HandsyGuy37:I build things.
I’m picturing her with animals. Fluffy dogs and kittens. She’s capable, and caring, and so gorgeous.
Damn it. She’s meant for my brother. I need to shut this down.
Time to back off until I can convince her to meet with Sebastian.
HandsyGuy37:And I should get back to it. Have a great day.
I send the message before I chicken out, then I turn off my phone.
“Quit staring at your phone and get back to work,” Sebastian says as he walks through, staring at his own phone, barely glancing my way. His shoulders are up around his ears and his jaw is tight. He’s not scrolling through social media. He’s staring at something that’s clearly stressing him out.
It seems like more than just the expected stress of starting a new business and trying to fit in building a house for our parents. What isn’t he telling me?
Nothing I can do about that now, so I get back to work and shove down every thought of DogPerson158 that pops up.
I don’t get very far.
“Hey, Deac,” Ryland says in his quiet way. “The owners decided they want picture frame molding here in the living room like you did in the dining room. That going to be a problem?”
I slump. “You know the answer to that.”
“Think you can run to the hardware store now for supplies so you can get moving on it? We need you to finish this job so youcan start on the Fitzpatrick place.” Ryland might be quiet and Zen, but he’s no pushover.
“It’s going to add another day to this project.”
He winces. “I thought it would only take a few hours.”
I gesture at the large space. “Maybe with a room half this size. I can stay late if you need me to.”
He gives the room another look. “Would you mind? I don’t want to get a reputation for not getting jobs done in the time-frames we’ve promised.”
I run a hand through my hair. “We can’t keep going like this. We need one person running the scheduling and handling customer calls.”
“I know,” Ryland says. “Cash is talking to someone about the job today. Hopefully, we’ll have someone on board soon. Sebastian and I are also looking at a potential office space and warehouse this afternoon.”
“I’ll run to the hardware store and get what I need right now,” I say. “I’ll stay as long as it takes.”
I’d been almost finished with the base molding, and starting over from scratch is the last thing I want to do. I was planning to stop by the Weston Farm for a planning session for the upcoming Thanksgiving family games, but I’m going to have to miss it.
Which means I won’t be able to convince them to include a new game I came up with that involves half of us dressing up like turkeys, smearing ourselves with butter, and the other half trying to catch us. I had a digital presentation and everything, because no one’s been on board with the idea so far.
Now, I’m never going to get it on the list.
But the business comes first, and I don’t want to be the reason we’re late finishing our next job. In our field, reputation is everything.
The hardware store is nearly empty, which is expected for a weekday afternoon. And good news for me, because it makes it more likely I can get in and out quickly.
I head straight back to the wood section, aiming for pre-made molding.
Except there’s a woman in the aisle, staring at the wood on the shelves like it might hold the answer to her most cherished question. She’s wearing jeans that hug her perfect round ass, and a t-shirt that’s just tight enough to show off the smooth curve of her hips. Her hair’s up in a loose bun, displaying her graceful neck.
I haven’t even seen her face yet, and my body is already on full alert and wanting to get closer to this woman. It’s an immediate chemical reaction like nothing I’ve experienced before.
It might just be the result of a too-long dry spell and too many flirty conversations with DogPerson158, but a real-life woman is exactly what I need to banish any burgeoning crush I have on Dogperson.
I take a step closer and get a whiff of a scent so foul I gasp aloud.
