Chapter 19 #2
“What?” Her comment shocked him. “No, I don’t.”
“Sure looked that way to me last night at the marina.”
“What is it that you want to say, Sierra?”
“I’m just wondering what’s up with her. It’s like she’s cast some sort of spell over you or something.”
“Don’t be dramatic. We’re hanging out. Is that okay with you?”
She shrugged, but he could tell by the belligerent set to her jaw that she had something to say. “Sure, it’s fine with me.”
“Thanks. Can I get back to work now?”
“It’s just that this woman shows up out of nowhere, and now you’re suddenly all domesticated.”
“Are you trying to piss me off?”
“Not at all. I’m worried about you.”
“I’m fine.”
“I don’t want to see you hurt again like you were the last time.”
“Totally different situation.”
“Is it? Is she here to stay forever, or is she going to get bored like the last one did and want something else in a couple of months?”
Sierra’s question struck fear in his heart. McKenzie was having the cabin rebuilt. Would she do that if she didn’t intend to stay? “Don’t worry about it, okay? It’s all good.”
“If you say so.”
“I say so. She’s coming in later to take a look at my books. You want me to have her stop by next door?”
“Sure.”
“Are you okay, Sierra?” It was wildly out of character for her to question his choices, so he felt the need to ask.
“Of course.”
“I’m going to get back to work, then.”
“Okay.”
She started to leave, but then turned back. “I know she’s Rosemary’s granddaughter, and you feel loyal to her for being such a good friend to you. But you don’t owe her granddaughter anything. Be careful.”
With that, she walked out the door, leaving Duke wondering what the hell she was warning him about.
He’d reached out to McKenzie before he’d known she was Rosemary’s granddaughter.
He’d invited her to use the apartment for as long as she needed.
Before he’d gone to see her at Tiffany’s, McKenzie hadn’t known he existed or that he was a friend of her grandmother’s.
What sort of nefarious plot did Sierra think McKenzie had hatched?
She just needed to get to know McKenzie, and then she’d see what he did.
That McKenzie was a good person, like her grandmother had been.
She was also a wonderful mother and had been nothing but honest and open with him about her past. What did he have to fear from her other than a broken heart if things didn’t work out between them?
He lost himself in the work, the way he always did, but Sierra’s doubts crept in to make him question everything. He’d known her for years and had developed a brother-and-sister bond with her, or at least that’s how he’d always thought of it.
Had she viewed their relationship differently? Was she interested in him herself but had never said so? Not once in more than twelve years of close friendship had that possibility ever occurred to him.
Ace came back from lunch, bringing takeout for Duke. He was bald, muscular and, according to several women on the island, sexy as hell. Ace was the only person Duke had ever met who had more tattoos than he did.
“Thanks, man.”
“No prob.” He leaned in for a closer look at the tattoo Duke was working on. “Looks great. How’s it going?”
“Slow but steady.”
“Funny how some of them sleep through it and others whimper like babies the whole time.”
“I know.” Since the question was eating at him, he looked up at Ace. “You ever pick up a vibe from Sierra toward me?”
“What kind of vibe?”
“The interested kind.”
“Nah, not really. Always thought you two were buddies more than anything.”
“Me, too, but she said something just now…”
Before he could tell Ace the rest, McKenzie came through the door with Jax in his seat. “Hi there.”
“Hey, come in.”
“Am I catching you at a bad time?”
“Nope. I was just about to take a break to eat some lunch.”
Ace gave him a curious look.
“Ace, this is McKenzie and her son, Jax. MK, this is Ace.”
“Nice to meet you,” she said.
“You, too.”
“She’s staying in my garage apartment while her place is rebuilt after the storm.”
“Oh, cool.”
Duke took the bag Ace had brought to the sofa and sat next to her. “Hungry?”
“No, thanks. I had a PBJ at home.”
He’d ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and fries. After squeezing ketchup packs into a corner of the container, he nudged it toward her. “Have some fries.”
“Maybe one.”
“Have as many as you want.”
She dipped one in ketchup and ate it. “Those are good.”
“I know, right? They’re from the Wayfarer. Best fries on the island.”
“Good to know.”
He took a bite of his sandwich. “Laptop on the desk has the dreaded QuickBooks on it. Remember, you promised not to be appalled.”
“I won’t be. I’m sure I’ve seen worse.”
“I doubt that.”
Smiling, she said, “I need bank and credit card statements, too.”
“Uh, I think I’ve got them around here somewhere.”
“You want me to poke around for them?”
“You’ll have a stroke when you see the drawers.”
“I’m sure I’ll survive.” She got up to go to the desk, positioning Jax in his seat so he could see her while she worked.
“Let me know if you have any questions.”
“You’ll be the first to know.”
Duke was wondering how he was supposed to concentrate on lunch or work or anything else while she was there, looking so pretty and kissable. “Sierra said to stop by to talk about her books when you get a chance.”
“I’ll do that when I’m finished here.”
“That’s apt to take a week or two.” He’d never been particularly embarrassed by his recordkeeping until now.
“I meant done for today.”
“Ah, okay. So…”
“Stop fretting, Duke. Everyone’s books are a mess when they bring in someone who knows what they’re doing.”
When Ace’s afternoon client arrived, Duke got up to show her to Ace’s station.
“Can I get you anything to drink?”
“No, thanks,” she said, running her eyes over him and seeming to like what she saw.
Where in the hell was all this female attention coming from now that he was interested in McKenzie? Had McKenzie noticed the way the customer had checked him out? He ventured a glance her way and determined that, yes, she’d definitely seen it.
Shit.
Why did this stuff have to be so goddamned complicated? He liked her. Based on how she’d kissed him the night before, she liked him just as much. So why were his insides tied up in knots thanks to Sierra and some other woman he’d never laid eyes on before five minutes ago?
He went back to work on Kyle’s back, relying on nervous energy to finish the wings and start the next part of the design before this session ended.
But he kept stealing glances at the woman across the room as he tried to calculate how many hours it would be before he could be alone with her to continue what they’d started the night before. How was a man supposed to concentrate on anything when she was in the room?
He’d much rather look at her than Kyle’s back.