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I’d been on deck for the wedding preparations all week long. Which meant finishing up decorations, helping Mel finalize the seating chart, and running endless, pointless errands to pick up and drop off a host of itemized bullshit. It was exhausting, and I was more than ready for it to be over.
How the hell could anyone enjoy something like this?
“Mira!” Mel exclaimed.
I turned around in the kitchen as she rushed in, her hair frazzled and her eyes wide.
“Mira. Mira. Thank heavens. I need your help. Like bad,” Mel said.
“What’s going on now?” I asked.
“I can’t get in touch with Patrick, and he’s supposed to stop by his parent’s house on his lunch break to move the lattice out of the garage and repair them so they can be painted and decorated. I can’t get him on the phone and I don’t know what to do and—”
Clapping one hand over Mel’s mouth, I cupped the back of her head with the other. I drew in a series of deep breaths, silently telling her to take them with me. She drew them in through her nose, and out between the slats my fingers afforded her. And when her body was finally done trembling, I slipped my hands away.
“Okay. Deep breaths. Remember that,” I said.
“What am I going to do? Those lattices have to be picked up and cleaned up before tonight,” Mel said.
“Why don’t you ask Chase to do it?”
She paused. “Do you think he’d help?”
I snickered. “He’s your best friend. He hasn’t been home in years, but he’s back for an entire week because of your wedding. Yes, he’ll help you. I’m sure he isn’t busy, seeing as he and Patrick don’t exactly get along.”
“Wait, what?”
I rolled my eyes. Had she really been that oblivious at the wedding shower a couple nights ago? When Patrick stepped outside with Chase and practically cornered the man? Sure, I eavesdropped. I was curious, after all. And the man laid into Chase for no damn reason.
I wanted to slap the shit out of Patrick.
“You know Patrick’s never been a fan of Chase. He’s not going to start now just to make you happy. You know Patrick’s not that kind of man. He stands his ground. Always,” I said.
“I love that about him so much,” Mel said breathlessly.
I resisted the urge to wrinkle my nose. Such an odd thing to love someone for.
“Just call and ask Chase. I’m sure he’ll help. I’ll even go with him to make sure he doesn’t screw it up, if you want,” I said.
That way I’ll get to see him again.
Mel threw her arms around me. “You are the best sister anyone could ever ask for.”
I hugged her tight. “And don’t you forget it.”
As Mel bounded off to call Chase, I grinned to myself. I’d had a blast with him the night of the shower. He was funny. Charming. Devilishly handsome. I enjoyed spending time with him, and I grew oddly excited and anxious about seeing him again. I turned back to the kitchen sink to finish wiping some dishes down, and just a few minutes later, my sister came bounding into the room with a smile on her face.
“Good news!” she exclaimed.
“Chase agreed to do it?” I asked.
“Yes. And he said he could really use your help. Thank you so much, Mira. I’m serious.”
I smiled. “Not a problem. I mean, we might as well put your best buddy to work since he’s missed out on most of the wedding prep so far.”
“Let me give you his number so the two of you can communicate on things. He said he wanted you to have it so he could keep in touch and meet you over there.”
“He wanted me to have his number?” I asked.
She furrowed her brow. “Yeah. Duh. To time your drives over to Patrick’s parent’s place.”
“Right. Gotcha.”
I picked up my phone and entered in the number she rattled off to me. Then, she went rushing out of the kitchen in a blur. I looked down at Chase’s number and felt butterflies ignite in my gut again.
“Guess I better call him,” I murmured.
The phone didn’t even ring twice before he picked up.
“I take it this is my partner in crime to make sure the bridezilla is tamed for the day?” Chase asked.
I giggled. “I suppose it is. So far, we’ve avoided the full-blown situations. I think we’re getting pretty good at this.”
“Do you know where Patrick’s parents live?”
“I do. It’s almost lunchtime, too. I guess we should at least stick to the schedule his parents are assuming someone is keeping.”
“Great idea. I snagged myself a rental car this morning so I can be more help this week. I’ll come pick you up.”
“I’ll be here,” I said.
I ran upstairs to get changed into a different outfit, then I headed down to the garage. And as I opened up the garage door, the summer sunlight fell onto a bunch of dusty, dirty lattices.
Didn’t Mel say these were at Patrick’s parent’s house?
I saw an unfamiliar car drive into the driveway before Chase got out. And the confused look on his face matched my own. He walked into the garage before he started chuckling, and soon we both fell into fits of laughter.
“That woman is losing her mind,” I said.
“Well, at least we only have to clean them now,” he said.
“We’ll have to get them into the driveway, so you’ll need to move your car. And since you’re the man in this duo, I’ll be supervising your feats of strength.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Mhm. Supervisor mode for me. And if you’re unable to move and repair the lattices, you’ll officially be declared lacking in masculinity.”
“Wow. That’s harsh,” he said.
“It really is a rough world we live in. And you know what a lack of masculinity means,” I said.
“Why don’t you refresh my memory,” he said, grinning.
I sighed. “I’m afraid you won’t be able to be a groomsmen.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep. Mel’s orders. I’ll have to take your place at the wedding, because that means I’ll be more of a man than you could ever be.”
He chuckled. “So, I take it you already know you can move these lattices.”
“Nah. I’ll simply win by default.”
He smiled as his chuckle filled the garage. He lifted up his arms and flexed his muscles, posing in all sorts of ridiculous positions. I cupped my hands over my mouth and pretended to swoon. I put my hand to my forehead and stumbled back against the wall. I fanned myself, proclaiming to have hot flashes as his laughter grew.
But inside, I really was drooling over his chiseled muscles.
Chase went and moved his car to the curb. Then, I picked up one of the broken lattices while Chase picked up two. His arms flexed and his veins bulged, and I tried my very best not to stare. I tried not to let my eyes linger on his exposed forearms twitching with the movements of the paintbrush. I tried not to pay attention to how his thighs bulged as he squatted down, focusing instead on the dabs of paint over the nails. But, it was hard. With every twitch of his muscles, I stood there in awe. With every drop of sweat that cascaded down the pulsing artery of his neck, my heart skipped a beat. The man had the body of a Greek god, and I wanted to admire it properly. The way it should always be admired.
You’re getting in too deep, Mira.
We managed to get all of them out into the driveway, where Chase promptly started cleaning and repairing them. He pulled them from the garage, then scrounged up tools and wood for slats to replace the broken or missing ones. Sweat dripped down his brow as he hammered in nails and pulled rusted ones out. He used a level to make sure everything was straight and true. His unexpected display of masculinity made my mouth run dry.
“So? What does the judge have to say about my display?” Chase asked.
He stepped back from the last lattice that had to be repaired, and I almost couldn’t speak.
“The judge has deemed your display of masculinity appropriate enough for the wedding party,” I said.
“Ah, what a shame.”
“What?” I asked.
He sighed. “I mean, I was ready to bust off my shirt and give you some tickets to the gun show as a last-ditch effort. You know, an extra credit sort of thing.”
He looked over at me and winked, which made me shiver from my head to my toes. I rolled my eyes at him to try and keep my cool, but inside I was screaming. My mind flashed with all sorts of images. My hands against his bare chest. His body hovering over mine. His lips against my nipples and his face between my fucking legs.
I’d have no issues with seeing him shirtless again.
In fact, I wanted to see that and so much more.
You’re in so much trouble, Mira.
I really was. And there was nothing I could do to stop this runaway train.
