“But I had—.”
“Argh! Shh. Both of you go to your rooms until I say. I’m going to make your dad some lunch, and then we’re going to take it to him. If you two don’t stop fighting, I’m going to leave you there with your dad. Now go to your rooms and think about how much you love each other. Move it,” I said for good measure with a pat to each of their bottoms. They walked off with pouty lips, Rowan still arguing about having the stupid thing first. The reasoning behind the fight was left a mystery. I had no idea why they wanted the stupid spatula, or why the identical green one wasn’t good enough.
I may have done a little victory dance while I made my obstinate husband a healthy lunch. I sang in a loud tune with Katy Perry, dancing my hips while I boasted my husband’s illness. Told ya.
By the time I went for the girls, they were both sitting on Rowan’s floor making arrangements for an enchanted ball. Ophelia’s Barbie would arrive wearing an ice gown like on Frozen. Rowan’s would show up in a pink gown with silver shoes. Both girls brushed out their doll’s long hair, Indian style on the floor.
“That’s more like it. Let’s go see, Daddy.”
Like good little troopers, my girls stood and followed me out. Barbie’s in hand. God, I loved them.
I dropped my guard a little once we made it to where Paxton worked. I was overly impressed. An entire back yard transformed into a beautiful addition to the beach house. The pool looked like it flowed over into the ocean. Elegant blue lights twinkled below the water. I kept a hand in mine, one on each side while I observed Paxton’s work. He did do more than mow yards.
The landscaping was amazing, and I couldn’t wait to make it over to the stone patio. Paxton was bent over, smoothing a sand mixture between the cracks. He looked up to us, and I waited for him to drop a trowel before I walked over to him.
“Wow, Paxton. This is amazing. You did this?” I questioned as I dropped the shoulder bag and looked around.
He removed his hat and lifted the bottom of his shirt to wipe away sweat. My eyes left the outside kitchen to linger on his toned ribs and then to his eyes, and the smirk. Busted.
“Checking me out, Mrs. Pierce?” he said through half a grin. Cornered to the right.
I shoved the Rolaids in his hand and told him to shut up. My attention went to the cold bottle of water I brought for him, trying to hide the crimson in my cheeks. “Drink this. Coke’s not going to help heartburn.”
Paxton chugged half a bottle of water, exhaling relief as he handed it back. I turned to see the girls letting their Barbie’s swim on the edge of the pool to keep from locking eyes with him.
“I’m impressed. You do good work,” I said without looking back, avoiding his emerald eyes. He did do good work. Awesome work, and I was overly impressed.
Paxton showed me around his jobsite while the girls ran around the spacious back yard. I thought our view was nice. This was breathtaking. High above the ocean. Even without the back yard being complete, it was amazing. My fingers brushed past his when he explained in great detail the waterfall he had built out of limestone. I gave him every opportunity to take my hand, but he didn’t take it. He pointed to the different things he’d been working on with pride in his voice. His fingers brushed a couple times, but he never took my hand.
“We’re going to go now. They still need lunch,” I said when one of the guys called from the other side of the pool.
“I’ll be right there,” he called back. Only my lips darted to the side that time. My eyes were staying on his stomach when he raised his shirt to wipe the sweat again. His jeans hung low and a band of blue with white stripes stuck out from the top. “You’re doing it again,” he said. He thought for a second he was going to call me out on it. I didn’t care.
“I can’t help it. You’re very sexy when you work,” I said while admitting the truth. I took one step toward him, but he stopped me.
“Don’t do that, Gabriella.”
I could have asked, do what, but it wouldn’t have done any good. Get close to me. That’s what he meant. He didn’t want me to get close to him. Why was still up in the air. Sometimes I thought he was the one with the head injury.
“Yeah, I’ll see you later.”
That’s how things went the entire week. We ate supper together, I went for an evening walk, we fucked, he left me alone, and we ate breakfast together. I held my tongue as much as I could, and we acted like a normal husband and wife around the girls.
It wasn’t until Saturday’s tee-ball game that the gears finally switched. I didn’t sit on the bleachers with him and his fake friends. My fake friends. I stayed below with my fingers laced through the fence the whole game.