Chapter 24
“I got you a beer,” Drew said, handing Scott a long, tall bottle, then pulling it back. “Oh, wait, maybe I should check with your nurse first. Can you have alcohol yet?”
“It’s been almost a month since the surgery. I think I can handle it.” Scott grabbed the bottle before his friend could yank it back again. Taking a long swig, he surveyed the crowd. Even though Heather’s house wasn’t quite move-in ready, they’d decided to have a Labor Day weekend party here. She had a great yard, and the plumbing and electrical work had already been installed. Although the porta potty was still hanging out for use by the construction crew. Jonathan thought it was way cooler to use than the indoor bathroom.
Jack had been called on for that duty as Callie claimed, in her huge condition, she wouldn’t be able to fit inside. As she waddled outside carrying a tray alongside Heather, he had to agree. His cousin didn’t seem to mind her size, though, as indicated by his nibbling on her neck before he took the tray from her and placed it on the picnic table. Maybe he should go channel Jack and nibble on Heather’s neck.
Turning his way, she smiled and his heart beat faster. He was totally and thoroughly whipped. And he’d admit it to anyone who would listen.
“Get a room,” Keith mumbled, bumping into him from behind.
“I’m not even touching her,” Scott objected.
“You’ve been eye-fucking her for the past half hour,” Nick said, lifting his own beer to his lips. “Don’t you get enough living with her?”
“Never enough.” He meant that too. The past month with Heather at his place had been amazing. Yes, they’d had fights and intense discussions, but in the end they always made up before they went to bed. And the make-up sex was great too. He hadn’t minded that Heather had needed to take the lead with his internal injuries. Watching her gyrate and get herself off always sent him over the edge. Shit, the woman was something else.
“How’s the house coming along?” Chris asked. He and Meg had made it up for the long weekend.
“It’s getting there,” Scott replied. “After what happened with Heather’s house blowing up and the judge almost killing us, everyone’s pitched in to help. The permits all went through in record time and without a hitch.”
“Unlike the mill building project,” Heather piped in, coming to stand at his side. Lifting his free hand, he slid it around her shoulder and pulled her close.
“With that building still undergoing investigation by the police and FBI, who knows when it will be released back to us.” Gritting his teeth, he took a deep breath, trying not to think about the fact he hadn’t been able to move forward with the project.
“They promised us soon,” Heather said. “But it gave us the opportunity to use those workers to finish my house.”
“Anxious to get away from me?” he teased.
Pushing up on her toes, she kissed his cheek. “No, but I wouldn’t mind having more than one bathroom.”
“If it weren’t for Heather,” Jack explained, walking over to them, “this house wouldn’t be anywhere near finished. All she has to do is flash the guys that big smile and they trip over themselves to get the work done.”
“She’s got that effect on lover-boy here, too,” Keith drawled. “All of you are too sickly sweet for me. Nick, Drew, we should stand on the other side of the yard so we don’t catch whatever they got infected with.”
“You need to find the right woman, Keith, and it’ll be all over. You wait,” Chris said, pulling Meg to his side. “First time I met this one, she kissed the stuffing out of me, then pushed me in the pool.”
Meg’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t mean to push you in the pool. It just…kind of happened.”
“You did mean to kiss me though.” The grin on Chris’s face grew.
“To keep from getting arrested, sure.”
“I’m still waiting for some hot chick to walk up and kiss me,” Nick said. “Hasn’t happened yet.”
“You’re in the truck stop my mom works at often enough, Nick,” Meg started. “She says you could have lots of the women there kissing you if you wanted.”
Clutching his chest, Nick groaned. “I’m waiting for your mom to leave your dad and run away with me. No one else will do.”
Meg laughed. “According to her, there’s a shapely redhead you can’t keep your eyes off.”
“I think it’s time for another beer,” Nick said and marched off toward the cooler.
Keith’s eyes followed his friend. “Maybe I need a road trip to check out this redhead.”
“I’ll go with you.” Drew eyed the yard. “It’s slim pickings around here.”
Scott conceded they hadn’t invited too many single women, though Charlotte was here. But she was rolling around on the ground with Jonathan and his new puppy. Jack had bought a German shepherd he was hoping to train to protect them. His few years on the run had made him severely neurotic when it came to the safety of his family. Scott couldn’t blame him though. He’d do what he had to in order to keep Heather safe too.
Laughter and conversation floated around the yard all afternoon but Scott kept his eye on the time. There was something he wanted to do, and he wasn’t sure when would be the best time.
“Are you happy with the work on the house so far?” he asked as he and Heather stood near the fence in her back yard.
“It’s great. But I was wondering something and forgot to ask. A few days ago one of the men asked about pouring a concrete slab for a barbecue pit. I never asked for that.”
Pushing her back against the fence, he caged her in with both hands. “Yeah, I wanted to ask you about that. You know I like barbecuing and I was hoping you’d let me set one up here.”
“Because you can’t at your place?”
He shrugged. “Once you move out, it’ll be a little lonely. I was hoping I could spend more time at your place.”
Reaching in his pocket he extracted a small box and popped the lid. “Or, I could make it my place too.”
Her eyes opened wide and she chewed on her bottom lip. “You’d be okay moving into my house and not having a place that was yours?”
Lowering his head, he kissed her. “It would be ours. And if you’re there, that’s all I need.”
Heather started to nod but a commotion near the house caught their attention. Jack held onto Callie, whose expression conveyed anxiety. They rushed over as Jack began to panic.
“She’s in labor.” His typically confident cousin looked lost.
“Today is Labor Day,” Nick quipped and Keith slapped him on the side of the head.
“I’d suggest heading to the hospital,” Drew said in his usual calm manner.
Charlotte looked at him with disgust. “Brilliant deduction.”
“Jonathan…” Callie began, but Heather cut her off.
“We’ll take Jonathan and the dog back to the house and stay with him as long as needed.”
“Just go,” Scott urged. He didn’t want a baby being delivered here.
When the expectant parents left, the others began to tidy up and drift off. Scott remembered the ring he still clutched in his hand.
“Hey, you never quite answered me.”
Heather sidled closer, Jonathan clinging to her leg. “I’m all you need, huh?”
Scott slid the ring onto her finger then bent to ruffle Jonathan’s hair. “I might need one of these too. Would you be up for that challenge?”
Scooping the boy into her arms, she leaned against Scott. “I could be convinced. I hear it takes a lot of practice to get one, though.”
He kissed her lips and rested his head against hers. “I think I’m up for it.”
Her chuckle rumbled through the air. “You usually are.”