Chapter 46
CHAPTER 46
CALEB
J axson is waiting in my office when I finally make it in.
“Housemate, huh?” he says, laughing. Something you don’t see much of with Jaxson Lockwood. The guy takes serious to a new level and is more buttoned up than my twin, or at least the old version of Gabriel.
“Housemate,” I state firmly.
“Housemate with benefits?” he asks, a smirk gracing his lips.
“What is this?” I ask, turning to face him with my hands on my hips.
He shrugs. “Just wondering why you added an apartment to the dance studio but haven’t told the woman it’s being built for?”
I sigh and sink back against my desk. I knew he picked up on that detail the night before but let it drop.
Why hadn’t I mentioned the apartment to April? The fact she’s only just learned to trust me? Refuses to accept anything from me apart from a roof over her head? Even then, she keeps talking about paying me back—as if I have any need for more money, and particularly hers.
She’s the most infuriatingly sexy, beautiful woman I’ve ever met, and she has me tied up in knots. My little dancer has turned the world of this reformed playboy upside down, and I’ve never been happier. However, I’m not about to jinx it by showing my hand, not before it’s completed. Jaxson removed the internal stairs on the plans we showed April because when she realises the apartment is connected to the studio, she will know I designed it for her. She’ll be mad, but it will be too late. She’ll have her own space. But I can’t explain all that to Jaxson.
“It’s complicated,” I say, earning myself a shake of his head.
“Complicated in that you don’t want her to move out or something else?”
Jaxson’s words stop me in my tracks.
It’s true. I have got used to having April in my space. I’d imagined having someone always around would grate on my nerves. Instead, I enjoy coming home to someone there. Even in our attempts to avoid each other, her mere presence brought me solace. But that’s not it. I know April needs to leave. Yes, the sex is amazing, and waking up next to her this past couple of days, her hot little body curled around mine. But as April continues to point out, we’re scratching an itch that expires when she leaves.
“Complicated,” I say, moving around the desk and switching on my computer. “April has an issue with me helping her, anyone helping her. I must tread carefully, otherwise, she’s likely to run for the hills.”
“Why haven’t you shown her Copper Town?” he asks, clearly not going to let up about April.
I stand up, folding my arms over my chest. “What’s with the thousand questions? ”
“I’m trying to understand,” he says, his shoulders rising and falling as he shrugs before dropping himself into the chair opposite my desk. “You’ve been telling me about this woman, who is pivotal to getting the community on board, yet you haven’t shown her our flagship project. One that has been running for years and transformed a neighbourhood, much like hers, with unquestionable success.”
I know his question is valid. It’s true we can and will improve their community, but the community itself would have lost something greater had she walked away after the fire.
“After the fire, April had nothing to stay for. Everything she had worked for had gone up in flames. She is proud and stubborn and too independent for her own good. She’s spent her whole life trying to be heard.” I look at him and smile. “So I gave her a purpose, a reason. If she saw Frazer Development as the bad guys, she would have to stay and fight for the little guys. Just seeing her at that initial meeting with her community standing up for her. Seeing her with the kids. You and I both know that community is more than buildings and places to go. She’s an enormous part of hers. She’s placed herself at its heart. If she left…”
Jaxson looks at me, his expression contemplative.
“I get it,” he says, taking me by surprise. “But now it’s time to show her the bigger picture. Get her on board. It will be a win-win, I promise you.”
Jaxson joins us when I collect April from Scarlett’s.
“Wow. An escort,” April says as she comes out of the changing room, showered and dressed.
“Thought we’d show you around Copper Town. Grab some dinner at one of the restaurants or diners,” I say.
April tilts her head and purses her lips before smiling. “Dinner with two gentlemen. How can a woman turn that down? ”
Jaxson’s lips twitch, and I smack his arm. April sashays passed us and out towards the car.
Mason drops us off outside the main area. Like Sunny Down, we created Copper Town out of converted warehouses and run-down tower blocks. The residents have turned the once gangland paradise into a hive of activity and businesses. I want to show April that it’s not only the residents who moved in but the community who already lived here who have thrived.
April gets out of the car, her eyes wide as she takes in the buildings and businesses. Jaxson steps forward.
He points out his eco features, explaining how they’ve made the buildings super-efficient and reduced their energy ratings. From electricity to water consumption, even gas. It’s all as efficient as it can be. All down to his genius. On the outside, the old factory brickwork has been repointed and the windows replaced, making the apartment’s bright living spaces.
“Where would you like to eat?” Knowing after a day of dancing, she’s usually starving.
“Can we wander around for a bit?” she asks, turning to face me, her eyes wide, her expression intense.
“Of course,” I say, motioning for her to lead the way.
April fires questions at us, which we take turns in answering. Several business owners pop out when they see us wandering around.
“Mrs Dale, lovely to see you,” I say to the lady, who is just about to close her coffee shop.
“Well, if it isn’t Caleb Frazer. It’s been too long, young man,” she says, dropping everything on the table and coming towards us. “And Mr Lockwood. You boys get finer looking every time I see you both.” She winks at April, who smacks a hand over her face .
“I don’t think these two need any more of an ego boost,” she laughs.
