"No." He leaned back, forcing me to give him space, then turned the chair to face me. "What are you doing, Ash? That's three grand in just toolboxes!"
"And that?" I gestured out toward the barn. "It's decades of Bea's hard work. She spent a lifetime getting what she needed, and now half of it is covered in rust. I don't have a fucking clue how to fix that, but you do. A few tool boxes to make sure that my other mom's stuff doesn't decay?That'swhat I'm doing. What else do we need, Luke?"
He turned back to the screen. "We'll need to hang the bigger stuff. Cy was measuring my workbench, but I'm not sure what he was thinking."
"He told me about that," I promised. "He says you need a steel-top workbench. And so you know, I'm also writing this off as a charitable contribution, so stop worrying about it. I'm looking to spend about fifty grand to get that barn fixed up - otherwise I'm going to bleed come tax time."
So Luke finally started shopping for real. Sure, all of what I'd said was true, but it wasn't all of the truth. I also wanted this man to have something he could be proud of. Luke worked with what he had, and he was proud to do it, but with the right tools? Bea had always said a job turned out better with the right stuff. I figured this would be no different.
A little part of me liked that she'd been the one to teach him all of this. Luke never talked about his parents. I knew he had a brother and a sister, but he acted like those were random facts that he had no actual feelings about. A piece of history and nothing more. Bea and Vera, though, were different. He talked about them the same way the rest of us did.
And I loved the guy. I wanted to spoil him, but not in a way that rubbed his face in it. I couldn't get enough of the way he thrived with each little gift he was given. His truck was a perfect example. I'd already seen him wash it once, and his shoulders rested a little differently when he stepped out of it.
This was a man who'd been kicked down and then kicked again, but he refused to cower. He didn't bitch or whine. He just worked a little harder, and that was my fucking weakness. Sure, his amazing jawline and high cheekbones drew my eye, but his attitude sealed the deal. I'd seen a lot of pretty men in my life, but I'd only met two who got me going like this: Cy and Luke.
It was because he was one of us. I couldn't even think of another way to explain it. I'd attached myself to Cy and Violet when we were just kids. If I'd waited just a few more months before running off to be a model, I had a feeling that Luke would've become a part of our crew. He fit like a piece of the puzzle that we'd never even known was missing.
I wondered if Gran had thought the same thing. Maybe that was why she'd put so much effort into him? Because he had the same spark as her beloved little granddaughter, and we were going to be the future of Gran's big dream.
I was jolted out of my thoughts by a vibration against my ass. I reached back to pull out my phone, surprised to see a notification for a text message. I swiped before checking who it was from, and then my gut clenched.
Faith:How do I get sick in a hurry? I don't want to be here.
A groan fell from my lips and I dropped into the guest chair. "Faith's having a bad day," I told Luke.
"Shit," he breathed, turning to face me. "So she sent you a message?"
"Texting her dad isn't cool," I reminded him even as my thumbs began typing.
Ashton: The girls from last year giving you a hard time?
Faith:Yeah. Everyone knows that Brody had videos of me. They say I was fucking him!
Ashton:So tell them it was a side hustle for pornhub. Don't show weakness, the bitches will strike!
Faith:LOL. Pretty sure you aren't supposed to talk to me about porn.
Ashton:Because you don't know it exists, right? Look, the trick to dealing with bullies is easy.
Ashton:You act like they're nothing more than an annoying fly. You're so much better than that, they're pathetic, and you can't believe they're acting like little kids.
Ashton:You hang out with models, Faith. You are a part of the Shades of Trouble. They think they're putting you down, but they're just a pile of horseshit to walk around. You got this.
Faith:<3 Thank you, Ash. That's what I needed. What if I screw up being impressive?
Ashton:Then own it, girl. Faith, you ever have a dog?
Faith: No. Mom didn't want one.
Ashton:Well, you still know that dogs fight for dominance, right?
Faith:Yeah...
Ashton:Those bullies are growling and hoping you'll roll over. They want to be dominant. Don't let them. You're the biggest bitch in that school. Own it all, Faith. And I'm not showing your dad this conversation, so you'd better not either.
Faith:LOL! He'd yell at you too! Ok, class. Bye!
I dimmed the screen and lowered the phone to my lap. "I may have encouraged your child to act like Violet."
