Well Built
Page 31
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Kyle passed out the bottles of butterscotch beer to each of his friends. “Ella, these three guys are my business partners,” he said, surprising her with the introduction. “Wes, Max, and Connor,” he added, pointing at each man as he said their name.
She smiled at each of them while trying not to think about how hot and sexy Kyle looked wearing a leather tool belt around his waist. “It’s nice to meet you all.”
“Ahhh, the mysterious Ella Fisher,” the good-looking guy named Wes drawled as he twisted the cap off the bottle before taking a long drink.
She lifted a curious brow, somehow suspecting that Wes was somewhat of an instigator, even though he wore a charming grin. “Mysterious?”
His eyes flashed with a wicked sense of humor. “As in, we finally meet the woman responsible for Kyle’s shitty mood this past week.”
Kyle glared at his friend. “Shut up, Wes.”
Wes merely laughed. “It’s the fucking truth.”
“Totally the truth,” Max added with a nod, then tipped the bottle of soda to his lips to hide his own grin.
Ella could only imagine what Kyle had said about her after the way things had ended between them, and honestly, she wasn’t upset. He had the right to confide in his guy friends, just like she did with Claire—and clearly, the one named Wes obviously liked to give Kyle a hard time.
Ella glanced at the last guy Kyle had introduced, Connor, recognizing him from her impromptu visit to Premier Realty over a week ago. “I believe we kind of met at your office,” she said to him, because in actuality, they hadn’t said a word to one another. He’d merely given her a curt nod she’d found strange, then quickly dodged around her and left.
He cringed in embarrassment. “I’m really sorry about that day. I didn’t mean to be rude . . . ”
She waved away his apology. “Please, don’t worry about it. It was an odd day the whole way around.”
“Damn, this is good stuff,” Max said, checking out the label wrapped around the amber-hued bottle. “I might have to order a case of it.”
“I hope you do,” she encouraged with a smile. “You’d be supporting the local merchants who are trying to make a living selling their handcrafted wares.”
“Ahh, a couple of cases, then,” he added with a friendly wink before finishing off what was left in his bottle.
She returned her attention to Kyle, determined to break the ice between them. “So, how’s it going in there?” she asked, nodding toward the building.
“Good.” He pushed his fingers through his dark hair, the ends around his neck damp with sweat. “It’s going quicker than we anticipated, so we should be done with the cleanup in a few hours. I hope we weren’t being too loud and bothersome.”
“It’s fine.” She smiled at him, but his expression was unreadable. “I know it has to be done, and I know it can’t be an easy task. Old Man Piedmont was the worst kind of hoarder.”
“Yeah, he was,” he answered without any inflection in his tone.
Could things be any more awkward between the two of them? She shifted on her feet and decided that she wasn’t going to force Kyle to talk to her or try to make more small talk, because that’s how it was beginning to feel, like even a basic conversation with her was much too burdensome for him.
She glanced back at his friends, who at least had been far more friendly and talkative. “Well, I’ll let you guys finish up your lunch so you can get back to work.”
The three guys thanked her for the soda she’d brought out, and Kyle remained silent. But as she started back toward the market, she heard one of the guys say, “Jesus, Coleman, could you be any more of a dick to her?”
Kyle muttered a reply she couldn’t hear, which was probably for the best. Hell, maybe it was even for the best that they kept their distance and pretended to be friends. He’d been less than happy when she’d suggested the arrangement last week, and clearly time apart hadn’t changed his attitude about it. She didn’t like it either, but what choice did they have?
For the next few hours into the afternoon, Ella kept herself busy—and away from the front window—helping William sort through and arrange the produce bins, cycling out the old and bringing in fresh fruits and vegetables. Just as they finished and everything looked neat and tidy, two women she didn’t recognize walked into the store. Since Fisher’s Grocery was the main grocery in town, Ella pretty much knew everyone in Woodmont, though they did have occasional people who passed through.
Judging by the chic way they were both dressed—one in a pretty spring dress and the other in a fashionable capri-and-blouse outfit—she assumed they’d come from the city. They glanced around the store, looking a little lost and out of their element.
Ella approached them with an amicable smile. “Can I help you find something?”
The curvier woman with the long, wavy blonde hair turned around, her blue eyes sparkling cheerfully. “Actually, yes you can. My husband sent me over here to order some of the butterscotch beer that you sell.”
Ella took a wild guess as to who her significant other was, based on his reaction to enjoying the soda. “Max?”
She nodded. “Yes, he’s mine,” she said, happily claiming him before introducing herself. “I’m Hailey Ellison-Sterling.”
“And I’m Natalie Sinclair,” the gorgeous, dark-brown-haired woman said with a smile. “And Wes, the smartass of the group if you haven’t already met him, is my husband.”
Ella laughed at the apt description of Wes. “Yes, I did meet both of them, and Connor, as well.”
“I’m afraid I have to claim him, too,” Natalie said in a humorous tone. “He’s my brother.”
“Well, it’s very nice to meet both of you.” Ella tipped her head kindly at Hailey. “So, how much of the butterscotch beer would Max like to order?”
“Two cases, if that’s okay.”
“Absolutely.” Ella was thrilled that more of the soda was going to find its way into the city. “Why don’t you follow me, and I’ll take down your order and delivery information to pass on to the supplier.”
While Natalie casually browsed the store, Hailey accompanied her to the far-end register that wasn’t currently being used. Ella retrieved an invoice pad and wrote down the order while the other woman gave her the home address where Max wanted the cases of soda shipped to. Hailey handed over a credit card for payment, and when they were done, they joined Natalie, where she was trying various samples of shea body butters that were on a small display.
