Ruining Mr. Perfect (The McCauley Brothers) (9 page)

“Yeah, yeah.” His father snorted. “Take it easy, Nancy.”

They worked together well, as they always had, making sure of the window’s level, eliminating any gaps, adjusting the frame a few times, and again leveling off the window until the jam was plumb. The radio played as Mike seated the nails, and he and his father settled into a familiar rhythm. As they worked, Mike watched his breath expel in clouds around his face.
Fuck
, it was cold. But far be it from his father to complain, because for damn sure Mike would fire the old “Nancy” insult right back at him.

Nancy—as in, you’re such a
girl
. A common jibe Mike had always ignored, especially because he knew his dad meant nothing by it. They’d had their share of female employees who kicked ass. The Nancy comment was old-school machismo at its best, especially because it irked Cam. Even Colin turned a deaf ear to it, and his six-year-old had entered an anti-girl phase, so
Nancy
really meant something to him. But to hear Cam tell it, their father had only ever used the “nasty insult” on him. Friggin’ overly sensitive number cruncher. Mike appreciated a good row. Hell, he and his father argued every damn day. And their
discussions
only made them closer.

At the thought, he decided to give his dad a ration of shit. Screw playing nice. “Please. You’re just jealous because you’re only good for flooring and tile work. And let’s face it, when it comes down to you or Sal on tile, it’s a toss up as to who’s better.”

“Smart-ass.” His father double-checked that the windows were square before he grunted his assent and sealed the perimeter. Rote actions from doing the job forever. “Spoke to your brother.”

“Which one?” Mike flexed his fingers to restore feeling to them. He wore fingerless gloves while his father went bare knuckle. Tough bastard.

“The
little
one.” His dad grinned. “Pisses him the hell off when you all call him that.”

“I know.” Mike laughed and waited for his father to continue the conversation.

His father grunted but said nothing, and Mike let him work out whatever seemed to be on his mind while James finished with the outside caulking, flashing, and fitting in the sash. Then they both walked into the house together to do the rest.

Once Mike finished sealing the inside, he had a good hour to wait before adding more foam. So he started going through the house, double-checking the work in progress. As usual, he had no fault with his crew. It had taken McCauley Co. Construction a good ten years to find a decent group of guys who stuck. He’d been working for his father for fifteen years, the last five as a partner in their small but valued company.

So much blood and sweat poured into the job that now seemed to run like clockwork. Hell, they had people lined up to get their attention, and he no longer worried about being able to afford to send his son to college.
If
he sent him. Because according to Cam, at the rate Colin listened to Brody, Mike might very well have to save for future bail money. As if Mike would let that happen. Cam, such a worrier.

Mike returned to the downstairs kitchen area, which was mostly intact since his father had taken over the room’s construction. The cherry wood cabinets gleamed and the granite counters looked amazing. Between Gardner’s—Maddie’s design firm—McCauley Co. Construction, and McSons Plumbing, this house would be a showcase and one of their best remodels yet.

“Nice work,” he said to his dad.

Another grunt.

“Well?”

“Well what?”

Mike swallowed a swear. “You said”—he paused and lowered his voice to imitate his dad—“‘Spoke to your brother.’ And…?”

“Oh. We patched things up.”

“I still don’t get why you think Cam hates what we do. He never said as much to me. I think he likes knowing he’s got an in with a reputable construction company.” Mike grinned, but his father shrugged. “What did he say when you asked him?”

“Nothing.”

“Cam said nothing? I doubt that.” The guy liked to talk things to death. Kind of like Brody, but instead of sparring with taunting words, Cam went deep. Like, emotionally messy deep.

“Hell. We made up. Were we supposed to kiss and cry?” his father sneered.

Mike sighed. “Whatever. So you’re getting along. About fucking time. So are you going to
not
talk to Mom too and make up?”

“Not funny, Mike.”

“No, it’s not.” Mike stared at his father over the counter, seeing so much of himself in the man. “Come on, Dad. Can’t you just talk to her?”

