Love Required (10 page)

Without hesitation, she stepped into his space and stood on her tiptoes. Leaning in, she placed a soft kiss on his cheek. His hands went to her waist, steadying her since he was at least a foot taller, and his beard tickled her chin a little, but she noticed how soft it felt against her skin. Fighting the urge to feel more of it, she dropped back down, “Thank you, for everything.”

His hands were still on her waist as he smiled down at her. “It was my pleasure, Tori.”

“Wednesday,” she said.

He nodded. “Wednesday.”

Jason moved and opened the driver’s door for her. As she slipped into the seat, he asked, “Are you going to give me your number? Or are you going to drive off and leave me hanging in hope that I can figure out where you live on Wednesday?”

She laughed and said, “I’ve got your business card still. I’ll text you.”

“You didn’t give it to the lady in the office earlier?”

Tori shook her head. “No, something told me you were one of those guys a girl could trust.”

If it was even possible, his smiled grew bigger. “I’ll be waiting for that text then.”

“Bye, Jason. Thanks again for everything.”

“Bye, Tori. You call if you need any more flats fixed. Especially since I have your spare.” He winked at her and closed the door.

She watched as he walked to his car and gave her one last glance before getting in. When he pulled away, she sighed and said, “Well, Lexi, it’s nice to see that not all men are monsters.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

JASON looked at his cell phone for what seemed like the hundredth time. He quickly opened his text messages to make sure he hadn’t missed something. Again, he’d done this every time he turned his phone on. Sighing in a mixture of disappointment and anxiety, he slipped the currently useless electronic back into his pocket.

“You expecting that phone to do tricks or something?” his friend and business partner, Logan, asked as he made his way over to where Jason was working—trying to work was more like it. His concentration had been shit all morning, and he wasn’t sure how to get himself back on track. Double checking his calculations would probably be a good idea.

“Bite me,” Jason grumbled, hoping Logan would drop it.

“Are you expecting an important call?” Logan asked. He should’ve known better than to hope, and since Logan was capable of driving a saint mad with his persistence, Jason confessed.

“Yeah, I’m expecting an important call,” he said as he tried to jot down some notes for the job they were working on. After a few moments passed, and Logan hadn’t pushed further, Jason resisted looking up. If he had indeed dropped it, he didn’t want to rehash it. Directing his gaze toward the opposite side of the large room, Jason took in the amount of work their crew had completed yesterday. It was more than expected, for a Monday, and he was happy knowing they might just finish ahead of schedule.

Slipping his pencil behind his ear, he moved to take a closer look at the archway they would be working on tomorrow. Wednesday. The day he had a date with Tori. His phone vibrated against his leg.

Quickly shoving his hand in his pocket to pull it out, he was not the least bit surprised at his anxiousness. When he finally got the phone out and saw the screen, his disappointment grew exponentially. Logan’s caller ID glared up at him, the profile picture of him flipping the camera off. The image only added irritation to his already growing pile of emotions.

Turning to Logan, he could see he still had his phone to his ear, like Jason was actually going to answer the call. Jason pulled the pencil from behind his ear and threw it at Logan. “I’m not going to answer it, douchebag.”

Logan let out a laugh as he dodged the pencil and put his phone away. “So what you’re saying is that a phone call from me isn’t an important thing.”

Jason shook his head as a small smirk graced his face, grateful for the banter to distract him. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Don’t we have employees you could be harassing?”

“Already done. I know my duties, big guy,” Logan said as he moved up next to Jason again, handing him his stupid pencil. “Now, you gonna tell me whose phone call you’re waiting for?”

Jason walked over to a nearby table and, leaning against it, he dropped his pad of paper down before crossing his arms and looking back at Logan. “Sorry man, guess I’m a bit tense this morning.”

Huffing a laugh in agreement, Logan said, “I’d say so. You want tell me what’s got you tied in knots?”

Logan and Jason had been friends since high school, and even though Jason wasn’t a talkative guy, if he were going to talk, it’d be to Logan. Well, and Jake. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jason closed his eyes and sighed, trying to relax. When he opened his eyes, he found his friend patiently waiting.

