Chapter 8
If I’d thoughtthat Jesse was just giving me a freebie so I’d keep the money, one look at the house made me second-guess that. It looked like someone had pictured themselves as one of those social media renovators, because they’d done the kitchen, and it was gorgeous. Sage green walls with a butcher-block countertop? Beautiful. Gold fixtures and a matte black sink bigger than my fridge? Magazine-level perfect.
But the rest of the place didn’t even have drywall. Obviously, someone had just decided to demolish everything all at once. Now, it was basically framing and studs with a roof. Even the master bedroom was just an empty shell, with an ensuite straight out of the seventies, which included mustard-colored tiles that had discolored to baby-poop brown.
It was way more than a slap of paint and some new carpet. According to Chet, the bank had foreclosed, and now it was on the market for basically nothing.
Sitting in Jesse’s living room, which had been done immaculately right down to the crown moldings by his own rough—and honestly, sexy as fuck—hands, I wondered what I’d even bring to the table.
Norton snuffled at my lap, and I went back to stroking his head. I hadn’t committed to anything yet, though Jesse had told the realtor to draw up the paperwork, so I assumed he was going to do it with or without me. And why wouldn’t he? His commute to work was twenty-three steps outside his door. If I agreed, my commute would literally be just out my bedroom door.
The baby kicked me—not wind, like I’d convinced myself it was for ages—and I rubbed my stomach. Norton whined and nuzzled closer, as if he knew I was pregnant. “You’re such a sweet boy, Norton.”
A big empty ache churned inside me at the thought of a career other than the one that I’d dreamed about, but that was life, right? You just had to roll with it, and that’s all there was to it.
“I’m in. You take the money back now.”
Jesse poked his head out from the kitchen, where he was getting pizzas out of the oven. He might have a beautiful kitchen, but apparently, neither of them knew how to cook. “You’re in?” I nodded, and a small smile curled his full lips. “Good.”
He disappeared back into the kitchen, while Hayes laughed from the recliner across from me. “I for sure thought you’d look at the place and think hell fucking no. I know I did.”
I shrugged. “I need to do something, especially once the baby comes, and this means I won’t have to find childcare while I work. You’d vouch for him, right?”
Hayes looked at me intently. “I trust Jesse with my life.” He leaned forward. “Once, when we were sixteen, my next-door neighbor fell and broke her hip. She was old as dirt, but she had twelve cats and refused to stay in the hospital if there was no one there to look after her pets. My parents promised to feed them, but Brenda said that wasn’t enough. They needed love and affection, and that if there wasn’t someone there, they’d pine and get sick. She loved those cats.”
He dropped his voice further. “Anyway, Jesse heard my parents argue about it once, and volunteered. He moved in next door the whole eight weeks that Brenda was in hospital. The cats hated him at first, and one day, they just accepted him. I couldn’t work it out, because those cats were skittish and only really liked Brenda. One day, I went over to peek through the window, and there was Jesse, dressed in Brenda’s nightgown and robe, petting those cats like he was a crazy cat lady. The gown was floor-length and floral, and had lace right up to the neck. Funniest shit I”ve ever seen.”
He laughed and sat back. “Brenda came home and lasted another year before she died. Jesse personally oversaw the rehoming of those cats. When I asked why he didn’t keep one for himself, he said it was because he was allergic.”
I leaned back on the couch, which Norton took as an invitation to climb all the way into my lap. Well, until Jesse returned to the room. “Norton, down,” he grumped, and the dog huffed a put-upon sigh and climbed down to lie at my feet instead.
I took in the huge, gruff guy, with the tattoos that spread down both arms, and even up his neck. He looked scary. He looked like a bad boy who meant nothing but heartache. But there was something about him, in the softness in his eyes, in his vibe, that just made me feel safe rather than fearful.
I was a strong believer in trusting my gut. It hadn’t led me wrong yet.
Telling Willy that I’d gone into partnership and moved in next door to a man I didn’t really know went down about as well as you’d imagine. He thought I was insane, but he didn’t really argue against it like I thought he would. Apparently, the two of them had bonded over my “disappearance.”
Besides, I’d laid it out to him and Colin in a very logical manner, as the business proposition it was. The amount the realtor believed we could get for a professionally finished home in the area, and what the projections were for the next few years. All very official.
I knew Willy was just happy to know that there’d be someone close by, that I was out of my one-room studio. He didn’t say so, though, even as he and Colin helped me pack everything up into two tiny suitcases a couple of days later. But I’d known him long enough that he didn’t even have to say a word. I could see it in the way his eyes skimmed the worn-down couch, the chipped countertops, the leaking tap in the bathroom. The fact there was no aircon.