“I’ve tried for months. Woman closed down on me.” His father ran a large hand through his hair, which needed a cut. “You don’t need to be hearing this. This is between me and your mother.”

“Not when it affects all of us. We love you guys. You and Mom both.” He hated to ask, but it needed to be said. “Have you two gone to couples therapy?”

“No.”

“I hate to butt in—”

“Then don’t.”

“—but it seems to me you’re both too close to the problem. You don’t feel comfortable telling me about you and Mom, but you’ve shared that you’re into some other woman.” Which hurt like hell, but Mike tried to be impartial. Wanting to beat common sense into his father wouldn’t help.

“It’s not like that.”

“Right.”
Could
have
fooled
me. Don’t judge, Mike. Don’t judge.
“Whatever. Point is, you won’t talk to Mom. You won’t talk to me or the guys. Won’t talk to Uncle Van, and I know because I asked him.” His father’s brother-in-law, Aunt Linda’s husband. “Why not talk to someone impartial? Someone who doesn’t know you or Mom and won’t take sides?”

His father looked uncomfortable but didn’t disagree.

“Dad, think of it like this. How would you feel if you knew Mom had a thing for some other guy?”

His father just stared at him.

“What? She
does
?”

“Hadn’t realized your voice could get that high,” his father said in a droll voice.

“No way. Uh-uh.”

“Yep. It’s exactly like that. Hard for me to compete with those college types.”

“Dad, you’re wrong.” Mike knew for a fact his mother loved his father. Beth McCauley wasn’t the type to be unfaithful. Then again, he’d never thought his father would look at another woman either. “Look, see someone. Why don’t you—”

“Son, I know you want to help, but again. This is between me and your mother. Keep the fuck out of it.”

Feeling like he was losing the battle, Mike tried one last time. “You know, Lea and I had our share of problems.” He and his deceased wife had loved each other like crazy, every damn day they’d had together. Through the fights and the make-ups, the ups and downs. “But we got through them. Until it was too late. You never know how much time you have left,” he said, wishing he didn’t sound so gruff. But even now, after all these years, it hurt to think about her.

His father softened. “I know, boy. But that’s the point. Time is too short to deal with mistakes and the knowledge you can’t change who you are inside.” James rounded the kitchen island and put his hand on Mike’s shoulder. “Some things just are. You know better than most how true that is.”

Mike nodded and turned away, not wanting his father to see the shine in his eyes. He hadn’t cried for Lea in six long years, and he refused to now. But the thought of his parents no longer together touched him deep down inside. Made him feel the pain of separation all over again. “I’ll be in the living room.”

“Mike…”

He left his father behind, praying Cam had more luck with their mother. Because he sure as shit had no idea what to do with the obstinate man.

Vanessa hurried home Thursday night, hoping to get in a run before Abby’s book club. Sure, she’d liked the book. She didn’t need to talk about it. She needed to
run
.

Between work and the last four days of celibacy since Cameron, she felt ready to jump out of her skin. She hadn’t realized how sexualized he’d made her, but since their time together, she couldn’t seem to turn off her libido—for Cameron.

After shutting the front door behind her and stepping out of her heels, she ran upstairs only to hear Abby yelling at her to hurry and join the others. So much for a run.

Changing into a comfortable pair of yoga pants and a thick sweatshirt, Vanessa took a deep breath and let it out, preparing for a long night of boring talk. Once they passed the sex parts of Abby’s book, Vanessa would zone out, not caring to discuss the emotional angst she’d skimmed through. Deep feeling wasn’t her thing, especially not after a hellacious workday.

She joined the others and looked around at a few people she didn’t know, and one she hadn’t realized would be coming.

“Del?”

Del nodded and rolled her eyes when Abby turned away. The ash-blond mechanic had fit into their small group surprisingly well the last time they’d all gone bowling.