“I’m waiting for a call from a woman, okay. And before you say something like ‘just call her,’ the answer to that is, I can’t. She has my number, but I didn’t get hers.”

“Well, that was your first mistake. Since when do you give out your number, instead of the other way around?” Logan asked with sincere interest. “And when did you meet this woman? It’s the first I’ve heard about it.”

Jason shrugged. “I met her at the wedding, and I haven’t seen you since then.”

Tension rolled off Logan at the mention of Gillian and Jake’s wedding, and he dropped his gaze from Jason’s. Jason wanted to be sensitive to Logan’s feelings about it, but he wouldn’t sugarcoat the truth either. Logan had been a bit tough to be around the week prior to the wedding—understandably so. Even though he and Logan were best friends, Jake was his brother, and he was truly happy for him. Logan was the one who screwed things up; he would have to suck it up.

After a few moments, Logan asked, “Someone from the wedding who you hooked up with? Wait, didn’t you have my son with you that night?”

“I’m going to pretend that you didn’t just say something as asinine as that. Seriously, man? Come the hell on.” Jason glared at him. When Logan just raised his eyebrows, as if he really wanted an answer to his question, Jason glared harder and damn near growled through a clenched jaw. “No, I did not
hook-up
with some random chick while I was watching my two nine year old nephews. You can be such an asshole sometimes, you know that?”

Logan’s shoulders slumped. “Sorry man, not really sure why I thought that.”

“I could take one guess why.” Jason shook his head and continued, “Time to get the hell over her and move on … she has.”

Logan’s eyes took on that far-away look, which was customary when he thought about his ex-wife. Jason pitied the guy, but it was his own damn fault. Nodding, Logan moved to lean against the table next to him, his expression now exhausted. It only took him a moment to recover as he asked, “So, who is this woman who has you all anxious?”

Thankful they were back on track, Jason smiled as an image of Tori popped in his head, “A red-headed beauty named Tori.”

Logan snorted a laugh. “Dude, did you just say ‘red-headed beauty’?”

Totally comfortable with what he said, Jason nodded and let a big smirk cross his face. “I sure as hell did. Logan, my man,” he said as he patted his friend on the shoulder, “she has this amazing set of green eyes, pale creamy skin, and dark reddish-brown hair. Her hair is such a unique color, even your sister was shocked silent by it.”

Logan looked at him like he was crazy. “Allie was silent? Holy shit … that must’ve been some hair.”

Jason added, “Aside from the obvious attractiveness, she’s got a great sense of humor. Totally sarcastic and funny. She was great with the boys, and my favorite part …” He paused for dramatic effect as his best friend waited for it. “… she winked at me.”

“Well, hell, why didn’t you just start with that?” Logan said with a laugh. “I know what a hard-on you get for a chick who winks at you. I think it’s weird, but I know it’s your
thing
.”

He shrugged, once again comfortable with himself, “Hey, some guys have a thing for asses, some for breasts. Me? I love all of those, too, but damn, give me a woman with a witty sense of humor and a fun, sarcastic side, and I’m a goner.”

“Okay, so you’re a goner for this woman. Is that how you let her get away without getting her number?” Logan asked. Sighing, Logan’s words killed the buzz Jason had gotten from telling him about her.

“She had my business card, and I figured it was a closed deal. I’m thinking of calling her work and possibly leaving a message there for her if I can. Hell, I have her damn spare tire in my truck.”

“Not sure how you ended up with her spare tire in your truck when you met at a wedding,” Logan said.

“It’s a long story,” he said as he looked at his watch. “Let’s grab some lunch, and I can tell you all about it.”

~*~*~*~

Jason and Logan had just sat down at a patio table at their favorite taco shop when his phone rang. He was once again met with disappointment when he saw his brother’s name flashing on the screen. Answering it, he said, “Don’t you have anything better to be doing than calling me?” He made sure he was cautious about ribbing his brother in front of Logan. That would just be all kinds of fucked up to talk about Jake and Gillian having sex in front of him.

“I sure do, bro.” Jason could hear the smile in Jake’s voice as he spoke. “But I had to call and ask why the head caterer from my wedding would be leaving me a message asking for
your
phone number.”

