Chapter 168 Chapter 168
Calum leaned against the house and looked to the end of the driveway again.
Blair wasn’t even sure if he was breathing as he watched the truck come up the drive.
“You’re going to have an aneurism if you don’t stop.”
Glancing at him, Blair blew out a breath. “It’s just…”
Kobie came out of the house and straight for him. She grinned, “Ed is so laid back compared to Beth.”
Calum chuckled, “that’s a good thing, imagine if they were both wound tight.”
Even Blair had to grin at that.
“I’m going to see what Shae is doing.” Calum walked away after giving Blair a ‘good luck’ look.
“Is that her?” Kobie asked quietly.
Blair nodded, “Yeah, Kelsey.”
“How do you feel about seeing her?”
He looked down at her, and then sighed, “I don’t know how to explain it. We were like best friends, did a lot together, but,” he shrugged.
“Things have changed.” She offered.
He looked back toward the house. Annamarie and Nichelle were in each other’s face again as they waved their hands around. Blair nodded slowly as he looked back at Kobie, “in so many ways.” He grinned, “most good, I think,” he put his hands on his hips and gave his head a quick shake, “we have to get Annamarie and Nichelle in different rooms.”
Kobie tucked her hands in her jeans. “Beth bought them both the same pair of shoes.”
Blair cringed, “In her defense, she’s only ever had one girl to look after, the rest of us were boys and we didn’t care if our shoes were the same.” The lights from the truck crested the small knoll in the drive.
“Do you want me to,” she motioned to the house.
There was no hesitation in his answer, “no. I want you here.” She gave him a small nod, “it’s just I was,” he glanced at the ground, then back to her, “a bit of a dick the last time I saw—everyone…”
Kobie put her hand on his arm and gave him an understanding look, “with everything they’re doing for us, for you, I think you’re forgiven.”
Putting his hand over hers, he closed his eyes for a second, “I…”
“You want to stop lollygagging and give me a hand?”
Cooper bellowed from the truck.
Blair turned to see Gage holding him in his arms while Kelsey grabbed a wheelchair. He rushed over and opened the chair, and set it in front of Gage.
“Thanks.” Gage grinned, “he’s a stocky guy.
Cooper settled in the chair, with Kelsey lifting his leg gently and placing it on the footrest. “Are you saying I’m fat?” He grinned up at Gage.
“No, just that you’re a lot heavier than you look.” Gage rubbed his jaw.
“Or you’re just getting weak.” Cooper took off his hat and rubbed his hand over his nearly bald head. Placing it back on his head, he looked up at Blair. “You look good. Running around the country has done you good.”
Blair rolled his eyes, “you make it sound like I was on vacation.”
“Whatever you call it, it did you good.” Cooper glanced over at Kobie, who hadn’t moved. “Well, get me over there, I want to meet the gal that’s messed you up good.”
Gage chuckled as he put his arm around Kelsey.
Kelsey smiled at him, it was the same smile she’d always given him, he realized. At that moment, he understood it would never have changed or been more. “I think it was the entire clan of females that messed him up.” She grinned wide, “he’s smooth with one or two, but nine?” She looked up at Gage, “I think that’s a challenge for any man.”
Gage jolted. “I can barely manage one, thank you.”
Blair grinned and looked over at Kobie. She had no idea what was going on but still smiled back at him. Grabbing the handles on the chair, he started pushing Coop over, “Annamarie wants to learn how to drive, Coop, Nichelle, and Kasia too.”
Cooper nodded, “that’s good, we’ll teach them all.”
Blair stopped in front of Kobie and then stepped to stand beside the chair. “Kobie, this is Cooper, Gage, and Kelsey.” He motioned to each of them.
Kobie smiled down at Cooper, “it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She inclined her head but made no move to extend her hand.
Blair’s cat was glad for that. Rubbing a hand down over his chest, he nodded. “Coop’s going to teach Annamarie to drive.” He gave her a big smile.
A surprised looked appeared on her face, “oh, I wish you luck with that.”
Coop looked from one to the other, “bit high strung, is she?”
“A bit,” Kobie said trying not to laugh. She nodded to Gage, then Kelsey, “hi.”
Kelsey pulled away from Gage and held out her hand. “I can’t say how happy I am to meet you.” She gave Blair a sideways glance, “I’ve been surrounded by men all my life. Now there are women. Finally.”
