Chapter 23
S itting at the table in the break room, Tomas studied his notebook, determining what supplies he needed for the next day’s build.
Normally, he was more organized, but the presentation for HFH had taken up a lot of his time.
He did not want to screw up and look bad in front of their board.
More importantly, he didn’t want to let Fiona down.
“What do you need?”
“Two by fours.”
“No dumbass. What do you need for the presentation?”
Ali stood by the coffee maker, mug in hand, amused look on his face. “How do you—never mind. Fiona told Iris who told Marcia who told you?”
“Uh-huh.” Ali pulled out a chair and sat opposite Tomas. He sipped his coffee noisily, eyes never leaving Tomas’s face. “It’s a great idea. KBS wants to be on board. Hell, half of Keeney wants to be part of it.”
“Really?” It never failed to amaze him how quickly news traveled through town.
Ali nodded. “Some because helping people find homes is the right thing to do. Others because it’s the flavor of the month and they want to be part of it.
And a few because they’re looking for a way to benefit from it.
Like KBS.” Seeing Tomas’s narrow-eyed look, Ali chuckled.
“We’re a building supply company. We’d be stupid if we weren’t on board.
We can provide supplies at reduced cost—that makes us look good to the community and turns those homeowners into valued customers, who will, hopefully, sing our praises in the future. ”
“Will other businesses think the same way?” Tomas hadn’t thought much beyond the presentation, although he expected Fiona had.
“Oh yeah. Everyone from roofers to plumbers to landscaping companies will want to contribute. It’s great advertising and a healthy tax break to boot.”
Tomas shook his head. The scope of the project was bigger than he imagined.
“So what’s your biggest obstacle?” Ali settled back in his chair, looking like he had the entire day to chat.
“Fiona’s mother.” At Ali’s raised eyebrow, he continued. “First off, she hates me and my family. Second, I think she’s community-minded only when it serves her purpose. Third, she does not like to appear weak in front of others.”
“I don’t know her personally, but Marcia and Iris know her from church. They say she gets things done.”
Tomas fiddled with his pen, thinking about how much to tell Ali. “Fiona is not like her mother.”
Ali barked out a laugh, pulling out a wrinkled handkerchief to wipe his face.
“What’s so funny?” It was an obvious mistake to talk to the old man.
Shooting Tomas a wry grin, Ali took his time folding up the handkerchief and stuffing it back into his pocket.
“They’re as different as night and day. Fiona is a force to be reckoned with.
That woman has energy for days. Like her mother, she gets things done.
But the difference is that Fiona’s motivation comes from the heart.
A real desire to make the world a better place. Linh Han is…calculating.”
Tomas looked through the window overlooking the floor of KBS, thinking about Ali’s words. In his mind, he saw Fiona and her mother outside the church the morning he asked her out for coffee.
They had been almost mirror images. Conservative clothing and hair, calm expressions.
The very picture of successful, competent businesswomen.
He blinked, realizing that Fiona had stopped wearing her hair in that smooth twist she’d always worn.
He didn’t know what she did, but she looked more…
relaxed. And what he considered her uniform—pale close-fitting skirt, blouse, and jacket was gone.
Now, there was more color and variety in what she wore, as if she wasn’t trying to fade into the background. When did that happen?
“So?”
Shaking his head, Tomas returned his attention to Ali. “Sorry. What did you say?”
“I asked how you were going to handle her mother.”
“Haven’t a freaking clue.”
Ali pushed his chair back and took his coffee cup over to the sink. He spoke to Tomas over his shoulder as he rinsed the cup under running water. “If you’re in it for the long haul, I suggest going to both her parents.”
Tomas rose as well, shaking his head. “I think talking to them before the presentation may piss them off and they won’t go for the project.”
“No dumbass. You and Fiona. If your intentions are honorable, go talk to her parents. They’re old school and will appreciate you coming to them.”
Feet frozen to the floor, Tomas stared at Ali as comprehension dawned. Waiting for Fiona wasn’t the right move. After being used by her mother and asshat ex-husband, she would not set herself up to be hurt again. She’d want Tomas to state his intentions clearly.
“You do want to marry her, don’t you?” Ali twisted around, crossing his arms and leaning back against the counter. “Because if you’re stringing her along, holy hell is gonna rain down on you.” He jerked his head toward the KBS floor.
Tomas turned his head to follow Ali’s gaze. Down below, he saw Iris, Hilary, and Marcia standing near the customer service counter. He swallowed. Ali was right. He’d better get his shit together.
The rest of the day was a blur. He didn’t know if he was coming or going.
Sitting at a stoplight, all he could think about was a life with Fiona.
They hadn’t been together very long, yet since meeting her more than a year ago, there hadn’t been anyone else for him.
Her marriage to Eddie was shit. Would she want to commit to Tomas?
Would she want to marry again at all? She’d said she was afraid he’d break up with her.
She hadn’t said she wanted a commitment.
Maybe she was happy with their arrangement and didn’t want anything more.
A horn sounded behind him. Shit. Tomas shook off his daze and paid attention to driving.
Up ahead was a strip mall, and he spotted a familiar figure exiting a convenience store.
Not thinking, Tomas signaled, then turned into the parking lot.
He’d barely put the truck in park before he was out the door.
“Joseph!”
Fiona’s brother looked up. Spotting Tomas, he waved. His welcoming smile turned to a concerned frown as the scowling man bore down on him. “What’s wrong?”
Stopping a few feet from the other man, Tomas said with a growl, “I want to marry your sister.”
Joseph blinked. “Um…okay?”
Angry brown eyes searching uncomprehending brown eyes, Tomas let out a frustrated groan and started pacing.
“So what’s the problem? Did she say no?”
