Chapter 1 Up at Bat
Chapter one
Up at Bat
Derby
I parked my new, shiny red, sport SUV in the open field and gazed over the property. It would be perfect for my momma’s new house. I needed her to be taken care of. She’d done her best to take care of me my whole life, and as a single mother, it hadn’t been easy.
I’d grown up in the East side of Brexlin, Alabama.
The poor side. It might not have been ghetto, but it was full of single-wide trailers and cars up on blocks on what little yard there was, or in the street if there wasn’t a yard.
The neighbors were good old boys and not the sort I wanted my momma living around anymore if I could help it.
And I could help it. I made entirely too much money, even on a new team.
I got out and stalked toward the builder who squatted on the ground. He was meeting me here to do the first assessment or some shit like that. As I got closer, I saw he had a measuring tape out, eyeing it. He wore jeans that pulled tight against his ass in that squat. Not that I was noticing.
“Hey, man,” I said, announcing my presence before he got the wrong impression—that I was drooling over him. I was, but I didn’t want him to know that.
He stood and turned to me, all broad shoulders and a bit of scruff on his square jaw. Rugged and sexy, but still refined. “You must be Mr. Ward.” He stuck his hand out.
When I shook it, a zap of excitement shot through me. “Derby, please.”
“Sure.” He pulled his hand away, leaving me at a loss. “Uh, Derby, then. I’m Godwin Ellis. You can call me Godwin.” His shy smile killed me.
I turned on the charm in response. “Sure, Godwin. Nice to meet you.”
He stared at me for a moment too long, but that moment made me entirely too happy.
I liked him immediately. Something inside me tingled, then grew.
I felt overheated. Where had this hunk been all my life?
I wanted to grab him, run my hands all over him, shove my tongue in his mouth—something.
Was this my volcano moment or just sexual attraction?
Insta-lust here I come.
Godwin motioned to the measuring tape. “We’ll have professional surveyors out here in the next few days, but I wanted to get an idea of what we had to work with and what you wanted.”
“I want a nice house that doesn’t cost a fortune.”
Godwin chuckled. “Don’t we all?” His brows closed over the space above his eyes as he got serious.
“I’m talking bedrooms, bathrooms, floor plan.
We’ll get down to finishes and costs a bit later.
First, we need to know the basics. So, what are you thinking?
Three bedrooms, two baths? Garage?” He glanced over at my vehicle.
He was right. I needed to think about it.
My momma had a tiny single wide with two bedrooms and only one bathroom.
Anything would be an improvement. “Total square footage?”
“Three bedrooms for sure. Two bathrooms. I don’t want guests to have to use her space.” I shook my head and pursed my lips. I didn’t know who would visit other than me, but she needed to be able to call her domain hers.
“Oh? Are you married? Is this house for you and your wife?” Was it my imagination that he sounded disappointed, thinking I was married? Was he looking for a ring? Checking me out?
“Uh, no. This house is for my momma.”
Godwin smiled, flashing straight, white teeth. “That’s great. I would have built my mom a house, too. If she would have lived longer.”
“Oh, I’m sorry for your loss.” I couldn’t even imagine losing my mother, though I knew someday that would happen. I hoped it was far-off in the future.
“Thank you. It’s been a few years.” He shook himself. “Anyway. So, three bedrooms and two baths, so she can have guests. Two car garage then?”
I nodded. “And she wants a wraparound porch with a deck in the back.” Well, she’d wanted a porch, but if we were going to do this, we might as well do it right.
Godwin pulled out a small notebook and jotted down some notes. “Three, two, two. Porch and deck. What else?”
“Big kitchen with a lot of counter tops. She likes to bake and never has enough room. She shouldn’t have to mix cookie batter at the coffee table in the living room.”
“Agreed.” He noted that. “Attic space? For storage.”
“Okay. But I don’t want two stories. This lot should be big enough for everything on the first floor. And not too many steps to the front door.” Momma could handle steps now, but I didn’t want her to deal with that as she got older.
“Gotcha.”
“I don’t care how many square feet. As long as it fits nicely on the property. You’ll do a nice driveway, too? Maybe a horseshoe?”
He wrote another note, then looked up at me, waiting for more directions.
I wanted my momma to have everything, and I didn’t give a fuck about going overboard, either. Momma had tried to reel me in, but that wasn’t going to happen. “Think that will work?”
“Sure. I don’t see why not. How about a more formal livingroom in the front, then another family area off the kitchen, cozier with a fireplace?” Godwin added.
“That sounds perfect.”
“Don’t worry, Mr., uh, Derby. I’ve got your back on this. I’d want my mom to have a house like that.”
Maybe he understood where I was coming from.
My first impressions of Godwin Ellis were exceedingly positive.
I liked him more by the second. I was undeniably attracted to this masculine hunk.
Working with him would be great. I had all that eye candy and someone to relate to. I hoped that I wasn’t simply dreaming.
My cheeks hurt from the wide smile on my face. For the first time in forever, I was hoping for more and hoping it wouldn’t all go wrong.