Page 36 of Pretty Heartache

“A few pieces of furniture and old tools,” I tell him. “Mostly garden items.”

“So, trash?” Cain raises his eyebrows.

“What’s trash?” Adeline yells from the back of the house.

Not only has she caught the attention of the three of us, but she’s also caught the attention of Jude and Cain’s crew working on the back patio. Raised bricks and dirt pile around the area. The men are covered in dust and grime, exhausted from the early summer heat creeping in.

Adeline is clearly thrilled for summer to show its face.

The curves of her body are on full display with her fitted white tank top and her long legs greeting the sun with her cut off jean shorts. The men’s heads swivel in her direction, following her as she makes her way toward us.

An inexplicable feeling comes over me, similar to the one I had the night I picked Adeline up from the street corner. I ball my hands into fists, and my nostrils flare. It’s unreasonable and brash but something I can’t ignore.

I suddenly feel the need to do…something.

Adeline treads through the overgrown grass and weeds toward us, not noticing the attention she’s drawn. She slips between me and Jude and pries open the door, poking her head inside. She steps back out a few short seconds later. “This furniture looks vintage.”

“Really?” Jude steps closer to a small window on the side of the building. He cups his hands around his eyes, peering through the dusty glass.

“There’s a desk in here.” She bounces on her toes, the muscles in her legs flexing. “And a dresser.” She glances over her shoulder and looks directly at me with a smile. “It would be fun to try and restore it.”

I want to tell her no. I don’t believe it’s a good idea, considering we have an entire house that needs renovating, but the glimmer in her eye and the excitement spread across her full pink lips weaken my resolve. I also think about Soren and the threat he could still be posing. Archer has stayed relatively silent.

A month ago, I’d sent him a text asking him if he was able to pay Soren what he owes him. After reassuring me he was, I relaxed with only a bit of relief. If Archer is telling the truth, it doesn’t mean Soren’s threat isn’t still looming. Men like him in circles like theirs don’t let those types of betrayals go so easily. Not even when the debt is paid.

I’m also not foolish enough to believe Archer hasn’t continued to do business with Soren.

I considered sending Archer the money he owed, but I didn’t want there to be a thread or connection tying me to Archer and Soren’s business dealings. I didn’t need to be involved, and I didn’t want to be.

I’d paid the price for that lifestyle already. I didn’t need to do it again.

Restoring furniture along with this house might give Adeline a reason to stay longer than she intends. However long that might be.

Heat pools in my stomach, radiating down to my cock. I cough, clearing my throat and the inappropriate thoughts running in my mind. I scratch the back of my head and lower it, surrendering. “Fine. We can pull it all out and go through it later.”

“We’re going to need to get our compact excavator back here to start on the demolition.” Cain turns to his crew, who are working hard at loading shovels full of broken brick and crumbled dirt into their wheelbarrows.

He lifts his arm in the air and waves them over, and they drop their shovels and join us. Cain explains the plan of unloading every item from the shed and where we’re going to put them. Adeline stands beside me, listening carefully. I try to keep my focus on Cain, but I can’t help watching her from my peripheral. She’s impossible to ignore. Her clean scent hits me,counteracting the pungent smell of the sweaty crew surrounding us.

Her arms are folded, pushing her breasts up, the soft, pillowy flesh swelling over the top hem. My hand twitches again, and my dick swells.

Get a fucking grip, Micah.

Once the crew breaks, they spill into the shed and begin emptying it out, starting with the items closest to the entrance. The shed is packed from wall to wall, but I don’t have the patience to go through the items now, only tossing ones that are clearly trash.

Jude nods to Cain before walking over to me and Adeline. “Victoria and I have a date set up tonight.” He holds the bottom hem of his shirt out. “I better get home and shower or else Victoria might want a divorce if I attempt to go out like this.”

“She would never divorce you,” I tell him.

“You’re right.” He grins. “Cain is going to get the excavator over here tomorrow. That way we can begin demolition on the shed. The crew will start unloading this stuff today so you can go through it. They’ll be back tomorrow to work on the patio.”

“Okay.” I nod. “Thanks, brother.”

“Of course.” He nods, too, sweat dripping from the ends of his hair. He looks down at his feet before looking back up. “I know Lennon made you take this break, but I think it’s been good for you. I’m glad you’re finally working on this house.”

My attention gravitates to Adeline again. “I agree.”

“Take it from me: it’s never too late to start over.”

---