Ben smiles at her as we get to the back of the house. “The deck Reed’s building for you, Angel. You keep saying you want one. It looks like he’s starting on it today.”
“But I thought we were going to wait until we saved up a little more money. I didn’t think we’d get one built this year.”
“Reed’s only charging us for materials. We have plenty of money.”
“I don’t know why you two are insisting on giving me anything. You know I don’t feel right about charging you. I can do this for free. It’s not a big deal.” I set the auger down in the grass and scan the backyard for Nolan. He’s up on the wooden landing of the swing set, sending each tool one-by-one down the sliding board and laughing hysterically when they hit the bottom. I take a mental inventory of the tools in that belt to make sure there’s nothing in there that could be dangerous to him.
“We’re paying you something,” Ben corrects me, gaining my attention.
We’ve gone over this a dozen times, but I still don’t feel right about it.
“You’re not doing this shit for free.”
Mia lifts her hand and rubs it against Chase’s back when he stirs against Ben. “How long do you think it will take?” she asks me.
I look at the house, squinting as I run through the plans I have in my head. “Depending on the weather, if I can get over here every weekend, I should be able to have it done by the end of the month. You might not have the stairs ready, but you’ll at least be able to use it while I’m finishing up with that.”
Mia grins so big, I think her face might actually split in half. “Oh my gosh! This is so exciting! We’ll be able to sit out on the deck and eat under the stars.” She links her hands around Ben’s neck, kissing all over the side of his face. “I love you so so soooo much.”
“You better.” He turns his face and kisses her.
I choose that moment to look back at Nolan. He’s at the bottom of the slide now, picking up the tools.
“Hey, little man. You gonna help me or what?”
His dimpled grin hits me, suddenly fueled to gather the tools faster. I turn back around, regretting it the second I see Ben’s tongue slide into Mia’s mouth.
“Really?” I ask, and they break apart from each other, panting. Their eyes reach mine, and the blinding lust in both pairs has me thinking of other things that will most likely be happening on this deck once it’s built.
I look at Chase as he continues to chew on his fist. “You better never puke in your mommy’s mouth. That man holding you spends way too much time in there.”
I realize how that sounds a second after it comes out.
Mia cracks up laughing, covering her mouth with her hand as I look to Ben for his reaction.
My first mistake was painting an image of Mia sucking his dick. My second was thinking Ben would find it funny.
He doesn’t.
“I’m going to go ahead and get started.”
“Yeah, you do that,” Ben replies, shifting Chase to his left arm and wrapping his right around Mia’s shoulders. “I gotta head into work. If Nolan doesn’t listen to you, send him inside.”
I nod, bending down and picking up the cord on the auger. “Yeah, all right. I’m sure it won’t be a problem though.”
“I’m taking Chase inside for his nap. Let me know if you need something to drink or anything.” Mia gets Chase from Ben and kisses his cheeks. “Come on, baby. Let’s go lay down,” she says quietly against his skin.
Nolan scampers up to me, eyes wide and wild with excitement. My tool belt in his hands. “I’m weady, Uncle Weed.”
I smile down at him.
I originally didn’t have plans today, but that changed the second Riley stepped into my kitchen. Staying busy this afternoon will keep my mind off shit I don’t want to think about, and having Nolan around will just make this entertaining. He’s always saying the craziest stuff.
He slaps the hand I hold out for him with all his strength.
“Let’s do it.”
EVEN IF I DIDN’T GO out every Saturday night looking for someone to take home, I would’ve still gone to grab a drink after I finished up for the day at Ben and Mia’s. There’s nothing like a cold beer after a hard day working in the sun, and I plan on tossing back a few before I get to my usual reason for walking into McGill’s Pub.
The crowd is heavy, which is typical for a Saturday night. All the pool tables are taken, and there’s a line forming to play darts at the other end of the bar. Some girls are line dancing in the middle of the room, all of them wearing short jean skirts and cowboy boots. I give the group of them a smile and they move closer together, swaying their hips a little more now that I’ve noticed. I fucking love that. Any of them will do tonight, and if they don’t want to separate from each other, that’s fine. There’s no crowd limit in my bed.
Hattie, one of the owners and the sweetest bartender in this town, comes to stand across from me as I grab a stool at the bar.
She gives me a wink and a smile, her friendly face never giving me anything different. “How are you doing, darlin’?”
I lean in, playing up my game. “I’ll be great once you leave Danny and run away with me.”
I’m just messing with her, and Hattie knows it. Even if I didn’t think highly of her husband, I despise cheating, and the people who do it. I don’t care if you are in a shit marriage. Get the fuck out of it before you fuck someone over.
A laugh falls past her lips. “You want a beer?”
“Yeah, that sounds good. Whatever’s on tap.”
She places the glass in front of me and disappears into the back for a moment, reemerging with a plate of food. I take a sip of my beer and watch her walk out from behind the bar and carry the plate over to one of the booths lined along the wall. She sets it down in front of a woman whose back is to me, her dark hair pulled up to reveal the delicate pale skin of her neck. The woman looks up from the tablet she’s holding in front of her, and I catch her profile.
I no longer give a damn about the chicks line dancing, or any other woman in this bar.
Hattie bends down and plants a kiss to the top of her head, obviously knowing the young woman. The two of them exchange a few words, and then Hattie comes back behind the bar.
I wave her over, setting my glass down.
“Who’s that you were just talking to?”
Her smile softens and her eyes grow distant, as if she’s thinking of a fond memory. “That’s my niece. She’s just the sweetest thing,” she answers, glancing over at the woman in the booth. “Didn’t even know I had her until yesterday. She just moved in with Danny and me.”
“Huh.” I follow Hattie’s eyes, wishing the woman was sitting on the other side so I could see all of her face. But I’m not going to lie. What I have seen has got me way the hell interested.
“No.”
I turn back to Hattie, confused by her response. “No, what?”
That gentle smile of hers is gone, replaced with lips tightly pursed together. She wipes the counter down with a white rag but keeps her eyes on me. “Don’t even think about it, Reed. I know how you operate, and that girl over there is off limits. Find someone else to take home tonight.”