“We don’t know how old this siding is, so power washing is too big a risk. It could further damage the wood. So that means we’re going to do this the old-fashioned way with scrapers. Since there is probably lead in the paint in a house this age, safety first.” Deanna slid her mask into place and demonstrated the proper technique for both the collected volunteers and the camera being trained on her by Simon.
“The goal is to remove any loose paint. As you go, make a note of any damage: dry rot, wet rot, any warped boards. We’ll have to replace it before we can move forward.” They’d get more footage of examples as the day wore on and splice them into the montage. “Everybody clear?”
“Aye, Captain!” Wendy offered a smart salute with her scraper.
“Fantastic. Wyatt and the guys are replacing the joists supporting the second-floor gallery today, so steer clear of the front of the house. Otherwise, let’s take advantage of this gorgeous weather and get some work done!”
A cheer went up, and Simon gave a thumbs up to indicate he’d stopped recording. “I’ll be back later to get some progress footage.”
Once he’d gone, Deanna gave a round of hugs to her girlfriends. “Seriously. Thank y’all for coming out to help today. We need all the help we can get to knock these renovations out in time.”
Bennet blew her a kiss. “We’ve got you, girl.”
They all donned their masks and moved to the nearest wall to scrape.
Wendy attacked her stretch of siding with vigor. “Gotta say, it’s really cool to see you doing all of this. I mean, I knew you were into HGTV and stuff, but it’s a totally different thing knowing you actually know stuff. I never imagined you’d end up on a show yourself.”
Deanna laughed and climbed up one of the ladders. “Neither did I. Turns out Wyatt has a lot more faith in me than I had in myself. He’s really good for me.”
“A refreshing change from the limp-dicked weasel. You deserve a good guy. Extra bonus points that this one is good, sweet, and hot. It’s not exactly a hardship splicing together video each week.” Bennet waggled her eyebrows.
Jasmine propped an arm against a lower rung of the ladder and peered up. “We’ve been taking bets on whether this glow you have going on is because you finally wised up and dragged that tall drink of water into your bed.”
Deanna was grateful for the mask hiding her face. “I’ve got plenty to glow about. I’m doing work that I love. I’m dating an interesting, attractive man who shares my interests. And I’m finally free of the albatross of a job I hated. I keep waiting for the panic to set in, but I feel so much lighter being able to dump all that stuff off my mental plate. I deleted all the social media alerts related to all my clients, and I can actually leave my phone in another room without worrying I’ll miss something. Nobody’s calling me with their latest disaster or changing their mind at the last second or just never saying thank you for saving their ass. I feel so much relief. Quitting my job was the best thing I could have done.” She paused, unable to hold back a feline smile. “But yeah, the multiple orgasms definitely don’t hurt.”
Her friends whooped.
“Now you’re just bragging,” Wendy complained.
Deanna could only shrug. “What can I say? I prefer having him in my bed than in the room next door.” Above and beyond the fact that he was a generous and inventive lover, she enjoyed starting and ending her day with him, talking in the dark about her dreams. Their dreams. It was an intimacy she’d never shared with Blake, one she’d become addicted to.
Wendy shifted over to a new section of siding. “It’s about time you were with someone who put you first.”
“As he should,” Bennet agreed. “Just don’t forget which rooms we have cameras set up in.”
“Yeah, we won’t be making that mistake again.” They were very, very careful.
“Again!” Adry squeaked.
“After the kiss. Geez. We’re not going around christening every room in the house. It’s still a construction site.” Not that she hadn’t thought about it. She had some particular fantasies involving that island he’d built for her.
Jasmine snorted. “Well, freedom and regular orgasms look good on you.”
“Oh, my.”
The words startled Deanna so much she nearly toppled straight off the ladder. Dropping the scraper, she grabbed the rung in front and held on, heart hammering. Once she was certain she had her footing, she slowly turned her head.
Sure enough, her mother stood just a few feet away, one hand pressed to her throat, eyes wide.
