Chapter 27
Answer Me
Eddie
Imutter a few curses under my breath as I pull up to the job site.
It’s not even five-thirty in the morning, yet Kiki’s already here. I was hoping for a little bit of peace today, but it seems like the woman arrives before I do and lingers long after I leave—and I’m pulling ten-hour days.
Must require a hell of a lot of dedication to earn that spot at Nolan’s mansion.
This isn’t the first time either. It’s been like this for the last week, which is not helping the tension boiling between us. It grows exponentially worse daily, and I’m not sure how much longer I can deal with it.
I fully expected Kiki to corner me on Monday morning and try to worm her way out of the doghouse and into my heart once again, to gaze up at me with her big, beautiful doe eyes and apologize for making me feel like nothing.
I had even compiled a list of arguments, a preemptive strike to shoot down every excuse she could throw my way.
But she didn’t say a word about the events of that night.
In fact, she hasn’t said more than a dozen words to me all week. And even then, it was strictly regarding the restoration.
Of course, that might have something to do with the fact that I’ve unofficially nominated my foreman, Mike, as our go-between.
He knows my history with Kiki, but the man knows better than to ask questions, unless he wants me even grumpier than I already am.
So Kiki and I exist in the same space, circling each other but never intersecting.
All that changes today, though, because once again, her faithful companion is wandering around the job site.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Gus. He’s fantastic. Hell, I like him a whole lot more than I like his mistress at this point.
But that’s not the issue.
Gus, despite his advanced years, still loves to play, weaving in and around my guys’ legs like it’s all one big game. Most days? It’s fine. But yesterday, his antics damn near cost me a four-thousand-dollar window and a trip to urgent care for two of my crew.
Tomorrow, we’ve got fifteen-thousand-dollar floor-to-ceiling windows going in.
So the dog will not be here. I don’t care what argument Kiki has ready for me.
I’ve been more than accommodating this entire time, but today, I’m wearing my boss hat.
I take a long pull of my coffee as I start my daily walk around the job site, moving through the kitchen and into the sitting room.
To anyone watching, I look busy, checking every detail, making sure everything’s where it needs to be.
But it’s all bullshit. I’m just working myself up to talk to her.
Which is stupid. It shouldn’t be this hard. But it is.
Because the only way I’ve managed to keep the pain at bay is by staying the hell away from her.
I don’t know if I can stand in the same room and hold a conversation without the agony breaking through, and I don’t want her to know how deeply she’s cut me.
Kiki doesn’t deserve that from me. Hell, she doesn’t deserve anything from me. Not now.
The woman broke me. Twice.
Most guys would be thrilled, right? Gorgeous woman, no strings attached, just hot nights filling that fucking void. But I’m the idiot who fell head over heels, and until I figure out how to stop loving her, avoidance is my survival tactic.
Unfortunately, it’s also not an option today.
I slow when I reach her office and hover in the doorway, watching her as she works.
She’s lost more weight—it’s obvious now—and I sure as hell hope this isn’t some new LA trend she’s trying on for size.
Purple smudges sit beneath both her eyes like sleep deprivation tattoos.
Kiki’s always been pale, but now there’s something almost ghostly about her.
She looks more fragile than when we first started hanging out, and I thought she was going to break into a million pieces back then.
Jesus, I hope she’s okay.
Stop that. She is not your problem anymore, Eddie. You’ve got one job. Tell her Gus stays home tomorrow. That’s it. Get in, get out, you’re done.
Kiki glances up, a sharp gasp escaping her lips when she spies me at the door. “You startled me. Can I help you with something?”
The woman looks like she’s about to jump out of her skin, and for a second, I almost cave and ask why, but I catch myself.
Stay on point, man.
I step into the room, my gaze landing on the desk. Where I claimed her, her skirt shoved up, her eyes wide with desire, her legs locked around my waist as I lost myself completely to her.
See? This is why I must maintain a safe distance, because my mind is not a happy place to hang out.
I shake off the memory and drag my focus to Gus, waddling over for his morning ear scratch. “It’s about Gus.”
Two deep lines of worry appear between her brows. “Did he do something? I know he chewed up some gloves. I was going to pick up a few new pair—”
“It’s not about the gloves. I’ve got extras. But he can’t be on the job site tomorrow.”
A look that almost registers as terror flashes across Kiki’s face. “Why not?”
