4. Thoren
CHAPTER FOUR
thoren
I t has been a long fucking week, and the beer in my fridge is calling my name. I know Jake is going to try to drag me out to the bar tonight, but no part of me wants to go. A beer on the porch while throwing the ball to Shadow sounds like the perfect evening. My truck rambles up the gravel driveway to find a black truck identical to mine already parked out front. I pull up next to it since he’s blocking the side of my garage I can park in and he knows it.
Shadow is at my feet, greeting me with eager barks and kisses before I fully get out of the truck. “Hey bubs, are you being a good girl?” I ask, dropping a kiss to her furry black head as I scratch her back. She barks some more, leading the charge to my front porch where Jake is sitting, one of my beers in hand. As I sit next to him, he pulls another from behind his back and passes it over.
“Grabbed you one, too,” he says, like he brought it and didn’t steal them from my fridge. I pop the top and take a deep swig in acknowledgement. We have keys to each other’s places and it’s not unusual for me to come home to find him drinking my beer and playing with my dog. Not that I mind, I hate when I have to leave Shadow alone.
“If you’re here, does that mean I don’t have to go downtown with you tonight?” He tips his head back in laughter as Shadow jumps at his feet, waiting for him to throw the ball again.
“Hey Jake. Good to see you Jake. Thanks for playing with my dog Jake,” he mutters, beer bottle to his lips. “No, we don’t have to go to town. But just to be a dick, I don’t even want to tell you what I’m doing here.”
I look over, intrigued. “The trailer gave away that you were in the area dropping off furniture. What’s special about that?”
“That girl you met in town. What was her name?” He asks, standing up to walk toward my door, so I follow him inside.
“Lily,” I answer, as he pulls two more beers from my fridge and heads to the back door like he owns the place. “Why, did you meet her too?” I try to tamp down the jealousy that starts coursing through me. Not that I have a claim to her, but I saw her first.
Outside, we take a seat on the rockers on my back porch and he finally throws the ball he had in his pocket for Shadow. She takes off like a bat out of hell, launching herself off the deck and into the woods, chasing the ball. “Blue eyes, long brown hair, tiny little thing. That’s your girl, right?”
“Yeah, that’s her. You’re killing me,” I kick at his boot with mine. “What about her?”
“She’s your new neighbor,” he says nonchalantly, like he didn’t just drop a bomb on me.
My eyes widen as I soak in what he said. “Lily is who bought Gary’s place? You’re telling me she’s been right down the road all week and I had no idea?”
He looks at me over the top of his bottle as he slowly takes a sip like a jackass. “Yup.”
Holy shit . I shouldn’t get excited. She’s a city girl, likely trying out the small town life just for fun, but I am thrilled. There was something about her, beyond her beauty, that drew me in. The way her eyes lit up as I told her about the area, the way her hands never left Shadow’s fur as we talked, the way her cheeks tinged pink when I flustered my words. And I have her living right next door.
“Do I invite her over for dinner or something? Go introduce myself? Is she living alone? When is she home?” My brain runs through all the possibilities, trying to think of the best way to go see her again without being a creep.
“You think I asked for her life story?” Jake scoffs. “She said she has coffee on her back porch most mornings. That’s about as much as I know. Oh, and she’s out of your league.”
I kick his ankle, but think that through. I could go over in the morning with muffins or something, but I don’t bake. Shadow could ‘accidentally’ run through her yard. Yeah, that might be the one.
“You want dinner? I was going to grill some chicken.”
“Yeah, that sounds good. Grab me another beer? I’m too tired to drive home tonight,” he says, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Mind if I crash here? I will be out first thing in the morning. I’ve got two tables to make this weekend.”
“Of course.” I head inside to grab the ingredients from my fridge. I hand him a beer when I step back on the porch before setting my tray on the grill and firing it up. “Two tables is a lot to get done in one weekend, need any help?”
“Nah, I don’t have any other plans, so I can get it done. The orders have been coming in faster though since I put some pieces in the showroom in Seattle. If it stays at this rate, I’ll be making it a full-time business by the end of the year.”
I plop back in the chair next to him while the grill heats. “Congrats, man, it’s finally happening. You deserve all the success coming your way.” Jake gives me a small smile, then finishes his second beer. He’s the most humble dude when it comes to his business, which is at complete odds with his cocky personality. He could probably afford to quit now and pursue his business full time, but he secretly has been helping out his parents and he can’t do that on just one income yet.
We enjoy the warm summer night, and eat dinner on the porch, both of us giving Shadow pieces under the patio table. Besides my brother, River, Jake is my best friend, and I love easy nights like this with him. I tell him about seeing Sherry and how things are going with the SAR team, while he tells me about the work he’s doing on his bike and how his business is growing. I don’t feel old most days, hell I wouldn’t even consider 28 to be old, but when we both decide to go to bed at nine, I feel it.