Tomas shook his head.
“So she said yes.”
Tomas shook his head.
“What did she say?”
“I haven’t asked her yet.” Tomas wheeled around, glaring at Joseph, who had the balls to laugh at him. “It’s not funny,” he ground out.
“Tomas, what’s wrong?”
The two men turned to see Louisa and Carlos standing in the doorway of their restaurant. In his fog, Tomas hadn’t been aware he’d pulled into the parking lot beside Hola!
“He’s in love with Fiona,” Joseph called out in a voice laced with amusement.
His mother gasped, clutching her hands in front of her and beaming a huge smile. Behind her, Carlos chuckled.
“Great,” Tomas muttered.
“But he hasn’t got the balls to ask her to marry him,” Joseph explained.
“Just shut up already.”
Joseph grinned. “They’re your parents; they deserve to know why you’re having a meltdown in the middle of the street.”
Shop owners and a few customers stood near the storefront, watching the back and forth as if at a tennis match. Sensing his mortification, Carlos walked over and grabbed his arm.
“Let’s take this inside.”
His mother rushed forward to wrap Tomas in a big hug. Wiping her eyes, she stepped back, allowing them to enter.
Joseph followed behind, stopping to talk to Louisa. “My day just got more interesting. How about yours?”
She beamed at him and nodded.
Carlos led a silent Tomas to the back table, then peeled off. Seating himself, Tomas looked up to see Joseph settling in across from him, wearing a shit-eating grin. “Fuck off,” he said.
“ You came to me .” Joseph shrugged.
Carlos returned with a bottle of tequila and three glasses, Louisa nowhere to be seen. He sat next to Joseph and poured the drinks. “I told your mother to give us a few minutes.”
Tomas nodded, threw back his drink, and slumped against the back of the booth.
The alcohol burned on the way down, and slowly he felt the tension ease from his shoulders.
He poured himself another while Joseph and Carlos discussed the merits of the Mariners’ pitching coach. “How do you two know each other?”
“Your parents bought this building off us a few years back.” Joseph inclined his head toward Carlos. “And we’re both interested in Woodbine Automotive.”
Tomas forgot about his own issues and focused on Joseph. “I thought it’s been sold. Didn’t a restaurant chain buy it?”
“They have the highest bid. So far,” Joseph answered, then went on, “HFH owns the property to the north of the shop. Another commercial real estate firm owns the property to the south. Carlos and I are talking about partnering to buy out Ernest Gardiner and keeping the automotive shop. Carlos will run it. HFH will be a silent partner. Keeney is growing and attracting attention from large real estate firms. They don’t necessarily care about Keeney itself, just making a profit.
Locally owned businesses are good for the community, so it makes sense for us to work together.
” Joseph indicated Carlos with a head tilt.
Working together was something Tomas understood. Teaming up with Vincent in prison was one of the best decisions he’d ever made, because he wouldn’t have been able to complete the contracting program or find a job once he’d been released without Vincent’s help.
Tomas had been dragged, kicking and screaming, into the Keeney Builds program. A year later, he saw the wisdom and appreciated the efforts of small business owners working to improve the community. He was pleased that his mother and stepfather were an integral part of it.
“Enough about that. Let’s talk about you.” Carlos picked up his glass and pointed it in Tomas’s direction before taking a drink.
Tomas sighed. It was one thing to talk to Joseph about Fiona, but Carlos? The two men across from him appeared to be enjoying this way too much.
“You want to marry Fiona. Good. So what’s stopping you?” Carlos didn’t beat around the bush. “You think she’s too good for you.”
Joseph jumped in. “And you think you’ve got nothing to offer.”
“I feel like I’m being double-teamed,” Tomas grumbled, rubbing a tired hand over his face.
The expectant faces were not going away, so he tried to find the words.
“Both of those things. Fiona’s been pushed around most of her life, with her mother and that asshat” —he couldn’t bring himself to say Eddie’s name aloud— “telling her what to do. I want to look after her. Protect her. Take away all her problems. But if I tell her that….”
“You’ll overwhelm her, and she won’t want anything to do with you.
” Carlos threw back his drink and set the glass down on the table.
“At least that’s what your mother did.” He smirked at the dumbstruck expression on Tomas’s face.
“Yeah. Your mother thought I was too slick. All fast cars and partying. You were nine when I met Louisa, but she didn’t introduce me to you for a long time. ”
Two lines formed between his eyebrows as Tomas tried to remember meeting Carlos. “It was at a family picnic. You showed up in this cherry red low rider. My cousins were all jealous when you took Mom and me for a ride in it.”
Carlos nodded. “She was pissed at me.”
Joseph twisted in his seat to see Carlos clearly. “Why?”
“Trying to impress her kid but not bothering to get to know her kid. And she was right. I was all about Louisa the woman, not Louisa the mother. I didn’t pay much attention to you, couldn’t see that you two were a package deal. It took a long time to get my head out of my ass.”
“I’ll say.” Louisa stood next to the table with bowls of chips and guacamole. She placed them down, then poured glasses of water for each man. “He was an idiot, but he figured it out.” She kissed Tomas’s forehead, then Carlos on the lips, and left to go back to the kitchen.
Carlos smiled after her before continuing, “The point is, don’t make assumptions. Fiona may not be ready now. She’s got a new relationship with you. Issues with her mother, a full plate at her job, and this new project of yours. If you go all caveman on her, she may kick you to the curb.”
Joseph tossed his two cents in. “Ask her what she wants. You can give her some suggestions. Just don’t make decisions for her.”
“And remember what I said, you are worthy of her,” Carlos said.
“Okay.” Tomas let out a breath he felt like he’d been holding for hours. “I think I can do that.”