Logan (Chosen Champions #1) - Macy Blake Page 0,71
mean Bailey would appreciate the visit from the contractor Aleron had helped Logan arrange. When Logan opened the door to the warehouse and saw the giant bear shifter standing there, he nearly closed the door in his face.
“Logan? Who is it?” Bailey asked from the top of the stairs. He had on the ridiculous apron Scout had brought him that said, I like my butt rubbed and my pork pulled.
“The contractor,” Logan replied.
“Is that a…” Bailey came slowly down the stairs, trying to catch a glimpse of the contractor.
“Is this a bad time? Aleron said for me to come by this morning.”
The anyone else being the kid sitting on the contractor’s shoulders using his hair as a handhold while beaming a toothy smile at Logan.
“Oh, right. We’re doing library day today. I didn’t think this would take long, but if it’s a problem, I can come back another day.”
“It’s not a problem,” Bailey said. “Thank you for coming. What was your name?”
“You’re welcome, and I’m Orsen Riggs, and this little guy is my son, Gus. It’s nice to have a new project. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
“Challenge?” Bailey asked. “I don’t think—”
Logan cleared his throat. “We might have made a few alterations to the plans since you last saw them.”
“Remind me to strangle Aleron the next time I see him, okay? What did he do?”
Orsen laughed. “I’m told you’re looking to put in a kitchen, pantry, and dining area upstairs.”
Bailey’s eyes narrowed, but they’d also begun to gleam.
“Cookie?” Gus asked. He held out his hands to Bailey, and Logan swore the kid batted his eyelashes at him.
Bailey laughed and wiped his hands off on his apron. He took Gus and kind of awkwardly petted him while Gus looked at the bruising still visible on Bailey’s face.
“Okay, you’re definitely getting a coo—uh, if it’s okay with your daddy.”
“It’s fine. I’ll come with you, since that’s where we need to look anyway, right?”
Bailey nodded. “How did he know I was making cookies? They haven’t even been in the oven long enough to start smelling the place up.”
“He can smell a cookie from a mile away,” Orsen said with a laugh. “He loves his baked goods, just like his Bird.”
“Bird?” Bailey asked.
They’d reached the top of the stairs, so Bailey held open the door to the kitchen for them.
“That’s what Gus calls his other daddy. It’s a funny story, but I’ll save it for another day. You want to show me what you’re thinking in here and we’ll make sure the plans match?”
Logan followed them upstairs, pretending not to notice the glares Bailey kept shooting in his direction. Once they got into the break room, Orsen spread out the plans on the table and pulled a few different samples out of the bag as well.
Bailey, instead of being fascinated by the cabinet and tile selections, had locked eyes on Orsen’s backpack. “How many compartments does that have?”
Orsen paused and looked confused for a moment. “A ton. I used to throw everything in my truck, but then this little guy and his brother came along. Do you know how much stuff it takes to leave the house with them?”
Bailey laughed. “I can’t imagine.”
“I can send you the link for it, if you want. Victor’s always trying to get me stuff from expensive stores. I found this one at the superstore when I went to get this guy more snacks.”
“Nack?”
Gus dove back toward his father, and Orsen caught him with ease. “Be good and we’ll have a cookie, okay?”
“Okay.”
Orsen kissed the little guy on the cheek and then got back to work. He explained the concept of the new design to Bailey. They would turn the current break room and the large empty room next door into three rooms. This one would be the kitchen, the other large one the dining room, and in the middle, a butler’s pantry.
Bailey looked confused, and Logan couldn’t blame him. Why the hell did they need a butler’s pantry? What the hell was a butler’s pantry?
Orsen didn’t seem fazed by their confusion.
“It’s a trick I learned from where we live. Has Aleron told you about the orphanage?”
Bailey and Logan frowned. “No.”
“Well, that’s how I met Victor and this little guy and his brother. They lived there, and I came in to do some of the building work. Victor and his family were footing the bill for the place, so we got to know