She smiled at each of them while trying not to think about how hot and sexy Kyle looked wearing a leather tool belt around his waist. “It’s nice to meet you all.”
“Ahhh, the mysterious Ella Fisher,” the good-looking guy named Wes drawled as he twisted the cap off the bottle before taking a long drink.
She lifted a curious brow, somehow suspecting that Wes was somewhat of an instigator, even though he wore a charming grin. “Mysterious?”
His eyes flashed with a wicked sense of humor. “As in, we finally meet the woman responsible for Kyle’s shitty mood this past week.”
Kyle glared at his friend. “Shut up, Wes.”
Wes merely laughed. “It’s the fucking truth.”
“Totally the truth,” Max added with a nod, then tipped the bottle of soda to his lips to hide his own grin.
Ella could only imagine what Kyle had said about her after the way things had ended between them, and honestly, she wasn’t upset. He had the right to confide in his guy friends, just like she did with Claire—and clearly, the one named Wes obviously liked to give Kyle a hard time.
Ella glanced at the last guy Kyle had introduced, Connor, recognizing him from her impromptu visit to Premier Realty over a week ago. “I believe we kind of met at your office,” she said to him, because in actuality, they hadn’t said a word to one another. He’d merely given her a curt nod she’d found strange, then quickly dodged around her and left.
He cringed in embarrassment. “I’m really sorry about that day. I didn’t mean to be rude . . . ”
She waved away his apology. “Please, don’t worry about it. It was an odd day the whole way around.”
“Damn, this is good stuff,” Max said, checking out the label wrapped around the amber-hued bottle. “I might have to order a case of it.”
“I hope you do,” she encouraged with a smile. “You’d be supporting the local merchants who are trying to make a living selling their handcrafted wares.”
“Ahh, a couple of cases, then,” he added with a friendly wink before finishing off what was left in his bottle.
She returned her attention to Kyle, determined to break the ice between them. “So, how’s it going in there?” she asked, nodding toward the building.
“Good.” He pushed his fingers through his dark hair, the ends around his neck damp with sweat. “It’s going quicker than we anticipated, so we should be done with the cleanup in a few hours. I hope we weren’t being too loud and bothersome.”
“It’s fine.” She smiled at him, but his expression was unreadable. “I know it has to be done, and I know it can’t be an easy task. Old Man Piedmont was the worst kind of hoarder.”
“Yeah, he was,” he answered without any inflection in his tone.
Could things be any more awkward between the two of them? She shifted on her feet and decided that she wasn’t going to force Kyle to talk to her or try to make more small talk, because that’s how it was beginning to feel, like even a basic conversation with her was much too burdensome for him.
She glanced back at his friends, who at least had been far more friendly and talkative. “Well, I’ll let you guys finish up your lunch so you can get back to work.”
The three guys thanked her for the soda she’d brought out, and Kyle remained silent. But as she started back toward the market, she heard one of the guys say, “Jesus, Coleman, could you be any more of a dick to her?”
Kyle muttered a reply she couldn’t hear, which was probably for the best. Hell, maybe it was even for the best that they kept their distance and pretended to be friends. He’d been less than happy when she’d suggested the arrangement last week, and clearly time apart hadn’t changed his attitude about it. She didn’t like it either, but what choice did they have?
For the next few hours into the afternoon, Ella kept herself busy—and away from the front window—helping William sort through and arrange the produce bins, cycling out the old and bringing in fresh fruits and vegetables. Just as they finished and everything looked neat and tidy, two women she didn’t recognize walked into the store. Since Fisher’s Grocery was the main grocery in town, Ella pretty much knew everyone in Woodmont, though they did have occasional people who passed through.
Judging by the chic way they were both dressed—one in a pretty spring dress and the other in a fashionable capri-and-blouse outfit—she assumed they’d come from the city. They glanced around the store, looking a little lost and out of their element.
Ella approached them with an amicable smile. “Can I help you find something?”
The curvier woman with the long, wavy blonde hair turned around, her blue eyes sparkling cheerfully. “Actually, yes you can. My husband sent me over here to order some of the butterscotch beer that you sell.”
Ella took a wild guess as to who her significant other was, based on his reaction to enjoying the soda. “Max?”
She nodded. “Yes, he’s mine,” she said, happily claiming him before introducing herself. “I’m Hailey Ellison-Sterling.”
“And I’m Natalie Sinclair,” the gorgeous, dark-brown-haired woman said with a smile. “And Wes, the smartass of the group if you haven’t already met him, is my husband.”
Ella laughed at the apt description of Wes. “Yes, I did meet both of them, and Connor, as well.”
“I’m afraid I have to claim him, too,” Natalie said in a humorous tone. “He’s my brother.”
“Well, it’s very nice to meet both of you.” Ella tipped her head kindly at Hailey. “So, how much of the butterscotch beer would Max like to order?”
“Two cases, if that’s okay.”
“Absolutely.” Ella was thrilled that more of the soda was going to find its way into the city. “Why don’t you follow me, and I’ll take down your order and delivery information to pass on to the supplier.”
While Natalie casually browsed the store, Hailey accompanied her to the far-end register that wasn’t currently being used. Ella retrieved an invoice pad and wrote down the order while the other woman gave her the home address where Max wanted the cases of soda shipped to. Hailey handed over a credit card for payment, and when they were done, they joined Natalie, where she was trying various samples of shea body butters that were on a small display.
