5. Lily
CHAPTER FIVE
lily
Thoren:
Hey Lily, it’s Thoren. Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday this week Shadow will be alone if you want to spend some time with her.
Lily:
Yes! Do you have a way for me to get her?
Thoren:
I’ll leave the back door unlocked. Her harness and leash are hanging on a hook next to it if you need them.
Lily:
Sounds good.
Thoren:
Thanks again, we both appreciate it.
S aturday morning after Thoren left, I sat down and wrote two chapters, weeded the small flower garden out front, and mowed my yard when my new mower got delivered. My mind constantly drifted back to him, despite my considerable effort to not think about him. My god, those tattooed arms, thick with corded muscles, and abs that led to that deep v. I really tried to keep my eyes on his face, but the man had no shirt on and I’m only human. The way the muscles in his back moved and flexed from walking … phew.
To add to it, he has the thickest thighs. Those sweats didn’t hide a dang thing. I don’t know what he does to stay in shape, but it’s working. Another man in my life is the last thing I need. However, I could use more friends here, and he seems like a great one. He was sweet, listened, and understood me instead of doubting and judging me.
I texted Michele and asked how well she knew him, which led to her showing up Sunday afternoon with a bottle of wine so she could tell me all about him and his brother. She told me he and Jake were thick as thieves as well. I looked up Thoren’s brother, River, after he left and picturing those three men together… it’s every woman’s dream. There must be something in the water here because it’s insane that three good friends are all that attractive.
While Michele was here she helped me pick out what color to paint the kitchen and living room. I made it my mission to go out Monday morning and get all the paint and supplies that I would need, and wrote out an extensive list of everything I needed to learn about baseball and about player’s lives that would elevate my book. Each new day brings a sense of empowerment, gradually easing the pain and loneliness of my past.
I wrote the last question down on the list and hung it on the fridge for when I see Thoren next. With a Lord Huron playlist on my phone, I taped off the living room. Michele and I decided on a deep hunter green in here, to blend the outside with the in. She also may have been partial, since it’s the color of her office as well.
As I’m taping up the last window, my playlist stops and my phone rings, Andrea’s name flashing across the screen.
“Hello,” I answer and hit speaker so I can finish my project.
“Hello my favorite author, how are things going?” she sings out. It is really nice to hear her voice. While I have made friends with Thoren and Michele, I am still isolated out here in the woods. Hearing Andrea’s voice is comforting, and it makes me miss her, probably the only thing I miss about Phoenix.
“You say that to all your authors. It’s going great! I will have the next five chapters to you by the end of the week. I found someone to help me with my baseball knowledge, so it should be even better than you were expecting.”
“Your work never disappoints. Who is your special helper? Please tell me it’s someone hot,” she begs.
“He is ridiculously attractive, and get this, his brother actually plays for an MLB team. And to top it off, he’s my neighbor, and he has a dog.”
“A dog? Oh god, you’re in love aren’t you?” she jokes. She has three dogs and I may beg her weekly for spam of their adorable faces. I wasn’t allowed to have pets growing up, so I seek out every dog I can. I can’t wait until I can get one of my own, maybe after I finish this next book. “Also, I saw Tyler at a coffee shop this weekend and was curious if you had heard from him at all? If I wasn’t with a client, I would have marched over and dumped my coffee on him.”
Chills skitter down my spine just hearing his name. Andrea is the only person who knows the whole ugly truth about my ex. She’s never once judged me for it, but she expressed concern throughout our relationship. When it ended, she cheered, then cried with me when she found out the truth. She’s been a fierce champion for me since. “No. I haven’t heard from anyone there.”
Andrea’s sigh is heavy through the speaker, “I really think you should sue. I know we’ve talked about it before, but it isn’t right, Lily. They deserve to pay.”
I’ve been good about leaving the past in the past. I’ve even been good about letting go of the anger and the humiliation. “I can’t admit it in front of a court, to be shamed and humiliated again. I just want to move on with my life.”
“Okay, I hear you loud and clear. Promise me you will think about it some more. I’m glad you have the help you wanted with the book and I can’t wait to read your next chapters. I’ll check in next week again, okay?”
I let my shoulders sink with the drop of that conversation. “Sounds good, thanks Andrea. Talk soon.” With that one call, my motivation is gone. There’s still a few hours of sunlight, so I trudge upstairs and change into shorts and a tank top and throw on my running shoes. With an angry playlist in my ears, I head down my driveway and out toward the main road.
Physical release is my go-to for pent up nerves and feelings I don’t know what to do with. I guess I should say, sex would be my go-to, but since that’s not an option and my toy is on the charger, a run is a great alternative. Setting the tracker on my watch, I get lost in the music. I stay on the main road my little lane is off of and follow it until my lungs are burning and my legs shake, then turn around to do it all again as I head back home.