Great. Just freaking great.
Had she overheard the part about Deanna quitting her job? Probably not. She wasn’t shrieking in panic. So it was just the stuff about Wyatt. Not a whole lot better.
Drawing on all her poise and pretending Valerie hadn’t just gotten a front-row seat to her girlfriends’ discussion of her sex life, Deanna climbed down the ladder. “Mom. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“You’re living with him? Sleeping with him?”
I am a grown ass adult who can make her own decisions. I do not need my parents’ approval.
She squared her shoulders. “That’s not really your business.”
“So it’s fine for you to parade your relationship on the show for all and sundry to see, but you won’t tell your mother?”
Deanna blinked. “You’ve been watching the show?”
Valerie looked hurt. “Of course I’ve been watching the show. I want to support you.”
For a long moment, she could only stare at her mother. She’d dreamed of her parents actually supporting her decisions for years. But with all their judgment and anxieties over mistakes she’d made in the past, she’d never imagined they’d really be on her side. Had she been wrong about that?
Valerie continued. “And really, I would have thought you’d tell us something so important as you finally dating again.” The hesitation before “dating” made it clear she didn’t approve of everything that entailed, either.
And risk you judging him, too? No, thank you.
But Deanna didn’t want to fight. She tugged off her mask. “It’s still new. And we’ve both been really busy working hard on the house. Why don’t you come inside and see the progress?”
She didn’t think the subject change would work, but she needed to get Valerie away from everyone else before she embarrassed her any more. She steered her mom around the back of the house, toward the side door leading into the kitchen.
When Valerie got her first look at the rehabbed kitchen, the expression of stunned delight was more gratifying than chocolate. “Oh, this is lovely.”
“We’ve got the appliances on order, and the floors and backsplash will be some of the last things we tackle, but it’s coming along.”
Hesitant, her mother moved into the room, laying a hand on the island. “You designed this?”
“She sure did. Your daughter has a hell of an eye.” Wyatt strode in, flashing his host smile. “Good to see you again, Mrs. James.”
“This is really good work.”
He circled the island and slid an arm around Deanna’s waist, creating a united front. “We’re an excellent team.”
She wanted to kiss him again, her mother be damned.
“I understand that’s personal as well as professional.”
Wyatt didn’t even blink at the implied judgment. “We have a lot in common. You’ve raised a brave, creative, resourceful woman. I consider myself very lucky.”
Valerie blinked in surprise, as if she wasn’t quite sure he was talking about her daughter. Deanna tried not to take it personally.
“I was just about to give Mom the progress tour.”
“Oh, absolutely. We’ve gotten so much done since you were last here.”
He came with them, keeping Deanna’s hand in his as they walked, but he let her do the talking. As they moved through, room by room, with their canine escort, and her mother saw that Blackborne Hall no longer resembled an antebellum flop house, Deanna began to feel a little more hopeful and a whole lot stronger having Wyatt’s support and backup. They were doing good work. Legitimate work. And her mom was actually acknowledging it without picking things apart. She should have Wyatt around for every conversation.
“I can hardly believe it’s the same house.”
“All it needed was vision and someone who loved it enough to save it. Deanna has both. It’s a privilege to get to work with that kind of passion.”
“You should come to dinner. We want to get to know you better.”
Deanna froze. No. No, they couldn’t go to dinner. She couldn’t do an entire meal with both of her parents. Not even with Wyatt by her side. As she wracked her brain, trying to come up with a way to get out of it, he squeezed her hand.
“We’d be happy to.”
Valerie nodded, clearly satisfied, and Deanna realized that this had been the entire point of the visit. To corner him into a politely scripted occasion for interrogation. Something she dimly recognized as panic crawled up her spine.
“Sunday,” her mom declared.
“Sunday?” Deanna squeaked. They couldn’t do Sunday. It was a mass work day. The house would be crawling with volunteers.
