Romancing the Ex (The Maguire Brothers #2)

Chapter One

CASEY

Casey pulled up to the older Craftsman-style house she shared with her twin, Emily. Noticing the noise before she even reached the front porch, she rushed up the steps.

Why is it open when Emily’s still at work…?

She paused at the door and peered into her house. She could hear people talking but could not make out what they were saying above the loud banging coming from the rear of the house. Casey gently closed the screen door behind her and tiptoed inside.

“What in the world are you doing?” Casey yelled to be heard over the demolition that was taking place in her kitchen. “Stop it! Stop right now!”

When no one even glanced her way, she picked up two pot lids and banged them together. Suddenly, everything stopped, and Casey’s make-do cymbals clanged loudly in the quiet.

“Lady, you can’t be in here. We’re demoing, and no one except the crew can be here.”

Casey looked at the large man, from his hard hat to his rough work boots. “There’s been a mistake. This is my home, and I didn’t hire anybody to do anything.”

The man took a step towards her. “I have a permit that says otherwise.”

Casey stood her ground. “Can you at least put down your sledgehammer while we figure this out?”

The man turned to the rest of the crew. “You all keep working.” He set down the sledgehammer and walked out the back door.

“Do. Not. Touch. Anything.” Casey glared at the workers but then heard her kitchen being torn apart as she followed the man outside. She noticed two construction trucks had pulled into her backyard and had to stifle a scream.

“Look, lady. Here’s the permit for this house.” He shoved a paper in her face, and Casey grabbed it.

She felt her temper spiraling out of control as she read. “Well, obviously, there’s been a mistake. That is my address, but I did not ask for any work to be done on the house.”

“Let me guess. You’re a renter, right?” The man looked at her smugly.

“Yes, I am. But that doesn’t mean anything. You can’t just rip the kitchen apart without me being notified.” Casey smirked back at him, hands on her hips.

“It’s not just the kitchen. We’ve been told to demo it and the bathroom. No one’s even supposed to reside here as of this morning.”

“Well, I’ve got news for you. I am living here, and so is my sister. And we’re not leaving.”

“If you like running water and flushing toilets, you’ll leave.”

“What are you talking about?” Casey felt the first inkling of fear slide down her back.

The man shrugged and lifted his palms in the air. “The water’s already shut off at the main juncture. It’ll be off for at least three to four months since this is a complete remodel, and we have to fit it in between other jobs.”

Casey threw her hands up and jerked around to pace in the yard, her sleek tail of reddish blonde hair bouncing with the movement. “This cannot be happening. No one said anything. It doesn’t make any sense.” She whirled back towards the man she assumed to be the foreman. “Are you sure?”

He nodded. “I’m sorry, lady. I think you should call the property manager.”

“Yes, of course. I’ll do that now.”

“And when you’re done, you better begin packing because I won’t be able to let you back in here for months.”

Casey narrowed her eyes and glared at his back while she waited for someone at We Do Property Management to pick up. Casey left a voicemail and called Emily. “Em, you won’t believe what’s happening.”

“Hi to you, too, Casey. I’m just getting ready to head out. Can this wait till I get home?”

“Home? No. There is no home at the moment. There’s a construction crew at our house. They’re saying we have to pack and leave now for the next four or five months.”

“Casey, that doesn’t make any sense. The manager would’ve told us if they were going to work on the house. It has to be a mistake.”

Casey resumed her pacing, her tall, lean body moving fluidly. “That’s what I said. But there are workers in there right now, tearing the place apart.”

“I’ll be there in ten.”

Casey took a calming breath, closed her eyes, and tilted her face towards the sun before slowly breathing out. We can fix this. Obviously, it’s some crazy mix-up, but maybe if they work through the weekend, they can reassemble it, and we’ll be as good as new. Casey thought of the mess that used to be her kitchen and listened to the insane noises flowing through the back door. Who am I kidding? There isn’t any putting that back together again. We are way beyond that point. Casey walked around to the front porch and curled herself into the swing cushions, staring blindly at the colorful maple leaves as they drifted down.

She jumped up when she saw Emily’s car turn the corner. “Emily, I’m so glad you’re home. You aren’t going to believe this. Come on.” Casey grabbed her twin’s arm and pulled her towards the door. As they stepped into the house, Casey’s cell rang. “Hold on, it’s the property manager.” She released Emily’s arm and answered the call, holding the phone between them so they could each hear.

“Yes, this is Casey. Can you tell me why there’s a wrecking crew in my kitchen?” Casey heard the shrillness in her voice and made a concerted effort to calm herself.

“We’re so sorry, Ms. Murray. The new owner decided to rehab the house completely but didn’t follow the proper procedures to notify anyone.”

“So, we can stop this, right? Since we were never told about it?” Casey looked hopefully at Emily.

“No, I’m sorry. All the permits have been obtained, and because the demolition has begun, I’m afraid you and your sister are not legally allowed to remain on the property. However, the new owner feels terrible that this has happened and will let you have a three-bedroom, two-bath townhouse rent-free until the house is finished and you can move back in.”

“Free?”

“Yes, at no cost to you, including utilities.”

Casey lifted one eyebrow at Em, who nodded. “How long does the owner expect the renovations to take?”

“She stated approximately three to four months.”

“Excuse me?”

“Um, four months. Mrs. Maguire is thinking it will take about three to four months before you can move back.”

Casey felt the blood drain from her face as she watched Emily’s eyes go huge. “Did you say the new owner is Mrs. Maguire?”

“Yes, a Mrs. Bridget Maguire. Would you like us to send a message to Mrs. Maguire?

