My Beautiful Neighbor (The Greene Family #1) - Piper Rayne Page 0,31
need. He’s held up at the courthouse, getting the blueprints for the building. Which you’d know if you listened to your messages.”
I roll my eyes. “I forgot my phone was on silent.”
“Good thing for you I’m right next door,” he says, those perfectly white teeth shining bright.
He continues to measure, not paying me any attention. For whatever reason, that annoys me. It shouldn’t. I’ve been doing my best not to pay him an ounce of attention since the day of the committee meeting.
“I’m sure you have your own work to do at the brewery.”
He shrugs. “Jed’s there. And it’s our slow time of the year. We work more on packaging and distribution during the off-season. That, and developing new flavors. Can you give me a hand for a second?” He holds out the end of the measuring tape. “Hold it there.” He moves all the way to the other side of the room. “Thanks, you can let go.” I do, and he smirks like I tried to get it to snap back at him. “Are you replacing the windows?”
“I think so.”
“Just so you know, there are ordinances about which kind you get. But I’m sure you have all that paperwork.”
I glance at my file folder on the one lonely table I kept. “Yes.”
“I was meaning to ask you the other night before you rushed out, did you go to school for that?”
I grab the edge of the measuring tape, figuring if I help him, he’s more likely to get out of here faster. “What’s that?”
“The video. It was really good.”
“And yet it still didn’t entice you to vote yes.”
He stops measuring and I release the tape because just the reminder that he voted against me makes me upset.
He sets down the measuring tape and the pad of paper on the floor as he walks toward me, his eyes never wavering from mine. “You need to stop assuming things.”
“So you weren’t the no vote?”
“Votes are kept confidential. I can’t in good faith tell you how I voted because then you’ll throw your animosity at one of the other four people. And since I’m the aim of your anger right now, we’ll just keep it that way because I’m more forgiving than most.”
“Forgiving?”
“Yeah, once you realize I’m a good guy.” His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows, his vision dipping to the front of my overalls. “I like the outfit.”
“Don’t make fun.”
He chuckles and his fingers go to one of the clasps. “I’m not making fun. Just think of how accessible you are with the flick of a clasp. You should think about that when you wear them.”
I swallow audibly and he chuckles, getting the reaction he hoped for. I’m visualizing what would happen if he did that to me right now and how the material would puddle at my ankles, leaving me in a tight white T-shirt and my panties.
“Well, they’re comfortable.” I shrug, trying to play off my reaction.
His thumb runs over the metal as if it’s taking every ounce of his control not to unclasp it. “That’s a great reason.”
He lets go and the flood of disappointment is damaging to my psyche. You can’t have him, Presley. Remember Clara’s word, complicated. Your life is already a clusterfuck.
“That’s all the measurements I need. My dad should be here soon.” He steps away and picks up his measuring tape and pad of paper.
With his back to me, I answer his question because apparently part of me wants to prolong his departure. “I went to school for business. A friend helped me with the video. I did part of it myself and I sketched what I was thinking, but she put it all together.”
Emery did an amazing job and I can’t take credit for it, even if she’d never know.
“Still, all the statistics and stuff, that was you?” He stops at the door.
I nod.
“Well, great job. Even if it may or may not have swayed me to vote yes.” He chuckles and opens the door.
“Cade!” A man strikingly similar to Cade stands on the other side.
“Hey, Dad. Adam?”
Two men walk into the shop and Cade doesn’t leave.
“I’m glad Cade got ahold of you. I’m sorry, I hate being late.” Hank Greene puts out his hand and I shake it, envisioning what Cade will look like when he’s older. Pretty damn close to this man, I suspect. “This is Adam, Cade’s brother.”
The younger version of Cade shakes my hand.
“What are you doing here?” Cade asks.
“Adam’s gonna help me with this project because he