“Fuck, I would have come to help you. I know what Leena’s like when she’s had a few.” Christ, Leena puts Montana to shame.
“Eh, not too bad. I just propped her up, but she was walking on her own, so that helped. Anyways, back to what I wanted to tell you, which, by the way, Leena is a wealth of amazing advice. You all should listen, and especially now because of what I’m about to tell you.” I’m beginning to think Montana is tipsy with how fast she’s talking. It’s as if she’s going a mile a damn minute.
“Okay,” I reply, massaging her scalp with my fingers. A gentle sigh leaves her, eyes closing as she relaxes. The way she looks right now, it’s damn beautiful.
“When you do that, I lose my train of thought.” Her eyes are glazed when she opens them up, contentment written all over her body. I’m the one who does this for her.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” I arch one of my eyebrows in that iconic wrestler-turned-actor way. This time, her head drops in laughter, making me do it right along with her. “You going to tell me what you we’re going to say or keep me guessing?”
“Well, if you’re done interrupting and making my eyes roll to the back of the head, then yes.” The look on my face must tell her I’m here, ready and waiting. “I know we haven’t said the words to one another. You’re more of a shower and less of a talker, in everything you do, for not only me but for everyone around you, but I need to tell you the words. Asa Thomas Hart, I freaking love you.” The wind is knocked out of me. This woman, no, not this woman, my woman, she gets me, completely. “And, Asa, you don’t ever have to say the words back because I already know you love me, too.”
“Montana Rose, you might not feel the need to hear them, but you deserve to. I love you, babe. Every crazy inch of you.” Her smile lights up the dim room, then I’m spinning us until she’s on her back, I’m hovering above her and taking her lips, showing her just how perfect she is for me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
montana
“Oh, good, the whole gang’s here.” Leena walks in on a Monday morning, a pep in her step. She’s usually happy-go-lucky, but this is much more than normal.
“Hey, girl,” I respond first as she plops the usual doughnuts on the table. I’ve already eaten breakfast, so I’m not the first to dive in. That would be Asa, even though he did eat breakfast. The man has a sweet tooth.
“Hey, baby sis.” Asa stands up, grabs the doughnut he’s after, and then kisses his sister on the head before taking his seat again.
“Bad news is coming,” Keller grumbles, grabbing two doughnuts, still saying hello to Leena the same way Asa did.
“I wouldn’t say bad, but maybe fun.” Shit, she’s really up to something. I’m not sure the guys can take it. The past few weeks, Deke has been gone, not even bothering to come home on the weekends. It’s really screwing with the family big time.
“Hit us, Leena.” Tanner doesn’t bother with the sweet confection she brought, not even getting out of his chair. In fact, Tanner has his hands under his chin, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I went on a job interview.” Oh fuck, she just let those words plop out. You can hear a pin drop in the office right now. It doesn’t matter that workers are loading and off-loading their trucks. Their yelling to talk back and forth to one another is barely an echo in the distance to what Leena just dropped.
“You fucking what!” Keller bellows, the sound vibrating through the whole office. I’ve heard he can have a temper. Thankfully, I’ve never seen it, until now.
“You heard me. I wanted to see what else was out there. It wasn’t to be a dick. It’s just that I feel like Hart Construction has been given to me. I needed to know how it felt to, well, be needed.” The happiness in her voice is gone. In it now is defeat, and my heart aches for my best friend. Though, I’m probably a coward because I don’t speak up in her defense right away either.
“That’s just stupid. I don’t know what gave you that idea or how you got that in your stubborn-ass head, but get it out, because you aren’t leaving.” Asa doesn’t raise his voice, doesn’t stand up. His anger is of the quiet type. The day he blows up, we’re all going to be fucked. Hopefully, that day never comes.
“Leena, I’m not sure any of us can handle the thought of you leaving right now. So, please talk to us about this, and ignore the other idiots in this room.” Tanner is the voice of reason. Thank you, Jesus.