Kobie shook her hand. “I get it. I’ve spent my whole life proving I’m just as good, if not better than them, only to be shoved to the side to let the men take over.”
Kelsey made an unpleasant noise. “Men.” She mumbled, “come, introduce me to the rest. I have big plans for you ladies at the shop.”
They walked away without so much as a backward look.
“What just happened?” Blair asked quietly.
Cooper was chuckling. “This may get interesting around here.”
“Shit,” Gage said under his breath.
“Well, I need to meet Calum’s Shaelan.” Cooper said looking up at Blair, “all I’m hearing is Shaelan said this, Shaelan said that.”
“Shaelan is right here.” Shaelan stepped out of the door and smiled at him as she walked over.
“Good. What’s this about me staying in bed another two weeks?”
Shaelan stopped in front of him and looked down at his wrapped leg. “Well, if you’d let me put a light casting on it, maybe we could get you over at the shop, in the chair—supervising.” She smirked at Blair.
Copper motioned to the house. “Let’s get this cast on. I’m going to lose my mind if I have to look at those walls a minute more.”
Shaelan went behind the chair and started pushing him to the house. She glanced back at Blair, “give me a hand lifting the chair inside.”
Gage and Blair jolted and went over to help.
Gage shoved the mattress, forcing Blair to move. “Relax, they’ll come back. She’s probably just showing Kelsey the house.”
Blair backed in through the doorway. “It’s not that.” He leaned it against the wall and then looked around. Single room, small bathroom. Shaking his head, he followed Gage out. It wasn’t like he was going to be spending a lot of time in it. There was a house to finish, and he had to work.
Leaning on the truck, Gage grinned at him. “You’ve looked at the house at least twenty times in two minutes.
Blair scowled at him and motioned with his head to get in the truck to get the dresser. “I knew they’d meet, obviously…”
“Weren’t they supposed to?” Gage dropped the dresser, almost ripping Blair’s shoulder out of the socket. “You told her?”
Dropping his head forward, Blair rested it on the end of the dresser. “Yeah. I didn’t intend to, but then it just—” he looked at him, “came out.”
Gage wiped his hand over his face and then looked at him. “Why? I mean, did you want to make it awkward.”
Blair lifted the dresser again. “That’s not even the worst thing I told her.” He shuffled backward until Gage had his feet on the ground.
“What could be worse than that?”
Blair turned his head to watch where he was going as he backed up, but mostly so he wouldn’t be looking at the other man. “I may have mentioned Layna.”
Gage shoved the dresser, causing Blair’s shoulder to slam against the wall. “Dear God, tell me you only told her about Layna.”
Snarling at him, as his shoulder throbbed, he gave a jerk of his chin. “I’m not a complete idiot.
Gage snorted and set his end down. “Could have fooled me.” Wiping a hand over his face again, he shook his head, “did you not learn anything watching me suffer?”
Blair lifted both arms out from his body and held his hands in the air, “that’s why I did—because secrets come back and bite you on the ass.”
“Do I want to know?” Calum stood in the doorway holding a box.
Gage motioned to Blair, “he’s an idiot, making things harder on himself. He told her damn near everything.”
Calum nodded, “I know.” He looked over his shoulder, “Devin and I think Cooper told him to.”
Blair went over and took the box from him and set it on the dresser. He turned back to Gage, “you procrastinate, and I’ll be truthful, okay? I’m not fucking it up.”
“What does pro-cras-tinate mean?” Daisie was now standing beside Blair. “Mom says I do that when it’s time to go to bed.”
Blair blew out a breath, “it means avoiding doing something you know you have to do.”
She nodded slowly, “oh, I do that.” She pointed at him, “and you said a bad word again.”
Gage grinned.
“I did.” Blair motioned to go back outside, “I guess I forgot.”
Daisie turned and looked at Gage, “Kelsey says stop being men and come in and eat.” She frowned, “can you do that? Stop being a boy?”
Gage laughed, “it would probably keep me out of trouble if I could.”
Blair rested his hand on her shoulder as they walked to the house.
“Being a boy sounds hard. I’m glad I’m a girl.”
Gage laughed and looked at Blair. His look wasn’t hard to read at all, he was thankful it was Blair’s problem to deal with all the females he’d brought home.