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Flushed and overheated, I shove that drawer shut and strut for the door.
“Hey, did you—” Jolene slams into me, and I’m suddenly wet.
She’swet.
She must have been carrying a glass of water, because her white T-shirt is now drenched, and Jesus H. Christ, what the hell did I ever do to deserve this? Breast. Nipple. I see the contours of it all, and I can’t unsee the sultry images I conjured a moment ago—vibrator, spread legs, my best friend licking her lips as she gives me an X-rated show.
“Need to change,” I blurt and storm by her for the safety of my room.
I must have been delusional. Off my goddamn rocker. That’s the only reason I could have believed I’m equipped to survive living with Jolene Daniels.
chapterthirteen
Callahan
I, Callahan Bower, am a busy man.Go, go, gois my motto. Renovation work with Jake, where I push myself so hard we barely have time to talk. Porch building, fence building, reno planning. I also usurped the project to build Mom a welcome-back-to-Windfall bookcase, telling Jake I didn’t need assistance.
I’ve been insanely productive the past week, leaving zero time to lounge around at home and enjoy the photographs on my wall. Or to run into Jolene.
My new roommate has the opposite schedule from mine. She leaves for the bar around midday, works until one or two a.m., then sleeps in late. I’m out of the house well before she’s awake. I’m so exhausted from all my work that I pass out before she steps in the front door. The one Monday she had off, I spent the day and evening with Des and Sadie and Max. If it weren’t for the chaotic mess in my once-tidy home, I’d barely know she was living with me.
I pull off my hat, wipe my forehead, and squint at the sun. Based on its height in the sky, must be getting near quitting time.
A whistle comes from behind me. I turn in time to catch my flying water bottle. Jake lifts his in salute. Grateful, I take a deep gulp.
“Time to call it,” he says, joining me. “We’ll finish the rough-in work tomorrow. You have enough wood for the framing?”
I glance at the stack beside the table saw. “We’re good. Have you coordinated with the plumber?”
He nods. “They’ll send someone first thing next week.”
I take another swig of water, the smell of wood chips still sharp in my nose. This is usually the point when I rush around so fast, Jake doesn’t have time to ask me about Jo or push for intel on how to win her over. That conversation would lead to me actually having totalkto her, which is a no-go. The second I think of Jolene, all I picture is that vibrator and her see-through shirt molded to her full breasts. Facing her right now is a one-way ticket to Trouble.
Unfortunately, Jake isn’t working as efficiently as usual. We’re tidying my work area, storing everything in the Rosens’ garage, but he’s carrying smaller loads, dragging his steps.
When he starts uselessly aligning our wood pile, I stop and cross my arms. “What’s up?”
He scratches his chest and scuffs his boot over the garage floor. “How has Jolene been?”
And here we are. At the conversation I’ve been avoiding. “Haven’t seen much of her. Our schedules are pretty different.”
He removes his hat and rakes his hand through his disheveled hair. “That’s probably why I haven’t heard from her much either. But I was thinking…”
A squirrel zooms by the open garage. We watch it while Jake gathers whatever thoughts are making him nervous, and I mentally kick myself for letting him down. The Jake I know doesn’t do awkward. He helmed our family for the past twelve years, barking orders as needed. He pushed me to take hold of this career I love. Yet here he is, struggling to discuss his feelings about Jo, because I’ve erected a barrier between us.
“You were thinking,” I prod. I’m a brother before anything else. It’s time I remember that.
“Just…” More hair-tugging. “I get that Jo’s busy. So am I. But this feels more like avoidance. Do you think she’s still pissed about those cheating rumors? Is that why she keeps putting me off?”
“Could be.” Although I’m no longer sure.
Jolene seems uninterested in discussing Jake or hanging out with him. Those ancient cheating rumors could be the cause, or she doesn’t look at him that way any longer. For some reason, I haven’t pushed her and asked. Jake, however, is an open book. My brother still has strong feelings for Jo.
“Next time I see Jo,” I say, “I’ll bring those old rumors up. Remind her the cheating didn’t happen.”
He nods a bunch, his focus kind of distant. “Maybe see what kind of date she’s into. Recreating our burger nights doesn’t seem to be doing the trick. She used to love the drive-in. Maybe see if that’s something she still loves.”
Frowning, I dust my hands on my dirty jeans. From what I remember, Jolene loved movies but hated the drive-in. She found the action around her too distracting to enjoy the main event. And the burger thing is still baffling. Unless I don’t know Jo as well as I thought I did.
