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—Banks—
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Pepin woke me up at six as per our usual morning routine, and I purposely ran her around the town loop that conveniently detoured past Lavender Cottage. It came as no surprise that Simone’s house still sat quiet with the curtains tightly drawn at seven.
At the end of the street, I did a U-turn on my BMX and called Pepin to come. She instantly changed direction and chased me down as if we hadn’t just done three miles.
When I hopped the curb and turned sharply into Leif’s driveway, Pepin knew the drill; she let out a quick bark and ran to the water bowl he always had out for her. I leaned my bike against the ramshackle porch railings, and by the time I pushed through the front door, Pepin followed me inside.
My brother came out from the kitchen, singing, with a coffee in his hand. His face lit and his tune changed. “Ah, mornin’. I figured it was you.”
“Yep. Early start for both of us, it seems.”
“Yeah. Been here for a while... I woke with the need to get shit done today.” He glanced around the cavernous, empty living room, mentally prepping for the day ahead.
I smoothed a hand through my hair, then twisted my baseball cap back into place. “So, what’s the plan for today?”
“Plastering the ceiling, then starting on the walls. Fucking dreading the ceiling, though,” Leif declared.
Setting my hands on my hips, I looked up and studied it. “Fucking high. You got scaffolding, right?”
“Yeah, bro. It’s out back, so since you’re here, you can help me set it up. Wanna coffee first?”
“Fuckin’ yeah I do.” I followed him to the kitchen and leaned my ass on the counter as he poured my coffee.
“Don’t suppose you wanna hang around and start on the walls?”
I accepted the hot mug, and nodded. “I can do a few hours until lunch. I’m showing Simone around the district later.”
Leif’s light brown eyebrows hit his hairline. “Like a date?”
“Nah, like a getting her out of her comfort zone.”
“Like a date.”
I snorted. “It’s very much not a date. I’m hoping she’ll loosen up and actually grow to like me instead of plotting my slow, excruciating death.”
Leif scoffed into his coffee. “Good luck with that. I should warn her to back the fuck away while she still can.”
I set my coffee aside to cool and folded my arms over my chest. “Ha ha asshole. I might head home—with the coffee on my bike—and let you sort out the scaffolding yourself. Bet I wouldn’t get to the end of the street before you call and beg me to come back.”
A chuckle gathered in his chest. “You’re so dramatic. Besides, I’d call Dad before I ever begged you,” he drawled. “Come out back and see what we’re working with.”
I lifted my coffee and took a hasty sip, then diligently followed him while explaining all the reasons I was absolutely not dramatic. My mini rant halted, and my lips pursed hard when I saw the state of the scaffolding pile.
“Jesus Christ. Did they drop these from a helicopter? It’s a fucking mess!”
Leif planted one hand on his hip while surveying the mess. “Looks like it. They delivered this week, so I wasn’t here to supervise.”
Made sense; Leif lived in his main house during the week, then came here on the weekends to demo and reno.
“Are there instructions?” I prompted, sipping from my mug while trying to formulate a plan.
My brother hummed. “They were emailed to me. We’ll need to separate the poles into piles first, then it should be straightforward to figure out the assembly.”
I took another swig of coffee. “Fucking hope so. Okay. Short poles over there, long poles here, and couplers, clamps, and casters there.” I pointed with each instruction, then we both started organizing the aluminum mess.
Poles banged and clanged together as we moved them and dropped them in piles. We joked around as we worked, then began to assemble the frame inside once all parts were organized.
We were laughing and slinging verbal shit at each other when an irate woman’s voice echoed through the empty house from the back door.
“Hey! Excuse me!”
Pepin immediately snapped alert and waited at my heel for instruction. Leif and I glanced at each other, eyes wide and unblinking.
“Who’s that?” I hissed.
“No fucking clue,” he murmured back.
Frantic knocking on the door window broke our pause. “I know you’re in there. No point in being quiet now!”
“Oh fuck she’s wild, bro,” I chortled.
Leif pointed at me as he spun on his heel to address the problem. “Shut your face and let me deal with this.”
I commanded Pepin to stay and snickered my ass off while listening to Leif trying to smooth things over.
“Howdy, darlin’.”
“Don’t howdy darlin’ me,” the woman snapped. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”
My eyes narrowed, and I cocked my head to listen; that sass sounded familiar.
