Rock Hard Neighbor

“Why did the interview not go as planned?” he asked.

“The gallery owner is looking to sell it, not have anyone showcase their stuff in it. And the more I stood in that place, the more I loved it. He asked me about my vision, and why I wanted to open my own gallery someday, and the more I talked about it, the more I wanted it. Badly.”

“Then buy it. Chase your dream, Amanda.”

“It’s not that simple. I don’t even have enough money to fix up the cabin and make it inhabitable. There’s no way I can afford to buy a gallery. I just feel like the walls are closing in on me. My grandmother was the one I would go to with my fears and my questions, and now when I need her most, I’m finally realizing that she’s truly gone. I feel so lost.”

Brian wrapped his arm around me, and I sank myself into him. His strength was comforting, and the warmth of his body cradled me perfectly. I cried into his chest as he pulled me into his lap, his hands rubbing up and down my back. It felt so good to talk. So good to get everything off my chest. I’d been so wrapped up in Brian and Lanie’s world that I had allowed it to replace mine.

My life was still crumbling around me, and I needed to acknowledge that so I could fix it.

“I’ll help you in any way I can,” Brian said. “Whatever you need, just ask.”

“Please hold me,” I said breathlessly. “That’s all I need right now.”

His arms threaded around my body and pulled me tightly against him. I could feel his muscles bracing for my body as my legs straddled his lap. I buried my face in the crook of his neck as he reached for something, then I felt a blanket being fluttered over our bodies.

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to revel in the strength and warmth that Brian had wrapped me in, and finally fell asleep.

CHAPTER 24

Brian

Amanda had cried herself to sleep in my arms the night before. My heart ached for her and all the pain she was holding in her small little frame. I took her to bed with me and held her close all night long, our legs and arms tangled up in each other. I loved waking up to her this way, her hair sprawled out on all my pillows and her body flush against mine. I opened my eyes and kissed her forehead, feeling her stir against me.

Then, I heard the door fly open before someone rocketed onto the bed.

“Breakfast time! Breakfast time!”

Lanie’s voice ripped Amanda awake, and she sat up quickly in bed. Her eyes were wide as Lanie threw herself at Amanda, hugging her closely as the small girl giggled. Amanda turned her startled gaze to me, and I shrugged my shoulders, grinning as I slipped out of bed.

Lanie didn’t seem shocked by the fact that we were in bed together, so I wasn’t going to make it into a big deal.

I could hear Amanda talking to Lanie in my bedroom as I made my way out to the kitchen. I started a strong pot of coffee before I pulled out some eggs, resolving myself to omelets for the morning. I cracked some eggs into a bowl and began whisking them up with salt and pepper, but my phone ringing from my bedroom caught my attention.

“You go get that,” Amanda said, coming into the kitchen. “I’ve got this. Scrambled eggs for Lanie, I know. What’s for us?”

“Omelets,” I said.

I saw who was calling and picked it up immediately. I sat on the edge of my bed and braced for some relief. I was ready to nail Lanie’s father to a fucking wall. I was ready to pin this damn warehouse fire on him and get this fucking nightmare over with.

Because if I married Amanda, I wasn’t sure I could let her go anymore.

“Well, we found the culprit for the warehouse fire, but you’re not going to be happy as to who it is,” Jack said.

“Fuck,” I said. “Who started it?”

“Some disgruntled employee. I had to pull up his records to figure out who the hell he was. We fired him a couple of weeks back for sexually harassing the women in his department. They found a note in an abandoned car not too far from the fire.”

“Are we sure it’s not something that was planted?” I asked.

“Yep. Matched his handwriting and the DNA he left behind in the car to him. He’s been arrested and charged,” he said.

I groaned as I ran my fingers through my hair. This was a massive blow to my case for Lanie. This meant I had no choice but to go through with marrying Amanda. I thanked Jack for the information and got off the phone quickly, then I dialed my lawyer right behind him. I needed to make sure he had this information.