She Loves Me (Harmony Pointe #3) - Melissa Foster Page 0,124
or twelve inches. All I care is that you’re mine, and to show you just how happy that makes me, I’m going to give you a Piper Special after our shower and take all your stress away.”
“Oh, baby. That sounds hot.”
“I meant a massage.”
“As long as there’s a happy ending . . .”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
PIPER TORE A piece of drywall off the studs and tossed it on a pile of rubbish. It was Monday afternoon, and she was strung so tight, she’d been gritting her teeth all day to keep from biting her crew’s heads off. After finishing the carriage house and wrapping up the Windsor Hall project, she’d hoped to have a few days off before preparing for their next job. But she and her crew were back at Windsor Hall, tearing out the kitchen. She was usually patient when clients made last-minute changes or asked her to take on additional work, but she abhorred doing things ass-backward, like being asked to tear out a kitchen that her crew had just finished painting and touching up. Luckily, the guys didn’t mind the extra work and had jumped right into dismantling the room.
“All I’m saying is that your bachelor party will be the last time you’re going to get a free pass,” Mike said to Darren Monday afternoon. “Think about it. The last time.”
“That right there is the reason you’re three times divorced,” Kase said as he worked on removing the counter from the island. “Guys don’t get a free pass before marriage any more than women do. I bet none of your exes got a free pass.”
Mike scoffed. “Damn right.”
“Has it ever occurred to you that I don’t want a free pass? Man, you’ve got issues, Mike. I love my girl, and I don’t want anyone else now, or ever.” The restraint in Darren’s voice heightened the tension between them. Darren was obviously hitting his limit with Mike’s bullshit. He pointed to the other end of the cabinet he’d just torn out and said, “Now, get your ancient ass over here and help me carry this out.”
“Kase, get that with Darren, will ya?” Piper called across the room.
Kase took off his baseball cap and dragged his forearm across his forehead. “Sure, boss.”
Piper pulled another piece of Sheetrock from the wall and tossed the part that hadn’t crumbled in her hands to the rubbish pile, grinding out a curse. When Darren was out of earshot, she said, “It’s time to cut the shit, Mike. I’m getting tired of listening to Darren defending himself and his love for his girl.”
“I’m just watching my boy’s back. Last night he sounded like he had cold feet.” He uncapped a bottle of water and took a swig.
“It’s marriage!” she snapped. “It’s fucking scary! Putting negative thoughts into his head isn’t going to help whatever’s going on between them.”
He took another drink and said, “I was just having fun with him.”
“Well, cut it out. It’s grating on my nerves.”
Mike set down the water bottle and said, “You and Harley are still going strong, huh?”
Kase and Darren came through the door, and Kase said, “They are, which means you lost your chance, Mike.”
“As if he ever had one.” Piper tossed another hunk of drywall aside.
Mike grabbed a cabinet and hefted it into his arms. “Guess he’s not cockblocking you anymore.”
Piper ground her teeth together, pulled off her gloves, and followed him out the door.
Today was not the day to fuck with her. In addition to having to do work that should have been on her original contract, she was worried about Harley. Nobody had heard from Marshall, and every day that passed brought more frustration and guilt to Harley over having sent him away. By taking off, Marshall had proven either her or Harley’s theories right—he either hadn’t been ready to come back, or he needed something. It didn’t matter which one was right; the end result was the same. He was gone, and Harley was left trying to clean up his brother’s mess. He might have been the one to send him away that night, but if their family was important to Marshall, he would have tried again. It appeared Harley was right and Marshall hadn’t changed at all. Marshall’s blatant disregard for Harley fueled a fire in her that she had no idea how to put out.
Mike heaved the cabinet into the dumpster, and when he turned, Piper was right there. He had about a foot and at least sixty or seventy pounds on her,