Leif’s calm tone endeavored to placate her. “It’s just after breakfast if you’d like coffee. I’m Leif by the way. And you are?”
An impatient growl came, and I inched closer to catch her name.
“Your new neighbor.”
I heard Leif click his fingers. “Ah, Simone! I believe you’re besties with my brother! Hey, Banksy, come out here. Your friend has stopped by.”
Cursing Leif all names under the sun, I made my way through the house with Pepin at my heel and feigned innocence. “Really? And who might that be?”
As soon as I passed through the kitchen and into the laundry, the sight of Simone glaring stopped me in my tracks. Christ, she was as beautiful first thing in the morning as she was last night.
The crazy mass of dark-blonde hair had me wanting to comb the tangles out with my fingers. The dark bags under her eyes and deep-set frown between her eyebrows had me wondering if they could be smoothed away with my thumbs. Her petite ankles connected to shapely legs that eventually disappeared beneath little sleep shorts, and the same oversized hoodie she’d worn the morning she pushed me off my bike swamped her torso and arms. After visually licking my way up her body, my gaze eventually connected with her glare.
I smirked to hide how off-balance she made me. “Mornin’, new girl. How are the feet today?” My attention dropped to her feet, noting how her toenails were painted a soft creamy-pink color.
Simone wiggling them severed my fixation. My eyes flicked up and met her iced expression again.
“Not good?” I offered.
“My feet are fine. It’s the noise over here that’s not. All that clanging around and laughing woke me up. I’ve barely had a few hours of sleep!”
I grabbed the bill of my cap and nervously twisted it from side to side. “I guess I did drop you home later than intended last night.”
Leif’s eyes bugged out of his head. “You said there wasn’t anything going on between you two.”
“There’s not!” I snapped, then sheepishly grinned at Simone.
She crossed her arms. “I don’t appreciate my business being spread all over town, Banks. I wouldn’t want to get a reputation.”
“Fuck,” I cursed at the sting of my own words being thrown back at me.
“Yeah, fuck,” Simone snapped. “Seems just as harsh in daylight, doesn’t it?”
“Okay, I admit what I said was out of line. I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you later, I promise.”
Color crept up Simone’s cheeks. “I’m not in the mood for games later.”
“No games, I promise. Just a leisurely drive. After lunch, that is. You still look beat.”
She threw her arms up. “That’s because you guys woke me up!”
“Well, that’s a matter of opini—”
“It’s literally what happened!” Simone cried. “And now I’m awake, annoyed, and don’t want to see your stupid face later.”
As I spluttered for a comeback, she spun on her heel and stormed toward the gap in the hedge where a low wire fence separated the two properties.
“See you at one,” I called while suppressing my laughter. “I’ll be the one wearing a balaclava and sunglasses, so you don’t have to see my stupid face.”
An angry “Gah!” accompanied her middle finger brandished over her shoulder, sending me and Leif into a fit of giggles.
“I can see why you like her,” he drawled. “You’re used to getting your own way, and you’re not getting it now.”
I shoved his shoulder. “I always get my own way, bro. One way or another, Simone Jamison is a nut I’m going to crack.”
“So, what happened last night?” he asked, leading the way back to the living room to resume assembling the scaffolding.
I scoffed. “Nothing scandalous like last weekend, if that’s what you’re thinking. Just rode her home.”
Leif snorted dirtily. “Oh yeah?”
“On my bike, you asshole, not like that.” I couldn’t help but grin. “Is it bad that I kinda like rilin’ her up?”
My brother’s expression turned wry, and his light-brown eyes crinkled in the corners. “You always picked on the girls you liked the most.”
“They were the most interesting.”
“Just like Simone?” he asked.
I smirked. “Yeah... Just like Simone.”
~
Pepin and I left Leif’s place at midday, heading home to eat then swap out my BMX for my pickup. When I pulled into Simone’s driveway a shade after one o’clock, my pulse hammered as I went to the front door of the cottage.
My upbeat knock was left unanswered, so I tried a second time.
“Coming!” called Simone’s voice from within. The door unlocked and opened a few breaths later, and holy shit, she stole mine all over again.
“Hi,” I rushed out.
“Hey.” A little smile tugged at her mouth. “No balaclava?”