Vanessa couldn’t see Del’s fascinating sleeves of tattoos, as the woman wore a dark sweater to combat the weather. She wore a diamond stud in her nose and a small hoop in her brow that somehow made her look tough and sexy, as opposed to metal-grunge. She also wore her hair in a loose French braid, which should have softened her appearance but didn’t. The woman’s hard gray eyes and angular features screamed
don’t screw with me or I’ll end you
. Vanessa had automatically liked her.

“So you got roped into this too?” Del murmured in a husky voice when Vanessa sat next to her on a kitchen chair someone had dragged into the living room.

Before she could answer, Maddie entered with a tray of goodies. She wore her hair up. Her favorite emerald earrings—which Flynn had bought her—danced brightly against her delicate lobes, and her fully made-up face and fancy dress had her resembling a model from a magazine.

“Oh, good,” the redhead said with syrupy sweetness. “Nessie’s home.”

Another childhood nickname she’d thought her cousin had permanently buried. Then again, it sounded better than Van-zilla.

“Madison.” Vanessa nodded. “Nice to see you breathing on your own again.”

Their good friends Kim and Robin, sitting together on the couch, frowned. “She’s having trouble breathing?” Kim asked. Fair where her partner was dark, and feminine with frills, she had a mind as sharp as a tack and ran a successful interior design firm with her life and business partner, Robin.

“Yeah.” Vanessa sighed, pretending grief. “Poor Maddie’s been lip-locked to Flynn so often I worried she’d forgotten how to breathe on her own.”

Robin and Kim laughed. Abby chuckled. Maddie scowled, and the three women Vanessa didn’t know looked from her to Maddie with wide eyes.

“So is this going to get physical? Because I gave up watching a killer MMA fight to be here.” Del sounded bored.

“Did you read
Fielder’s Folly
?” one of the women asked. She looked to be in her mid-forties. Attractive, plump, and by Vanessa’s guess, a true Abigail D. Chatterly fan. Abby’s pen name had actually garnered her more than her fair share of hero worship the past few times she’d gone into the local bookstores. A fact that confirmed what Vanessa had known from day one—her friend had skill, and finally the confidence to stop hiding behind her pen name and be proud of her books.

“I did,” Del answered without flinching.

“And who are you?” Vanessa cut in, since Abby hadn’t seen fit to introduce anyone.

“Vanessa.” Maddie glared.

“I’m sorry.” Abby’s pink cheeks amused Vanessa—and Del, by the quirk of her lips. “Essie, May, and April, my roommate Vanessa. Vanessa, you already know everyone else.”

“May and April?” May was the attractive fan, and April looked enough like her to be her sister.

April sighed. “We have another sister. Don’t ask. I’ll just tell you. Her name is June.”

Vanessa cracked up. “Wow. Your parents really went all out on your names, hmm?”

“Jesus, Vanessa.” Maddie let out a loud sigh. “I apologize for my cousin in advance.”

“Don’t. She’s right.” May groaned on a laugh. “My mother’s name is Muriel, named after her mother. But in order to save us from a lifetime of living as Gertrude and Ethel—our great-aunts—we got May and April. I’m okay with it. It’s only when we do mass introductions that life gets weird.”

“Okay, everyone.” Maddie whistled to grab their attention. “Drinks are in the kitchen, along with a few other snacks, so help yourself. But now, it’s time to talk about the book. Abby, why don’t you start us off?”

Vanessa took some lactose-heavy cheese and a gluten-full cracker and nibbled. It was going to be a long night.

Or so she thought. Two hours later, she was surprised to find she’d enjoyed herself. Essie, May, and April loved Abby’s books, which made Abby sparkle. That in turn pleased Vanessa to no end. Giving her roomies crap amused her, but there was nothing quite like a friend’s success to give her the warm fuzzies.

As the night wound down and the new girls escaped with hasty good-byes and promises to return next month—
God
help
me
—Abby pulled Del aside and said something in a low voice.

Vanessa frowned, because Del looked right at her and nodded.

“What?” she asked.