Wyatt squeezed her hand. “I’m afraid it’ll have to be awhile later. We’re at a pivotal point in our timeline, and we’ve got a houseful of people coming to help out for a workday tomorrow. But I promise we’ll come as soon as we’re at a reasonable place to pause.”
“See that you do. We won’t take no for an answer.”
Of course they wouldn’t.
The moment her mother was gone, Deanna rounded on him. “What the hell are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that they’re concerned and want to get to know the man in your life. And as that man, I should get to know them and reassure them that I am not, in fact, the misogynistic user they’re worried about. This seems like a good way to do it.”
“But they’re… them. You’ve met them. It’s liable to be awful.” She just wanted to lose herself in her house, in the restoration, and forget about everything outside her property line.
He reeled her in, dropping a kiss to her brow. “Power of positive thinking, baby. It’ll be fine. We’re in this together, okay? Besides, we’re on such a tight deadline for the party, there’s not a chance in hell we can go until after, and by then we’ll hopefully have the show in the bag. What can they say if we show up with that news?”
Knowing her parents, they’d find something. But the idea of it buoyed her spirits. “From your mouth to God’s ear. In the meantime, we have work to do.”
“I can’t believe we’re almost to the point of furnishing the downstairs. Or at least starting.” Deanna bounced in the front seat of Wyatt’s truck, looking worlds lighter than she had the past few weeks. “Maybe I should give you my wallet so I don’t have the means to impulse buy everything that catches my fancy.”
Wyatt grinned at her enthusiasm. “What makes you think I’d stop you?” He kinda wanted to see her taking the antiques dealers at the flea market by storm. She struck him as a take-no-prisoners negotiator.
“One of us has to be the responsible one here. And we’re talking furniture. I don’t think you understand what a weak-willed hussy I can be.”
He laughed. “I like this side of you. It’s fun.”
“It’s dangerous, is what it is.” She whipped out her phone, tapping buttons. “The flea market will probably take us a big chunk of the day, but if we get done in time, there are a few places north of the city I’d like to check out.”
“We can do that. But we’ve got a stop to make first.”
“Oh? Did we need to pick up supplies or something?”
“No. I promised my brother I’d bring you by to meet him.” He’d been putting it off and neglecting his visits in the name of pushing through on the house.
“Oh! I didn’t realize he lived in town. As much as you’ve talked about him, I’m surprised he hasn’t he come out to see the house.”
Wyatt tensed at the perfectly innocent statement. She didn’t know. Of course she didn’t. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to share this part of his life. But if they were building a future together—and God willing, they were—she needed to see behind the curtain, as it were.
“He can’t.”
“It doesn’t seem like you to play temperamental artist and hide the project away until it’s done.”
He kept his gaze firmly on the road. “No. I mean, he physically can’t. He lives in a residential facility for people with traumatic brain injuries.”
“Oh.” She didn’t voice either of the obvious questions. Not what happened? Not why didn’t you tell me? But Wyatt felt them both.
“He was an attorney. A brilliant one. A total workaholic, which I was always razzing him about. It was pretty pot-kettle because I was working my ass off on flips. But anyway, I convinced him to take a brothers-only vacation. We decided to go rafting up in West Virginia. Somewhere we could both really unplug. They’d had a really wet spring, and the rapids were bigger than usual. He got thrown out and ended up slammed against the rocks with the full weight of the raft on top of him.” The memory of the roar of water and the helpless terror and rage of knowing his brother was underneath had Wyatt’s hands tightening on the wheel.
“Jesus.”
“It was bad.” Such an understatement. But he didn’t want to revisit the aftermath of pulling him out of that river. “They said it was a miracle he survived at all, and he wasn’t the same after. No more lawyer. No more career.” Wyatt had worked his way around to intellectually accepting it hadn’t been anyone’s fault, but he still felt the weight of if only.
Deanna’s hand curled around his arm. “I’m so sorry. How long ago was this?”
“Three years. He’s come a long way with lots of therapies, regained most of his speech, but he still can’t live on his own. I come to see him as often as I can.” It wasn’t enough. Nothing ever would be. But he’d keep coming. Keep doing whatever he could to support the man who’d done everything for him.
