“What do you think?” he asks.
“Well, if the construction biz doesn’t work out, you have a plan B,” I tease, smiling at how pretty they turned out. “How are you so good at that anyway?”
“Years of carefully tearing shit down, carefully measuring things, and fine-tuning blueprints. It’s not much different actually,” he explains. “All meticulous tasks.”
He motions for me to give him my other foot, so I do. Again, he focuses intensely on my nails and does a great job. Hunter blows on them, and once they’re dry, I stretch my legs out and admire his work. Hunter takes his phone out and snaps a picture.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Sending a pic of my handiwork to Hayden,” he says with a chuckle. “He’s gonna give me so much shit.”
I snort at the fact that he’s willingly sending his brother a picture, knowing he’ll be teased. His phone immediately vibrates. Hunter shakes his head with a smile after reading it.
“What’d he say?”
He gives me a side-glance and pops a brow.
“What? Tell me.”
He inhales a deep breath then chuckles. “He said I’m whipped.”
“Hey! Did you tell him it was your idea!”
“No.”
“Great. Now he probably thinks I’m a blood-sucking villain who makes you paint my toenails and wait on me hand and foot.”
“Trust me, he doesn’t think that.” He shakes his head, slipping his phone back into his pocket.
“Thank you, Hunter,” I tell him. “You’re a man of many talents.” In and out of the bedroom.
I look over at him, wondering if he can read my thoughts, and when he blinks away with a nervous shiver, I fear he really can.
Things go quiet, and when my phone beeps with a text message a minute later, I’m thankful for the distraction.
Sophie: So I met someone.
Lennon: WHAT? Tell me more.
Sophie: We met through that dating app I downloaded months ago. Of course I was reluctant at first, but then we had brunch last week, and *sigh* he’s so dreamy. Great job, owns his own house, even has a little dog.
Lennon: Wow, really? I’m so happy for you, sis! But why is he single if he’s so ‘perfect’? Did you find his skeletons yet?
Sophie: He says he just hasn’t found someone he’s been able to fully connect with yet. We chatted for three hours at the restaurant! It felt so natural.
This is the most I’ve ever heard Sophie talk about a guy before, and I want to be really happy for her, but I’m also cautious. I thought my ex, Malcolm, was something special too before he cheated, tried to humiliate me, then broke my heart. Of course, I got the last word, but it still affected me for a long time.
Lennon: YAY, that’s exciting! What’s his name? Do you have a pic of him?
Sophie: Here’s his profile pic, and his name is Weston.
I look at the photo she sent and give my approval with a thumbs-up emoji.
Lennon: He looks cute. What’s his job?
Sophie: He’s a correctional officer. His uniform is sexy too ;)
Lennon: LOL, good to know! Do I get to meet him?
Sophie: Not yet! Hopefully soon, though. We’re going on another date this weekend. I can’t wait!
I can practically hear her squeals in my head, and I’m genuinely excited for her.
“What are you laughing about?” Hunter asks.
“Sophie. She met a guy, and she’s gushing about him. It’s pretty sweet.” I set my phone down and look at him.
“She give up on Mason already?” The corner of his lips tilts in a mock grin.
I snort, shrugging. “I think she was sick of waiting, which she should be. If he was interested, he had plenty of opportunities to make it known.”
Hunter frowns, then looks away. “Well, Mason’s has a rough past, which changed him a lot. It’s not exactly if Mason’s interested in someone that’s the problem, it’s his issues that stop him. Not to mention who his father is and his family background. Let’s just say, there’s been a lot drama.”
“What do you mean?” I ask curiously.
“His father is the District Attorney and I know first hand what it’s like to grow up with a father in a public position. It puts him in the spotlight, good and bad. He dated someone in college and…” He pauses, then shakes his head. “Sorry, it’s not my story to tell. I don’t know if he would want you or Sophie to know actually.”
I nod, respecting his decision not to air out Mason’s dirty laundry, but take the opportunity to bring up something else.
“So I heard they have a girl roommate?” I eye him and watch the corner of his mouth tilt up.
“Had. She moved out a while ago,” he tells me.
My mouth falls open. “So they’ve lived with some chick all this time, yet no one has ever said a word about her? Is it a big secret or something? I’ve never even met her or know her name or anything.”