The fresh mountain air sweeps past me, rays of the setting sun reaching between the trees. Sweat is dripping down my back, despite the dense woods keeping the temperature comfortable. When I finally make it back to Alder Ave, the sun has sunk behind the trees. My body is beyond exhausted, but my mind is clear.
Avoiding looking at the new cracking tiles, I shower quickly, then heat up leftover spaghetti. My bed is calling my name, and my shaky legs barely get me up the stairs to it. Lying in bed, I try not to let my mind wander back to Tyler. Instead, I think of Shadow and if she would be a good painting buddy, or if that’s a disaster waiting to happen. I think I’ll risk it and bring her over anyway. With thoughts of the loveable black dog and her handsome owner, I drift off to sleep.
The bright morning rays stream through my windows, the no curtain idea bringing a smile to my face. There truly isn’t a better way to wake. I am dreading the day I can’t enjoy my mornings on the deck, but at least I have a wall of windows to bring some of the outside in. My legs ache from the run yesterday, but I don’t let it slow me down.
It’s dog-mom day, and I get to spend it with my new favorite furry companion.
Wearing an oversized tee with bike shorts, I make a quick omelet and cup of coffee. When that first hit of caffeine buzzes through my veins, I walk over to Thoren’s to get Shadow.
Wandering through the woods like him sounds like a recipe for disaster, so I stick to the road like a city girl. Walking up his gravel driveway takes longer with his house sitting further back than mine. When it finally comes into view, I am stunned by the masculine beauty of it. The cabin is at least twice the size of mine, and is painted black from the roof to the front porch floor. Mahogany wood shutters surround the windows matching the stunning front door. Despite the darkness, it is inviting and raw. The back deck is the length of the house and corresponds with the rest of the color scheme. He has an outdoor table and chairs on one side by a grill and two rockers set on the other side.
Shadow barks and bursts through the back door as I open it. She jumps around me, her butt wiggling as she bounces. I give her a tight squeeze and lots of rubs before stepping inside to grab her leash. I may not need it, but I am dying to peek inside the house.
The back door opens to his kitchen and dining room, and it is surprisingly bright inside. The cabinets are a pretty oak with a white quartz counter and subway tile backsplash. Wide plank flooring spreads throughout the space, giving it a cozy and modern feel, every detail more beautiful than the last. More than that, it is clean. Like, ridiculously clean, not a dish in the sink or clutter on the counters.
My heart beats faster, the OCD side of me thrilled at the sight before me. I expected it to be a little cold, maybe broodier to match the outside, but I kind of want to move in, and I definitely want to keep snooping. Shadow circles between my legs, ready to go, so instead of invading Thoren’s space, I grab the leash and close the door behind us.
“Ready to go paint?” I ask the overeager pup as we head back to my place. Just as I thought, Shadow doesn’t need the leash. She wanders, sniffing here and there but comes right back to my side when called. As my cabin comes into view she darts ahead and sits patiently by the front door. I let out a small chuckle, already so in love with her.
When I let us in, she scopes out every corner, smelling everything in sight. I let her explore while I set up my paint trays, rollers, and brushes. She eventually makes herself at home on the old couch I need to replace as I start painting the walls. The day passes by quickly as I put two layers of paint on the living room walls between lots of outside breaks to play and eat some shared snacks. Who knew an apple with peanut butter would also be her favorite snack?
My phone rings from somewhere inside, so I rush in from the deck to grab it. I swipe the green button, waiting for Thoren’s voice to fill the speaker. “Hey Lily, are you home?”
“Yeah, sorry, do you need me to bring Shadow back over now?” I ask, a little bummed to lose my companion.
“No, not at all. I’m glad she’s there with you,” his voice sounds far away, like he’s talking through a car speaker. “I’m actually hoping to drop something off to you. Can I stop by on my way home in about fifteen minutes?”
“Oh, yeah, I’ll be here.”
“Sounds good, see you in a bit then.”
I mumble a “See ya,” before hanging up. What would he have to drop off to me?
The crunch of gravel draws my attention so I follow Shadow to the front of the house. Jake’s black truck and trailer are parked next to my car, but Thoren hops out.
“Did you steal Jake’s truck?” I ask, pointing behind him.
His cheeks heat, turning the cutest shade of pink. “No, this one is mine but the trailer is his. We have the same truck, and before you ask, I had mine first and he copied me.” He crouches down, giving his dog the attention she demands. “How’d you know I know Jake?”
The heat travels up my chest and into my cheeks. “Michele told me you guys were friends. She was my realtor, and is the one who gave me Jake’s contact information. We may have gotten wine drunk while she told me about all of your guys’ high school days.”
He groans as he stands back up. “That can never be a good thing.” He scratches his hands at the back of his neck. “So I did something, and I don’t want you to be upset. I just wanted to help.”
“Okaaaay?”
He shifts on his feet then walks back to the trailer. As I follow along I notice long wood planks tied to it. Spinning toward me, he says, “I know you said the deck was next on your list of projects, so I wanted to drop these off for you. I have tools you can borrow for it, too. I’m not sure what all you have or need. I can help with all of it or just the first board or two until you get confident. I know you wanted to do it yourself, and I know you can. I just thought, I’m here and I’ve done it before…” He rocks back on his heels.
