Page 13 of From Grumpy to Forever
Oh, I remembered.
“And while I’m sure you think so highly of yourself to think that you’re the best in town,” she continued with a feisty side I hadn’t seen in her the other day, “you’re not the only guy in town. I have a job that needs to be done. And I will be hiring someone to do it. Whether you like it or not.”
I didn’t like it. Not one little bit. Not if it was Danny Davis she hired.
No. Scratch that.
I wouldn’t like it if she hired anyone but me, and I damn well knew it. There was no way I was going to be able to sit by and watch anyone working closely with Avery day after day. I couldn’t explain it. It didn’t make any sense, and I certainly didn’t have any right to feel protective over this woman. But I did.
And I’d be dammed if I let Danny anywhere near her.
“Hey, Lyons. Don’t tell me you’re bidding on this job, too?”
Unexplainable rage filled me at the sound of his voice. Somehow, I managed to control myself as I turned to see Danny. He held his hand out in greeting. I didn’t move, keeping my hands stuffed under my arms still crossed over my chest.
“Davis.” I nodded my greeting instead.
If he was deterred, he didn’t show it. Instead, the sleazy asshole moved around the table until he stood next to Avery.
“I’m not bidding on this job,” I told him.
“That’s good to hear.” While I watched, Danny put an arm around Avery’s shoulders and pulled her into him.
I didn’t miss the way she flinched before pasting that bright smile back on her pretty face.
My nostrils flared, and my fingers clenched into fists. I knew how I wanted to handle the situation, the way I always wanted to handle the situation when it came to this asshole, but that wasn’t an option. Not with Avery standing right there.
Instead, I looked him right in the eyes and told him, “I’m not bidding on the job. Because I’ve already accepted it.” I watched Avery closely as I spoke. Her eyes darted to mine, and the relief I saw there was clear and told me everything I needed to know.
She slipped to the side, ducked out from under Danny’s arm and shifted just the tiniest bit toward me.
“What?” Danny looked between Avery and me. “Is that true? I thought we had something?—”
“Sorry, Danny.” To her credit, Avery actually did a pretty good job looking apologetic, despite the relief underlying her words. “I offered the job to Reid earlier and he just formally accepted.” She looked up at me with a wicked grin. “He starts tomorrow.”
Chapter Eight
Reid
“Wait.” My brother Ethan held the coffeepot aloft and stared at me. “You have a job? Seriously?”
“Don’t look so surprised.” I reached past him to grab a mug from the cupboard. “Rumor has it I’m Trickle Creek’s best handyman.”
Ethan laughed and thankfully filled my cup before returning the pot to the machine.
“What? You don’t think so?” I leaned against the cupboard and glared at him.
“Oh no.” My brother shook his head with a grin. “I don’t doubt that you’re the best. But you’re also the grumpiest. And the way I heard it is that you can’t keep your mouth shut long enough to keep a job these days.”
“Grayson?”
Ethan nodded and took a sip of his coffee.
“He doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about.” I shook my head and muttered a string of expletives under my breath. The last thing I needed was my own twin brother running his mouth about my attitude on the job.
Even if it was true.
“I don’t know,” Ethan said. “He mentioned the other day about this huge opportunity you had to fix up the Tamarack Inn.”
