“What’s this?”
“Our house. We don’t need three bedrooms. Think you could remodel and put a second bathroom in?”
He nods, running his hand along the stubble on his cheek. “Thought you were planning on using the spare room for your office?”
“Eh.” I shrug, taking a sip of my porter from the microbrewery attached to the restaurant. It’s not bad with its robust notes and clean aftertaste. I take another sip before answering him, making a mental note to add this place to my list of favorites and ask the waitress for a case of the stuff before we leave. “I don’t need that big of a space. Just enough for a desk and shelf. We can easily split the room in half.”
He shakes his head, laughing. “What about all your furniture for your giantman cavefrom Seattle that you just had to bring with us?”
I shrug. “We’ll sell it. I’ll get something else.”
He raises his eyebrows at me. “Now, you’re deciding that? Man, that shit was heavy to move.”
“Yeah,” I shrug, “it’s time for a fresh start anyway.” We sold most of our other furniture already, too many bad memories. I should have sold it all. Glancing side to side at the chair I’m sitting in, I shrug. I can still see it. Maybe not the entire cushion, but everything else enough to tell what it looks like. Screw Brendan. I’m getting matching chairs for the table and island. I take another long drink knowing my mind is going a thousand miles an hour right now, and I need to relax before I start thinking of why we both desperately need this fresh start.
He shakes his head, pushing the tablet back at me. “You really don’t wanna share a bathroom with me, huh?” He laughs when I don’t reply. “I guess it’s doable. What type of timeline are you thinking?”
“Soon.”
“Like?”
“Preferably before we unpack everything. I can look into permits tomorrow. I think I saw a construction place on the way here if you want to hit them up in the morning.”
He scratches the side of his head, right above his ear, messing up whatever hairstyle he may have had going. “Morning? I don't know, bro. It won’t be your idea of morning, but I’ll take the truck over there after I wake up.” Before I can dive into details, Brendan swivels in his chair. “Yo, check out those two chicks that just walked in.” He whistles under his breath. A sly smile appears on his face as he grabs his beer and stands up. He winks at me, then turns back to the blond and brunette in tiny dresses. “Might be afternoon before I get to that store.” Without waiting for my reply, he takes a sip and heads after the skirts.
I shake my head, turning back to my design. I hope whatever plans he has, he’s planning on doing at their place. We don’t even have our beds put together. Besides, I don’t need to hear that right now.
As I tweak my design, I keep glancing up at Brendan. Well, not really Brendan, more like the girls he’s stalking. I don’t know why. I’m not interested. I don’t need to be interested in a few girls.
No, not girls, women. Tall, slender, with legs for miles, they both captivate the attention of everyone in the entire restaurant, me included despite all my attempts to not watch them. I need to put myself back together, not find some random fling.
Brendan can deal however he wants. That’s his decision.
I add a walk-in closet to my sketch and glance back up. There’s something about that brunette. Something dark and mysterious, holding me under a spell like the moon beckons the sea.
She stands by the bar, both her hands clutching the railing as she leans closer to the bartender and orders a drink. My eyes skim up her bare legs, and I barely resist adjusting myself.
Still holding his drink, Brendan strolls up between the two. Even with his back toward me, I can see his smile. “You ladies have plans for tonight?”
I shake my head, turning back to my rough, sketched blueprints.
“That’s why we’re here.” The blond turns toward him.
“Since I’m here, too, I can think of a few things we can all do all night.”
I cringe as he sways his hips. He’s actually swaying his hips, saying something else.
I add larger closets to both our rooms, leaving just enough space for a small office for me.
“Get bent,” a sultry, female voice declares from the bar.
I glance up in time to see the brunette storm off with a pink drink in her hand. Chuckling, I turn back to my tablet.
Two hours later, I’vefinished my design. Even ordered new furniture for my office.It will take a month to arrive, but at least it’s ordered.
“Can I get you anything else?” a busty waitress asks, leaning over my table.
I finish my third beer, tipping the glass up toward her. “Just a case of this to go, and the bill.”