When Shadow’s bells pull me from sleep the next morning, Jake is already gone. There is no lag in my steps as I head down the stairs to let her out. I came up with the perfect plan last night to meet Lily again, and I am ready for it. Making a cup of coffee, I fill Shadow’s dish with breakfast. When she comes back in to eat, I head upstairs and throw on some gray sweats but leave my shirt off. I may be rusty at flirting, but I know what women like.
With my coffee in hand, Shadow and I head back outside and tramp through the woods toward Gary’s old cabin. “Okay, you’re my wing woman this morning. I need you to find Lily, and stay with her, even when I call you.” I give her a scratch behind the ear as the trees start thinning and I can just make out the cabin. “Go ahead girl, find Lily.” She takes off at a run, bee-lining straight for the cabin, like the best girl that she is.
I wait around for a minute, sipping my coffee, until I hear Shadow’s happy bark. I know she’s found her now, so I wait another minute before I call her name and walk closer to them. She shows me again that dogs are a man’s best friend by not coming when I call. Finally, Lily’s back deck comes into view, and there she is.
Her long brown hair is thrown into a bun on her head, an oversized pink cardigan wrapped around her small frame, as she sits on a couch with a mug in one hand, Shadow’s face in the other. I’m stunned just watching the sweet smile on her face as she talks to my dog.
Shadow is the first to acknowledge me, looking over and giving an excited woof, clearly proud of herself for listening. Lily’s gaze follows and I stand still as her eyes trail up from the shoes on my feet, stalling a little on my bare chest, and finally up to my face. Her cheeks flush as we lock gazes, neither of us making a move.
Her melodic voice calls out, “Thoren? I thought I recognized this sweet girl.” Her hand is still rubbing through Shadow’s fur. Unease starts to cross her face as she seems to register I just appeared out of the woods. “What are you doing here?”
Shit, didn’t think that part through. A big guy she met once appearing at her home out of nowhere. “I own the cabin at the end of the road. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Shadow caught the scent of something this morning and ran off and when she didn’t immediately return, I came looking for her.” I scratch the back of my neck uncomfortably, kicking myself for not thinking this through more. “It’s nice to see you again, Lily. I’m really sorry about the intrusion. Come, Shadow.” I pat my leg, ready to head back home and wallow in my mortification in peace.
“It’s okay, I was just surprised,” Lily’s small voice says. She looks me over again, then seems to deem me not a threat. She points to the mug in my hand. “Do you need a top off for your coffee? I was just about to get some more.”
The smile on my face explodes as I stride over to her. “That would be great, thank you.” As soon as I step onto her deck, I feel the boards give under me. I glance down to see that over half of them are warped and rotting. Lily stands from the couch, her cardigan falling open to show a silky matching sleep set. I try hard not to stare, but she looks effortlessly sexy and I want to wrap her in my arms and enjoy the nice morning together.
She is oblivious to my ogling and wayward thoughts as she gently takes my mug. “Sorry about the rotting deck. It’s next on my list of things to fix. Do you take creamer or sugar?”
“However you take it is fine, thank you.” I watch her step into the house before taking a seat on the other side of Shadow, giving her a quick kiss. “Good girl, you get a big treat when we get home.”
Lily comes back out and passes my mug over, taking her spot on the couch again. “How long have you lived next door?”
“Almost four years now. It was in rough shape when I bought it, but she’s a beauty now. I did most of the work myself, so if you need help with the deck or anything, let me know. Do you like it here so far?”
“If you mean the area, I’m in love. Every bit of this town, the people, and the land around me is exactly what I was looking for. If you mean the house, ehhh,” she takes a sip of her coffee. “It needs a lot of work. I’m eager to tackle the projects but also might be out of my depth. I just am ready for it to really feel like mine. Something I poured my heart and soul into and am proud of the outcome, you know?” She stares absentmindedly out at the woods, taking another sip before looking over at me.
“I do know.” I really do, too. It’s nice to know that someone else wants to put in the work to make something right. When I was with Jen, she wanted a modern new build home where she wouldn’t have to lift a finger or do anything. She complained constantly about the time I was spending working on fixing up the cabin, but never once offered to come with or help. Lily seems to understand the joy and pride you feel when you put in the work yourself.
“I think I remember you said you moved out here for work. What is it that you do?” I ask, as Shadow finally leaves her spot between us to explore the yard.
“I’m an author. I wasn’t before, I just wrote on the side. But I got picked up by a publisher and got a decent bonus to write a series. Since I can write from anywhere, I decided to do it somewhere I would love. Somewhere that I could find inspiration from the world around me.”
“That’s amazing, congratulations. What is your new series about? You seem too sweet to write thriller, so my guess is romance.” Her cheeks turn pink, and the flush travels down her neck to her chest. “Ohhh, you write dirty romance, don’t you?”
She lets out a choked laugh and adjusts the cardigan tighter around herself. “You hit the nail on the head, it’s a sports romance. MLB specifically.”
