“That’s kind of limiting.”
“Live with the pain.”
Chapter Three
Jax got both kids off to school, then drove directly to the bookstore. On the weeks she was away from Ramon, she made it a point to get there as early as she could. Although he was perfectly comfortable in his room, he liked to start his day with a little cuddle time followed by breakfast.
She parked next to a big pickup that most likely belonged to her new contractor. The upside of owning a beautiful hundred-plus-year-old Victorian was the history and character of the building. The downside was that there were constant issues to be dealt with and most of them were expensive. Her current project was not a fancy remodel—instead, water had found its way in through a few faulty shingles on the east side of the building. No one had known about the problem until the damage was extensive enough to require a few months of construction and a serious hit to her bank account.
She’d just gotten out of her car when Marcus stepped out of the back door of the store. He waved at her. As always, his expression was unreadable.
Marcus Collins came with excellent references. He and his team worked hard, and the bid, while jaw-dropping, had beenfair. Interestingly, he was easy on the eye, with premature graying hair and blue eyes, not to mention a body that screamed he did plenty of heavy lifting. Jax had yet to even think about dating anyone but even she had to admit the man was good-looking in every way possible and more than a little appealing. Were she in the market, she would want to ask some probing questions about his personal life, but as she wasn’t, she would keep things professional.
Not that the man had shown any sign that she was more than a client, she thought humorously. So it was possible she was presuming a lot.
“We have to talk about the wall,” he told her.
“And we will, but first I have a bird who needs me.”
“Ramon? I didn’t see him around.”
“He has his own room where he goes at night. I have to let him out and feed him. Give me fifteen minutes.”
“It takes that long to feed him?”
She smiled. “No, but we have a morning cuddle session first. Ramon is a very social bird.”
She dropped off her bag in her office, then went upstairs and opened the door to his room.
“Good morning, handsome boy.”
“You’re late!”
She laughed as he flew over to her and landed on her shoulder, then nuzzled her cheek and hair.
“I’m right on time. How are you? Did you sleep well?”
“Like a baby.”
“But you’re a bird.”
“Baby bird.”
She stroked his head. “You’re my sweet bird.”
“Very sweet.”
They spent a few more minutes together, then she put a fresh bowl in place and measured out the correct portion of his custom food. She ordered the mixture from a place that specialized in exotic bird feed. His diet was specific to his breed, with the right balance of calories and nutrition. She supplemented it with fresh fruits and vegetables. Ramon, like most birds who lived in captivity, ran the risk of putting on weight. He had the advantage of being able to fly around a three-story building, but it still didn’t compare to the exercise his wild cousins got in a day. The pricey mix she ordered kept him lean and healthy.
“I want you to be around a long time,” she told him.
He picked up a sunflower seed, obviously too busy eating to respond.
“And just like that, I don’t matter,” she teased as she got to work cleaning up his bathroom area. Ramon was potty-trained and had a perch where he did his business. Every morning she put down a fresh puppy pad for him. He was very faithful to the process—a plus considering he spent his day out in the store and hanging out with people. No one wanted parrot poop on their books or in their hair.
“See you downstairs,” she told him as she carried out the used puppy pad.
She disposed of the pad in the back room trash, washed her hands, then went to find Marcus. She spotted him by the checkout counter with one of his employees, a set of plans open in front of them. As she approached, the other guy walked away.
