It wasawkward, almostpainfully.
And I don’t know why, but it made me angrier at myself. Probably because I’d genuinely hurt the man by almost making out with his granddaughter in his house.
I was an A-grade tool, pun definitely intended.
I’d had half a mind to ask my brother to go in early instead of me, but I knew he’d throw the “You’re the one who approaches clients, not me” bullshit at me, so I’d decided to face the music myself. I would have to anyway, one way or another. It’s not likeI could avoid Mr. Ribeiro for weeks on end. Shit didn’t work like that in real life, did it?
“Jesus, Greg,what the fuck?!” I all but exploded when he almost dropped the marble-tops he was carrying. “We need these in the kitchen, not on the damn pavement!”
He opened and closed his mouth, and then apologized before slowly climbing up the stairs.
Paul and Greg are twin brothers, aka Ed Sheeran doppelgängers, and have been working for Taron and I ever since we took overReyesConstructions.They’re outstanding at what they do, don’t get me wrong. But sometimes, even accomplished people held the power of getting on my nerves, especially when I was in averyparticular kind of mood.
“Whoa, whoa; what isupwith you this morning, man?” Taron came to stand to my left, and when I glared at him, he folded his arms across his chest.
“Stop fucking looming over me like that,” I told him, and then slightly pulled my blue beanie forward.
Taron put his tongue to his cheek. “You do realize that you’ve used that word at least four times in the last minute, right?”
I huffed. “I don’t fu–” I stopped myself, and cleared my throat before looking away from him. Just then, my phonepingedin my back pocket. With a grunt, I pulled it out, and sucked in a breath when I saw her name flashing on the screen.
I quickly scanned the message, and then shoved my phone into my coat’s side-pocket.
Focus, Reyes, I told myself.You’re here to work, and workonly. Investing emotions into something that’ll never be an actual thing is pointless. I had to work more on that little fact, however hard it may be for me.
“Hey.”
I felt Taron’s hand on my shoulder. When I looked at him again, his brows were furrowed in clear concern.
“What’s wrong, Beauty?” he asked. “Is it a girl problem? If it is, you can tell me, and I’ll help you out no matter the magnitude of the issue.”
And here I thought, just for a moment, that he’d suddenly turned into a sage. Oh, howwrongI was.
Even though we were both covered from top to bottom in winter wear, my brother somehow looked more at ease with all the layers on him than I did. Frustrating, I know.
“You’re married to yourhigh school girlfriend, Taron,” I told him. “Theonlygirlfriend you’ve ever had, need I remind you. So no, you won’t be able to help me with my girl problems, not by a long shot.”
He grinned. “So itiswhat I thought it was. I guessed it right, didn’t I?”
“I know you have a teenage daughter, but you don’t have to act like her all the time.”
He laughed and wrapped an arm around me. “Ah, Myles, but it’s a very refreshing feeling to be a fifteen-year-old girl. I’ve actually been learning so much from Sienna these days. All those social apps and TikTok trends and whatnot. It’s like my eyes were closed until my daughter opened them with her vast knowledge and intelligence.”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Dear Lord,” I muttered. God forbid if I saw him doing one of those TikTok dances with multiple transitions and shit. I’d prolly have a coronary right there and then.
Great, now I couldn’t get the visual of Taron doing theRenegadeout of my head. The day just keeps getting better and better for me.
“Myles?”
“Yeah?”
Taron let go of my shoulders and crossed his arms again. “Tell me what’s wrong, because I know something is.”
I shoved my hands into my coat pockets and gave him a faint smirk. “I was just imagining you doing the TikTok dances. Almost gave myself a headache because of all the vivid visuals my mind kept conjuring up.”
He scoffed. “I’m being serious, man, come on.”
I scanned his face for a moment. There was no amusement on it, or even an ounce of his usual smugness.
