Page 18 of Between Now and Forever
“So you just let your little brother go off with an unknown person in a new town?”
“Look, Kyle knew the kid. Carter played with him for two hours yesterday, and his mom was walking with them. And considering this is the cheesiest town in America, I’d say he’s fine. Chill out.”
I hold my steaming cup between both hands. “Dylan, after I drink this and can think clearly, you and I are going to have a conversation about your attitude.”
“Wasn’t it you who said last night that you didn’t want to rehash conversations that we’ve had a million times?” He shrugs and starts up the stairs. “But whatever. All I got is time.”
I think he mumbles something like“Until I’m eighteen,”but I’m not sure.
The mug is at my lips when the pounding starts again. I jump, dousing my front with hot liquid.
I want to cry. I want to yell at whatever is making that damn noise. I want to pour the coffee down the drain and go back to bed until Dylan grows out of the stage that makes me understand why some animals eat their children.
“Ugh.”
I set the mug down and grab a hand towel. My jaw is set, and a growl is on my lips. I throw open the door ready to brawl.
“What the hell is going ...on out here.”
My voice softens until the last of my words are barely audible.
Holy. Crap.
Jay kneels on the deck, looking like a freaking snack. A tight white T-shirt that’s thin enough to snuggle his back and arms lies over the ridges and valleys of his body. Jeans hug his thick thighs. A tool belt wraps around his narrow waist. He looks up at me, does a quick scan from head to toe, then lifts a brow and goes back to work.
I vaguely remember putting on a pair of shorts with jelly beans on them that barely cover my ass and a white tank top, no bra, before I went to bed last night.Better keep this robe pulled tight.
“Your little boy is riding his bike with Hayes Collins,” Jay says without looking at me. “His mom, Freya, works at the city building, and his father is the principal at the elementary school. They’re both good people. He’ll be okay.”
What?I groan.They’re going to think I’m a terrible mom.
He stops drilling for a moment. “I heard you inside, talking to your other boy. The one with the mouth.”
“He has a mouth, all right,” I say, blowing out a breath. The attempt at slowing my heartbeat down to a regular speed isn’t successful. “Those people are going to think I’m awful. MaybeI amawful.”
“Relax.” He drills another screw into the post and then checks it for sturdiness. “Your older boy told her it was fine. No one is judging you.”
I hope that’s true.“How long have you been here?”
“Twenty minutes or so. Saw your kid out here and figured you were up.” He glances at me over his shoulder. “I see I was wrong.”
I’m not strong enough to deal with two males with attitudes without coffee.
I start to answer him, to justify myself by saying that I never sleep this late. I can’t remember ever sleeping past eight o’clock. But I don’t owe it to him, or to anyone, to justify anything ... even if he has nice muscles and is fixing my railing.
“What are you doing out here, anyway?” I ask.
He groans, standing up. He sets his drill on the railing, which is secured to the posts once again.
“I told you this was on my list,” I say.
“Yeah, well, I’m a carpenter by trade, and I happened to have a box of decking screws handy.” He nods to the other side of the deck. “I fixed a piece over there too.”
“I’m probably going to have to shore up this whole thing.”
The corner of his lip twitches. “Or at least wear clothes out here.”
I roll my eyes as my cheeks flush. “And I thought you were a gentleman.My hero.”