I let out a laugh. “No balaclava. You’re just gonna have to look at my stupid face, I’m afraid.”
Simone pressed her hands to her face. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. I did not handle this morning well.”
Feeling guilty, I adjusted my cap awkwardly, then tried to casually tuck my hands in my front jeans pockets.
“I’m the one who’s sorry about this morning. Me and Leif weren’t thinking. Did you uh... get some more rest?”
She looked up from under her thickened, dark lashes. “I did, actually, so I’m less likely to stab you.”
I apologized again, then added, “We tend to get a little loud when hanging out.”
“You don’t’ say,” Simone deadpanned. “As long as it doesn’t happen again, I’ll be happy.”
“It won’t.” I checked my watch. “I know we didn’t officially set a time, but we can head out once you’re ready.”
“I’m ready,” she answered sweetly.
“You are?” My tone held surprise, because quite frankly, I expected her to give me all the excuses why she wasn’t getting in my truck.
“Yeah. I hope this is okay?” She pointed to the little mint-green summer dress she wore.
I looked her over, noting the long sleeves, and grinned charmingly. “It’s pretty on you.”
Her pink lips pursed. “I was meaning practicality-wise, not looks.”
“Well, you nailed both. C’mon, new girl, truck’s waiting.”
Hesitation had Simone withdrawing slightly. “We’re not going hiking, are we? I can’t hike in sandals.”
My attention dropped to her cute feet. “We’ll hike another day, but not today.”
The only set goal I’d set for this afternoon was for us to get to know each other more, and for Simone to actually enjoy her time with me instead of wanting to push me into a ditch again.
Her sassy tone cut through my thoughts. “Stop looking at my feet, you psycho. I knew you had a foot fetish.”
I threw my head back and roared with laughter. “New girl, if I had a foot fetish, I would’ve offered to massage them for you last night. Trust me when I say feet don’t get me off.”
My eyes unintentionally skipped over the subtle curves under her dress. The material showed enough to have my attention lingering on the most alluring places, while leaving everything to the imagination.
Simone’s muttering had me chuckling while she plucked up her handbag. I gave her space as she locked up the cottage, then gestured for her to walk ahead of me.
At my truck, Simone glanced over her shoulder and smirked. “Do I get a choice of riding up front or on the back today too?”
Without conscious thought, my hand snapped out and snagged her elbow. The innocent touch froze us both to the spot. We stared at each other, wide-eyed and silent, locked in an unexpected beat.
When Simone grew breathless and flustered, I recoiled my arm. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you... I just want you to ride up front. With me,” I added thickly.
Worried that I’d scared her off before leaving the property, I smirked from under the bill of my cap to ease the tension and opened the door of my truck.
“Now get the fuck in my passenger seat, new girl.”
Simone’s eyebrows shot high two seconds before she tilted her head back and laughed. “Well, when you put it like that, who’s a girl to say no?”
My hand found her waist and guided her into the cab as she climbed in, then I rounded the hood and slid behind the wheel.
The air in the truck coiled tighter with each second I drove. I glanced in Simone’s direction every now and then to find her angled away and staring out the window.
“You okay, darlin’?” I asked softly when concern got the better of me.
Her sweet face turned and offered a small smile. “Yeah. Just tired. It’s going to take me some adjusting to the bar work. I’m normally in bed by ten thirty.” Her expression shifted. “Where are we going today?”
I grinned and focused on the road. “For a drive.”
“I need to know specifics, Banks.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
“Because is not an answer, Simone.”
Much to my delight, her eyes flared with annoyance, and she enunciated, “I want to know so I can text Kasey my whereabouts.”
Offense had my chin tucking back. “Why would you do that?”
“Just in case you really are a foot fetish psychopath who’s going to take me on a ‘hike’ just to tie me up and do nasty things with my toes.”
I choked on a laugh. “That’s fucked up.”
“I’m being serious!” she exclaimed.
“Sweetheart, that ain’t being serious; that’s catastrophizing.”
“All serial killers would say that!”
I roared with laughter, barely able to see the street through my laugh-tears as I parked on the opposite side of the road to the diner.
“Shit, you’re hilarious,” I snickered while wiping clear my eyes. “Look, I’ll give you an out; I’m going across to the diner for a couple of things. You’ve got approximately five minutes to decide if you’re going to run for it, or ride with someone who might potentially get off on putting your toes god knows where.”
