Focusing on the movement of my brush, I concentrate on following the grain of the wood. The key to a smooth finish is applying the oil in long, even strokes. As I drag my brush down the length of the floor, I repeat the words in my head like a mantra.There, just like that. Long, even strokes.
And this is backfiring.Fuck. I reach a hand down, adjusting the sudden, inconvenient bulge in my pants. I shake my head in disbelief. I’ve worked in construction for decades and I’ve never been less professional.
Mercifully, I’m rescued from my own treacherous thoughts by the sound of the doorbell. I glance over at Marissa. Her body swivels toward the door as her brow furrows.
“I wonder who that could be,” she murmurs. Before she can make a move, Isla bolts from her seat at the kitchen table and races down the hallway. I hear the front door opening, followed by a shriek. My hand tightens on the handle of my brush, and I take an instinctual step toward the door. But then the scream is followed by another word. “Daddy!”
Daddy?
I glance over at Marissa. Judging by how the color has drained from her face, she’s just as surprised as I am. A deep, throaty laugh follows Isla’s exclamation, and at the sound of it, Levi dashes down the hallway as well.
A moment later, a figure steps into view, swinging his legs with exaggerated steps while children hang off either thigh. He’s of medium height, a head shorter than me at least, but lean and fit. Despite the ninety-degree heat, he’s dressed in a black T-shirt that highlights a sleeve of tattoos, black jeans, and pointy-toed boots. He’s also doused himself in enough cologne that I can smell him from the other side of the room. He hasn’t spoken a single word, yet somehow, I hate him already.
“Rocky?” Marissa’s voice is stunned. “What are you doing here?”
Rocky shoots her a cocky grin as he drags off his Ray-Bans. “What do you think? I’ve come to visit my family. You think you can just take my kids across the country all summer and I’m not going to stop by and visit?”
Despite the lingering smile on his face, there’s a passive-aggressiveness to his undertone that makes my insides clench. How dare he barge in here and speak to her this way.
Two spots of pink appear on Marissa’s cheeks. “Rocky, we talked about this. We have a schedule in place for a reason. You can’t just show up here unannounced whenever you feel like it.”
Rocky’s smirk deepens, and I feel a sudden urge to slap it right off his face.
“Rissa, relax. It’s not like I’m expecting you to put me up. I’ve already rented a hotel ten minutes away. Just thought I’d spend a few days here. Maybe take these guys out to dinner tonight.” He glances down at the kids, who are still hanging on to his legs.
“What do you think? Want to go grab a bite to eat?”
Both kids let out yelps of delight. Mission accomplished, Rocky returns his attention to Marissa.
“As long as your mom says it’s okay.” Rocky grins at his ex-wife, knowing full well that he’s got her trapped. Here he is, offering to take the kids out for a fun night. If she says no, she’s the bad guy. Disdain simmers in my gut. Is it possible to hate a person you’ve just met?
I look to Marissa, positive that she’s going to tell this jerk to leave her house. But she’s just standing there, silent.
“Actually, she already made the kids dinner.” The words echo through the living room for a full beat before I realize I’ve said them. Both Rocky and Marissa turn to me for the first time.
Rocky cocks his head to the side, regarding me with a look that says he can’t believe the help is addressing him. “Sorry, who are you?”
In lieu of a response, I narrow my eyes at him. Is this guy for real? I may not have his wealth and status, but at least my mother taught me some manners.Who am I?About to be your worst fucking nightmare, that’s who.
My hand curls into a fist.
Luckily, Marissa jumps in before I do something I’ll regret. “This is Jesse. He and his team have been doing some work on the house. Refinishing the floors.”
Rocky’s mouth tilts into a smirk as his eyes do a lazy perusal of his surroundings.
“Glad to hear that you’re putting some work into this place. From the looks of it, she’s seen better days.”
Screw the manners. I’m punching this asshole.
Fortunately, I’m once again saved from myself when Marissa takes a step closer to Rocky.
“It’s fine. Go out and enjoy dinner together. But don’t stay out too late, okay? The kids have had a long week of camp.”
Rocky gives her a salute. “Yes, ma’am.” He turns to his kids. “What do you think? Burgers and fries, or should we just skip right to dessert and have ice cream for dinner?”
The kids are still cheering as they disappear down the front hall. As soon as the door closes behind them, Marissa trudges slowly back into the kitchen. She drags out a kitchen chair and collapses into it with a defeated sigh. The sudden shift in her body language is impossible to ignore. Her whole frame has gone limp, the energy sucked out of her.
“Sorry you had to see that,” she mutters.
