Page 34 of Love Restored

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“Fuck this shit,” Graham shouted as he pulled his thumb away from the wall. He’d been distracted, again, and had smashed the damn thing with his hammer. Thankfully, he’d been out of it and hadn’t been swinging that hard so he didn’t think he’d broken it, but he’d have to watch the nail so he didn’t lose it. Hell.

He’d slept like hell, and hadn’t had coffee at his place because he’d been running late. And, of course, this day of all days, Owen wasn’t on the site yet, so he couldn’t even wheedle coffee out of his ever-organized brother. Owen would be there later, once he’d finished up his work in the office and at their other site, but for now, it was just Graham, Murphy, Jake, and the rest of the crew.

Graham needed coffee.

And ice for his damn hand.

“Having issues?” Murphy asked as he strolled into the room Graham was working in. Murphy wore a tool belt around his hips and had been working hard that day, but it was the damn tablet in his hand that made Graham want to curse.

“I’m not changing shit,” Graham bit out. “We’ve had to do a hundred changes as it is because of the historical society and this damn place. I’m done, Murph. Whatever tiny change you want to make to my job can hold off. I don’t want to hear it.”

Murphy raised his brows. “You don’t want to hear much of anything, do you? Well, dear brother of mine, you’re going to have to suck it up. Because it’s my job to make the plans, your job to follow them. So fucking do it.”

Graham turned on him. “Excuse me? You little shit. You think that’s okay? You think you can just rule over me? Because I don’t fucking think so.”

“Hey, you two, knock it off,” Jake said as he walked into the room. “You’re both lucky the crew is on lunch right now, or you’d have to deal with the people that work for us seeing you two act like little shits.”

Murphy and Graham whirled on Jake, who was on site for the day. Their fourth brother didn’t work on-site much, and tended to do his jobs for the business at home in his workshop, but he still showed up to pound things when he needed a break, or they needed him.

“What?” Graham bellowed, his chest heaving. He was acting like an irrational ass again, but he couldn’t seem to help it. Between the anniversary coming up and what had happened with Blake the night before, he couldn’t think straight.

Murphy sighed and bent down to the cooler to pick out three bottles of water. “Drink this. You’re sweaty, hot, and on the trigger right now.”

Graham narrowed his eyes at his baby brother, but took the bottle and drank down half of it anyway. It might not be caffeine, but he was hot and, apparently, really irritable.

“Jesus,” he whispered, running a hand over his dirty face. “Sorry about that. I smashed my finger and guess I needed to take it out on you.”

“Is that all?” Jake asked. “I know the date is coming up, bro.”

Graham closed his eyes, letting out a breath. “Yeah, it is. But I need to stop acting like I’m a fucking bear who woke up before hibernation was over.”

He opened his eyes as his brothers smiled at him. Murphy laughed and said, “I can see that. You’re as hairy as a bear.”

Graham ran a hand over his long beard. “I’ve been thinking I should just shave it off. It’s annoying as hell during the summer. And Murph? You’ve got a beard, too.”

Murphy smiled and ran a hand over his. His brother was always so damn happy about that thing since it had taken a long time to grow in. Endless chemo and radiation had wreaked havoc on his brother’s system, so growing a beard was a feat. Not that they talked about that at all, though.

“Don’t shave it,” Jake put it. “I hear Blake likes it.”

Graham stiffened. “How did you hear that?”

“Maya told me, and I guess Blake told her, or my woman picked up on it. Either way, don’t shave it.”

He wasn’t going to mention that the point might be moot anyway, considering Blake had turned tail and run the night before. There were some things brothers didn’t share, and this was one of them.

Graham sighed. “Anyway, sorry about blowing up.”

Murphy shrugged. “No big deal. But I do have a few things that need to be changed. Nothing that needs to be taken down or reworked, but things for the future. I figured I’d tell you now.”

“Tell him what now?” Owen asked as he walked in. He wore a suit and tie, telling Graham his brother had been doing the business part of their job for most of the day. It would be a pity for him to get dirty. Hence why Graham would make sure that Owen helped him with the HVAC crap later today. Dealing with heating, air conditioning, and ventilation while inside a wall and up in the attic would make sure Owen remembered not to wear his nice clothes on-site. And since the place on the hill was fucking huge, HVAC would take a couple of days and a whole lot of sweat.

Excellent.

Graham needed to pound something, but this would have to do.

“I have a few changes,” Murphy said.

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