“No, you can’t,” Lula Mae said, pulling him in for a hug.
As soon as Bennett was done, Grace pulled Paige away while Lula Mae shooed the boys out into the living room. Paige looked at him before he left the kitchen, a huge smile turning up her perfect lips.
* * *
Brendan dropped an armful of wooden planks onto the ground just as Shep came up behind him and dropped another armful right beside his pile. Brendan had gotten Shep, along with Jax and Bennett, to help him build an art studio for Paige. He hated that she didn’t have a place that she could paint at in their house. He hated that she had to go off to her parents’ to find the best creative environment. He wanted her to have that space in their house, to be able to escape without having to actually escape.
The plan was to have it finished by Christmas. It was only going to take them a little over a week to build it. The hard part was keeping it a secret from Paige. He’d been able to build it while she was at work, Tara keeping an eye on her and letting him know if she left, and Oliver knew to tell Paige that Brendan was either on a towing call if she came in or with a client if she called.
The area that Brendan had picked to build the studio was a little off to the side of the property. It was behind a cluster of trees, but it still had a good view of the water. The only place that it could be seen was from the window in their bedroom. It was fairly dark when Paige got home from work in the evenings, and since Brendan had done his best to distract her when they were in their room, she still had no idea what he was doing.
Brendan and Bennett had leveled the ground and poured the concrete the weekend before. On Monday, Jax had helped him set up a water line so that Paige could have a sink and small bathroom. And on Wednesday, Shep had helped him build a good portion of the frame.
It had warmed up that week, reaching into the seventies. The warmer, dry weather had helped the concrete set easier. It also made it more enjoyable to work. Brendan had long been used to the inconsistent weather in Florida, but it still drove Paige crazy.
“It’s winter,” she’d said that morning, as she’d gotten dressed. “I should be wearing a scarf and a thick jacket and boots. Not a dress and sandals.”
“Well, in a couple of days it will be back in the fifties and you can wear those boots of yours, and nothing else,” he’d said, sidling up behind her and pressing his mouth to her neck.
“I don’t know how warm I’d be in just boots,” she’d said and sighed, leaning back into him.
“Oh, I’d make sure that you were plenty warm,” he’d said, reaching around and…
“God, you’re helpless,” Shep said, bringing Brendan back to reality.
“Why do you say that?” Brendan asked, looking at him.
“Because of that shit-eating grin that you always have on your face these days.”
“You’re just jealous,” Jax said, grabbing a plank and bringing it over for Bennett to cut.
“Oh, I absolutely am. I just don’t know how he roped us into helping him out with this little project,” Shep said before he took a long pull on his water bottle.
“Because one day,” Bennett said, grabbing the plank from Jax, “you’re going to have that same shit-eating grin on your face and you’re going to need help with some project of your own.”
“Yeah, we all know how helpless you are with plumbing,” Brendan said.
“Because nothing says ‘I love you’ like outdoor plumbing,” Shep mocked.
“And don’t you forget it,” Bennett said.
By the time the sun had set, all four walls were up, the roof was finished, and the electricity was running. The next day they painted the inside a pale yellow and then cut the wood for the shelves and countertops. Shep and Jax painted the outside the same gray the house was painted, while Brendan put in the shelves and counter and Bennett installed the sink.
“And I believe that we’re done,” Bennett said, turning the knob on the sink. Water gushed out of the tap, splashing against the metal bottom.
Brendan looked around the little space, very anxious for Christmas day.
* * *
On Christmas morning, Brendan woke up pressed against Paige’s back. One of his arms was under her pillow, the other wrapped around her, his hand up under her T-shirt, cupping her naked breast.
Brendan reluctantly pulled his hand out from under her T-shirt. He reached up and brushed her hair back from her neck and placed a kiss on her warm skin. She stirred and one of her hands came up, reaching for the back of his head.
“Merry Christmas, baby,” Brendan said into her throat.
She turned in his arms. “Merry Christmas,” she said and smiled sleepily at him.
Brendan lowered his mouth to hers, and it didn’t take long for him to settle on top of her and push inside of her warm body. He made love to her slowly, before he pulled her out of bed and into the kitchen. She made coffee while he heated up some scones that Grace had made. After they ate, they refilled their coffee and went into the living room.
Brendan sat down on the couch as Paige disappeared into one of the spare rooms. She came back a moment later holding a large, flat, square package.
