2. Austin
CHAPTER TWO
Austin
“Daddy, I can do it on my own. I’m five now,” Evelyn says, pushing my hands away from the seatbelt she’s clicking into place over her booster seat.
How is she already five? It seems like just yesterday she fit into the crook of my arm with the curly brown hair that she got from me, not her mom.
No, not going there. It’s too early to think about that woman who abandoned both of us.
“Uncle Grayson taught me how to buckle myself in, so I’m safe.” She gives me her biggest smile. “He’s a firefighter, so he’s good at that stuff.”
Chuckling, I kiss her forehead. “Okay, Miss Independent.”
The truck starts with a rumble. Backing out of the dirt driveway leading up to our house, I start to make the trek back into town and toward the elementary school.
Ten minutes later, Evelyn is popping out of the truck with her backpack slung over her shoulders. She blows me a kiss before skipping and singing her way into the building.
I was the only one who shed a few tears on her first day of kindergarten a few weeks ago. Instead of me comforting her, she gave me a hug and told me I would be okay without her for a few hours.
I love that girl.
Pulling away from the school, I drive toward Grayson’s mom’s house. His truck is already out front when I park my truck across the street.
“Thanks for coming, man,” he says, pulling me in for a one-armed bro hug.
“Anything for your mom.”
“Not me?” he asks, staring at me with mock horror.
“No, not you, dumbass,” I say, punching my best friend in the shoulder. It’s a lie. I would actually do anything for him, but he is a dumbass.
We walk over to the front porch, talking about the small ramp he wants added alongside the stairs.
Seeing his mom hobble up these stairs year after year with increasing pain has gutted me. Maggie has always been like my second mom, and seeing her struggle breaks my heart.
We step into the living room and are met with Maggie’s eyes drilling into her son.
He holds up his hands. “Don’t be mad. I can’t see you in pain. It hurts… Please, Mom.” He turns to look at me with pleading eyes.
I step over toward her, giving her a hug that she warmly reciprocates. I perch on the edge of the couch beside her recliner, holding her hand in mine.
“We have some free time at work for the next few weeks, so you’d actually be doing me a favor if you let us do this for you.” I give her a wink. “You know how I am if I don’t have something to do. Don’t want me getting into trouble now, do you?”
“You wouldn’t dare with that sweet angel of yours,” she says, glaring at me.
She’s right, though. My troublemaker days are well behind me and have been since I found out my ex was pregnant with Evelyn.
“Fine,” she huffs. “You can do the work, but you must let me pay for all of it.”
“We’ll see,” I say, giving her hand a squeeze.
“I mean it, Austin,” she says, pointing her finger at me as I stand.
“Mmhmm,” I mumble, making sure not to agree to anything as I follow Grayson to the bottom of the stairs.
I explain the changes we can make to the stairs to make them safer as we climb our way to the top.
“Grayson, is that you?” a woman’s voice comes from upstairs. My head swivels to the left. Holy shit. Who’s… wait… Hadley? No. No… Oh, no.
“Oh,” she says, seeing me there next to her brother. She pulls the hem of the oversized T-shirt she’s wearing over bare thighs that, frankly, I want to bury my face between.
Fuck. No. She’s your best friend’s little sister. I run my hand over my jaw, trying to clear my thoughts. She doesn’t look like anyone’s little sister anymore. Fuck me.
I realize Grayson has stopped talking and is staring between the two of us. You should say something right about now.
“Yeah, I remember him,” she says, with her sexy voice. “Hi, Austin.”
“Hi, Hadley,” I say, meeting her eyes, trying not to look at her toned legs. Obviously, you’ve already looked if you know they’re toned.
Grayson points at his sister. “You go put some real clothes on.” He turns to me. “Let’s go look at the bathroom downstairs.”
Hadley gives me one more glance before ducking back into her old room.
My hands grip the steering wheel harder than normal as I drive into work. I told Grayson and Hadley I would talk to Conrad and Brooks, my business partners, about the project, and we would get everything ordered in the next couple of days.
I told Maggie the truth—we do have some rare free time in the next few weeks between other projects, so we’re going to fit all this stuff in.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t get Hadley out of my head. I thought maybe when she came downstairs with more clothes on, things would be better.
They weren’t. Seeing her in leggings and a T-shirt with her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail was just as enticing.
This is going to be a problem. Maybe it’s just been too long since I’ve gotten laid. But when I think about having sex, the only person I can picture is her.
How the hell did this happen? I haven’t seen the woman in years. Suddenly, she pops back into the picture and is invading every last one of my brain cells.
I put the truck in park in my usual spot, smacking my head against the steering wheel.
This isn’t going to end well. I can already tell.