Del waved her away. Had Vanessa not been a fitness nut, she might have been intimidated by the woman’s muscular form not quite hidden by her bulky clothes. She’d seen Del handle a bowling ball like it weighed nothing. From what Abby had described, the woman could turn a wrench and fix a heavy tire in no time at all. Vanessa respected strength, especially the discipline it took to exercise regularly. That and Del had a pissy attitude she more than appreciated.

“Fine. I’ll do it. But you owe me.” Del looked resigned.

Abby squealed and hugged her, and Del started before awkwardly returning the embrace.

“Aw, isn’t that cute?” Robin teased, standing next to Vanessa while holding Kim’s hand. “She’s got that scared-of-a-friend look you often wear.”

“Who, me?” Vanessa turned to see Robin smirking at her. “Hey, I’m not the one scared of making friends. Or of making a commitment.” Big fat lie. “It took you—what—four
years
to propose to
your
friend? Slow as molasses pot calling kettle black. Hello.”

Kim laughed. “She’s got you there.”

Robin frowned at her partner. “Hey, I was building up to marriage. I just wanted to make sure you were worthy of my fine affection.”

Kim just looked at her.

Robin flushed. “Or maybe I was building my courage. You’re a scary woman. Probably why you and Van-zilla get along.”

Vanessa turned to Maddie, who grinned. “Great. Now you’ve got them calling me that, too?”

Kim patted her on the cheek. “Don’t worry, honey. I prefer Va-Nessie. Like Old Nessie? That Loch Ness Monster? The one with the big feet?”

“Nessie’s a water serpent. No feet, just a big-ass tail.” Del shook her head. Then she glanced at Vanessa’s socks and whistled. “But wow. Vanessa does have some big dogs, huh?”

“
Et
tu
, Del?” Vanessa scowled at her.

Del held up her hands. “I surrender. Don’t kick me. You might dent my spine.” She snickered. “Later, guys. I have to get home. Business to run early in the morning, you know.”

Vanessa watched her leave. “Charming she is not. And yet, for some odd reason, I find I like Suzie Tattoo.”

She turned to see Maddie and Abby eyeing her with speculation. “What?” She looked at her cousin. “Why do you keep giving me that weird look?”

Maddie shrugged prettily. “Gee, Vanessa. I don’t know what you mean.” The wattage of her smile warned Vanessa to be wary.

“I’m watching both of you.” She pointed two fingers at her eyes, then at them and back again. “Like a hawk.” Unfortunately, a yawn took the sting out of her threat.

“I’m bushed.” Abby yawned too and stretched. “Thanks for coming, guys. That was a lot of fun.”

“It was,” Vanessa agreed. “I’m beat. See you guys in the morning.”

She trudged upstairs. After settling into bed, her thoughts immediately turned to Cameron.

They’d talked only briefly this week, both of them slammed with more work than they’d anticipated. Perhaps they’d run together again this weekend. She hoped. What with Valentine’s Day on Sunday, they could at least spend the day together before watching Colin. That might be fun. And maybe, just maybe, she could seduce him again. Because God knew she needed the respite from the images of naked Cameron running through her mind every five seconds.

As predicted, she dreamed about him without meaning to. But her fantasy turned into a nightmare when he bent down on one knee to propose, and she said
yes
.

***

Sunday evening, Beth McCauley waited anxiously for her oldest son to finish sprucing himself up for his big Valentine’s Day date with Sheila somebody. Not one of the women she’d picked for him from her network of friends, but if Mike had decided to stop playing around and start dating again, she was all for it.

“Where’s he going, Grandma?” Colin asked, jumping around the living room. The boy had no off switch to speak of and only stilled when asleep. At three months, he’d started crawling. He hadn’t slowed down since.

She smiled and stroked his cowlick, having no success in smoothing it down. “Your daddy’s going out on a date tonight.”

Colin scowled. “With a girl?”

When he made that face, he looked like a carbon copy of his father. Such a funny little sweetheart. Mike had been just as fervent in his desire never to kiss a girl at six years of age. And then he’d met Lea and hadn’t been the same since.