“No. No, I can talk to Bebe myself. Thank you, though,” Casey said through gritted teeth.

“Well, are you going to take the townhouse?” the agent asked hurriedly.

“Oh, yes. We’re going to take that.” Casey jabbed the end button and threw her hands in the air. “I cannot believe her! I’m so angry I could scream!”

Emily tucked her strawberry hair behind her ears and watched Casey struggle to contain her temper. “Take another breath, Case. Your being upset isn’t going to help us figure out what to do next.”

Casey whirled around, ready to vent her frustration, but she couldn’t do it when she saw her own emerald green eyes calmly watching her from the same heart-shaped face she shared with Emily. Casey looked at the floor and exhaled. “How can we be identical twins in looks but complete opposites in temperament?”

Emily giggled, “I’m not sure, sis. But somebody’s got to be calm, and you’re nothing compared to a hundred-twenty sixth graders.”

“Okay, Miss Calm, do we call Bebe directly or Rachel and Colin next to straighten this out?”

Emily shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe Rachel? At least as a start?”

Casey brought up Rachel’s name, but a beeping horn and knock from the front of the house drew her attention. “Now, what?”

Emily opened the door to find Bebe, her snowy white hair pulled into a bun, standing in front of a large group of people.

“My poor dears. I am so sorry. I didn’t mean for all of this to happen this way. I thought you’d have plenty of time to pack and move. I had no idea. I’m sorry.” Bebe paused to catch her breath, her hazel eyes glistening with tears.

Casey gawked at Bebe and the people behind her. “Bebe, what’s going on? Who are all those people?”

“Oh, right. When the property manager phoned, I knew I had to fix this immediately. I can’t have you two living on the front porch or anything. So, I called in a favor, and these are movers. A bunch of movers who will help us pack up your house and get you into the townhouse tonight. And please call me Aunt Bebe. Since your sister married my nephew, we’re all family.”

“Okay. Aunt Bebe, we can’t do all this in one night.” Casey wondered if she was having a bad dream and if she would wake up any second to have her morning cup of coffee in her kitchen. Then she heard what sounded like a small explosion coming from the rear of the house and knew she wasn’t that lucky. She knew it was likely going to be months before she could enjoy that quiet pleasure again.

“Of course, we can. It’s all a matter of numbers. The number of movers and the number of trucks. I got all of them we need.” Bebe barreled her way into the entryway and held the door open. “All right, everybody. Let’s do this. I want four of you with Casey to pack up her bedroom and four with Emily. Remember which one you’re with because they’re very hard to tell apart. Four of you come with me to see what we need for the kitchen, and the rest of you tackle the living room.” Bebe headed to the back of the house with her four helpers trailing behind her.

Casey lifted a shoulder. “I guess we’re doing this.”

“I think so,” Emily murmured. “Can we pick up a bottle of wine on our way to the townhouse?”

“I’ve got a better idea. You go ahead with your room,” Casey said. “I’m calling Rachel and Colin for reinforcements. Aunt Bebe is Colin’s aunt and now Rachel’s by marriage. Let them deal with her. And they can bring the wine.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“The place is lovely.” Rachel smiled hesitantly at her sisters.

“I might agree after a few months. Right now, I’m exhausted and still mad.” Casey frowned at her.

“Have some more wine, sis.” Colin refilled everyone’s glass but his own.

“It will be nice to have two bathrooms,” Emily said, nodding her thanks to Colin.

“Okay, girls. I think you’re pretty much set,” Aunt Bebe breezed into the large living room. “The beds are made, the curtains are hung, and the kitchen and bathrooms are arranged. Colin, dear, will you pour me some, please?” She plopped down and put her feet up on the ottoman. “I’m wiped.”

Colin handed her the wine. “Aunt Bebe, I can’t believe you did this. How could you have a crew commence work on their house without even talking to them first?”

“I know. I am so sorry. It was a series of miscommunications. I thought the property manager had informed you both last month. But it turns out that was an entirely different house. I’m just glad we could get you moved into this place. It’s rare for one of the townhouses to be empty.” Aunt Bebe relaxed her small frame against the cushion.

“Well, I’m thankful it’s Friday, and we have the rest of the weekend to finish settling in,” Emily said.

“I was planning to update my resume and then launch into job hunting,” Casey said, rubbing her eyes and stretching her arms.

“So, you’re serious about leaving Murray’s Maids,” Rachel winced. “Casey, I hate for you to leave.”

“I know, sis. But we’ve been discussing this since you returned from your honeymoon. It’s time. Murray’s Maids is running smoothly. You don’t need me anymore, and I want to try something new.” Casey looked at Rachel for understanding and saw Rachel’s brown eyes soften.

“You’re right. But we will always want you.” Rachel smiled warmly at Casey.

“Well, I’ll always be here. But it’s time.” Casey leaned over and gave Rachel a side hug.

“Casey, if you’re serious, I have a friend who is looking for a new business manager. He hasn’t had any luck, and I think you’re precisely what he needs.” Aunt Bebe beamed at her.

“Aunt Bebe, this better be legit and not some crazy scheme you’ve cooked up,” Colin narrowed his eyes.

Aunt Bebe put both palms in the air as if in surrender, her eyes wide and innocent. “I don’t understand what you’re insinuating, young man. But I happen to be talking about GR Shipping & Supplies, and Greg has been trying to hire a manager since last month.”

Colin looked sheepishly at Casey. “Okay. I can vouch for the job and Greg. Aunt Bebe’s right. It would be a good gig for you.”

Casey felt her shoulders relax for the first time in weeks. “Thank you, Aunt Bebe. I would appreciate an introduction.”