I shake my head. “That’s balls, man.”
“I want to go home and help, but Lauren is coming by soon, and I don’t want to reschedule, since she said she’s busy during the day tomorrow and Friday.” He shoots me a pleading look.
“I got it covered,” I say. “She can show the design to me, and I can just explain it all to you tomorrow morning.”
“You sure?” He comes around the bar and stands in front of me, indecision in his eyes. “I don’t want to dump this all on you last minute…”
“I have learned a thing or two working in construction, you know,” I say drolly. “Not to mention serving our country.”
Xander slugs me in the upper arm and winces. “Your muscles are ridiculous. You shouldn’t be more ripped than me. That’s wrong.” I smirk and flex my pecs at him, and he groans. “Stop showing off, dick. Okay, fine. We’ll meet here in the morning, first thing, and go over the plans. Thanks, bro. Owe you one.”
I owe him way more than he owes me. “Seriously, it’s fine,” I tell him with a shooing gesture. “Go, before Rebecca loses her mind.”
Xander gives me a quick one-armed hug then takes off. The thick wooden door closes behind him.
Left in silence, I look around me. The main level is large, with dark hand-carved wood trim and a copper-plated ceiling. The bar is also crafted wood, with a slab on the top that’s glossy with small nicks in the surface from years of us. Large smoky windows let in natural light. Small tables are scattered along the natural wood floor, mismatched but kind of charming.
I can see why Dad bought this place, though I didn’t understand it as a kid. The bar looked old and oppressively dark to me, and I hated having to visit here. But a savvy redesign will make this place feel fresh, bright.
Lauren’s always been creative, even as a kid; if anyone can make this old joint shine, it’ll be her.
I glance at my watch. Time to head home and shower, shave, get ready to see her. The near-constant ache in my chest has been getting lighter with every moment that passes, because I’m going to see her very soon. And I can’t fucking wait.
Lauren
I stand on the cement landing of the bar and glance down into my bag to make sure I have everything ready. After smoothing the soft, loose curls of my hair, I clear my throat, lift my chin, and rap on the door.
After a few moments, it opens.
And my jaw drops.
“Oh my God!” I cry out, dropping my bag and throwing myself at Cole as fast as I can. My heart’s in my throat, sheer shock rendering me speechless. I cling to him, and with a hearty laugh he wraps his arms around me and hugs me tight.
I sink into the warmth of my best friend holding me, and for a moment forget everything—why I’m here, the distance and time that’s passed between us. The feeling that comes over me is blissful comfort. Hot tears burn my eyes and I squeeze them closed. I’m not going to cry. He’s here, and it’s the best surprise I could have gotten.
Finally we part, and I look up into his face. His dark brown eyes are dancing, and his full lips are curved into a smile. “Hey, kitten,” he murmurs, stroking a lock of my hair. “Long time, no see.”
My chest gives a funny squeeze as I suddenly remember Emme’s comment last night at the bar. How she called him a hottie. I slug him in the chest in an effort to cover my momentary discomfort. “You ass! You came to town and didn’t tell me? How long have you been here?”
He steps back and rubs the nape of his neck, having the decency to flush in discomfort. “Just a few days. Or maybe closer to a week.”
“A week?” I screech. I swat him again. “Seriously? You’ve been here a week and haven’t told me? You suck!”
He opens the door wider. “You going to come in, or just stand outside and beat me up for an hour?”
I give a haughty sniff, grab my bag from the ground, then sweep past him. Cole’s cologne wafts to my nose, and I find myself breathing deeply, locking his scent into my memory. After he closes the door behind him, I turn and jump back into his arms, which earns another chuckle. “I missed you, you big jerk,” I murmur against his white dress shirt. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were here.”
Once again, his arms wrap around me. Now that I’m not overwhelmed with the shock of seeing him, I notice how warm and strong his body is, how small I feel against him. Small and…feminine. Another twinge hits my chest, and I bite my lip. I’m going to kill Emme for planting this seed in my head about Cole. It’s just wrong.
Business, I remind myself to shake off these errant thoughts. I’m here in a professional capacity. There will be time to catch up with him soon, but I need to meet with his brother and go over my design. I pull away from him and say, “Where’s Xander?”
“He had to go home. Toddler emergency.”