A Redo (Sterling Shore 6)

“Get that look off your face. It’s just to get to know her better,” she says, misreading my thoughts. “She’s not rich like the rest of them. She’s like you and me. All the girls are cool, really, but Raya seems like my kind of girl.”

“What about Brin?” I ask idly. Brin is the only one I’ve ever really met before.

Bella and I are still hanging the last of the pictures while some of the guys finish putting together some of the furniture pieces in the bedrooms. She shifts on her stool, trying to put the leveler on top of the frame she just hung, as she answers.

“I like her, but I’d never stop staring at her boyfriend if we hung out. Kade is younger, sort of. Not by a lot, but still younger, so I can overlook him easier. And he doesn’t drive a motorcycle like Rye does. We both know he’s exactly my type, which makes him all the harder to look away from, even though I’m done with my type. And Brin keeps looking at me like she might kick my ass if I keep staring at her man.”

“Actually,” a voice interjects, startling us both into a squeal. Brin is standing behind us, smiling, forcing us both to blush as she continues. “I’m used to girls checking him out. I’ve just been giving you a hard time when you do because Wren worked really hard to assemble unavailable men only. I came because Allie was incredible and came to Rye’s rescue one night, even though she didn’t know us. And the other girls came because, well, they’re as nosy as Wren’s mom. They haven’t gotten to really be around Angel a lot, and they also hope they can help Allie realize Wren is a good guy, even though he might not seem like it from memory.”

She grins at Bella who looks like she has swallowed her foot, and I cackle at the pure horrified embarrassment on her face.

“What’s so funny?” Rye asks, which in turn forces Bella to stumble off her stool and crash ever so indignantly to the floor, punctuating her humiliation, and forcing me to laugh that much harder.

“Girl talk,” Brin says teasingly as the gentle giant wraps his arms around her waist, nuzzling her cheek with his face when he bends over.

“Ah. I see. Then I don’t want to know. We’re about to finish up here.”

“Pizza and beer?” I ask spontaneously, not ready for this to end, especially when Bella shoots me a nasty glare.

Brin smiles at me before nodding. “Sounds good. We’re free tonight. And I know I could use a beer after today.”

Rye shrugs in agreement, apparently not one to argue. Simple. Must be nice to have a simple relationship that’s just so easy. Even though it didn’t look so easy the night I first met them.

“Everyone good with pizza, beer, and hanging out long enough to enjoy all our hard work?” Rye asks without moving away from the woman he is now leaning over and nuzzling.

A series of excited agreements ring out, and I sneak away to find Wren. I might should have asked him before inviting all his friends to stay.

“I’ll order pizza,” Bella says in an effort to escape Brin’s teasing grin.

“We’re making a beer run,” Kode Sterling says, tugging insistently on Tria like they might do more than grab beer.

Kade rolls his eyes while moving to be beside Raya, and he wraps his arm around her waist.

“We’ll grab beer. It’ll be hot by the time they get back with any,” he says, snickering when Raya nods in agreement and sighs in exasperation.

I just smile while walking out the back sliding glass doors to the patio. Wren is outside with Angel, helping her sort through the small storage shed that is in the corner of the backyard.

“What’s going on?” I ask, nervously pocketing my hands as I step just inside the doorway.

He’s spent most of the day with her, and the two of them have developed a little bubble. I think she has felt more comfortable with him in her space instead of her being in his space, and I’ve worked really hard to let them have their moment.

Wren turns that ensnaring smile on me, and my legs curse me for attempting to stand.

“We’re mapping out bike room. It’s a good neighborhood for a bike. You’ve got a nice, paved driveway, and the sidewalks are wide. She said you were going to buy two bikes to ride around together.”

Trying not to melt like an idiot, I smile at him. “We are. We’re going to look at some when I get paid next week.”

Angel takes a step toward me, looking up at me with determined eyes. “Wren says he owes me a lot of birthday presents, too. So I asked him for a bike for both of us.”