roxanne’s best friend.
“Kenzie.”
The girl next to her with dark black hair and the brightest blue eyes Kenzie had ever seen pushed the redhead and stepped forward.
“It’s true, she is. Hi, I’m Roxanne.”
“Oh, Bogs’ sister? It’s nice to meet you.”
Her smile grew bigger. “You, too.”
The other girl came up to stand next to Roxanne and held out her hand. “I’m Sadie, Stone’s wife.”
“Weather girl.” The words slipped from her mouth and Sadie’s face flushed and her lips twisted. For a brief second, she looked pissed, but then shook her head and laughed. “The one time I go braless on a cool morning and I’ll never live it down. One of these days I will get my revenge.”
“Maybe Kenzie can help us.” They all laughed.
An hour later, Kenzie’s face was sore from laughing and she wasn’t sure if her mascara was streaked below her eyes.
She had been given full disclosure on how Sadie came to be weather girl, how Bogs was loved and despised by all the girls, and her favorite, she was the first girl Bogs had brought home since high school.
Kenzie made her way outside when the girls started gathering the food.
A few other girls filed in and Kenzie offered to help but Roxanne shut her down.
“Nope, first time here you get a pass. Now, next time, you’ll be in here with us.
” She winked and jutted her chin. “Go find my brother and have fun.”
She walked outside and glanced around the yard. There were quite a few people by the fire and the others milling around the yard. She was seeking out Bogs. A sharp high-pitched laugh caught her attention.
She immediately spotted him with T and Stone and, of course, the little blonde, Kami, who was stuck to his side. He wasn’t touching her but her hand reached out and rubbed his back as she leaned in to say something. An angry burn rose in her chest. Stop touching him, he’s mine.
It was a strange feeling to be jealous since she couldn’t recall feeling like this with past boyfriends. She should have gone over there but she stayed put in her spot. She glanced along the group locking eyes with Stone. Her face flushed remembering the bathroom office scene. Damn.
She turned her head catching sight of a familiar face. Jonah. He was looking at her and a small smile played on his lips. He was surrounded by three girls. She smiled in greeting. He said something to the girls and nodded toward Kenzie then started over to her.
“Hey, Kenzie.”
“Hi, Jonah, you didn’t have to come over here.”
“I think you might have saved me.”
“They all vying for your affection?”
“Something like that.” He laughed. She liked Jonah. There was an ease about him.
She kept her back to Bogs and his small group. It took great effort to ignore someone, especially when all she wanted to do was stare over at him and see what Kami was doing. She shifted on her feet anxiously refusing to take a peek over her shoulder.
“So.”
She glanced up at Jonah who stood so tall she had to crane her neck. His attention was aimed over her shoulder.
“How’s work?” She’d distract him. The last thing she wanted to do was talk about why she was there with Bogs and he was currently enamored with another. Enamored? Really, exaggerate much?
Jonah took her cue and smiled. “Work is good.” His lip curled in a smile. “Do you even know what I do?”
Shit. She closed her eyes and dropped her chin to her chest. She sucked at deliberate small talk. She shook her head.
Jonah released a soft chuckle. “How ‘bout we get some food and I’ll tell you all about my amazing, thrilling job.”
She looked up and smiled when she saw the humor across his face. “I’ll astound you with the exciting ways of construction.” He was teasing her but also giving her an out. She was going to take it.
They went inside and got in line for the food buffet. A quick scan around the room showed no signs of Bogs but her heart sunk when she saw T and Stone. That meant Bogs was alone with Kami.
Sex doesn’t make him yours. Kenzie was tempted to slap her own face in hopes that her inner voice would feel it. It was more than sex, wasn’t it?
A nudge to her shoulder brought her back to the line she was standing in. She loaded her plate. At least her belly would be full and make up for the emptiness she was feeling in her heart. When the hell did she get so damn sappy?
She followed Jonah outside again, doing a quick search for Bogs, who was nowhere to be found. Probably off with Kami. This was crazy, how he could bring her here and then take off with another woman?
“Got a lot going on in that head of yours.”
Kenzie jerked her head to Jonah, who had taken a seat.
Was she being too obvious? Of course, you are.
She straightened her shoulders and took the seat next to him.
She didn’t answer him and started eating.
They both cleared their plates without another word.
When she sat back with the plate resting on her lap, Jonah reached out taking it from her and brought it to the garbage before returning with two beers, handing her one without saying another word.
“Want the less than exciting version of how I came to be a contractor or the abbreviated version?”
She giggled and met his gaze. The world needed more men like Jonah. Men who refused to let women wallow in their insecurities.
“From the beginning.”
“That’s a tall order for a man who isn’t keen on talking about himself but I’ll give it my best shot.
” He winked. “I started working right out of high school for my dad’s friend.
I didn’t know shit about tools, or building but I spent the next two years running myself all over, learning basics.
Took some college courses in business, got a degree.
Bill decided to relocate and I took over his construction company.
Most of the guys left when I took over so I started with a new batch of guys.
Got lucky, they’re all still with me. Built the company up, bidding on bigger jobs. ”
“That’s impressive.”
Jonah shrugged. “You do what ya gotta do.”
“Well, you should be proud of yourself. I bet your mom and dad are proud.”
The change in his eyes was faint but she saw it and immediately regretted her last statement.
“I’m sure they would have been.” Would have been? Her heart sank and inch into her chest. She knew that phrase and had said it herself a few times.
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
Jonah reached over resting his hand on her knee and squeezing lightly. “Don’t be. They would have been proud and I appreciate that little reminder you just gave me.”
“What about you? Your parents proud?”
Her face paled. She nodded and gave him a strained smile. “My dad is.” She paused. “And my mom would have been.”
He nodded in understanding and gave her knee another squeeze before releasing it to sit back in his chair.
She waited for the uncomfortable silence to set in.
It didn’t. They sat next to one another and stared into the fire.
She wondered if he was thinking about his parents like she was thinking of her mom.
They were part of a club that neither wanted to be a member.
Her gaze wandered around the yard. There was a group playing horseshoes.
Other small groups were sitting or standing eating.
She turned her head to see Cassie and Sadie talking with Emory following behind.
She leaned forward saying something that had the others burst out laughing.
It made her smile. They seemed tight, reminding her of how much she missed her best friend.