CHAPTER TEN
Brian
The drill whines as I drive another screw into the board, sinking it flush with the wood. I give it a tug to make sure it’s solid, then step back and look at what Logan and I have accomplished so far.
Which isn’t much.
Lola has plans for the backyard. Big plans, judging by the stack of lumber, pavers, and bags of rock scattered across the grass.
A bigger patio, some kind of pergola, enough seating to host half the neighborhood and then some, and whatever else she’s got tucked away on the list Logan keeps pulling out of his pocket.
I’m afraid to see what else she brings back from her shopping trip with the girls. They set out for Green with Envy to pick out plants over an hour ago.
Logan wipes a bead of sweat dripping from his chin, and adjusts his ball cap. “I’ve got stiff competition to get this right. Keeping up with the Jones’ or in this case, the Steel’s.
“You mean Justice?”
“And Gabby. They’ve been hosting the Home Wreckers crew and friends for years.” He places his hands on his hips and surveys the new pool and the projects in progress we’ve started. “Lola wants the kind of place people want to relax at, too.”
“Hate to break the news to you, but this is anything but relaxing.” I grab another board and line it up with the last one. “This is what happens when you shack up with a woman with big ideas.”
He flips me off, and we get back to work.
For a while, neither of us says much. We’ve spent enough years working on cars, houses, and other shit that needed fixing that silence comes easy.
I secure another board in place. Logan measures and pencil marks more for the circular saw.
We take a short beer break a little after noon.
“Lynn’s back,” he says.
My swallow of beer goes down hard. “Yeah.”
“She called.” Logan turns the beer bottle, picking at the soggy label. “Said thanks for the new tires. Swore she’d pay me back.”
I glance at him, and he’s staring right back at me.
“I was a little surprised she called you instead of me.” He lets out a quiet laugh. “Considering your history of bickering and all.”
“She didn’t,” I say, slumping onto the ice chest. “She was calling Briar, but that damn relic of a phone she’s carrying around...”
I trail off and take another swig of beer.
“She was swearing under her breath, gravel dinging off the car.” I shake my head. “She wouldn’t answer me. I thought she’d run off the road. Grabbed my keys and started driving. Highway patrol happened on her, and I figured out the location.”
“So, you took care of it.” Logan watches me for another second. “Had it towed and got new tires.”
I blow out a breath. No point in denying it. “Yeah. Figured I’d try something radical and make her and everyone else on the road safe. Every damn tire... bald. Hell, she can’t even afford a damn phone from this decade.”
His mouth twitches. Of all people, I know Logan understands the frustration of watching Lynn’s wrecking ball life.
“Thinking you did it is probably for the best.” I shake my head and let out an irritated huff. “If she found out I did it, she’d loosen the lug nuts and set the damn tires on fire. That car would be sitting on cinder blocks until she scraped together enough money to buy another set.”
Logan laughs under his breath. “You’re not wrong.”
“I know I’m not.” I practically spit the words.
Why can’t she just accept a little help?
“You know she’s trying, right?” He grabs the tape measure and pulls the metal strip out a few inches before letting it snap back into the case.
“She’s always trying, Logan,” I say, exasperated. “What’s it going to be tomorrow or next week?”
“She didn’t blow a tire or trade in her smart phone to piss anyone off.” He fiddles with the tape measure. “She said she spends too much time looking at what everyone else is doing instead of figuring out what she wants. Deleted her social media, got rid of the apps, all of it.”
I don’t say anything. I don’t know what to think.
“She’s trying to be more present,” he says, his tone more serious now. “She’s trying to figure shit out.”
“It’s about damn time.” I pull off my ball cap and run my fingers through my hair before replacing it.
“So how long are you going to keep doing this?” He cocks his head, and that thinking wrinkle he gets when he’s dead serious springs into shape between his eyes.
“Doing what?” I squint, caught off guard.
“Wait for her,” he says, serious as hell.
“Thought that’s what you wanted,” I say. I thought we had an understanding. Unspoken until now, but an agreement that I’d stay the hell away from Lynn in any kind of... possessive way.
“It was.” Logan stands, every bit of his six foot frame a silent warning. “She needed time to grow up. Figure out what the hell she wants.”
“You think I’d hold her back?”
He looks at me like I’m an idiot. “No. I think you’d follow her to the ends of the earth and back.”
I stare at him. “And...”
“That’s the problem,” he adds.
Maybe I am an idiot, cause he’s sure going to have to spell this one out to me. “What the hell does that mean?”
“Look, I don’t claim to know what my sister’s looking for.” He grabs a couple of boards and hauls them onto his shoulder. “But I figured she ought to know what she wants before you went convincing her it was you.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “You think I can convince her of anything?”
“Nope.” He starts across the yard. “If you could, you wouldn’t be here, now would you?”
“Asshole.”
“Better get moving before the boss gets back.” He smirks over his shoulder.
I toss my empty bottle into the recycling bin and grab my drill. “This domestic shit has made you soft, old man.”
“Nah.” He drops the boards beside the saw. “Just finally learned there’s a difference between knowing what a woman needs and listening to what she wants.”