“Yes, dear. With a girl. Someday you might find love as well.” Girl, boy, vegetable… If her grandson opened his heart and gave all of himself, she couldn’t care less about his chosen partner. So long as the boy didn’t take after his arrogant, hurtful grandfather.

Just thinking about James made her sad—mad.
I’m past the hurt.
Or so she kept reminding herself. Their problems had been growing for years, and she automatically grew angry when she thought about all she’d sacrificed in her life to make that man happy. Thirty-six flipping years, and for what? So that he could ignore their issues and make eyes at some trollop in the neighborhood coffee shop?

It didn’t help that said trollop had to be a good ten or more years younger than Beth.

She wanted to punch him. Hard. In the head. Many, many times. Ring his bell and get him to stop such nonsensical thoughts.

“Okay, I’m ready,” she heard Mike say as he left his bedroom and walked down the hall to join them.

“Wow, Dad. You look fancy. You smell good, too.” Colin’s eyes narrowed. “For a girl?”

Mike nodded. “For a very special girl. My favorite girl in the world.” He wore a black suit—complete with bow tie—that highlighted his powerful build and brought out the bright blue in his eyes—eyes that smiled at her.

My
special, special son. So handsome. Just waiting for the right woman to…
Favorite girl? “What?”

Mike gave her a hug. He lifted her off her feet and chuckled, ignoring Colin’s laughter and her breathless pleas to be put down.

He finally set her on her feet. “Okay, Mom. Time for us to go.”

“Go? But I’m watching Colin while you go on your date.”

The back door opened, and in moments Vanessa entered the living room with Cam trailing behind her. Both of them smiled at her. Such a handsome couple. If things went as she hoped, she might just get a marriage to balance her inevitable separation. She took a quick grip on her emotions and forced herself not to cry.

Yes, Cameron and Vanessa. A new beginning. Then she’d just have her oldest boy to handle. The most difficult of them all.

“Here are our sitters.” Mike nodded. “Thanks, guys.”

“No problem.” Cam grinned.

“No,” Colin moaned. “Not him.” He pointed at Cam and made shooting sounds. “He’s no fun. And she’s a girl.”

“Thanks, Captain Obvious,” Vanessa said drily. She turned to Beth. “Have fun on your date.”

“What date?”

When Cam handed Mike a bouquet of flowers he’d apparently been hiding behind his back, she didn’t know what to think. Because Mike suddenly held them out to
her
.

“Mom?” Mike said in a deep voice, sounding so much like his father it hurt. “I need a date tonight. As embarrassing as it is to be a thirty-three-year-old single man on a date with his mom, it
is
Valentine’s Day. And you’re pretty available.”

Vanessa chuckled. “Oh, smooth, Mike. Like but-tah.”

Cam snickered.

Mike glared at them. “Hey, I’m talking. Shut it, you two.” He cleared his throat and turned back to Beth. “Well? We have plans. Time to get you home and into that pretty blue dress you and Maddie bought together on Monday. Come on, woman. We have a dinner reservation at seven.”

Beth couldn’t help it. She teared up. “You’re so thoughtful. All of you.” She smiled and wiped her eyes, feeling so loved despite her circumstances. The man who should have been here wasn’t. But the boys she’d raised to be fine men had stepped in for their mother. “Oh my goodness. I’ll have to take a shower. I need to get home and dressed. I have to do my hair!”

Mike raised his gaze to the ceiling, as if asking for divine providence. “Ma, that’s what I’m saying.
Come
on.
We have plans.” He nodded to Cam. “You have my number if you need me.”

Cam waved him on. “Yeah, yeah.” Moving to Beth, her youngest smiled and gave her a big hug and a kiss. He smelled like expensive cologne and wore nice jeans and a sweater. Casual yet dressed up…for Vanessa.

She hid a smile. “Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetie.” She kissed him back, then hugged Vanessa and gave Colin a peck on the cheek.