"Why'd you drop out?"
"We had volunteers come in to practice on. I ended up with this old guy who had the most disgusting feet I've ever seen. I thought I'd be massaging beautiful women all day, like they show in the instructional videos. But the reality is, you get whoever walks in the door, like the old guy with the bad feet. I quit the next day."
"Was that before or after you worked as an EMT?"
"Same time. I knew I wasn't going to keep working as an EMT so I was trying to find something different."
"Why'd you try all these other careers? Why didn't you just work for your dad?"
"Because that was his thing, not mine. Everyone always said I was so much like him, but I didn't want to be. I wanted to be different than him."
"What changed your mind?"
"My mom passing away. After she died and I took over the business while my dad took some time off, I realized that construction was in my blood. I couldn't fight it. Turns out people were right. I'm just like my dad, and when I was running his business, I figured out that being like your old man isn't such a bad thing. He's a good, hard-working man who built a successful business from nothing. As a kid, I didn't appreciate that, but when I stepped in for him for those few months, it hit me that he really knows what he's doing and I'd be damn proud to walk in his footsteps. So I did."
"But you took the summer off. So is he mad?"
"Yeah, but not because I took the summer off. He's mad because I'm working on this house."
"Why would that make him mad?"
"Because he's still angry at my birth mom for leaving us. He thinks I'm doing this to somehow reconnect with her."
"Are you?"
"No. I don't even have a clue where she lives."
"Have you tried looking for her?"
"I've looked her up online but I'm assuming she's married now and has a different last name."
"Do you want to find her someday?"
"Not really. But I admit this house is a way to connect with that side of my family."
"But when it's done, you're selling it, so you won't have that connection anymore."
"I'm not selling it. But don't tell anyone that, especially my brothers. They'd tell my dad and he'd be down here lecturing me to let go of the past."
"Sometimes it's hard to let go," she says softly.
"Yeah, I know," I mumble, thinking about Becky.
"What did you say?" Callie asks.
"Nothing." I smile and press down on that special spot on her foot.
"Oh, God." She closes her eyes, her head falling back. "Stop it, Nash."
"Why? You seem to be enjoying it."
"Too much, which is why you need to stop. We said we'd take things slow."
"It's just a foot rub, Callie. Doesn't get any slower than that."
I continue, and after a few minutes, I massage her other foot. Then we talk some more. At ten-thirty, I walk her home.
It was another great evening with my neighbor, who is quickly becoming a friend, and maybe by the end of summer, will be more than that.
Chapter Fifteen
Callie
"What the hell?" I say to myself the next morning as I hear loud noises outside my window. I get out of bed and shove the drape aside and my mouth drops open.
It's like three male fitness models have descended on my lawn and taken up residence. Tall. Muscular. Tan. Shirtless. Holy shit. Am I dreaming this? I look back at my bed. I'm not in it, so I must be awake. My room is bright from the sun and I go over to check the clock. It says it's eight-fifteen.
I return to the window and gaze out at the scene on my lawn. I spot Nash walking over from his house, carrying a bag of something over his shoulder. Hot man number four. He, too, is shirtless and I'm reminded of how his chest felt when I ran my hands over it the other night as he kissed me. How his body felt when it pressed up against mine. How it felt when his mouth— "Callie!" I hear my name and it jars me from my thoughts. I look out and see Nash waving at me from my lawn. Shit, he can see me. He knows I was staring at him from the window.
I quickly back away from it but hear his voice again.
"Callie, get out here and meet my brothers."
Is he kidding? I can't go out there! I'm not even dressed. My hair's a mess. I have no makeup on. And he expects me to go out like this and meet his super-hot brothers? There's no way that's happening. I'll just ignore him. He has work to do. He'll forget about me if I hide in here.
"Callie?" I hear his voice but it sounds clearer, no longer muffled by the window. "Callie, are you in your room?" It's louder now. What the hell? Is he in my house?
I open my door and am met with the sight of his tan, muscular chest.
"Hey. Come outside and meet my brothers."
"How'd you get in here?"
"I walked in the front door. I assumed you unlocked it just now to let me in after I waved at you."
"No. I must've forgot to lock it last night."
"You were in here all night alone with the door unlocked?" He sounds angry.