Church wraps up and I’m itching to get moving. I catch Wyatt, Weston, and Steele in the lot. “You guys still good to head to the site?” I ask, already shrugging off my cut and tossing it in my saddlebag. “We need to finish framing that back addition today if we’re gonna stay on schedule.”
Wyatt nods, cracking his neck. “Yeah, I’m in. Clients are breathing down our necks.”
Weston grins. “Let’s go. I need to swing a hammer and turn my brain off for a while.”
Steele grabs his tool belt. “Lead the way. Erica’s expecting me home for dinner, so let’s make it count.”
I text Lucy on the way out.
Me: Done with church. On my way to the construction site. I should be home around seven.
Buttercup: Good. Dinner will be ready when you get here.
We roll out to the new build on the east side of town. The afternoon sun beats down hard as we get to work. Hammers ring out, saws scream, and sweat pours down our backs.
“Pass me that two-by-six,” I call.
Steele tosses it over. “You’ve been quiet today. Everything good with Lucy?”
I line up the board and drive in a nail. A slow grin spreads across my face.
“Yeah. Real good. She told me she loves me last night.”
The guys whistle and catcall like a pack of hyenas.
“About damn time,” Wyatt laughs. “Hadley told us about the tattoo. Buttercup with your initials on the petals? That’s some wife shit right there.”
Weston leans on the frame, smirking. “So… is she claiming you back? She your Old Lady now or what?”
I pause mid-swing, hammer frozen in the air. Oh shit. I completely forgot that part. “Goddammit,” I mutter, then bark out a loud laugh. “I was so busy being a lovesick idiot last night that I didn’t even ask her properly. Fuck!”
Steele Laughs. “Smooth, brother.”
I drive the nail in with extra force, grinning like a maniac. “Listen, I’m gonna fix that shit tonight. I’m dragging her ass to the courthouse, throwing my patch on her, and planting my baby in her belly before the month is out. She’s getting my last name, my ink, and my kids. I’m locking that girl down so hard she won’t know what hit her. My buttercup is gonna be Tiny’s Old Lady whether she’s ready or not!”
Wyatt and Weston are dying laughing. “Jesus Christ, Tiny,” Weston wheezes. “Dial it back, psycho.”
“Nah, fuck that!” I shout, hammering away with pure chaotic energy. “I’ve been gone for that girl since the day I met her. She put my fucking initials on her body? That’s a claim. I’m claiming her right the fuck back. Loud and proud, baby!”
Steele just shakes his head, smiling. “You’re insane.”
“Insane and in love, motherfucker!” I yell back, laughing my ass off as I keep working.
The house keeps going up around us, but all I can think about is getting home to my girl. Tonight, I’m making it official. Lucy’s about to find out just how crazy I am about her.
I roll up to the house filthy, covered in sweat and sawdust, but I make one quick stop on the way, grabbing a big bouquet of bright yellow and white flowers. Buttercups mixed with some other shit the lady at the shop said looked nice. I feel like a total sap, but I don’t even care.
When I walk through the door, Lucy’s in the kitchen. She turns around and her eyes go wide at the sight of me holding flowers like a damn idiot.
“Tiny…?”
I kick the door shut behind me and stalk straight toward her, shoving the bouquet into her hands before she can say anything.
“Got these for you,” I rumble, voice still rough from the long day. “Saw the yellow ones and thought of that pretty little buttercup on your hip.”
She blushes hard, burying her nose in the flowers for a second. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.”
I don’t give her time to overthink it. I grab her by the waist, careful of the fresh tattoo, and pull her against me.
