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Jesse turned, his face looking way more intense with the darkness behind him. “Do you want to go into business with me?”
The hell? This guy had lost his fucking mind.
SEVEN
JESSE
I’d lost my fucking mind. Tally was gaping at me, and so was Hayes. Actually, Hayes was looking at me like I’d just lost my marbles, and he wouldn’t be wrong. I wasn’t even sure why I cared. I could take the money back and move on with my life. Hell, I could do what she suggested and donate it to an animal shelter, or a food bank or something.
I wasn’t prone to lying to myself, though. It had less to do with feeling like I didn’t deserve the prize money—I’d ridden a damn fine fucking race—and more to do with the fact that the girl in front of me, with big, wounded eyes and wild hair, captured something inside my chest. I wanted her to be okay.
Maybe her situation reminded me of my mom, the stress she’d felt having to raise me by herself after my dad died. The breakdown she’d had, which I’d always felt was a little my fault.
“There’s a house beside mine that I was going to buy, restore, then flip for a profit when the time’s right. That’s what I was going to do with the money.” I kept my voice neutral, like I didn’t care what she did. Which I didn’t, not really. “You help me renovate it, and when we sell it, you keep half the profits. I figure that once the baby comes, you’re going to struggle to work at the diner and care for a child, so this might be an option.” I shrugged. “Whatever you want. You could even live in the place while we renovate.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You want me to buy a house with you?”
Hayes scoffed, but she was making it sound weirder than it was. “I want you to work your ass off rebuilding a house that’s basically dilapidated, as a business proposal, yes.”
It wouldn’t hurt that she’d be right next door. I knew Hayes would like that. You only had to look in his eyes to know he was smitten with this tiny little racer. I mean, she was basically his dream girl, so it made sense.
“Can I think about it? Because I don’t know you.”
Well, at least she had some common sense. “Sure. Come out tomorrow and look at the place before you make up your mind. Hayes is living with me next door, if that helps ease your mind or whatever.”
I was already making a list of things I’d do before she moved in. The bathroom and kitchen were in good working order, but the master bedroom would need to be redone before it was habitable. I’d put in a good security system, because she’d still be there alone with a tiny baby, and us being next door wasn’t really close enough.
She eyed me appraisingly once more, then nodded. Hayes let out a tiny, relieved breath that I wasn’t not sure she heard. “I’ll come around and pick you up at about ten? I start work on Friday, but I have tomorrow free.”
It felt like time to go. I strode toward the door of this tiny little hovel and tried not to let it tug too strongly at my heartstrings. This was just the right thing to do. For Hayes. And it was what my dad would’ve done.
With that thought, I opened the front door and walked out into the hallway, waiting quietly as Hayes said something softly to her. Probably apologizing for me. He’d spent a lot of time apologizing for my surliness when we were teens. He stepped out, and the door shut behind him, but neither of us moved until we heard the deadbolt and chain slide into place.
My area was a little shady, but this one was worse.
Both Hayes and I were silent as we made our way back to the haphazardly parked car. When Tally hadn’t turned up an hour after she said she would, Hayes had panicked. I had too, though I’d tried to keep it cool.
She was a pregnant woman, alone. What if she’d slipped in the shower? What if something had gone wrong with the baby? What if she’d passed out and hit her head on the kitchen counter? The possibilities were endless for anyone living alone, but a pregnant woman in her sixth month was just exponentially worse. So I hadn’t told him to calm down, just went to work tracking her down like a fucking stalker.
Hayes slid into the driver’s seat, and I climbed in beside him. He didn’t speak until we pulled out onto the main arterial road back to my place.
He snuck a look in my direction. “That was unexpected.”
I grunted noncommittally. “She keeps the money, turns it into some more, and I don’t have to move next door so we don’t get squatters. Works for me.”
“So, it was purely a selfish offer?” he asked lightly, but I could hear the sarcasm in his tone. “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, Jesse. You like her.”
I snapped my head around. “Nah, man, I’m not trying to move in on your lane. I can see your big heart eyes every time you look in her direction.”
He kept his eyes on the road, so I had time to judge his profile. He didn’t seem jealous or angry. Instead, he raised an eyebrow in my direction. “You don’t know her well enough yet. We might be choosing lanes, but it’s Tally’s road, and she doesn’t give a fuck what you think you want or deserve. I had my chance, and she chose someone else. I’d rather see her happy, and if that’s with you, even better.”
Jesus fucking Christ. “Man, I offered her a job, not my dick. You’re getting ahead of yourself.”
He hummed as he got off at our exit. “Hmm. We’ll see.”
I believed in the bro code. If he wanted her, I’d keep my hands to myself. I mean, she was beautiful, but he was my best friend, and I loved the shit out of him. I wouldn’t ever jeopardize that.
I arranged with the realtor to meet us at eleven the next day, and it didn’t hurt that I’d put feelers out already about the place next door. Where mine was a split-level, this one was a single-story bungalow, and while rundown, had some potential.
