Chapter 4 Ares
“Oh god! Please, please! Let me up!” The high-pitched sound of his almost sister’s-in-law’s voice broke through the closed door to his side of the house.
It wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. Ares strolled out of his bedroom, into his sitting room, hoping the real estate agent he was talking to couldn’t hear the background noise.
“Yes, Marion, do whatever necessary to cut through the tape, but I’m going to go forward. It’s a gorgeous property, and I am not going to wait. I want my designer over there as soon as you have keys.”
He’d wanted to move out of their mansion for years and was tired of his brother not making up his mind. Xander would complain—that it was his brother’s nature—but Ares knew they needed more room.
There was no question that they wouldn’t live together, or at least in this case, beside each other, but like always, it was about doing what worked for Xander’s comfort level.
In his mind, having a secluded property outside of the city, with twice as much space, was a no brainer.
Xander wanted to be close to Axis Management by living here, even though it could be up to an hour's commute with the bridge traffic.
Ares’s new place was only a little further, give or take forty-five minutes.
“You’re lucky that the property has been vacated, and the owners were eager to sell and your offer was competitive enough. Taking possession on Friday isn’t a problem.”
“Great, when can I get my designer in?”
“As soon as we close, Mr. Montague,” He didn’t miss the mirth in Marion’s tone.
“I know, I’m being pushy. Thanks Marion.”
“I’m used to it with you guys by now,” Marion laughed, and Ares smiled, hanging up.
The noise from below seemed to have stopped, but he went through to his workout room, got on the treadmill and started to run while he read his emails before calling Erik for an update on Dax’s team.
“Dax and three guys shipped out this morning,” the growly voice of Erik Knight said in his ear. “The operation is going smoothly.”
“Exactly what I wanted to hear. You sound cheerful this morning.”
“I’m a man on little sleep.”
“How much longer?”
“Forever. this baby is never going to come.”
“Waiting is always hard. Can’t wait to meet the new communications guy.”
“He’s solid.”
Ares had no doubt. They built the best team of men they could, and this guy came heavily recommended by Dax.
“Thanks for the update. Clock out when your shift is over.”
“I know the deal,” Erik grumbled.
Ares laughed and hung up.
He started to cool down from his run, pleased that everything was going smoothly with both branches of the business.
Drustan had taken their smoke and mirror bait and stopped asking about the project.
He and his team had put together useful specs that Xander was satisfied with because it would make them more money and allow Xander to go to market with technological advances he’d been sitting on.
Ares dried off and took a shower, whistling as he got himself dressed and then brought up the email of all the charitable requests that were vetted by their legal team.
It was that time of year and the requests were long, but he and Xander tried to give back as much as they could, quietly.
The only thing that was missing was someone to enjoy the holiday season with.
He wondered if Chef McNabb gave Josie the job yet and knew he wanted to go right to the source.
Taking the stairs two at a time to the main living area, Ares smelled coffee and breakfast cooking.
“Morning, love,” he said to Harper.
She turned, smiling at him. “Morning. Want a buckwheat pancake?”
“Yes, please.” He fixed his coffee, brought it over to the table.
“Good morning,” Logan Maddox said, looking up from his rock climbing magazine.
“Touched base with Erik. Dax’s team is on the ground, no problems.”
“It’s a quick in-and-out job.,” Logan said.
“You’re not supposed to know about the job,” Xander called, coming down the stairs.
Logan snorted. “There are no secrets in this house.”
“I miss the days there were.” Xander nibbled Harper’s ear. She playfully swatted him away.
“Trying to cook here!”
“I know. Maybe I want to make it hard for you, Angel.”
“Can you make it hard for her after breakfast? I want those pancakes,” Logan said.“Fine, my co-Dom ruins all the fun.”
Logan snorted. “Hardly.”
Ares smiled. Harper handed him a cup of coffee from the fancy espresso machine and he sipped. “Perfect as usual.”
“She’s so talented.” Xander wrapped his arms around Harper again, and she batted him away while sliding pancakes on to a plate.
Ares chuckled, satisfied to be part of their morning ritual.
It was filled with love and bonds of friendship that ran deep.
He couldn’t imagine it any other way. He wasn’t jealous of his brother—Xander deserved all the happiness in the world and he’d never deny him anything—but his heart twisted with a pang of longing, of wanting his own person to glance at him the way “You know who’s not having fun?
Erik.” Logan smiled like a cat playing with a mouse.