“Probably not, but what they’ve done for this community, how they’ve helped us and… did I tell you?” She changes tack quickly. “Johnny has now completed his culinary school training. He’s taken over Bobby’s Bistro. Old Bobby retired last year, and Johnny stepped in.”
I turn to April. “Johnny is Mrs Dale’s grandson. He won a Frazer scholarship. He’s been in culinary school this past three years.”
“And it’s all down to this man. My Johnny had nothing, was running with the wrong crowd. Caleb gave him a purpose.”
Time to move on. Before April thinks I’ve set this up. What she is unaware of is that numerous comparable stories exist in this area. Where we’ve tried to help the community grow and prosper. As if sensing April’s interest. “My Johnny isn’t the only one. There have been schemes to help with business set-ups, reduced rents to employ local workers.”
I step forward, knowing now might be the time to rescue April.
“We are looking for dinner. We’ll head over to Johnny’s and eat there,” I say, earning myself the biggest, widest grin.
“God bless you both,” Mrs Dale says to Jaxson and me. I’m not the only one whose cheeks are a little flushed as we say our goodbyes.
When we are out of sight, April turns, her eyes sparkling. “I assume you didn’t plan that sales pitch,” April says, her eyes sparkling.
“No,” Jaxson says. “But she is one reason I suggested we bring you here. Caleb needs to show you what Sunny Down will look like once he refashions it. We want the current community to help build what will be there. Run the businesses, employ locals. ”
April turns to Jaxson. “If Sunny Down is anything like this. Wow.”
We arrive outside Bobby’s Bistro. Johnny has kept the name, and the place is buzzing. We enter, only to be rushed by one of the servers.
“Hi, I’m Wendy. If you could follow me,” she says. “Mrs Dale just called. Johnny has set aside a table for you. He said he’ll be out to see you shortly.”
“Please tell him not to go to any trouble,” I say, seeing how manic the restaurant is. I doubt he needs to take time playing nice with customers.
She gives me one of those smiles. The one that says, yeah right.
She hands us some menus and tells us she’ll be back to take our orders.
April is busy looking around. “This is impressive,” April says, looking down the menu.
I agree with her. It is impressive, and I feel a sense of pride swell in my chest at Johnny’s achievements and how far he’s come.
Wendy returns and takes our order, allowing us to make small talk in the meantime.
“Jaxson, how long will you be staying in the UK?” April asks, focusing her attention on my friend, my jaw muscles tensing as I watch on.
“I’ll be travelling back and forth. I have some projects ongoing in the US, but this one is one of the larger ones, so I want to be on hand.”
April nods, showing her understanding.
“You need to work on Kat. She knows you’re the best. I’m not sure why my sister is being so stubborn,” I add, watching Jaxson’s jaw clench at the mention of my sister’s name.
Am I missing something ?
“Just drop it. It’s up to her. I will not beg,” he says, shooting me a look that tells me he means it.
His choice of phrase startles me, but before I can question him further, our food arrives, followed by Johnny.
“Mr Caleb,” he says, approaching our table. I rise to my feet and hold out a hand in greeting. One he takes and shakes enthusiastically.
“I wanted to come and thank you personally. For making all this possible.” My ears feel impossibly hot at his gushing words. This really isn’t a setup, but I know April will think it is.
“You made the changes, Johnny. This isn’t down to me. This is all you. I just offered you a way, another choice. You should be very proud of yourself.”
He grins and nods, before turning to April. “This man, he got me out of a life that would land me in jail. Him and his family…” I watch as his voice catches.
I pat his shoulder. “You should be proud of all you’ve achieved.”
“Not just me. You helped the entire gang.”
When he says, gang . He’s talking in a literal sense. Johnny ran with a group of lads who saw themselves as the Kings of Copper Town. When the police bust them for breaking and entering on the new site, I had a choice. Press charges or try rehabilitation. I went with the latter. At seventeen, they were smart lads. When given the choice and a firm talking to, they decided to better themselves.
“I heard. I’ve been keeping tabs. I hear Denny is working uptown,” I say.
Denny wrote to me, thanking me for everything. Letting me know he had a new job, was changing his ways, and had encouraged his crew to do the same.
Johnny nods and smiles .
“I better get back to the kitchen,” he says. “Let you enjoy your dinner. On the house.”
I go to refuse, but April catches my attention, shaking her head.
“Thank you,” I say to Johnny. “And congratulations.”
“Thank you, Mr Caleb.”
Johnny leaves, grinning, and I retake my seat.
“I can’t let him give us our meal,” I say to April.
“You can and you will. He wants to say thank you. This is one way he can. You’ve clearly impacted his life. It’s what I’d want to do if someone did that for me.”
Something in her tone catches me off guard. I look down at the table, knowing what she says is true.
She takes my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze until my eyes meet hers.
“It doesn’t mean you can’t leave a very generous tip,” she says, smiling at me.
I grin back. “I knew I liked you for a reason,” I say before I can stop myself.
My expression must give me away as Jaxson chokes on his wine, and April laughs.
“I’m glad I’m of use. Now shut up and eat. Our dinner is getting cold.”