Simone’s face contorted with disgust. “That’s sick!”
I busted my ass laughing as I jumped from the truck, then slapped the open windowsill. “Choose wisely, new girl.”
My amusement didn’t wane as I entered the diner, and it caught Miss Angie’s attention.
“What’s got you grinning like a schoolboy this fine afternoon, Banks Gatlin?”
“Just someone bringing unexpected sunshine to my world.”
Simone was the breath of fresh air I needed. Since my life-changing surgery, I’d been in a gray holding pattern that I hid from those around me. On the outside, I was still the same ol’ Banks Gatlin everyone knew: charming and spontaneous, dancing through life as if having no care in the world. But the truth was that I hungered for a soulmate. I craved that intimate person for my entire existence to revolve around. Someone who didn’t focus on my family’s net worth while counting down the years until my parents dropped off and dispersed their fortune between me and my brothers.
No. I didn’t give a shit about what I had in the bank. Especially not after I’d been given mere days, if not weeks, to live, nearly two years ago. It was that second chance at life that made me hunger for the more important things. A wife and best friend. A woman to have my back when I’d always have hers. And somewhere between the day Simone blew into town and her ending up in my pickup, she’d become the main feature in that fantasy. It literally felt like she belonged with me.
Miss Angie’s smile widened, and happiness sparkled in her eyes. “You of all people deserve that sunshine, Banks. Don’t let her get away.”
“It’s not even like that, but I hope it will be someday,” I admitted.
“The longest journey is often the most rewarding. Now, what can I get you, hon?”
“Uh... Shit I don’t even know what coffee she likes. I’ll get an iced coffee and a Chai latte, please, Miss Angie. Takeaway.”
“A choice between hot and cold—good plan.” She shot me a wink before turning to prepare my order.
While waiting, I looked through the diner’s large plate-glass window and snorted when I saw Simone still in the passenger seat talking on her phone. She looked really damn good riding shotgun in my truck.
Don’t fall for this girl, Banks. She’s going to break you, I warned myself. But when Simone smiled, I knew there was no stopping the fall now that I’d started.
Once the drinks were ready, I also bought a half a dozen cinnamon rolls, then pushed through the diner door with the toe of my shoe and crossed the street.
Simone ended her phone call and raised both brows in question as I arrived at the driver’s door. “What did you get?”
“Sweet options. Cinnamon rolls—because yum—and I’m not gonna lie: I’m gonna ply you with sugar and coffee all afternoon and by the time you get to work, you’ll be running like a roadrunner.”
Simone giggled and accepted both coffees through the open window. “I don’t think Saul will appreciate that in his kitchen.”
I popped the door and climbed behind the wheel. “If you’re pouring beer at record speed, I don’t think Wendy will be complaining... Depending on the head, obviously.”
“No one likes bad head,” Simone agreed.
I all but choked on my tongue. “Right you are, babe. Bad head is the worst! Choose your drink, new girl. I got iced, obviously, and Ch—”
“Chai,” she cut me off.
The one syllable pulled all joviality from the air like a lead weight. Sensing her immediate distress, I shifted in my seat and angled closer. “What’s wrong?”
Her stricken eyes met mine. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
My mouth worked opened and closed, completely baffled at the unexpected turn. “Do what?”
She waved both coffees around. “This. I can’t do this, Banks. Please, take me home.”
I stared at her in dismay while my heart hammered a thousand miles an hour. “I don’t understand. What have I done?”
“Nothing wrong.”
“Then what’s triggered you, babe?”
Her tormented gaze held a pending barrage of tears. I could see the answer playing on the tip of her tongue, but she refused to voice the thoughts that visibly tore at her.
I reached for her arm, only to recoil when she flinched. Instead, I removed both drinks from her grasp and hastily set them in the cup holders.
“What triggered you, darlin’? Maybe I can help?”
She shook her head adamantly. “You can’t.”
“Why not?” I implored.
Her eyes searched mine. Back and forth. Again and again as her tears cascaded. Over and over as if silently begging for forgiveness. I was on the cusp of asking again, when one word whispered out so quietly that I thought I’d imagined it. It left her mouth as if laced with acid.
“You.”
