this,” I say to all of them. “I appreciate it.”
Scott grunts and pushes through. “Let’s get this going, I have a game to watch.”
This is why I hate him. Peter is at least nice to us on the surface, but Kristin’s husband is a prick all the time.
“Don’t mind him, he’s crabby because the Gators lost,” Kristin says, gesturing in the direction where her husband just sulked off.
I touch her arm and shake my head. “It’s fine. I appreciate any extra hands, and I’m good at ignoring him.”
Nicole makes her way to us with her two guys on her arm. “I brought extra help!” I hope they’re contractors she works with, but with her, we never know. “This is Jake and Declan, they worked with me on my last redesign and graciously offered to donate their time.”
There’s no way they willingly offered, they were incentivized, I’m sure. However, I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. The number of things I’d like to do to this house is never-ending, it’s my cash flow that has a limit.
“Great!” I smile.
“We have a few of the pieces I was telling you about in the truck. I think the new tables will help, and I found a rug.”
“You’re the best,” I say as I kiss her cheek. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. You should’ve told me earlier, I would’ve given you anything you wanted.” She walks into the living room and pushes the guys aside. “Hold please. I need a minute to absorb the aura of a God,” Nicole says as she flops on the couch and starts to squirm.
“Nicole!” I yell and grab her arm.
“Whatever! I told you this was happening.”
She’s unhinged.
“What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you rubbing yourself all over Heather’s couch?” Danielle asks.
Nicole rolls her eyes and laughs. “Umm, Eli Walsh’s ass was here, and I can now say I touched it.”
Danielle and Kristin’s heads twist to me, and their eyes widen. “What?” Danni practically screams.
Fuck. I haven’t told them anything. I’m going to kill Nicole. My friends are great, but I wanted to keep this quiet as long as possible. Now there’s no way I can explain away him being in my damn house. Not without making up some crazy bullshit, which they wouldn’t believe anyway because I suck at lying.
“It’s a really long story,” I start to explain and glare at Nicole. “One that I promise I’ll tell you about, but not now.”
Kristin steps closer, and her voice drops. “Are you okay? Why the hell would he be in your house? What’s wrong? What happened? Did you sleep with him?”
Her questions go so fast I couldn’t answer them if I wanted to. “I’m great. I promise. It was a crazy night after the concert and then Eli returned something I dropped.”
I guess it wasn’t that long of a story after all.
“There’s something you’re not telling us,” Danni says as she tilts her head. “Because how would he know where you live?”
My eyes move to Nicole for saving. She owes me that much.
“So, how about that work we’re all here for?” Nicole says loudly. “I have two men who promised me a very fun night as payment for working here. Let’s get to it. I’m all for my threesome that’s happening.”
That’s one way to change the topic.
Danielle groans and shivers. “Yuck.”
“You only say that because you’re jealous.”
“Danielle!” Peter calls from the kitchen. “I need your help.”
Thank God for the interruption, because I don’t know that I could’ve kept this conversation going without having to spill everything.
We spend the next few hours working on various projects. The cabinets are painted thanks to Danielle and Kristin. Apparently, there was some water damage on one of the walls, so Nicole’s two helpers ripped it out, replaced it with new drywall, and helped repaint the living room. It’s amazing how much all of us accomplished, and the house feels completely different.
I didn’t have any motivation to spend time fixing anything until I saw Eli sitting in my space.
Everyone heads out with promises to call, and the looks that I got from Danni and Kristin say we’ll be doing a lot more than talking about the weather.
I walk out onto the porch with my iced tea and sit in the swing that my dad hung the week before he was killed. I always feel a sense of calm when I rock here, as if the wind that blows is his spirit here with me. My dad was a quiet