Page 6 of Mountain Pine
“Are you really?” I ask as we make our way to my truck.
“Hell no. But Aunt Rachel will probably crash here in the spare bedroom because she and Mom are already two bottles deep.”
“So, you’re spending the night with us at Dean’s again?”
“Duh.”
I laugh and open the back door for her to climb into my old beater truck. Then I dig through the packed cooler in my trunk and grab an ice pack. “Here,” I say, gently pressing it to her forehead. “Keep that on there until we get to Dean’s.”
“What happened to you?” Nick asks, looking back at her with concern.
“She cracked her head on her closet door,” I explain while Taylor slides into the backseat.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Carly groans next to her.
I shut the door and make my way over to the driver’s side. By the time we get to Dean’s, it’s like what happened in Taylor’s room was a fever dream. She never brings it up again, and neither do I.
But our friendship-zone becomes a fortress nothing can penetrate from that day forward…
No matter how badly I want to use napalm and blow it up.
Chapter 2
Conner
Present Day, damn near ten years later
“I want you to hit my tongue with it like you’re doing a mic check.” I look up from the comment on my latest thirst trap and wait for Nick’s contribution.
He scrolls on his cell and raises his eyebrows. “I want you to shake hands with my IUD.”
Oh, dear God. “That’s a winner.”
Sometimes we compare the most unhinged comments we’ve gotten from our online trends. These aren’t nearly the wildest, but it’s been a slow week for content because I haven’t had a lot of time to post.
“Women are wild,” I say, loading my truck up so I can head to my next job.
“Thank fuck for that. Life would be boring if they were anything less.”
“You about done here?” I ask as Nick grabs a drill.
“Yeah. Just need to finish up the railing, then I’m out.” He’s rebuilt a massive deck to the house I just finished landscaping. It’s rare that we work the same jobs anymore, so this one has been a ton of fun.
“Thanks for recommending me, Con.”
“Anytime.” Nick has his own construction company now and busts his ass night and day.Starting from the ground up isn’t easy. If I can help in any way, I will. “Have you heard anything back about that resort project yet?”
Nick shakes his head. “No, but I don’t expect them to make a decision until the end of the month.”
He sounds unbothered, but I know he’s secretly foaming at the mouth for that contract. If he gets to build their additional chalets, he’ll level up for sure. Fingers crossed he gets it.
Nick wipes the sweat from his brow. “Do me a solid before you go and make a post with me.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. Come on. Real quick.”
“Fine. But we've gotta make two so I can post one on my account.”
