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The second time he’d been older, and it had hurt more. He’d loved Kirsty, but the woman had wanted to make a life with another man who had a flashy car and lots of money. Nash was not a slow learner. Two lessons with high-maintenance women were enough.
He took the turnoff that led to Maggie and Fin’s place, and then pulled up outside their house. Buzz and Bee came running as he got out. Fin’s dog was a smaller version of Buzz but had a white tip to her tail.
He dropped to give them a scratch. They leapt all over him, clearly not caring that he’d been rude to Luna McKinley.
Nash was thinking about getting a dog. It would sit with him, expect to be fed, and not talk.
His sister appeared, wearing cutoffs and a paint-stained shirt. Her hair was pulled on top of her head. She looked like a teenager.
“This better be good; I’ve had a hell of a day,” Nash said, leaning down to kiss her cheek.
“I heard about it.” She had that pissed-off look that spelled trouble for him.
“From whom?”
“Piper. You were mean to Luna McKinley. Why?”
Mal arrived, and he bit back the moan at the militant look on her face.
“She’s done nothing to you, but you don’t like her,” she said.
“She threw water at me, and before that her shoe,” he thundered, getting seriously pissed at everyone coming at him.
“Why did she throw her shoe at you?”
“Ask her,” he muttered. “Now, do you or do you not need my help? Because if you don’t and this turns into a lecture, I’m out.” He glared at his sister and Mal.
Maggie’s mouth drew into that line that meant she wasn’t finished yet.
“I want to know why you’re behaving out of character. Yes, you can be grumpy, but this is different. You’re a good guy no matter how hard you try to hide it. What’s going on, Nash?”
“Nothing, now shut up.”
“Fine, but I’m not done with this. Fin needs your help with some lifting, and the others are busy.”
“Maggie’s right. You’re a good guy, Nash,” Mal said. “So, why don’t you like Luna?”
“Can we just leave it alone, Mal. Please?”
She gave a short nod, but he could tell she wasn’t happy.
Sighing, he walked into the house. It was low and long and sat well with nature as its backdrop. The outside was still raw and would soon be planted, but it was the inside that needed finishing now for them to move in. He’d worked here with Fin, as had the others Fin and Maggs called friends.
He found Fin in the kitchen.
“Nash.”
“Fin.”
“The Trainers are coming later, but I need help with lifting things in place. You got some time?”
“Sure.”
He worked for a few hours helping Fin. Nash liked hard labor. It made him feel good and added to that was helping his pain-in-the-ass little sister. Mal sat in the corner painting. She’d shoot him an angry look occasionally, then paint some more.
“Give it a rest, Mal,” Fin said, intercepting a glare. “Nash is your friend.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t be angry with him.” The girl got to her feet and stomped outside.
