“I meddled.”
“Nah, he’s meddling,” Miller said, punching me lightly in the shoulder. “Someone needed to help Mark figure his shit out. So you’re going to take over and remodel this place? That’s badass, Doc.”
“Thanks, Miller. I’m feeling overwhelmed. It’s all so real now, you know?”
“I, um, can help you with that,” Magnum said, the timbre of his voice lowering like he wasn’t his confidant, usual self.
“Hmm?”
Magnum passed the kitten to Miller and rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the floor, then at me. “Listen, I’ve wanted to expand our business for a while. Take on more customers, do more than electrical work. Commercial interior design is a huge untapped market, and I’d love to help you. We could work something out. Pay for the materials at cost and maybe do some advertising?”
“Dude,” Miller said, clapping Magnum hard on the back. “This is amazing. You’d fucking rock the shit out of designing. Why didn’t you say something?”
“I’ve been working with Mav, but you know…” Magnum shook his head and took a step back, the color rising in his cheeks before he looked at Miller. “I wasn’t sure how you’d react.”
“How I’d react?” Miller said, slapping Magnum on the back again before pulling him in for a guy-hug. “I can’t believe you held out on me.”
“Thanks,” Magnum said, as a big smile spread across his handsome face, and he reached over to scratch Phoebe under her chin.
Holy Amazeballs.
“I’d love to work with all of you. This place needs an electrical overhaul as well,” I said, taking a step back to fan my face. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I put one hand on my chest, hoping to keep my heart from beating straight out of my ribcage.
“Oh, shit. Mav took the truck, didn’t he?” Miller said, pulling me back from a panic attack or a happiness attack.
“Why don’t y’all take my truck and come back with a couple of pizzas or something tonight, and we’ll go over ideas for the place.”
“Good idea,” Magnum said. “Thank you.”
“Sure, let me get her vaccines and my keys,” I said, making a beeline for the door.
I needed a minute to compose myself or stick my head in a freezer to cool down. As soon as I left the room and was safely in the hall, I sagged against the door, dropping my head to my chest and breathing deeply.
Why was I freaking out?
The pieces of my life were falling into place, but I didn’t feel complete. I shook out my shoulder and bounced on the balls of my feet.
It didn’t matter how I felt.
I had to kick ass and take names. People were counting on me. Animals depended on me. I wasn’t going to wait around for someone that didn’t want me.
It was time to make my own happiness.
It was time for me to live forme.
26 - MARK
- One Week Later -
“Oh my god. What the fuck,” I screamed, jumping off my couch asRide of the Valkyriesplayed as loud as movie theater speakers through every smart panel in my house. I ran to the panel in the kitchen, pressing every button on the screen until the noise stopped, then turned around and sagged against the wall, wiping my arm across my forehead.
I looked down at my watch. It was only eleven in the morning. I’d barely been asleep for an hour after coming off of a fourteen-hour shift. Just as the adrenaline wore off from that stupid song, it started again, louder than before, and this time accompanied by a loud banging at the front door.
It was the fucking doorbell.
My brothers made my damn doorbellRide of the Valkyries. I was going to torture them.Slowly.
Tomorrow.
