Chapter 6
Chapter Six
brADY
I put coffee in to-go mugs and headed over to Hazel's early on Saturday morning. Hazel was moving in with me. It felt a little like the excitement of Christmas morning.
I was finally getting what I wanted under the tree: Hazel living under my roof. It was a necessary step in my plan to blur the lines of real and fake until she finally saw me as something more than a friend or a mutually beneficial arrangement.
It was early, so my brothers hadn't arrived yet. I sensed that she was reluctant to move all her things into my place, and I was prepared to strong-arm her into it if I had to. I wanted her to feel like it was permanent, that there was no going back to her old apartment.
She'd fall in love with my place, the beach, and hopefully me. It was a foolproof plan. Except I couldn't control whether she was attracted to me.
At her front door, I knocked, balancing the coffee mugs in my hands. When she opened the door, Max barked and circled my legs. Hazel snagged the mug from my hand. "Coffee!"
I grinned, following her inside. "It's Brady, actually."
She closed her eyes, savoring the flavor. "Thank you."
"I thought we could get a head start on packing the truck.
" Her nipples were clearly visible under a white tank top, and her silky pink shorts were edged in lace.
I was fairly positive her cheeks would be peeking out if she were to turn around.
I really wanted her to turn around. I knew she was comfortable around me, but I didn't think I'd ever seen her in this state of undress. "My brothers will be here soon."
She blinked her eyes open, sipping more of the hot brew. Her hair was uncombed and tangled on one side. "Give me a few seconds. I need caffeine."
"Did I wake you up?" I asked, setting my mug on the counter, taking the time to peruse her place. There were open boxes placed randomly around the room.
"We were out late last night."
I grinned at the memory of her letting go more with each drink, her hands roaming free, open to touching me as the night went on. "It was fun though, right?"
She winced. "I have a bit of a headache."
I grabbed a glass from her cabinet, filling it with ice and water from the dispenser on her fridge. "You're not bringing kitchen stuff?"
"Don't you have everything?"
"I have glasses, plates, silverware, and a few pots and pans. If there's anything special you want to bring?—"
"Not really."
It didn't make sense for her to pack her kitchen stuff. But I wanted to encourage her to bring as much of her personal effects as possible: clothes, books, and knickknacks. "I want you to feel at home."
"This apartment was always an interim option. I want to live in a house." She shrugged. "But you know how expensive real estate is on the island."
I did know but didn't want to say anything about my situation.
Our business was doing so well; I was easily able to buy a house with Dalton.
But Hazel didn't have a roommate. She'd insisted she preferred her space and would tough it out until she could save up enough money.
The problem was that interest rates and housing prices continued to rise.
She didn't make a lot working as a librarian even if it was her dream job.
She set her mug down. "I'll get dressed and comb this rat's nest."
I moved toward the boxes in the living room. "Are these ready to go?"
Her forehead wrinkled. "I think so."
I grabbed the box tape and secured the flaps.
I heard her footsteps on the stairs, and I forced myself to keep my attention on the task at hand. As much as I enjoyed seeing her in her pajamas, it would soon be commonplace since she was moving into my house.
I packed the boxes in the truck, and when I came back inside for another trip, she said, "My bedroom is packed up too."
"We're going to have to leave your bedroom stuff. Dalton hasn't officially moved out yet."
"Does that mean I'll have to sleep with you in your bed?" Her voice was practically a squeak.
I grinned at her. "I think you meant to say you get to sleep with me."
"Yay!" she said weakly.
"I promise I don't snore, and I enjoy cuddling."
She snorted. "That should be on your dating-app summary."
"What would yours say?" I asked as she moved through the living room, checking for anything she forgot.
She tapped her chin. "Mmm. Loves to read and a clean freak."
"Dalton was not a clean freak, so I have some work to do this weekend."
She shrugged. "I don't mind."
"It will be different living with you. Two guys living together can be messy."
"I'll whip you into shape in no time. You'll be washing dishes and putting away your shoes before you know it. I'll train you for your real fiancée."
I wanted to say she was my real fiancée, but that wasn't the truth. Far from it. "It will be nice living together. You won't have to drive to my place to walk Max, and you can fall asleep on my couch watching movies. I'll carry you to bed."
