He raises an eyebrow. “You mean a day where you played… what should we call it, ‘Emergency Extraction Specialist’?”
A laugh bursts out of me. “Oh my God, can you not—”
“You should put that on your résumé.”
“Thankfully, I own my own business and don’t need to worry about a résumé.”
“Grindr profile, then? Might get you some hot dates. You could put me down as a reference.”
I blush hard. “Sure you want that? You’d have to explain how you know I’m capable of such a… what even is it? A talent? Skill?”
He considers it. “I’m going to go with skill. And fair point. But I can provide an anonymous statement if needed.”
“Mm-hmm.” I bump his shoulder.
Bones trots ahead, sniffing everything within reach.
We talk about our days, and I’m surprised to hear Vince went to the apartment. Anxiety swells in my chest just thinking of him on those stairs again, but he seems proud of himself too. Like he accomplished something he didn’t think he could.
We make it almost around the block before Vince slows down. He tries to hide it, but I see the small wince with every step.
“You okay?” I ask quietly.
“Yeah. Didn’t think my feet would hurt this fast is all.”
“Need a break?”
“No, it’s good. I’m fine.”
I study him carefully, but we keep going. Vince tilts his head back and looks up at the faint stars between the clouds. “Honestly, Fletcher, I haven’t felt this… I don’t know—calm in a while.”
I smile over at him. “Couldn’t have anything to do with the orgasm, could it?”
He chuckles and bumps me.
I slide an arm around his back, and to my surprise, he doesn’t pull away. “Honestly, though? Me either.”
His eyes widen. “You always seem pretty chill.”
I shrug. “It takes a lot to stress me out, sure. But I was kind of… I don’t know the word. Stagnant, I guess? I’ve been pretty wrapped up with work since my divorce. Barely making time for anything except my job, my crew, and my daughter. So it’s nice to have something to break up the routine.”
He clearly doesn’t believe me, brows pinching into a firm line. “You seem to get out often.”
“Mm, no. You’re only saying that because of how frequently I go to Graham’s. But honestly, I go because it’s part of the routine.” I suck in a breath and turn to face him. “The truth is, besides Sarah and Darren, Declan is my closest thing to a friend, which is really sad when you think about it. The most he knows about me is that I own my own company. But I don’t think he even knows Georgie’s name.” I chew my lip before adding. “But that’s what I’m saying. I didn’t realize I needed something to shake things up a bit until you and I talked more. So, it’s nice to have this.”
Vince blinks hard before pulling me in for a tight hug. I turn into him, holding tight. The night is quiet around us—the kind of quiet that seems to hold things instead of swallowing them.
We stand there a moment longer, then turn back toward home. My heart is light. Even though it was a short walk, only a couple of blocks, it’s still the best walk I’ve had in a long time.
9
VINCE
By the time the end of next week rolls around, Fletcher and his crew have already gutted half of the women’s bathroom. I’m impressed, and I don’t impress easily. Construction usually drags on forever with work permits, setbacks, or surprise rot in the wall. But apparently Fletcher operates on some kind of secret code where everything gets done ahead of schedule and everyone still likes him.
It’s fun seeing him in action. I’ve always enjoyed the way he interacts with his employees, but this is different. This is a paid job, where they respect him and listen to him.
With the restroom thirty feet away, I get a front-row seat to how Fletcher leads his team. It’s sexy as hell. He doesn’t bark commands; instead, he leans into each person’s strengths and trusts their instincts. That kind of confidence and flawlessteamwork explains why Rhide’s Renovations has earned the Best in the City title for four years.
