A Beautiful Thought (The Beautiful Series) (4 page)

“You okay over there, sweetie?” Mom asked.

I snapped out of my private thoughts. I blushed and croaked out, “Yep,” while mentally scolding myself.

I just had dirty thoughts of a man I don’t even know—while standing in my mother’s kitchen, no less!

Once I got over my mortification, I finished helping my mom put away the remainder of the dishes. All the while, nerves festered to a staggering height within me, making me feel as though I was a ticking bomb with no options and nowhere to run.

After visiting my family for a little longer, I recognized it was time to head home, so I said my good-byes and ran for the safety of my apartment.

I found myself staring at my ceiling in the dark for what seemed like an endless amount of hours, and then I realized that Damon was my only option to save me from my current dilemma.

I silently prayed I could keep my hands to myself because gorgeous men like him didn’t pick out picket-fenced houses with girls like me. At least, that was what the last attractive jock I’d dated told me. I was not about to set myself up for failure again. Furthermore, I would never say those three little heartfelt words to a man again.

Feeling like I was out of time and options, I picked up my phone and texted Abbey.

Hey, girl. I changed my mind about Damon. Do you think you could talk to him for me?

Abbey responded right away.

Of course! I’ll talk to him tomorrow, and I’ll let you know what he says. ☺ Oh, and I think you made the right decision. ♥

~Damon~

“Come on, you pussy, this drywall isn’t going to hang itself,” Jason, my older brother, joked while holding up another sheet of drywall.

We were at our new office in downtown Lake Tahoe. It was seven o’clock at night, and every muscle in my body ached after hanging drywall for nearly twelve hours today.

I nudged the fucker in the ribs, earning an, “Ouch!” from him.

I laughed while reaching into my pouch for more screws to secure the drywall firmly into place. I grabbed the next sheet, and we swapped positions. Then, the vicious cycle started all over again.

I held the heavy sheet in its place. “Why didn’t we hire someone to do this part again?”

“Because we’re idiots trying to save money.” Jason snorted.

Some would say the way we spoke to each other was sibling rivalry, but to us, it was brotherly love.

The front door opened, and in strolled Abbey.

“Hey, guys. How’s it going?” she asked.

Jason walked away to greet his fiancée, completely leaving me hanging with a fifteen-pound sheet of drywall in my grasp.

“Hey, fucker!” I yelled after him.

Knowing it was pointless to ask him to come back, I set it back down and turned around to face them.

Abbey’s mouth was already locked around Jason’s—or maybe his mouth was locked around hers. I wasn’t sure which, but either way, I was glad to see my brother so happy. Abbey was a great girl, and she was perfect for Jason.

“Sorry, man,” Jason responded when they finally broke apart. “You know I can’t resist her when she walks in the room.”

I crooked a brow at my brother. “I can see that.” Then, I turned to face my future sister-in-law. I drew her in for a friendly hug. “Hey, Abbey. How are you?”

“I’m doing great!” she replied.

“Hey! Get your own girl,” Jason growled teasingly, pulling Abbey back to his side.

Abbey rolled her eyes. “I tell ya, you two are a handful.” She pointed good-naturedly between the two of us. “Did you guys actually work today or just get into trouble?”

“Trouble,” I kidded as Jason replied, “We worked.”

Jason punched me on the arm, and I bit back a groan.

He gestured to what we had been working on all day. “Baby, we replaced the drywall on the whole north wall of this building.”

Abbey glanced at the wall. “Whoa, you did. I was just teasing by the way.” She stepped forward and gave Jason a quick kiss.

I was about to step away and give the two lovebirds some privacy.

Then, Abbey said in a serious tone, “Hey, Damon, can I speak with you for a moment?”

“Uh…sure,” I answered.

Abbey nodded and started walking to the front of the office.

I shifted my perplexed expression to Jason, wondering what the hell was going on.

“Don’t ask me. I have no idea.” Jason shrugged. “But if I had to guess, I’d say you pissed off the boss.”

“Isn’t Kyle the boss?” I asked, referring to our business partner, who also happened to be Abbey’s older brother. Apparently, I was missing something here.

“Nope, but he thinks he is.” Jason chuckled. “Abbey runs this show.”

I gave my brother a look of wonder, having no idea what he was going on about. “Uh-huh,” I murmured, tipping my head. “Well, I’ll be right back, and then we can clean up and head out.”

Jason flipped his hand in the air at me. “Don’t worry, man. I’ve got this.” He motioned toward his girl and told me, “You’d better go see what she wants.”

“All right,” I agreed, unbuckling my heavy tool belt before setting it down on the floor. “And thanks.”

I hurriedly went to meet Abbey at the front of the building. She was sitting with her legs crossed on the ledge of the front bay window. I paused in front of her, pondering what was going on and suddenly hoping it was not something bad.

“Is everything okay?” I asked apprehensively.

“Oh, gosh, yes!” She shook her head. “It’s nothing bad.”

“Okay, good.” I exhaled, taking a seat next to her.

