“Thanks.” We meet eyes, then simultaneously reach for Jessica and tug her into a three-way hug, ignoring her grunts of protest. “I love you guys.” I release them and gesture toward the entrance. “Come in. Hope you’re in the mood to break things.”
Paige winks. “Always.”
We step inside and scoot around the debris on the floor. There was a time when I was ashamed to bring them here because of what a mess it was, but I got over that about the same time Jessica opened up and showed me photos of the trailer park where she grew up. These days, I hardly notice the broken parts. All I see is the changes I’m making. The pieces I’m putting back together, and turning into something beautiful. A home. I lead them into the living area—one of four rooms in the house that’s in good shape. The other usable rooms are the bathroom, the main bedroom, and the kitchen—all of which I’ve worked on with my own hands. How’s that for being a kickass woman?
“What was it like to see him again?” Jessica asks as she rounds the counter that separates the kitchen from the living room. She collects three glasses from a drawer and fills each with water, then grabs a lemon from a bowl and slices thin wedges. She’s such a caretaker. Looking after others comes naturally to her. I feel a pang, once again, that she had to suffer through a stillbirth. She’d be a wonderful mother.
“Strange.” I accept a glass of water when she offers it. “We were both very polite.”
Her forehead crinkles. “Isn’t that good?”
“Yeah, but it’s weirdly formal when we used to have hot, crazy, monkey sex.”
Paige laughs, and flops onto a beanbag. The living room doesn’t have furniture yet because I’m funneling my money toward fixing the other rooms and saving for a baby. “You mean that talking like strangers weirded you out when he used to fuck you on a daily basis?”
“Yeah,” I admit.
She waggles her brows. “Was the spark still there?”
I duck my head so they can’t see the blush that creeps over my cheeks. “The attraction never disappeared. That’s not the reason we divorced. In fact…” I trail off.
“What?” Paige demands, sitting upright.
“Nothing.” My face flames. “It’s just, I think he might have thought the meeting was going somewhere else. He dressed up for it.” I swallow, recalling how his body affected me. “He looked good.”
Paige’s lips curl up. “Honey, I’ve seen the man. He always looks good.”
“Looks aren’t everything,” Jessica chastens, and Paige snorts, giving her a once-over as if to remind her how stunning she is herself. “They’re not,” Jessica insists. “I’d be happy with an averagely attractive guy who doesn’t go out past nine and pays his share of the bills.”
“So romantic,” I tease. Like me, Jessica’s relationship broke up after her pregnancy went wrong. Paige is the only one of us who managed to pull through, and come out the other side as a tight unit with her partner.
Paige sighs. “There are literally thousands of men in Vegas who meet your criteria and would kill for a chance with you.”
Jessica rolls her eyes. “Here we go again.”
Before they rehash old ground, I set my drink down, stride over to a toolbox on the floor and grab a hammer. “The wall between the two spare bedrooms needs to come down. Want to help?”
Leaping to her feet, Paige exclaims, “Hell, yes!”
“Have you checked with an engineer that it’s safe to demolish the wall?” Jessica asks.
“Yes.” I flash a piece of paper at her. “Got the permit yesterday. We’re officially allowed to knock it down.”
A smile tugs at her lips. “I’m in.”
3
Seth
Tyrell Stephens, my lawyer, raises his head and smirks as I approach his desk. “If it isn’t Iron-Shin Seth Isles. My only client who’s ballsy enough to charge into the office after hours, without an appointment, and expect me to drop everything to help him.”
He stands, and I slap my hand into his. Teasing aside, I’ve worked with Tyrell since we were both nobodies, and he’s as loyal to me as I am to him. “I need you to review a contract. Fast. You got time tonight or tomorrow?”
One of his dark brows shoots up. “I’m booked out months in advance, but you already know that. I can have a quick look and do you a solid if you get me tickets to Gabe Mendoza’s next fight.”
I drag a seat around his desk so we can talk without it between us. “You need to impress a new client?”
He laughs. “Potential father-in-law. I’ve been seeing this new girl, Tyesha. Real pretty. Works as an agent. Her daddy manages a hockey team.”
