“Hell yeah, I know how it goes, but from what I hear, it’s not work keeping you busy.”
“Don’t know who you’re getting your information from.” An uneasy stir rolls in my gut.
“It comes from a reliable source. Sexy little redhead sound familiar? Got to say, didn’t peg you for the high-maintenance type.”
My foot drops to the ground, and I straighten immediately. “What the fuck?”
“Moving her in with you? Never thought I’d see this day.”
My mind scrambles to figure out how he would know any of this. He’s been a good friend for a long time, but I haven’t seen him in months and our communication has been scattered. Last we spoke, Todd was living in one of his properties in…. oh shit… Charlotte.
That was six weeks ago.
“You have got to be fucking shitting me. Please tell me it’s not what I’m thinking.”
“You always were sharp. Less than a minute, impressive.”
“You? You’re Stephanie’s unknown mystery man?”
“Not a mystery anymore. That’s why I’m calling. I wanted you to hear it from me.”
I shake my head a few times, trying to clear the confusion and absorb this. “How? I mean, I can’t think of two more opposite and ill-matched people.”
“Pot, meet kettle.” A deep, long laugh comes through the line.
I think about what I’ve said and fall back in my chair. He’s right. He and Stephanie fit about as well as Ashlyn and I do. Two career construction dudes paired with high-class attorneys. “Touché.” I laugh along with him. “But seriously, how’d this happen?”
“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
“You sound like a fucking chick.”
This gets another chuckle. “Fine, I met her at Pierce’s wedding and we hit it off.”
“Pierce’s wedding was in May.”
“No shit. After the weekend, I couldn’t get this woman off my mind. She was a hard nut to crack, keeping me in the friend zone and insisting she wasn’t interested in anything involving a long-distance relationship. When the job in Virginia finished, I drove my ass to Charlotte.”
“And that was that?”
“Hell no. Do you have any idea how stubborn this woman is?”
Ashlyn pops into my head. “Yeah, think I might have an idea.”
“Then you know I had my work cut out for me.”
“Why the secrecy?”
“Not my idea.”
“It’s none of my business who you sleep with, but this hits close to home.”
“That was her point. She’s been cautious. I’ve never met such a methodical and disciplined person in my life. If it were up to me, our relationship would have been public from day one.”
“Exactly how long has this been going on?”
“You mean when did I wear her down?”
“Yeah.”
“Like I said, a hard nut to crack. Three weeks ago, I signed a lease on a condo. She saw I was serious and dropped the front.”
“She didn’t drop it too far, not sharing with Darby.”
“Darby was going through some things and Steph didn’t feel right. That’s why I’m calling you. She’s calling her this morning, and I wanted to be the one to tell you.”
Steph?
“Man, I’ve got to be honest here. You’ve stunned the hell out of me. Stephanie is Darby’s family, which makes her mine as well. You screw this one over, it’s gonna be a big hit.”
Even in the distance between us, I can feel the change in him. “Fuck, Miller, I’m not screwing her over. I’m crazy about her. Game over, I’ve met my match.”
That hits me hard, saying the same words myself recently.
“You told her that?”
“She knows.”
“You met her family yet?”
“This weekend.”
“Moving right along.”
“Says the bachelor who moved his woman in at breakneck speed. Gotta say, smart move with the electrician.”
“Thank Dad for that.”
“Stephanie may be a ballbuster, but she’s nervous about Darby accepting this. I may need your help.”
“You’re one of the best men I know. If you say your single days are over, I believe you. But be warned, you hurt her, I’m not sure I can keep you alive. Darby may be sweet, and giddy with this pregnancy, but she’s protective.”
“Noted. Now that my story time is over, your turn. Stephanie’s version is filled with lots of girly details. I want to know how the hell you let a woman like Ashlyn Rhodes walk away from you and the world’s biggest coincidence she’s now in your bed?”
It’s my turn to roar in laughter. “Talk about being knocked on my ass…”
•—•—•—•—•
“You fuck up?” Dad asks, his eyes trained on Ashlyn across the house.
“Depends on what you mean by fuck up.”
“It isn’t the drop in temps that is chilling this place; it’s her cold shoulder.”
“She didn’t take the news well when I explained where her additional surplus came from.”
“Ahhhh.” He rocks back.
“Ashlyn doesn’t take generosity well. She’s a bit…”
“Stubborn?”
“Yeah.” I chuckle.
“Instead of sitting you boys down to discuss the facts of life and safe sex, I should have told you two to watch for these stubborn women.”