AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Great, actually. We’re pretty busy, and we’re getting noticed by the right people.’ Tadhg loves his work as much as I love mine. I’m so incredibly proud of everything he’s accomplished. The way Quinn beams at him, it’s obvious he is, too. I love that my brother has found a partner who truly appreciates and loves him for exactly who he is. Especially after his last boyfriend turned out to be an abusive asshole. If anyone deserves a happy ending, it’s Tadhg.
Quinn bumps Tadhg’s shoulder. ‘He landed a sweet job designing high-end apartments downtown.’
Mia waves to get our attention. ‘Sorry boys. Can we hold that thought for a moment? I’m taking the food out of the oven now, and the table still needs to be set.’
We all jump into action, putting place settings on the table and dishing out the salad Quinn made. The scent of cheesy goodness and home-made red sauce fill the kitchen as Mia pulls the lasagna from the oven. ‘God, that smells divine.’ We let it rest for a few minutes as I hover over Mia’s shoulder, ogling the bubbling cheese. “I want the biggest piece.”
She swats me playfully with the oven mitt. ‘Don’t get me involved in your portion war with your brother, or I’ll get out the ruler and precisely measure each piece so they’re exactly the same.’
I sigh dramatically. ‘It’s okay. I’ll just starve.’ She snorts and shoves the oven mitts at me. I carry the pan to the table and place it in the center on a cast iron trivet, and dole out the portions. Then we all dig in.
After a few minutes of intense food consumption, I touch Tadhg’s arm to get his attention. ‘So tell me about these apartments you’re designing.’
His entire face lights up, his food immediately forgotten. ‘They aren’t actually apartments in the traditional sense. They’re more like single family loft homes that take up the top five floors of the Emmerson building.’
I shake out my hand. ‘Wow! I’ll bet those are going to be incredibly expensive. That’s prime real estate in the heart of downtown.’ I’m so proud of him I could burst.
Quinn nods. ‘That’s what makes this so exciting! Not only does this play right into Tadhg’s architectural strengths, it’s great exposure for him and the firm. The development group that hired us is going to be featured in a huge spread in Architectural Digest and this project will be part of that.’
‘So what are you planning?’
With the excitement of a kid at Christmas, Tadhg tells us the details of the project. ‘Each place will have top-of-the-line everything. The kitchens will be stainless steel, state-of-the-art appliances, granite or marble countertops, and hardwood cupboards and floors. The living rooms will have stone fireplaces, the large master bedrooms will have customized walk-in closets, and hand-tiled ensuite bathrooms that have large walk-in showers and separate whirlpool bathtubs. I designed each loft individually, and they all have their own unique vibe. I gave the client ten design ideas, and they picked the five they want. Construction starts next month.’
His passion for his work is inspiring. It’s what makes him such an incredible architect. ‘That’s amazing. I’m so proud of you.’ I give him a one-armed hug, kissing the side of his head. ‘This is it. You’re on the map.’
I turn my attention to Quinn. ‘And what are you working on? Anything exciting?’
‘I just finished designing the restoration of an old farmhouse. Past owners slapped on additions and a breezeway and all but obliterated the original beauty of the home. Kind of like a building’s version of Frankenstein. The new owner wants to return it to its original beauty of river rock walls, with the big sprawling porch and working chimneys. We’re going to hide as many of the modern conveniences as we can behind panels or in cupboards and use period appropriate fixtures and hardware to hide modern light switches and updated HVAC equipment. Tom’s returning the landscaping to period appropriate designs, too.’
I relax as they talk, eating my weight in Mia’s amazing lasagna and salad as Quinn and Tadhg tell us about upcoming projects and where they want the company to be in five years. There’s no doubt in my mind that they’ll blow by those goals sooner than they think. They both have the drive and passion for it.
Pushing my plate away, I groan and pat my overly full stomach. ‘Mia, this was delicious. I forgot how much I love your cooking.’
‘Well, if you came over more often, I’d cook for you and you wouldn’t forget.’ She stares me down, daring me to contradict her.
I want to look away, but it wouldn’t change the fact that she’s right. ‘Yeah, I know. I need to do better at the work-life balance. And I am trying. I promise.’
The twinkle in her gaze is the only warning I get before she pounces. ‘So you never answered my question.’ She swirls the wine in her glass and peers into my soul with her mom-eyes.
‘What question?’ I hope I don’t know what she means, but I have a sinking feeling I do.
‘How do you like working with Stef?’
So much for dodging that bullet. I opt to answer exactly what she’s asked and not what she actually wants to know. ‘It’s going well. Maybe it’s because I want it to work this time, or maybe I’m older and wiser, but meditation seems to be helping. I still struggle with not being available to my staff when I’m home, but I’m better than I was.’ Stef doesn’t even need to remind me to leave my phone in my bedroom. Though I’m not allowed to leave it in the kitchen after the one time I went to get a glass of water and spent fifteen minutes firing off texts that could have easily waited. ‘What can I say? I’m a work in progress.’
She rolls her eyes. ‘And what about Stef? Do you like working with him?’
Before I even think about it, I’m correcting her. ‘It’s them. They prefer they/them pronouns most days. They’re gender-fluid.’ I don’t know if she fully understands what that is—hell, I’m not sure I do, even after some intense internet researches—but I’m willing to explain what I do know. It’s important to me she gets the basics and addresses Stef properly.
Mia winces. “Yes. My mistake. I meant them. Sometimes the wrong pronoun slips out, but I’ll do better. I promise.”
I catch movement from the corner of my eye and glance at my brother. ‘You’re doing meditation with Stef?’ He looks at Quinn, then at me. ‘Our friend, Stef?’
‘Stef Evans?’
Tadhg’s eyes widen. ‘Yes! Blond hair, about my height, smiles a lot.’
I think about Stef’s smile and my chest gets very warm. ‘Yeah, that’s them. We’ve been meeting for a few weeks.’