Jason paused mid-bite at Jake’s words, the chip in his hand forgotten. “You got a message from Tori?” he asked with obvious excitement.

“Yeah, I did. She rambled on about how she had your number in her pants but washed them and now she can’t read the card. I figured I’d call you first and make sure you wanted her to have your number.”

“Hell yeah, I want her to have my number. We have a date scheduled for tomorrow, and she was supposed to text me her info. I was worried she had changed her mind,” Jason confessed.

“She sounded a little desperate to get your number,” Jake offered before Jason heard him defending himself to Gillian. “Okay, maybe desperate is the wrong word to describe her,” Jake clarified a second before his phone was overtaken.

“Jay?” Gillian’s voice made him smile.

“Hey, Gilly. Did I just hear you assault my brother?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but if he says stupid crap like that again, he’s gonna be awfully lonely the rest of his honeymoon,” she said with mock offense. Jake’s voice in the background was pleading his defense. Apparently the thought of being “lonely” on your honeymoon was enough to make Jake beg for understanding.

“Anyway,” Gillian said after she told Jake to be quiet, “why is my caterer calling and looking for you? You didn’t have a one-night-stand with her and then give her a shit number, did you?”

“Jesus. What the hell is it with you
Baxters
assuming crap like that about me today?” Jason asked with irritation.

After a moment of silence, Gillian said, “I’m sorry. I know you’re not that kind of guy, Jay. I just got worried because I loved what she did for the wedding, and she does catering on the side, so I wanted to use her again. So, ugh, I’m sorry … forgive me?”

His irritation dissipated. “You’re forgiven.”

“You said ‘Baxters.’ Did Logan say something like that, too?” she asked. “Tell him to apologize to you as well.”

Even though Logan kind of did earlier, he knew the guy would still do whatever Gillian said. “Gillian says you have to apologize to me, too.”

Logan rolled his eyes as he shoved a rolled taco into his mouth and mumbled, “I already said sorry, and you know it. Now tell her that.”

Obviously overhearing Logan’s response, Gillian laughed before saying, “Good, now do we give her your number?”

“No,” Jason said. “I want hers now. I’m all anxious waiting for her to call me.”

Gillian let out a small laugh. “I bet you are, big guy. I’ll text you as soon as we get off the phone.”

Jason hung up and set it next to his food. Digging in to his now slightly chilled burrito, he tried to patiently wait for the text to arrive. Once he got it, he quickly saved the info to his contacts, like it was going to disappear or something. Then he took a few moments to come up with what he wanted to say to her. He wanted to be playful, hoping he could make her laugh.

When they finished eating, Logan excused himself to the restroom, and Jason promptly dialed her number. After two rings he heard her voice—soft and sweet—come across the line.

“Hello.”

“So I heard you were trying to get ahold of me. Something about losing me in your pants …” he said with humor.

“Oh God, I hope this is Jason Michaels, because he’s the only person I recall losing in my pants this week.”

Jason laughed out loud, and the anxiety that had taken up residence in his shoulders dissolved.

CHAPTER NINE

TORI sighed as she rolled over and looked at her clock. Even if she was grateful for having the day off, it hadn’t been her intention to start it so damn early. And she couldn’t even blame it on her daughter. Between the vivid dreams and her aching hands from the night before, well rested she was not.

Her crew had a standing job with a church one Tuesday a month, and it always exhausted her. She didn’t really understand how the church managed to have so many people show up to their weekly dinner events.

Rolling back over, she glanced through the doorway into Lexi’s room and saw her sleeping still. Living in a small place worked out perfectly fine for the two of them, and it gave her peace of mind to have Lexi so close. She looked quite comfortable, snuggled up with her bear, her blanket tangled around her feet. With a soft sigh and matching smile, she flipped the covers back and made her way to the bathroom for a shower before Lexi woke.

As soon as Tori turned off the shower, she could hear the demanding wail coming from the bedroom. Shaking her head, she quickly popped her head out and grabbed a towel as she tried comforting her daughter from a distance. “Hang on baby girl, Mommy’s coming.” Wrapping her head in the towel, she grabbed her robe off the door and flung it on. Once Lexi spotted her, her cry turned to more of an excited whimper as she held her hands out to Tori.