"That does sound nice. I've never lived with anyone since college." Her voice trailed off.
I heard the roar of an engine. "Someone's here. I'll grab the boxes from your bedroom."
"I'll let them in."
When she approached, I touched her chin, lifting it so her gaze met mine. "It's going to be fine."
She pursed her lips. "I hope so."
I kissed her softly. When the knock sounded, I pulled back, my heart pounding from the brief contact.
The knock sounded again, louder this time.
Her eyes were wide. "I'd better get that before they break down the door."
I let out a breath, a little off kilter from that kiss, and jogged up the stairs.
I heard the door open, their murmured conversation.
I paused at the doorway to her bedroom. It was all pink ruffles and flowers, decidedly feminine.
How would she like living in my masculine bedroom?
I might need to let her makeover my room so she'd be more comfortable.
I opened her nightstand drawer to ensure that it was emptied, and my heart stuttered when I saw the hot-pink-and-white device inside. I couldn't close that drawer fast enough.
Would she use that vibrator in my bed? Would she want me to assist her? Beads of sweat formed on my forehead.
"Where do you want us to start?" Shep asked, and I startled.
I moved away from the nightstand, hoping no one else would open the drawer. "I didn't hear you come up the stairs."
Shep's brow furrowed. "No one's ever accused me of being quiet before."
"There's a first time for everything," I muttered.
Cooper popped his head inside the doorway. "Are we bringing the furniture or just the boxes?"
"The boxes and suitcases. Dalton hasn't moved his stuff out."
Cooper shook his head. "I don't think the missus is going to like living with you and your brother."
"He's staying with Oakley every night now. I don't know how he managed that. She'd mentioned that she wanted a ring first."
"Knowing Dalton, he probably bought her a ring. He's just too embarrassed to admit that to you," Cooper said.
That made me pause. Was Dalton slow to confide in me? Did he feel like I would judge him?
We got to work moving all Hazel's things into the trucks. I grabbed everything I saw and shoved it into boxes. She might think this was temporary, but if I had my way, it would be permanent.
For a few hours, I deluded myself into thinking this was real.
That we were engaged, and I was moving the love of my life into my house.
It wasn't hard to conjure up feelings of excitement and contentment.
I was finally getting what I'd always wanted.
Now I just needed to convince her that this was in her best interest too.
When everything was packed, we stood at my tailgate, drinking bottled waters. Shep gripped my shoulder and squeezed. "I have to give it to you. When you make a decision, you move fast. First you're engaged, and next thing you know, you're moving in together."
"When you know, you know," I said, the bottle at my lips.
Shep furrowed his brow. "That's the part I don't understand. I love women. But I'm not fixated on any one of them."
"You love the attention, not the person," Cooper muttered.
He knew Shep better than the rest of us.
"How do you know? It's not like you're seeing anyone," Shep shot back at him.
"I'm going to check to see if we left anything behind," Cooper said, heading inside.
I let him go because I thought he needed some space from Shep. He could get under his skin faster than anyone else.
"I really appreciate you stopping by to help us out. Dalton's got his hands full."
Shep shook his head. "You can say that again. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes. I'm not itching to have a kid anytime soon."
"Kinsley's little one is cute though," I said thinking of the last time I'd stopped in the office, and she was coloring at the counter. She'd pepper me with questions about tools and construction. Kinsley had to step in because she would have kept talking all afternoon.
A grin spread over his mouth. "Reese is the exception. She's an honorary Kingston."
"Did you tell Kinsley that?" I was more than little surprised he'd talked to her at all. I'd never seen him engage with a child. Kinsely and he butted heads every time I'd seen them interact.
He frowned. "I keep that to myself. Kinsley doesn't react well to anything I say or do."
"You ever wonder why that is?" I asked before draining the bottle.
"The usual, I suppose. I'm immature and irresponsible. I don't take anything seriously."
It wasn't anything I hadn't heard a million times before and thought myself. But hearing Shepard say it with a hint of pain in his tone had me rethinking things. Was he stuck in a role he'd outgrown just like I was?