She turned to face me. “Have you found an apartment yet?”

“No,” I answered with wide eyes. That was not what I had expected her to ask. “I have found a few places that I like, but I haven’t made any official decisions yet.”

Abbey smiled, but it was not a good kind of smile. It was one of those that made me contemplate what she had up her sleeve while I continued to eye her.

“But I plan to pick one of them soon,” I added timidly.

“Oh, okay,” she murmured thoughtfully. Her eyes gazed around the room before landing back on me. “Well, do you remember meeting my friend Gail?”

I was speechless for a brief second. Once again, I had no idea what I’d thought she was going to say, but that was not what I had expected.

Hell yes, I remember her
.

I cleared my throat and responded, “Yes.”

Who could forget those flawless long legs in that black dress of hers and the way the material made her ass look so tempting?

“She happens to be looking for a roommate.” Abbey searched my eyes. “I thought you might be interested.”

“And what made you think of me?”

“I know you are looking for a place, so I was hoping this could help you as well as Gail out,” she answered.

“Uh, Abbey—” I started to say.

She jumped in, “Look, Damon, you’re a great guy, and I really see this roomie thing working out for the two of you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even consider putting my best friend in this position.”

I was going to speak, but if I had learned one thing about Abbey in the time I’d known her, it was that when she was on a roll, I should let her finish. My head was spinning like crazy anyhow.

I was still stuck on the roomie part of her speech as she continued, “This could be perfect for you two. You only want temporary housing until you’re sure California is right for you.”

Abbey knew about the resume I’d put in at William Rawn Associates, the nation’s largest architectural firm located in Boston. It was a long shot but a dream of mine. Jason, Kyle, and Abbey had all been very supportive of the opportunity. Although I would need to relocate for the job, I could still help them from afar.

“Yes, that’s true, but that doesn’t mean I want to live with someone in the meantime,” I countered.

“But roommates can be fun, and Gail is the most easygoing person in the world.” Abbey grinned. “If you want quiet, she’ll give you space, or if you want company, Gail is a great friend.”

My head was spinning, and another reason this was a bad fucking idea popped into my head. “I’ve never lived with a woman before.”

Abbey’s lip twitched in amusement. “I had never shared a living space with a man before Jason and look how wonderfully that worked out.”

My eyes felt like they were bulging from their sockets as thoughts of my ex-girlfriend, Beth, and all her unnecessary drama surfaced in my mind, and our relationship hadn’t even gone as far as living together.

“Whoa!” I bellowed out, shaking my head. “I’m definitely not looking to get into a relationship right now. I’m still traumatized from the last one.”

Abbey stifled her laughter as she rolled her eyes at me. “Oh, come on!” A chuckle slipped past her lips. “I’m not trying to push an arranged marriage or anything like that here.”

“I don’t know about this, Abbey.” I sighed.

This is not a good way to solve my housing issue. Definitely not my style.

Abbey was suddenly serious again. “Damon, I wouldn’t ask if this wasn’t important. Her story isn’t mine to tell, but I will explain this much. Gail has the most genuine, loving family. Some aspects of her personal life haven’t been easy for her, but she’s the strongest woman I know.” She glanced out the window briefly before looking back at me.

Her eyes now looked sad, and her expression pulled at my heartstrings.

“She put herself through college, paying her own way, while always helping out her family, financially and otherwise, as much as she could. This last week, her hours at work were cut dramatically. All I ask is that you at least consider it. Can you do that for me?” she asked kindly.

I took a deep breath and then let it out. This was the wildest, most irrational idea I’d ever been asked to do in my life. But I was not the kind of man to walk away when someone needed help.

The seconds ticked by until I eventually said, “You should have been a lawyer, you know that?”

Abbey stared at me inquisitively for an instant before her eyes filled with shock. She jumped to her feet. “Is that a yes?” she nearly yelled.

I stood up next to her and gave her an authentic smile. “I don’t have a clue what I just let you talk me into.” I paused, making her wait for my answer. “But for some crazy-ass reason, it’s a yes.”

Abbey let out a loud squeal and threw her arms around me as she thanked me profusely. I genuinely feared what I had just voluntarily signed myself up for, but I could only hope it would be best for everyone involved.

~Gail~

Nerves were a woman’s worst nightmare, and mine were at an all-time high today.

After changing for what felt like the millionth time, I glanced at my bathroom mirror and decided this outfit would have to make do. If I changed again, I would be late for the dinner that Abbey had arranged for Damon and me at The Fresh Ketch.

I was wearing the most conservative white dress I could find in my closet with a matching pair of flat sandals. Half of my hair was pulled up with bobby pins, and the rest was flowing down my upper back.

I picked up my phone off the counter and checked the time. Butterflies surfaced in my stomach as I realized I would be sitting across the table from Damon in less than twenty minutes. I heaved in a gulp of air for courage, and I grabbed my handbag off the counter. Then, I slipped my phone into the side pocket before making my way out of my apartment, so I would not be late.