The hand she stroked along his arm soothed his disquiet. “This is why you’re working so hard on the show.”
He chanced a glance at her. “Huh?”
“Scott can’t make it big anymore, so you feel like you have to in order to prove his faith in you isn’t misplaced.”
If Wyatt hadn’t been driving, he’d have stared. How did she know? “What?”
“I mean, you love what you do, but it’s more heart than ambition driving you. I know the difference. And that’s what makes you stand out from everyone else who wants to do what you’re doing. It’s what I want people who watch the show to see.”
Her insight was dead on, and it left him feeling exposed and vulnerable. It was one thing to show off his skills and designs. It was something else entirely to show himself, and he wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about it. So he said nothing, driving through the gates at Fairland Village and leading her into the main complex of the building, greeting the staff he knew by name.
“Seems you have quite the fan club here,” Deanna observed.
“The staff has been a great support.”
Following directions from the front desk clerk, they found Scott in the gym, sweating it out on the recumbent bike and glaring at his occupational therapist. At the sight of Wyatt, he brightened. “My favorite brother. Save me from this sadist!”
“You’ll do no such thing.” Alton braced himself on the handlebars and fixed Scott with an intense drill sergeant stare. “You can pedal and talk. It’s good practice at multitasking. You’ll hit twenty minutes before you get a break.”
Wyatt didn’t miss the crackle between them and hid a smile. “Scott, there’s someone I want you to meet.” He tugged Deanna forward.
“’Bout damn time. Been hiding her away.”
“More like working our asses off. This is Deanna James. Deanna, my brother Scott.”
Scott divided a look between them. “Where’s my milkshake?”
Before Wyatt could reply, Deanna arched one delicate brow. “Did I forget the entrance fee?”
Scott’s twisted grin pulled the skin around one eye taut, giving him a piratical air. “Damned straight.”
“I didn’t forget. It’s 8:30 in the morning, man. They aren’t open yet.”
“Bad planning on your part.”
“My fault,” Deanna said. “I dragged him out early. We’re shopping for furniture today.”
“Tell me.” Scott issued the order in the same tone he’d once used in cross examinations.
So she did, outlining their progress on the house and the plans she had for the downstairs rooms. Wyatt and Alton exchanged a look as Scott blew past the twenty-minute mark and kept going, his attention riveted on Deanna. He wasn’t having to pedal with one hundred percent focus. That was more progress.
“We’re keeping the footage limited and piecemeal right now because we don’t want to ruin the big reveal before the TCN’s network party.”
Scott’s gaze finally swung back to Wyatt. “Network?”
“That’s why I haven’t been by here as much lately. We’re amping up the timetable to host the thing.”
Scott slapped the handlebars and crowed. “Hot damn. This one’s gonna happen. I can feel it.”
As they continued to talk, easy as old friends, Wyatt felt some last bastion of defense against her simply crumble. He was unquestionably, without a doubt, in love with this woman.
In the end, she was the one who had to be reminded of the shopping and work still to be done.
“Get to it, then. I’m still fighting the good fight here.”
“You do that. It was so wonderful to meet you, Scott. And I hope you’ll come out to see the house sometime.” The invitation was issued with warmth and sincerity. She couldn’t know the prospective bomb she’d just dropped.
But his brother didn’t explode. Didn’t baldly point out his limitations. He didn’t say anything at all as he finally stopped pedaling and took the water bottle from Alton.
“He plans to be able to take a full tour of both floors of the house by the time the whole thing is finished,” Alton announced.
Scott only grunted in acknowledgment, but it was the first time he’d willingly made a plan to do something outside the facility since he’d moved in.
Wyatt’s throat went tight. “I’d love that, man. “
His brother’s eyes gleamed with a determination Wyatt hadn’t seen since before the accident. “It’s gonna happen. You’ll see.”
“Can’t wait.”