Chapter 23
Leo
Whistling a melody under my breath, I fit the plank of wood firmly against the rib fence and use both hands to guide it flush through the blade of the table saw. I’ve got this song stuck in my head. From one of Brenton’s cartoons, I think.
Pretty catchy.
I grin down at the nice, clean cut of ply in my hand, absolutely reveling in the rather insignificant accomplishment. Oh yeh—I know how to work with my wood. That silly thought causes my smile to grow even wider.
As I’m reaching for the next wooden plank, Charlie approaches over my shoulder.
His voice rises above the whirr of the saw. “You’re pretty chipper this morning. You’re practically dancing over here.” He screws a grooved drill bit to the tip of the power drill in his hand.
I chortle quietly as the cloud of saw dust settles. “It’s a beautiful day,” I say, swinging my arm up toward the early morning sun.
His grin goes lopsided and mischievous. “You’ve been putting those condoms to use, haven’t you?” He slants his head to the side and observes me. “You didn’t tell me you met someone. Have you been hitting the bars without me?”
My shoulders immediately go tense as I imagine how Charlie would react if he found out about the filthy things I did to his sister last night. “Nah, man. You know me. I go from home to work to home and do it all over again the next day.” I watch him from behind the safety of my protective goggles.
“Well, in Copper Heights, once the honeys hear about you, they come hunting you down like a team of wildlife trackers. Some of the best pussy I’ve ever gotten in this town has literally come waltzing right up to my front door without me having to lift a finger.”
Really? If my memory serves me correctly, Cupcake Girl came in through the back door.
“Sounds like fun but that’s not what I’m looking for right now.”
He groans in irritation. “I get it. Your wife left you with a kid. But things could be worse.” He waves the drill around as he speaks.
“Charlie, I’m fine,” I assure him. “Everything is good.”
Ignoring my protests, he carries on. “Life isn’t over just because your marriage is.”
“I know that.”
“You need to get back in the saddle.”
“Don’t you worry about my saddle.”
“Get your dick wet. See how much happier you’ll be!”
I snort out a laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
His expression turns grave. “I’m serious, Leo!”
What’s it going to take to convince this guy that I’m okay? He’s coming from a good place but he’s annoying as hell. “Back off of it, Charlie.”
“You need to get laid, dude.”
Frustrated, I drop the plank of wood and throw up my arms. “I’m getting laid just fine,” I roar. And I immediately want to kick myself for that slip of the tongue.
His movements still and his eyes narrow with suspicion. I can almost see him making computations and drawing conclusions in his brain. "You aren't fucking my little sister, are you?” He pauses for a beat and I hold my breath for what he’ll do next. My eyes are on that damn drill. “Because it would really suck if our friendship ended with me cutting off your balls with a hacksaw."
Glad that my eyes are hidden behind the protective goggles, I chuckle, trying to ignore the bolt of adrenaline that spikes up my legs to my poor, threatened scrotum. "Don't worry about my balls or my saddle. I'm focused on what's important and you should too."
"That wasn't a denial, Montgomery. But I'm gonna let it slide because I know you. You'll do the right thing." He waves the drill menacingly in my direction as he stomps off.
“Charlie, we’re cool,” I assure him despite my betrayal.
He grunts and spits on the ground. “Let’s hope we are.”