How to Love Your Neighbour(27)

12


Noah waited in the back corner of Baked, a bakery run by a good friend of his brother’s girlfriend, Everly. Tara, the owner, was cute as hell, funny, and a Goddess with chocolate and flour. He looked over at her, smiling at something a customer said, wondering if he should ask her out. He needed to get out on a date, get his mind off business and this restless feeling spinning in his chest. Would also help with the weird pull you felt to your neighbor last night.

Grace was . . . nearly indescribable. In truth, he didn’t entirely know what to make of the woman. She was fierce and funny. She went toe-to-toe with him literally and figuratively. She had a temper that he apparently brought out, but he’d seen the softness, the wistfulness, and kindness in her actions and her eyes.

Last night, he’d been overwhelmingly attracted to her, and it scared the fuck out of him. He had end goals. He always had end goals.

“What’s got you looking so down on a gorgeous morning like this?” Chris asked, sliding into the chair across from him, a latte in hand.

Noah grinned at his younger brother. He’d missed him while he was in New York. All three brothers were close but he and Chris had another level of close. Mostly because their oldest brother was usually stuck in a virtual world and didn’t need to bounce things around verbally like they did.

“Just thinking I should ask Tara out. I haven’t been out much.”

Chris looked back at Tara like he was seeing her for the first time, then turned a hard glare on Noah. “No.”

Noah laughed. “Not sure I need permission, little brother.”

“Nope. You don’t. But she’s off-limits. No friends or relations of Everly or Stacey’s.” Stacey was Rob’s girlfriend as well as the DJ at the station they owned. Everly produced for her.

“Since when?”

“Since I want to marry this woman and don’t need my brother breaking the hearts of the few friends she has.”

Everly was painfully shy. Once a person got to know her, she was awesome, funny, and witty. But it took time. Noah wouldn’t ever do something to upset her on purpose. But his brother’s words grated on his already unsteady nerves.

“Noted. Not good enough for anyone Everly knows.”

“I didn’t say that,” Chris said, taking a sip of his coffee.

He didn’t say it but he didn’t not say it either.

“How’s the reno? You find a designer?”

There’s one next door who keeps getting under my skin. “No. Josh has some meetings scheduled for next week. The living area and kitchen are now one great room. We want to get the big stuff done first before we start the surface finishes.”

“How’s it going with the neighbor?”

Why did thinking about her make his skin feel too tight? “I’ve been approaching her wrong. I realized that last night.”

Chris leaned back in his chair, as at ease in his suit and tie as Noah was even though he’d opted for a more casual look today. He was heading to the rec center after coffee.

“How so? What was last night?”

Noah described the strange evening to his brother. “She thinks she’s ready to take on all that house needs. She’s going to get halfway in and realize she’s over her head. I need to let her do that then swoop in with an offer that’ll feel like a lifeline.”

Chris stared at him, tapping his index finger against the side of his cup.

Noah shifted. His own cup was empty. “What?”

“You painted with this woman?” Chris’s lips twitched. “Rob says you’re playing basketball with him and some kids.”

“So?”

“You painted. Played with kids. Who are you?”

Noah huffed. “Yeah. I painted. That’s what you do when you want something a different color. And what the hell? I like kids. I like basketball. What’s your problem?”

Chris took a sip. “No problem. Just surprised. You’re really doing shit on this one. Like rolling up your sleeves, fixing fences, painting walls.”

He bit down on his frustration. “I’m going to live there. Yes, I’m getting involved.”

To his credit, his brother leaned back, eased off, giving Noah a few minutes to breathe through his frustration.

When Chris leaned forward, he met Noah’s gaze squarely. “You don’t need a pool, man. Why are you making such a big deal of it? The ocean is literally at your back porch.”

Why was it so important to him? There were his summer memories with his brothers and grandparents. “It’s such a simple acquisition. She’s being stubborn.”

Chris laughed. “So, your business ego is bruised because someone said no? Is that a first?”

Noah stiffened, the cup in his hand scrunching a bit in his grasp. “You know what? I’m tired of everyone saying shit like that. I work damn hard, I’ve had plenty of losses professionally and personally. Just because I was the face of Dad’s company and look good in a fucking magazine doesn’t mean everything has been easy.”

Chris’s gaze widened. He leaned in, pushed his drink away and rested his forearms on the table. Someone laughed loudly as a few more people shuffled into the bakery.

“Where’d that come from?”

Noah grunted. “Gee, I wonder. You know how many times it’s been alluded to in the last couple weeks that I don’t commit, I’m not serious, or I’m not invested? More times than I can count. I lost out on three deals last month. Every one of them should have been mine. Two of them came right out and said they wanted Dad’s name on the deal. The other one was quieter about it but I know that’s what they were waiting for, too.”