Page 20 of Finding Their Place

“So, who is your family now since your parents are no longer in your life?” Wyatt asked, sounding truly interested.

“You’re ready to move onto the next conversation even though I just revealed how much of a handful I can be?” I asked, wondering if the man on the other end of the line was real.

“If you want to talk about your past and the emotional trauma some more, Haley, I’ll listen all day long. Whatever you need.”

Fuck, this man.

My heart raced. It would be so damn easy to fall for him. But rather than wallowing in my past, I wanted to move forward in the flutters he’d woken back up inside my belly. “I have a couple of friends—acquaintances, really—but my cousin Lily and most recently Garrett are the two who know me best and love me regardless of my prickliness.”

“You don’t sound prickly to me,” Wyatt argued. “Just wary, as anyone who’d been exposed to such a childhood would be. Dating these days is tough, and finding someone of substance who’s interested in the same things as you, let alone honest, is damn near impossible.”

“Preach,” I snipped even though his words filled me with warmth. “But enough about me. Tell me about you.”

“There’s not a whole lot to share.”

“Don’t feign humility,” I said, crossing my stretched out legs in front of me, a smile pulling on my lips over what sounded like a true character trait.

“I’m serious. I work and have a good group of friends I go out with on occasion, but that’s about it. I’m boring, really.”

“You’re one of the sexiest men I’ve seen, Mr. Hot Stuff, so I’m calling bullshit.”

He laughed, the deep chuckle making my belly flip in the best way. “Thanks.”

“My pleasure.” I barely held back my purr that would have taken us down the phone sex route like it always did with guys. “Back to your tale.”

“I’m an only child, but I got lucky in the parents aspect of my life. Neither are judgmental about my sexual preferences, and they’ve been nothing but supportive. If they’d been able to have more children, we’d have been the picture-perfect family.”

“You’re one lucky bastard.” My jealousy didn’t come through in my voice, but I felt it in my chest.

“I am—but I’m hoping to share them with someone or someones sooner than later.”

My throat went all tight at the longing in his voice, and I picked at a loose thread on the hem of my old sleep shirt. Wyatt sounded like a giver—not a taker. Definitely a plus in my book.

“They had me in their early forties, so Dad handed over the landscaping business to me a few years ago when he was ready to retire. It’s been an uphill battle but one I can honestly say I’m winning.”

“Winning—explain,” I demanded.

“I don’t like to brag.” His honesty reflected in his quiet tone, one void of manipulation.

“Tell me your accomplishments you have every damn right to be proud of, Wyatt.”

“Fine.” He exhaled loudly in my ear. “I have ten employees, five work trucks—all paid off—and I bought myself a house last year.”

Wyatt had his shit together—a massive checkmark on that pro list.

I didn’t know more butterflies existed to join in the ones already fluttering around in my insides. “Do you enjoy your work?”

“I do. Sweating and being physically tired at the end of the day makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something.”

“Exercise.” I made a disgusted noise in my throat as I reached for my glass of half-empty wine on my bed stand beside me. “No thanks.”

He laughed again as I sipped. “So, what do you do to keep your body in shape?”

“Sex,” I tossed out the truthful answer.

Wyatt choked on another laugh.

“Seriously, though,” I hurried to add, my face heating, “I haven’t hooked up in over eight months, so maybe I ought to consider hitting a gym or something.”

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