15. June
Idon’t speak for the first couple minutes of the ride. My head keeps replaying everything that happened in the last hour, and my emotions bounce from anger to disbelief to heartbreak, never settling on one.
Jake lets me be, but I soon realize I’m being extremely rude by not saying anything.
“Thanks for helping me,” I murmur.
He turns to me and smiles. “Happy to do it.”
“And for returning my wallet in person. You must think I’m a walking disaster.”
“I don’t think that. I happen to have met you while you’re going for a rough patch, that’s all.”
I cross my arms. “That’s a rough patch, all right.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way but… it isn’t all bad.”
I turn to him. “No, it isn’t. If it weren’t for my asshole ex-boyfriend, I wouldn’t have met you and the boys.”
Jake glances at me again, one of his brows raised. “Boys?”
My face becomes hot in zero-point-two seconds. Crap. “I’m sorry. I obviously don’t think you’re boys… ugh. Melissa said it, and I thought it was a cute endearment. I don’t have the history she has with you to call you that, and?—”
He places his hand on my leg, giving me instant radioactive butterflies. “Relax. I’m not mad. You can call them boys.”
“And you?”
His hand slides off my leg as he looks at the road. I miss the contact immediately. “If you want to. Although I’ve never considered myself cute.”
“Hot guys can be cute too.”
He laughs. “You think I’m hot?”
Shit. I can’t believe I said that out loud. I sink further into the supple leather seat, hoping it will swallow me. Here it is, the awkward morning-after moment I was dreading.
“Forget I said anything.”
“You’re blushing. It’s adorable,” he replies, amusement lacing his tone.
“It doesn’t take much when I’m around you guys.”
He chuckles. “I noticed.”
Oh God. Is he thinking about last night? He must be, because I am too. I’m still tender in certain parts.
I clear my throat. “Tell me about your neighbor.”
“Oh, she’s a hoot, the grandmother I wish I had.”
His comment makes me curious about his family, but we’re on the neighbor topic now, and I’m not about to change it to pry into his personal life. “Is she a hockey fan?”
“Not when we met her, but she is now. She comes to every home game and even converted some of her friends to fans as well.”
“How did you officially meet?”
He laughs. “That’s a funny story, but not mine to tell. You need to ask Ryan.”
“Curiouser and curiouser,” I mumble. “Do you think Mrs. Carpenter will be okay with me staying at her place?”
“I’m sure, but if it makes you feel better, I can call her and make the introductions.”
“Yeah, I’d like that. Thank you.”
I begin to relax, until some jackass cuts in front of Jake’s car, forcing him to step on the brakes hard to avoid a collision. The seat belt digs into my chest painfully, but it’s better than my face smashing against the windshield. One of the boxes in the backseat slides forward, and judging by the noise, something fell out.
“Motherfucker!” Jake yells as he slams the heel of his hand against the car’s horn. Then he turns to me. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.” I check what fell out of the box and see my ukulele case on the floor. I try to pick it up, but the strap catches on something.
“What fell?” he asks but doesn’t look away from the traffic ahead. “I heard something.”
“Just my ukulele. It should be fine.”
“You play?”
“Yeah, or at least, I used to. Bill hates it, so I stopped practicing when he was around.”
Jake’s jaw tenses. “I’m glad he’s out of the picture.”
My heart constricts. I’m glad too, but I’m also super depressed that I wasted years of my life with him. Speaking about all the things I stopped doing because of him, and the stuff I let him get away with… it makes me so mad at myself. I was an idiot.
When I don’t say anything, Jake continues. “You’re happy too, right?”
“Yeah. I am. It’s just… the coin hasn’t dropped yet.”
“It will once you’re settled in your new place.”
I almost say temporary new place but that might sound ungrateful.
“I hope so.”
“Well, here we are.” He points at a historic commercial building. We’re on Broadway in the heart of the Historic Core district of Downtown Los Angeles.
“You live in a commercial building?”
“The top two floors have been converted to apartments, and our penthouse is on the top floor. Mrs. Carpenter lives in an apartment below us.”
“That’s so cool. I didn’t realize you lived so close to me. We might even have bumped into each other at a market.”
“I think I’d remember if our paths had crossed before.” We enter the garage, and it becomes darker for a moment, which helps cover the blush I must be sporting right now.
I want to say I’d remember you too, but the words stay lodged in my throat. I don’t want to give him the impression I’m hoping there’ll be a repeat of last night. He probably has a mile-long list of gorgeous women he can pick from. Why would he want me when not even my lame-ass ex-boyfriend did? Last night, I was a novelty. Today, I’m a solution to his problem.
He parks the car. “I’ll get the dolly. Be right back.”
“Okay.”
I get out of the car too, and open the trunk. Before Jake returns, Ryan and Lachlan find me.
“Did you just arrive?” Ryan asks.
“Yeah. How did you get here so fast?”
“Our ride didn’t take long, and Ryan told him there would be an extra tip if he got here fast,” Lachlan replies.
“I’m sorry this is taking so much of your time. I can probably get everything upstairs by myself.”
Both make faces, but it’s Lachlan who replies, “Don’t be silly, lass. We’re glad to help.”
Jake returns with the dolly. “Damn, did you fly here?”
“We were very motivated.” Ryan gives me a look that it’s meant to make my panties shimmy down my legs on their own. Talk about a smoldering glance.
Heat spreads across my cheeks, and I quickly avoid his gaze, taking some bags out of the trunk. The boys load the dolly with most of the boxes, and what doesn’t fit, Lachlan and Ryan carry while Jake pushes the dolly. I follow them toward the elevator, but Jake splits from the group.
“Where is he going?” I ask.
“The service elevator is on the other side,” Ryan replies.
“Shouldn’t we all take that?” I eye the box in his hands.
“We won’t all fit. It’s okay, lass.”
My pulse accelerates when I find myself alone in the metal box sandwiched between Ryan and Lachlan. This is deja vu. Are they thinking about last night too? My face must be redder than a tomato, because it feels so hot.
I should say something because the silence is beginning to smother me. But I don’t know what to say. I’m as nervous now as I was last night when we were making our way to my hotel room. My heart is beating so loudly, it’s hard to believe they can’t hear it.
“How was the ride with Jake?” Ryan breaks the silence.
“We almost crashed,” I blurt out.
Shit. Why did I say that? Oh yeah. Nerves. I just threw Jake under the bus. Where’s my sense of loyalty? He’s been nothing but super nice to me.
“For real?” Lachlan brows arch.
“What did I tell you?” Ryan pipes up.
“It wasn’t his fault. A jackass cut in front of us.” I turn to him and catch the upturn of his lips. Crap. “Please don’t say anything.”
He stares into my eyes, mischief written all over them. “What would I get in return?”
My jaw hangs loose, but my tongue remains tied. I don’t know how to answer that. Is he flirting with me, or is he just yanking my chain?
“Stop teasing June. Don’t worry, lass. He won’t say a word.” Lachlan glowers at Ryan, and the intensity of his stare tells me there’ll be hell to pay if Ryan opens his big mouth.
“You guys are no fun.” Now Ryan’s pouting.
The elevator’s door slides open, and that’s when I notice we’ve reached their floor. I step out first and see that the door to their apartment is wide open.
I don’t move, and Ryan and Lachlan stop on either side of me.
“Go on, June. Ladies first,” Ryan tells me.
I swallow hard. I’m not sure why the jitters are getting the better of me now. I’ve already done many naughty things with these men, and if they want a repeat, I won’t say no. Maybe that’s why I’m nervous. If we’re going to be neighbors for the next three months, I shouldn’t let that happen again. I can’t afford to fall for men who are way out of my league.