I didn’t have the heart to tell him the place I was moving to didn’t even have walls, but at least I stood to make around eighty thousand after the new place sold.
If Willy was silent and brooding, Colin was the polar opposite, which was why they worked so well. Colin filled the empty air with conversation, talking about the baby and my appointments at the community health clinic, and gossiping about people who were on his diving team. The man loved gossip when he wasn’t involved.
I knew he’d keep my shit locked down, but he was more than happy to tell me how Clarissa and Melanie were fighting over the same piece-of-shit swimmer who was legit fucking half of the training center. Or about the two office interns he’d caught fucking at Willy’s work Christmas party. The man was an endless run of anecdotes. I loved it, and I loved him.
Finally, we loaded everything into Colin’s SUV—because the Porsche wasn’t made for moving anything but giant egos—and drove over to my new neighborhood. Jesse and I had worked out logistics and expectations yesterday, and I’d signed all the paperwork. Given that the place had been empty for so long, the city was happy to waive the normal cooling-off periods, so I could move in immediately. It worked out well, because my sublease had just come up again, and I could break it without penalty.
Lady Luck was handing me this olive branch, and I was going to take it with both hands.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come and stay at my parents’ place in Santa Barbara for the weekend? They’d love to have you,” Colin offered again as we pulled up in front of Jesse’s house.
I shook my head. “No, but thank you, though. Tell your parents I said hi, and your sisters.” The guys were on their way down the coast, but had postponed to ensure I had someone to help me pack my meager possessions. I was also fairly sure Willy just wanted to ensure where I was staying was safe, the big mother hen.
Hayes stepped out from Jesse’s house, coming over to shake the guys’ hands. “This is Will’s partner, Colin,” I introduced, as Hayes and Willy hefted my bags and walked toward the new house.
“Nice to meet you, Colin. Jesse’s just next door, making sure everything is set for you to move in. He had someone come in and put a security system in yesterday, so you’ll be safe here. It’s also got an alert button that’ll call us, and then 911, in case you need it.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s really not necessary, Hayes.”
Willy grunted his disagreement, and I led them into the new house. Norton scrabbled on the floorboards as soon as he saw me, and I laughed as I bent down to get puppy kisses. It wasn’t until half my face was damp that Norton noticed Willy and Colin behind me. He stiffened automatically, putting his body between me and them.
Luckily, Colin was a huge dog fan. He didn’t meet his eye, just put out his hand to be scented, and Willy did the same. Finally assuring himself that the guys were okay, Norton went back to wagging his tail.
“Good security system, aren’t you, boy?” Colin cooed, and Norton leaned in for a scratch before returning to my side. We followed Hayes further into the house to the master bedroom. It had an ensuite and a spacious walk-in wardrobe, which was pretty lux for this area. I wouldn’t need it, but it would make a good nursery eventually.
As we stepped into the bedroom, we found Jesse putting last-minute touches on the room. Drywall had been put on and painted, and there was a bed in the middle of the floor. Although it was still just unfinished hardwood flooring, there were huge area rugs covering the floorboards.
Jesse was sitting on one in front of me, constructing a bassinet. It had mesh sides, with Scandinavian-style pale wooden legs. It took me a minute to notice the small set of drawers beside a change table as well, all of it matching. The whole place was light and beautiful, and made me want to cry.
Hayes came up behind me. “We wanted you to have somewhere comfortable for you and the baby that wasn’t a construction zone. There’s also a state-of-the-art Hepa air purifier over there, to make sure nothing hazardous to the baby drifts in.”
Jesse had stopped what he was doing to watch my reaction, and my cheeks flushed as I swallowed hard. “You guys didn’t have to do this,” I told Hayes, who just shrugged.
“Consider it a baby shower gift. Plus, the work on the room had to be done anyway. We just sped it along a little.”
“It’s nothing. You were coming from a furnished apartment. We knew you wouldn’t have much.” Jesse stood and shook the bassinet to make sure it was sturdy. “Won’t be needed for a while yet anyway, but it’s good to have the basics. We’ll leave you to get settled in.” He squeezed my shoulder as he left, and the small amount of contact felt electrified.
Hayes flung an arm around my shoulder. “Let us know if you need anything. We’re right next door.” He left too, and I took in the room. It was beautiful. Simple but lovely.
“Well, if no one else is going to say it, then I will,” Colin announced. “Holy hell, girl, they are swoonworthy.” He dragged my suitcase into the walk-in. “You need to lock one of them down. Or both. We’re progressive out here.”
I shook my head and laughed, but I had a sneaking suspicion that no matter how much my head told me that was a terrible idea, my heart was getting a little caught up. It had a short memory for how messily heartache could kill you.