Capri laughed, the sound genuine and warm. “I’ve got some ideas. But first, I need to get the old place down. That’s going to be cathartic, I think.”
Lila smiled, the tension in her posture easing. “We’ll be there to cheer you on—or swing a hammer if you need.”
“Absolutely,” Reva agreed, nodding firmly. “Whatever you need, we’re here.”
Capri’s eyes shimmered with gratitude as she looked around the table at her friends. “I’m lucky to have you all. Really. But I will have to hire a contractor, no doubt. I’ve already started researching options.”
Annie returned to the table and passed out their drinks.
Charlie Grace lifted her mug of beer. “Here’s to Capri…and her rebuild.”
They all raised their glasses and joined the toast, laughing just like old times.
Reva leaned back, a satisfied smile on her face as the conversation shifted to lighter topics. But in the back of her mind, she knew Capri’s decision was about more than just a house. It was about reclaiming her life.
Reva was determined to support her every step of the way.
13
Capri woke to the sound of a car engine outside. She threw back the covers and jumped from her bed, completely dressed…and a little confused as to why. The nearly empty tequila bottle on the bedside table might be her first clue.
Alarmed, she glanced back at the bed. Thankfully, the spot beside where she’d slept was empty and from the looks of the bedcovers, had been that way all night. She rubbed her temples as the pain in her head pounded, promising to lay off the sauce.
The engine rumbled to a stop. Curiosity got the better of her, and she risked a glance out the window, only to let out a groan.
With a determined sigh, she raced for the bathroom, splashed some water on her face, and rinsed out her mouth, cupping the water in her hands for lack of a proper glass. She straightened her hair with her fingers and pulled it back into a ponytail, then fastened the strands with a rubber band as she raced for the front door.
As soon as she pulled it open and stepped onto the porch, Capri’s eyes landed on a guy climbing out of a pickup truck. Despite her throbbing head, her heart did a double take.
The guy was ruggedly handsome, with a strong build that spoke of hard work, his tanned skin a testament to hours spent under the sun. As he walked around and opened the back passenger door on his truck, reaching for a leatherbound notebook, he did so with subdued focus. His tousled brown hair and the hint of stubble on his jawline added to his laid-back demeanor.
“Hey, you’re early,” she called out, not bothering with a more inviting greeting.
He glanced at his watch and shook his head. “Nope. Right on time.”
She decided to give him that one, knowing that was entirely possible given her late start. “Well, don’t just stand there. Come in and take a look around.”
She waited for him to climb the steps to the porch before she granted him the slightest of smiles.
His eyes caught her off guard—blue, sharp, and filled with a quiet determination. There was a stubbornness in his gaze, a pride that seemed to come from knowing exactly who he was and where he came from.
She was a good judge of character, and this one exuded an air of independence, a man who was unapologetically himself, with a quiet confidence that seemed to say he wasn’t easily rattled. There was no pretense, just a calm assurance that dared her to match his unflinching steadiness with her own.
Despite her wrinkled blouse and no make-up, she was up for the challenge.
“You got a name?” she demanded.
He let a slow smile tug at the corner of his mouth as if amused by her directness. “Same as when we talked on the phone. Jake Carrington,” he said, tipping his baseball cap slightly in a casual gesture of respect. “I’m the contractor you called about the renovation work.” His voice was smooth, with a hint of an unmistakable Southern drawl. He extended a hand toward her, calloused but steady, waiting for her to make the next move. “I’m guessing you’re Capri Jacobs.”
Capri hesitated for just a beat, her gaze flicking from his hand to his eyes, searching for any hint of condescension. Finding none, she accepted the handshake, his grip firm but not overbearing. “That’s right,” she confirmed, pulling her hand back a little too quickly. She crossed her arms over her chest, a habit she’d picked up whenever she felt the need to shield herself.
“So, you think you’re up for this?” she asked, tilting her chin up slightly, challenging him again. It wasn’t just the rebuild she was asking about—it was perhaps a little more, though she wasn’t sure she’d admit that, even to herself.
Jake’s smile didn’t waver. If anything, it deepened as if he could read the unspoken layers of her question. “I’ve handled worse,” he said with an easy shrug. “But why don’t you show me around, and I’ll let you know for sure.” His tone was professional, yet there was an underlying attitude that suggested he wasn’t just here for a paycheck—he genuinely cared about doing the job right.
Capri nodded, her defenses going up. There was something disarming about Jake. It wasn’t just his words, but the way he carried himself—calm, unhurried as if he had all the time in the world to listen to her concerns. She wasn’t used to that.
People usually came into her life with expectations, demands, or with their own agenda. But Jake seemed different, and that unsettled her in a way she hadn’t anticipated. “Alright then, follow me,” she said, turning on her heel and leading him back out into the yard where they could get a good view of the exterior.
