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“No, we won’t be able to wait.” He gives me a stern look and I straighten. I sense that he’s not happy that Devon isn’t here today—no shit, Sherlock. And given the lack of work going on at the site, most of the guys just milling around and messing with shit until it’s quitting time, I don’t even blame the guy. I would be pretty ticked about it too. “Tell him to call me as soon as you see him. I have questions.”
“Yes, sir.” I nod to him and give the lady a polite smile.
They drive off and I’m left to wonder how soon they were told this house would be done, and how far off we are from that completion date.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“You ever look at someone and go, ‘I haven’t licked dirt since I was a child but I’m willing to give it another go if it’s plastered all over you’… no? Just me? Okay…” – Viviana
VIVIANA
I huff a loud breath when the strap on my bag snaps off of my shoulder. “You’ve got to be freaking kidding me.” I bend to pick up all the things that just popped out of the bag.
Today has been… a day. I couldn’t get anything done right today. I don’t know if it was because it was Thursday and tomorrow was the last day of the week or because I was finally going to see Archer again for the first time since our trip.
We hadn’t had a chance to get together but we’ve texted every day. By the time he was done with work, he seemed completely exhausted and I didn’t want to add to his stress when it was his first full week of work. It seemed like there was something bugging him, but he didn’t say what.
I had no idea where we stood. I knew that I had real feelings for him. Those had never fully gone away. I could have pretended—maybe—for a long time. But I didn’t think I had to anymore.
Though, I didn’t know if he was feeling the same way.
He’d kissed me freely with no one watching during the paintball war. Then against his truck after he dropped me off on Sunday night.
I still didn’t know what that meant.
“Girl! What happened?” I look up to see April and Jane rushing over to help me, Chris and Warren come up behind them, and Warren offers me his hand as the girls and Chris gather my things.
“Oh you know, just being clumsy.”
April frowns. “Your bag snapped. Wait a minute—this is one from my store.” Her frown intensifies. “I’ll have a new one sent over.”
“No way.” I grab my things from her hands as we all make our way to the doors of the apartment building. It was game night, and I’d never been so excited to come as I was tonight. “It’s not your fault it broke.”
“I know, but I’m going to take this one and send it to the brand owners and let them know their bags are faulty. As a matter of fact, we’ve got a new Linx brand and they have the most gorgeous bags ever. I’ll send you one of those, it would even fit your laptop!”
April chatters on excitedly while we all listen, apparently this Linx brand owner was a woman—not surprising that April was pushing her things. She was all about woman-owned companies. “She does everything hand stitched, so her things are one-hundred-percent custom.”
“Sign me up for one, too!”
April waves her hand at Jane’s comment. “You know I’ve got my girls’ names already on the list!”
I smile at her. We were never really friends, but she’d befriended the entire guys’ group ages ago, so even though we’d only recently become friends, I’ve known her for several years.
I was grateful for her, Jane and even Quinn and Molly—who I didn’t see too often—now. I’d never had a group of girlfriends. I have plenty of female friends through work but we never hung out outside of work, even if we had, it wasn’t like hanging out with girlfriends. It was strictly coworker relationships.
We all enter the apartment, and the volume increases when everyone welcomes us. Hugs go around and I notice that Enzo is gathering his things.
“Aw, are you leaving?” I ask, giving my brother a big hug. I haven’t gotten to see him lately because he’s been working so much.
“Yeah, we’re having to switch our shifts around, so it’s a total crapshoot right now.” He sounds tired and I feel for him, but I rein in my Italian mothering instincts and pat him on the back.
“Let me know if I can help you with anything.”
He gives me a kiss on the cheek and heads out while I move into the kitchen with the rest of the group. Derek hands me a glass of wine and I thank him.
Still no Archer.
I’m bummed, but mostly because I thought he would have beaten me here. I’m about to risk asking, giving away my feelings, when April pipes up. “Where’s Archer at?”
