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CHAPTER THIRTY
Ashlyn
Three months later
“Are you sure the floor isn’t going to cave in on us?” I asked, eyeing the dust-covered hardwood floors under my feet.
Liam rolled his eyes, tugging lightly on the hand I’d let him take a few minutes before. As boyfriends went, he was very convincing.
Myboyfriend. Yes, boyfriend.
Boy.
Friend.
Damn, it felt good to say. I took one step then two into the middle of the entryway. Nothing tumbled below, and the world kept spinning. I sent him an apologetic smile.
His arm slipped around my waist. “Give me some credit. I did check before you got here.”
“But how?” I asked.
“I sent Tanner in to jump around.”
I groaned. “Do I need to explain about how bad things would be if your business partner and brother went crashing through a floor on your newest acquisition?”
“Nah, I have a girlfriend who keeps reminding me.” Yes. Girl. Friend.
I brushed some sawdust off his shoulder. “It would be horrible publicity for your new company.”
“It’s okay. I know a really great agency. They could definitely help cover it up.”
“I heard that, you know.” Tanner’s gruff voice sounded from the back room before he marched out to lean against the doorjamb. “Hey, Ashlyn.” The doctor looked as casual as he got, in a carefully buttoned-up shirt, jeans so clean they looked like they’d been pressed, and a pair of work boots. I smiled a little at the dirt smudge on his cheek. It was, if anything, proof the man was capable of getting his hands dirty.
“Hey, Tanner.”
Liam released me to walk a little farther into the newest building.
I let my fingers creep over the molding they’d already pulled up to try to save for the new finishings. “How goes the new project?”
“Slow,” he said glumly.
“Dusty,” Liam echoed.
“Expensive,” Tanner responded with a curt nod.
“Tiring.”
I looked between the two brothers, grinning. “I warned you about this little ‘side project,’ but you two wouldn’t listen.”
Tanner narrowed his eyes, but the curl of his lips told me that deep down, perhaps very deep, he enjoyed my teasing. Since Liam had claimed his role of CEO, Tanner had stepped up in a big way with their side business. And the first project? A total gut-job that would someday be Liam’s new place. He’d decided the penthouse was a part of his past that he was ready to let go of.
“I listened. This guy…” Tanner held out a screwdriver, gesturing at Liam. “He was sold on it.”
“It has character,” Liam answered calmly.
I chuckled. They’d had this argument a hundred times over the past few weeks. I personally found their banter endearing, especially since it meant they were talking again.
Tanner was still the quiet one, the financial backer who helped when he wasn’t working shifts at the hospital. But Liam was the general manager. When he wasn’t with me, he was here, chipping away at this renovation.