I open my mouth, then close it, at a complete loss of what to say. After one conversation, he listened and took action. Not only that, but he acted without steamrolling me and my desires. I’ve never had someone do something this nice before, and I will happily take his help. I’ll still get that same sense of accomplishment by doing it with him.
“Thank you.” I clear the emotion in my throat, “I would love your help. And I’ll pay you for the wood and your time.”
“Absolutely not. This is my thanks for helping take care of Shadow. I’ll unload all this and then run home to change out of my uniform and grab my tools. Are you okay starting on this tonight?”
My eyes rove over his work boots beneath dark green pants that hug tight to his legs, then over his green button up shirt that’s taut over his chest. Sleeves rolled to perfection showing off his tattooed forearms that flex with his movements. Forearm porn… it’s a real thing. I don’t think he needs to change. His unruly hair is mussed to perfection on top, making his rugged look that much hotter.
“I’ll help you unload your wood. The wood, I meant the wood, not your wood.” Holy mother of god, I did not just say that.
His chuckle is deep, wrapping me in warmth. “Come on then,” he says, undoing the straps and handing me a few planks at a time. We work in tandem, getting everything laid out in the backyard, before he hops back in his truck with Shadow in tow, promising to be right back.
While he’s gone, I head inside to wash up and pull out a second steak for dinner. In the bathroom, I splash some water on my face and try to scrub the paint off my hands and arms. My brush gets caught in the tangles of my hair so I throw it back up in a claw clip. I won’t bother changing since I’m covered in paint anyway. By the time I get myself semi presentable again, I hear him pull back up out front.
“Ready to work,” he says, holding up a tool box in one hand and a drill in the other as I step out the front door. I try to focus on the tools, I really do, but his stained dark jeans and black tee stretched tight over broad shoulders is stealing the show. Something about a man willing to get his hands dirty and that knows how to fix things just does it for me.
“Let’s get to it then,” I lick my lips, trying to bring moisture back to my dry mouth. “Thanks again, for helping me with this.” His footfalls weigh heavy as he follows me around to the back.
“Happy to. I redid my deck just last year. Not to brag, but I’m practically a professional now,” he winks, handing me a crow bar and protective glasses. “First things first, we need to move the couch and remove all the old rotting boards.”
Together we get to work, and I balk at how easily some of the boards crumble when pried up. I’m prying up my fifth board when I glance over and see Thoren isn’t wearing safety glasses like me. “Hey, where’s your glasses?”
“You have them,” he says, not bothering to look up. “I only have one pair and I’d rather protect your eyes.” He continues pulling up boards like he didn’t just blow me away again. Friends, I remind myself. I cannot get involved with anyone again. This man seems to be a walking green flag, and I seem to be great at ignoring the red ones, so I might as well ignore the green too. “I took a wild guess on the amount of boards you’d need, but counting it out now, I’ll have enough to replace the bad ones and some extra. Do you want to do it all and I can get the rest of the boards later this week?”
“No, you don’t have to do that. We can just replace the really bad ones and next summer I can replace the rest. Since I’ll practically be a pro by then,” I giggle. “We can just put the extras in the little shed.” I pull up the last rotting board, noticing that by the time I removed seven, he removed double that.
“That’s a good plan. Can you start measuring out lengths and I’ll start making cuts so we can get these new boards screwed in?”
I handed the safety glasses to him. I may not know much when it comes to home projects, but I know he needs them with a saw. He shows me how to measure each length, marking it on the wood. Surprisingly, he lets me do it alone, even when I measure incorrectly more than once.
“You’re doing great,” he assures me, grabbing another one of the spare pieces, when I measure wrong again. “Are you sure this is your first time doing this?”
This man. This dang man. “Thanks, Thoren,” I squeak out, knowing full well I am doing a terrible job. “Would you like to stay for dinner? I’m making steak and roasted potatoes.”
He looks up from where he’s kneeling, sweat dripping down his forehead, his hazel eyes locking on mine. One side of his mouth raises in a small smile, “I would love that, thanks Lily.”
He finishes cutting the last board, showing me how to use the drill. I may have to remove a few of the screws in the beginning, but by the end I have the hang of it and do half of them on my own.
The sun is starting to set now as we stand and admire our work. After a good scrubbing of the older planks, the whole deck will look good as new. I know for a fact I could never have done this on my own, even with YouTube. Thoren nudges my shoulder with his, “Look at what you accomplished today. I hope you feel a sense of pride. You did so well.” Something about those words in his rough voice have shivers skating down my spine.
“Thank you,” I wipe my hands on my shirt, unable to tear the smile from my face. I do feel proud. “I’m going to wash up and start dinner. Would you like to come in?”
“Yeah, Lily, I would love to.”