“Kayleigh’s had an easy pregnancy up till she entered the last trimester.” Harper passed Xander a plate, took one over to Logan, then gave Ares a plate with a stack of pancakes. “She’s been up pacing all hours. Her mood swings have been wild and she can’t seem to focus on anything.”
“Kayleigh had worked so hard to get it together,” Xander said.
“She’ll be fine after the baby. Gardenia and I are taking her to a spa today.”
“Is that today?” Xander ran his hands down her back, to her waist, and kissed her neck.
“He knows it is, kitten. You go and enjoy yourself,” Logan said.
“Thanks,” Harper flashed a grin. “Before I leave, Ares, you still need to pick a date.”
“A date for what?” Ares finished the last forkful of his pancake.
“Put some money down, make a guess on the calendar, and if you win, you get…what do you get?” Logan asked Harper.
“Nothing! You’re paying to play the game. We’re giving the money to Kayleigh because we know Erik won’t accept money.”
Xander snorted. “I’m getting tired of people rejecting my generosity.”
“Hey, you can give me more of it.” Logan closed his magazine. “I could use a new bike.”
“I already bought you a car,” Xander grumbled.
“And he loves it,” Ares said. “Have you looked at the requests? I want you to dress up as Santa this year and give out gifts.”
“No” Xander shook his head.
“Yes. I get to choose one thing a year for you to do.” Ares sipped his coffee, laughing as his brother gave him the finger.
“You should ask Josie if she wants to help. She’s always volunteering for stuff.” Harper set down a plate in front of Logan.
“Real smooth, kitten.” Logan kissed her.
“What? He’s lusting after her and obviously needs help.”
“I don’t need help. I need her to say yes to dinner. Hopefully, I got her the job.”
“What do you mean?” Harper’s cool tone took him back.
Ares took a bite of his pancake, feeling the heated stares of the people he loved. “This chef we play poker with mentioned he was hiring, and I suggested Josie. She hasn’t called me yet to thank me.”
“You’re a dumbass.” Harper sat down next to Logan.
“Angel, explain yourself.” Xander placed a hand on her neck, but his expression was amused.
“Josie’s worked hard to get where she is, and working in a fine restaurant is a dream of hers. I don’t think she’ll appreciate that kind of help.”
Ares frowned. “I don’t get it. I made a recommendation.”
Logan clapped his hands together. “You told the chef that if he gave her an interview, you would consider it a favour.”
Ares pushed his plate away, suddenly not hungry. “I didn’t mean anything serious by it.”
Xander levelled an icy look at him. “I bet that chef thought you were real serious. And she didn’t ask for help.”
Ares spread his hands wide. “I want things to be easy for her. I care about her and I have made no secret of it.”
“She’s turned you down for dinner,” Logan said. “I don’t know if she wants whatever you’re offering right now.”
“I guess, but if that’s true, I want to hear her say it. And if recommending her to the chef caused her distress, then I have to apologize.”
“There you go!” Harper beamed at him. “But first pick a date for the baby.” She held out her phone calendar to him.
“January 21st,” Ares pointed at the square.
“Perfect! Nobody else has chosen that date.”
“Make sure his donation is higher than mine, Angel.”
“What? How’s that fair?”
Xander smiled. “You’re unattached.”
Logan laughed.
Ares stood from the table. “I’ll see you guys later.”
“Good luck! Oh, her favourite colour is purple!” Harper said.
Ares strolled out the door, but he didn’t need their help. He usually fought women off because he didn’t want to end up in a compromising situation and kept who he slept with a secret.
But he wanted something more.
Something real, like what his brother had.
He had to do whatever he could to show Josie he was serious about wanting her.
***
Stuck in traffic, Ares thumped his thumb on the wheel, biting the inside of his cheeks. He woke up wanting to see Josie, and he wasn’t going to let the miserable traffic deter him. He went to her home, knocked on the door to the kitchen, where Josie’s mother Fleur came to the door.
“Ares! It’s nice to see you.”
Fleur was a retired social service worker and spent a lot of time volunteering on various committees he knew from charity work.
“Hi Fleur. I was hoping to see Josie.” Ares peeked behind her and noticed the kitchen that was once a beehive of activity was dark.
“She works out of a restaurant now. Her business got too big for this space.”
“Oh,” Ares prided himself on his ability to be confident, of keeping calm standing in front of Josie’s mother, keenly aware that he was lusting after her daughter and there was a ten year—at least—age gap between made dread settle in his gut.