"I get something similar. I'm the youngest brother, and no one takes me seriously. Not even getting engaged." I gestured at the apartment where Hazel was just coming outside with Cooper.
"Dad'll come around. You'll see," Shep said.
I watched as Hazel crossed the yard. She was talking animatedly about something to Cooper. "If we had more money we could do so many good things at the library."
"What are you talking about?" I asked them.
She drew up short when she reached us. "I'd love to offer more programs."
"We could always help out. The business contributes to a lot of local causes."
Hazel was quick to respond. "I'll figure it out. Can we get this stuff to your house so I can get settled in?"
I grinned, eager to see her things scattered with mine. "Let's go."
At my house, we quickly unpacked the trucks, and I sent my brothers on their way. There wasn't anything to assemble, and I wanted some time alone with Hazel.
Max had disappeared as soon as we arrived, darting through every room, sniffing everything.
Hazel stood at the doorway of Dalton's room. "When is he officially moving out?"
"I'm not sure. I think he's a little worried that Oakley will change her mind, and he'll need a place to stay."
Her face screwed up. "I didn't realize the situation was so volatile."
"She's pulling all the strings at the moment, and Dalton's going along with it. But it's only a matter of time before he messes up, or she decides it's not enough. I don't like it."
"You're protective of your brother."
"Growing up, we had to look after each other. I'm worried about him. Let's get you unpacked so we can figure out what's for dinner." I liked the thought of spending all our spare time together now. I wouldn't have to make excuses for us to hang out.
I'd cleared out half of my closet and drawers so she'd have room. I helped her unpack her clothes and tuck them away in the drawers.
"Are you sure this isn't an imposition?" Hazel asked when we closed the now-empty suitcase, and I tucked it into the bottom of the closet.
"You're doing me a favor. Just think of it as one long sleepover."
She frowned. "I guess. But when we talked about this, I thought I'd sleep in Dalton's room."
I shuddered. "I wouldn't go in Dalton's room. It's not clean."
Her brow furrowed. "It's that bad?"
"Yeah, and I'm not sure he's not going to show up at some point unexpectedly. We don't want people to know we aren't sharing a room."
"I suppose. But it just seems like it will be awkward."
"We're friends. It doesn't have to be that way." Did she think it would be awkward to share a bed with me?
Any time I thought about it, my blood ran hot, and my skin tingled. Now it was tempered with the idea that she might not find it to be appealing. Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all. I couldn't convince someone to see me in a different way if she didn't want to.
"We'll get through this."
That made me pause. "I didn't realize that living with me was something we had to get through."
Hazel sat on the bed with a sigh. "That's not what I meant. It's just we're tied up in this until you get what you need for your show. Both of us are in limbo, not able to date other people or move on with our lives."
"You want to date other people?" My voice rose slightly at the end of my sentence.
"I don't have anyone lined up, if that's what you mean," Hazel said as if she wasn't throwing my entire plan off course. "Why? Do you?"
"Of course not. I'm all in with you." I'd secretly lusted after you all my adult life, and now I'm wondering if you'll ever feel the same way about me. How do you go about saying that to your best friend?
Hazel smiled softly. "I don't want to be an imposition?—"
Max came running down the hall and jumped on the bed, circling a few times before curling up next to Hazel.
"You could never be that."
"You're going to get sick of us," Hazel vowed.
"I promise I won't." I already liked seeing her sitting on my comforter. "If you want to make any changes, feel free. I know my style is the opposite of yours."
Hazel looked around the room. "It's nice. Masculine."
"And your room was feminine. I want you to feel at home here. You can add whatever you want."
"That's nice, but I won't be here for long."
My heart cracked a little. Was I hoping for too much? It didn't even sound like she wanted to be here for very long. She was doing this out of obligation. My hopes dashed, I moved toward the door. "I'm going to fire up the grill. I thought we could have chicken and pineapple kabobs."
"That sounds delicious."
Unfortunately, my dick took that to mean she thought I'd be delicious. I adjusted myself as I walked away. I wasn't going to survive her living in my house while she seemed unaffected. I hope I hadn't made a huge mistake.
Hopefully, I'd find out once and for all if there was anything between us.