My hands clamp around my mug as my knee bounces anxiously. Do I tell her about River? Or does she know already, and maybe she sought me out. That seems crazy, plus I’m the one who found her this time. She’s going to find out eventually, I might as well tell her now. “That’s wild,” my voice comes out a little hoarse. “My brother plays first base for the Seattle Rainiers.”
Her mouth slowly drops open, eyes wide as she stares at me. Then a delighted screech leaves her throat, as she almost spills the rest of her nearly empty coffee on herself. It’s the same reaction I always get, any interest in me is immediately overshadowed by having a famous brother.
“No way! Do you know a lot about baseball then?” she all but squeals.
“Uhh, yeah. A bit,” I laugh awkwardly, scratching at my short beard.
“Can you teach me? Like about the positions, and maybe what your brother’s life is like? Sports and I are not friends, and despite my research, I still have so much to learn for my book,” she says, talking a mile a minute. “Could you even tell me what his routine is, if his dating life is hard in the public eye? Did he go to college first or straight to playing for the Rainiers? Oh, I have so many questions for you.” She finally looks over at me, and I’m not sure what she sees, but she quickly shuts her mouth. “Sorry, that was overstepping. You don’t have to tell me anything.”
I’m too perplexed to answer right away. She didn’t ask to talk to him. She asked me to teach her, to answer her questions. Hell, she didn’t even ask for his name, although she could look it up easily. My brain and mouth finally get on board together. “I am happy to help teach you and answer any questions that I can. Whatever I can’t answer, I can ask him next time we chat.”
She perks back up a little, but her voice is still reserved. “Really? You don’t have to, you probably get that a lot, huh? People wanting things from you because of who he is. I’m sorry I asked.”
“Sometimes,” I huff out. She narrows her eyes at me, and I relent. “Okay, most of the time. I really would love to help you, but if you still feel you’re taking advantage of me,” I wink at her, “you can do me a favor, too. On the days I can’t take Shadow to work with me, it would be awesome if you could stop by and say hi to her or let her out if you’re home.”
Shadow comes trotting back up to the deck and hops on the couch between us again at the mention of her name. No surprise, the traitor gives me her butt and plops her head in Lily’s lap, where I wouldn’t mind being either.
“I would be happy to do that! Does she like hikes? Could I take her on some with me? If not, I can walk her around here. Oooh, can she hang out here with me? I will be spending a lot of time holed up writing and would love to have her as company,” she rambles again, but I find it endearing. “If you don’t mind, that is. Just let me know the days and what you’re thinking and I’m your girl.”
My girl. Hell, I kind of like the sound of that. “How about you get my number, and I’ll text you my schedule. We can go from there, and any time you can spend with her would be great. We can also pick an evening after work where you can ask me all your baseball questions?”
“Perfect,” she says, plucking her phone from beside her and handing it over. “I will work on a list of them today. Thank you, Thoren. Moving and leaving everything I knew behind was terrifying. But finding friends like you has been amazing, and everything has been seeming to fall into place. Like everything I want in life is suddenly closer than I ever dreamed of.”
Her deep blue eyes shine in the morning light, captivating me. I am a man that is meant to be in a relationship. I like caring for someone other than myself, providing for them, protecting them, being there for them; it’s ingrained in me. I have missed not having that, even before Jen left me, I wasn’t having that need to be someone’s everything filled by her. Lily, though… I could see myself opening her car doors as those olive cheeks flush a deep purple. Having her over for dinner where she plays outside with Shadow while I grill us steaks. I could see myself stocking her shed with chopped wood for the winter and she would be so grateful for the little things like that.
I put my number in her phone, and hand it back to her. “I’m happy to help, Lily. Anything you need, I’m here. Shadow and I will let you enjoy your Saturday. Thank you for the coffee, I’ll see you around.” As I stand up, Shadow jumps down with me, taking off into the woods toward home already. I make a mental note of approximately how large her deck is, then follow after Shadow. I turn back to wave at Lily one more time, to get one more peak at her soft legs, and messy bun on her head, only to see her eyes on me already, lids lowered in appreciation. She gives a small smile in embarrassment and waves back. I can’t wipe the grin from my face as I turn back around. In fact, it doesn’t leave my face all day.
Bros & Hoe Group Chat
Thoren :
I got her number. Need some assistance later Riv.
Jake :
Damn. I’m impressed.
Thoren :
Good because I need to borrow your trailer this week too.
River :
Whose number? No surprise on the second part.
Thoren :
Fuck off, she’s writing a sports romance book about baseball and has some questions.
Jake :
She’s going to be a freak in bed, all those book girls are. What do you need the trailer for?
Thoren :
Don’t even try to sleep with her.
River :
WHO? Call me whenever and I’ll answer what I can.
Thoren :
Lily. Thanks bro. I need to get some new wood for her deck.
Jake :
I’ve got wood for you. *winky face* How long has your deck wood been out of commission? *laughing face*
Thoren :
Grow up, I’m picking it up Tuesday.
River :
Who the fuck is Lily?
River :
Hello?? You can’t ignore me just because I’m not there.