Fleur smiled. “I can tell you that you stopped by.”
“I was hoping to see her. I guess I could just text her.” Standing here, he felt like an inexperienced virgin.
If Josie really didn’t want to see him, he’d lick his wounds and leave her be. But he needed to hear it from her. And if he made her feel uncomfortable by giving her name to Chef McNabb, he wanted to apologize.
“The restaurant is called Pacific Bistro.”
“How trendy,” Ares murmured. “Thank you, Fleur.”
“The soup kitchen is always grateful for the Montagues’ annual donation.”
Ares laughed. “We and Henri Laurent are going to make a combined donation this year. He and Xander are going to do the photo op.”
“I know Xander hates those, but it helps.”
Ares chuckled. “He knows. See you later.”
“Goodluck Ares,” Fleur’s small smile didn’t make him feel lucky.
Now, he spotted the restaurant and then got stuck behind a delivery truck.
His phone was lit with so many calls needing his attention, but he didn’t care. All he wanted was to see Josie.
He parked behind the restaurant, hoping he wouldn’t get towed, and stepped out. The air was frosty, the sky overcast, the weather people were calling for flurries.
Shoving his hands in his pocket, he strolled to the alley in the back and found what he thought was a door. It had a speaker box and a keypad. He punched the keypad.
“Hello?”
Just hearing her voice made his pulse race. “It’s Ares. Can I come in?”
“I’m kind of busy.”
His chest grew tight, and a laugh bubbled up from deep inside. “I want five minutes of your time.”
Few people dared to make him wait. Only his brother. The fact that Josie didn’t treat him as if he was a big important somebody was one of his favourite things about her. But he wanted her to treat him as her somebody.
A long pageant moment stretched out and Ares wondered if he was making the biggest fool of himself before the door buzzed and he pulled it back, opening to a tiled hallway, leading right into a small kitchen.
Josie stood with her back to him at the stove, ladling something that smelled delicious into takeout bowls. Her hair was neatly pinned back, though one curl had escaped. The sight of her made his heart jump.
“Hello.”
“Hi.” Other than the slight red of her cheeks, she barely acknowledged his presence.
“Can I talk to you?” He stepped forward, closer to her and her shoulders stiffened.
“Like I said, I’m busy.”
“Josie, did I make you upset?”
“What would you have done to make me upset?’ She turned to him and he saw her dark eyes flash with anger.
He moved beside her, took a lid down from the shelf and set it on the counter.
“Hey! Don’t touch that.”
“Sorry, I just wanted to help.”
“I don’t need help!”
The anger in her voice took Ares by surprise. He took a step back.
“Everything okay here?” A slight man with brown hair leaned against the doorway. Ares didn't know who the guy was, but right away, he didn’t like how he was looking at Josie.
“We’re fine, Carter,” Josie emptied the pot and set it to the side.
“If you’re sure. I’m in the dining room if you need me.” Carter tapped the doorframe with his knuckles. “I’m right over here in the restaurant.”
“Thanks, Carter.” Josie gave him a smile and Carter’s eyes never left her face, and Ares wanted to punch the guy. But he turned and left, giving them privacy.
“Josie, sorry—”
“You’re not an employee, you haven’t been trained in safe food handling, you can’t touch anything I’m going to serve to customers and you should go.”
“Did I do something wrong by suggesting Chef McNabb give you a call?” Ares kept his tone low and gentle.
She turned to him, arms crossed over her chest, her dark eyes a sheen of tears. “He thinks it’s nice to be owed a favour by you.”
“Josie, I didn’t mean anything by it.” Ares brushed her arm. She jerked away from his touch.
“I don’t need help.”
“I know that.” Ares’s chest felt tight, he hated that he upset her. “Do you? Because you are always offering it!”
Ares frowned. “I’m sorry to upset you. I think you’re talented and capable-”
“Sure.”
“I do! You know I love your food! I have always sent people to you. When Chef McNabb mentioned he needed a new hire, I thought it was exactly the same as recommending your pasta for lunch.”
Josie exhaled. “You do like my pasta.”
“The butternut squash is my favourite.”
“It’s different, though, okay? You recommending my food is supporting my business. You telling Chef to give me a call is—” she shook her head. “It’s just different.”
The fact that she dared to tell him off made his cock twitch. He found her breezy confidence so damn sexy.
“I want to kiss you.”