Me: Tour of Dupont property tonight at six.
We don’t need to rush a decision and buy the first thing we look at. Mark has a few properties he thinks we will like, and he’ll show us the other two tomorrow.
My phone starts buzzing against the table with a number I don’t recognize. “Hello?”
“It’s Tessa. Did I catch you at a bad time?”
I look around, seeing Liam clearly trying to listen to our conversation. “No, it’s all right. What’s up?”
“What time will you be getting off? I’m gonna make dinner.”
“Around six, but I’ll be home closer to seven thirty. No need to cook me dinner.”
“You’re letting us stay with you. The least I can do is make you dinner after a long day at work. It’s not a bother at all. See you later.”
Liam’s eyes are piercing through mine. “She’s preparing dinner for you... seems like a keeper. Ever think maybe she could be...”
My jaw clenches. “Don’t make assumptions. I’m helping them get back on their feet. No need to make this into something it’s not.”
I try hard not to give Liam any indication of my feelings toward Tessa, because he will never let it go. Plus, I’m not really sure about them right now. Sure, she’s gorgeous, but there’s more for me to know before I decide to ask her out. With her living with me, it makes it easier to get to know her and Emily, without having to take her out and risking broken hearts.
Liam finally lays off the girlfriend bullshit and pulls out the deck of cards and starts shuffling. “Why don’t we play some gin rummy to pass the time?”
I nod. Normally, we play poker but the rest of the guys are in the bunkers taking a nap, waiting for a call or the end of our shift, whichever comes first.
Before we know it, it’s almost six, and I’ve beat Liam nine times and about to make it ten. “Done getting your ass beat?”
Liam lays down his cards on the table. “Okay, maybe you beat me today, but not the next time.”
Everyone begins to gather their stuff and head out the door. “That’s a wrap, fellas,” I say, striding out to my car.
It’s time to go take a look at the duplexes and even though I know it’s a process, maybe we can acquire something soon.
Liam and I head over in separate vehicles to Dupont, finding Mark outside waiting for us. Aiden's car is already parked.
As we stroll through the duplexes, it’s clear there are some things to be corrected. There is hardwood throughout, which is a plus for me. They each have two bedrooms, which will be suitable for a family.
“Do the appliances come in the transaction?” I inquire.
“Indeed, they do.”
Appliances are expensive, so that will save us a ton of money. “Let us discuss, and then we’ll get back to you. What time would you like to show us the other properties tomorrow?”
“Let’s say seven. That work?”
In unison, we reply yes and take off toward our cars and head back to our respective homes. I look forward to spending time with Tessa and Emily. It’s how I imagine my life would be, having a woman and child in the house, even though it’s not Carol or my child. It’s nice to come home to someone after being alone for so long, just sharing the basic things like meals and downtime.
As I open the door, the aroma swirls around my house, hitting me. There is nothing like a warm meal waiting for you. I take my coat off and head for the dining room. The table has pork chops smothered in bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms.
“Wow, you’ve been holding out on me. It smells unbelievable,” I say, walking into the kitchen.
“Mama made it just for you,” Emily says.
“You really didn’t have to do this.”
“It’s the least I can do. Just enjoy,” she says, sitting down next to me at the table.
Over supper, Emily asks many questions about my job. It’s nice to see she takes an interest in what I do. Another thing is taking notice of how Emily reacts to things. It shines light on how she is raised. So many parents don’t focus on teaching their kids how to be well-mannered and productive citizens, and they end up being little turds, but not Emily.