“I almost lost a window yesterday because of him. He got underfoot, tripped up a couple of my guys, and it came this close to hitting the ground. We got lucky. That thing’s four grand, and if it had shattered, my guys, and Gus, could’ve gotten seriously injured.”
Her hands fly up, covering her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize. I can keep him in here, out of the way—”
“That’s not good enough. It’s my site, and the dog cannot be here. You have a home. Keep him there.”
I expect compliance with my demand because I never issue any, and let’s get real, it’s hardly an unreasonable request.
Instead, tears well in her eyes as she drops her gaze to the floor. “Maybe I’ll take the day off too. Wait, I can’t. I have to be here for the deliveries… shit.”
Is she serious right now? Most dogs don’t accompany their owners to work every damn day.
“What is the big deal? I’m not asking you to put Gus down. Just keep him home. He can come back once the windows are installed, okay?” Yes, I throw out the last bit as a compromise because I can’t stand seeing the woman cry.
Kiki chews her lower lip and nods. “Okay.”
“Thank you.” Christ. Please tell me the rest of today won’t be this difficult.
I make a beeline for the exit, but pause in the doorway, my hand smacking the frame as I glance over my shoulder.
She’s wiping her eyes, her entire body trembling.
There is no way I upset her that much, is there?
I release a slow, measured breath. “Kiki, what the hell is going on with you?”
She shrugs, refusing to meet my gaze. “Just life, you know?”
Great. Another fucking non-answer. Par for the course with Kiki Wilder.
I hit the doorframe a little harder this time. “I don’t know, actually. Because you never tell me anything, so I’m done asking.”
She’s not my problem anymore, so why does walking away feel so damn wrong?
The next morning, Kiki doesn’t show up until half past ten. But true to her word, Gus isn’t with her. I don’t ask where she’s been. First off, she’s not my employee. Second, it’s not my business what she’s doing for Nolan, on or off the job site.
Still… it’s odd.
There’s snow in the forecast. Several inches, they’re saying. Nothing unusual for this time of year, but up here, it doesn’t take much to turn the roads into a nightmare. I figured she’d be onsite early like the rest of us, get her work done and get the hell out before it started sticking.
Down in town, a storm like this is nothing more than a rush hour nuisance. Up here? Whole different story.
Not your business, Eddie.
Romy arrives at the site right after Kiki.
She’s been gone several days on a trip to LA, and wastes no time filling us in on every party she managed to hit while she was home.
I swear, the woman is chaos wrapped in designer labels.
Always on the move and seemingly never tired.
It’s like she mainlines energy drinks or something.
Or maybe she’s just being twenty-five. By the time I was her age, I had Theo, and fatherhood shifts your priorities fast. These days, a beer with the guys is about as wild as I get, and even that’s pushing it.
Truth is, I’m a homebody. Always have been, even though there’s no one waiting at home for me anymore.
By late afternoon, the windows are in, and I feel the tension drain from the crew. Everyone was holding their breath on these installs. One wrong move, and we’re talking thousands down the drain.
Yeah, I’ve got insurance. Doesn’t mean I want to use it.
Filing a claim is one thing. Waiting weeks for replacements? Explaining delays to Nolan Montague? Not conversations I have any interest in having. Hell, after that party, I’d be just fine never speaking to the man again.
Even if it’s not his fault Kiki chose him. She made it very clear she was never mine.
The guys clap each other on the back, already shifting gears to their next priority—a beer before the storm rolls in.
Mike closes his toolbox, resting his hardhat on top. “Come on, Eddie. One drink before we get snowed in.”
Romy grins, clearly on board as she snuggles into her faux fur coat. “You guys have earned it. Besides, I know you missed me, right? Who else can beat your asses at darts?”
Like I said, balls-to-the-wall chaos. She’s adorable, too, but she doesn’t stir a damn thing in me, no matter what Kiki believes.
Once again, I’m thinking about Kiki.
For fuck’s sake, man, get it together.
I straighten my work area, but turn when I feel eyes on me. Kiki stands in the doorway to her office, but she doesn’t say anything. Her face is a blank canvas, devoid of expression, with a hollowness in her eyes that feels bottomless. Without a word, she turns and disappears back inside.
Wonder what that’s about.
Probably nothing. I should just ignore it, grab my stuff and head out with the guys. If Kiki has an issue, she’s a grown woman. She can speak to me about it.
That’s how this works, right?
Wrong, because when it comes to Kiki, I’m apparently still a damn fool.