“I’ve been working on this for months,” she said nervously as she handed it to him and sat down. “I hope you like it.”
“I have no doubt it’s amazing,” he said, ripping the paper and pulling it off.
His eyes widened as he stared at the canvas in his hands. It was a painting of the oak tree at the park. The same oak tree that had been his mother’s favorite, the one that was tattooed on his arm, the one that they’d sat in front of the first time they’d kissed.
“I’ve never put more of myself into something, Brendan. It’s the single most meaningful painting I’ve ever done.”
“It’s perfect,” he said softly, unable to stop the catch in his throat. It meant more to him than he could put into words. “Absolutely beautiful, Paige,” he said, putting the painting down on the coffee table and reaching for her. He kissed her, his hand coming up to the back of her head and tangling in her hair. “You’re the most incredible artist,” he whispered against her mouth. “You’re the most incredible everything.” He kissed her for another minute before he pulled back. “So you’re present, you can’t exactly unwrap,” he said, standing up. “Wait here a second,” he said before he left the room.
* * *
Brendan came back with a pair of her fuzzy moccasins and a sweatshirt in his hands. He’d pulled on a sweatshirt of his own and a pair of sneakers.
“Another one of your adventures?” she asked before she pulled on the sweatshirt. It was one of his and it smelled like him.
“Have I ever led you wrong?” he asked, holding out his hands to pull her off the couch.
“Not yet,” she said, letting him draw her to her feet. She slipped on the shoes as Brendan pulled out a scarf.
“Now, if you’re going to tie me up, I feel like we should be taking off clothes, not putting them on.”
Brendan froze, his mouth dropping open and his eyes going so hot she thought that her hair might’ve been singed.
It took him a second to find his voice. “Are you serious?”
“Well, I’ve never done that before. But I have a feeling it could be fun.”
“You never cease to amaze me.” Brendan grinned as he came up behind her and pulled the scarf over her eyes. He gently tied it at the back of her head before he brought his mouth to her ear. “And you better believe I’m going to take you up on that offer.”
“Good,” she said as he slipped his hand in hers and led her across the room to the back door. “I’m going to fall,” Paige said as Brendan led her out onto the porch and to the steps.
“I’d never let you fall,” he whispered against her mouth before he kissed her. “Now hold onto both of my hands and listen to what I tell you to do.”
“You know that I never listen well,” she said and smiled.
“Oh, I’m fully aware of that.” He slowly led her down, both of her hands in his. He didn’t let go of her until she was safely off the stairs.
She had no idea where he was leading her. She thought he might be leading her out to the boat, but instead of going straight ahead he veered off to the right.
“Alright,” he said, moving behind her. He tugged at the knots on the back of her head and when the blindfold fell away from her eyes all she could do was stare.
“Oh my gosh,” she said, turning around slowly. “You…you built me an art studio?”
“Well, I had some help.”
“Brendan,” she whispered his name as she stretched up and pressed her mouth to his. “You are an amazing, wonderful man. I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” she said, shaking her head as she gazed at him.
“I think you have that backward,” he said as he grabbed her hand and put a key in her palm. “Go check it out.”
Paige leaned up one more time and pressed her lips against his. “I can’t believe you,” she said and smiled, shaking her head before she took a step back from him and walked to the door of her new art studio.
It was at least twice the size of the shed she’d used at her parents’. The door had glass panes on the top, but Paige tried not to peek in as she stuck the key in the lock and turned the handle. She pushed the door open and took a deep breath as she looked around. It still smelled like paint and freshly cut wood. There were windows on the left and back wall. The back one looked out onto the water. Floor-to-ceiling shelves were on either side of the window to the left, an AC and heater unit sticking out of it while a counter ran along the entire right wall with a deep metal sink in the center. More shelves were stacked above and under the counter. There was a door on the right wall as well and Paige stuck her head in to find a tiny bathroom.
It was perfect.
“When did you do this?” she asked, turning to Brendan who was standing in the doorway. “How did you do this?”
“The last two weeks,” he said, reaching his hand out for her. She grabbed it and he pulled her toward him, folding her into his chest. “Jax, Shep, and Bennett all helped. So you like it?” he asked, his eyes lighting up.
“Love it,” Paige said, pressing her mouth against his. “And I love you.”
* * *
December slipped into January. Brendan and Paige had a quiet New Year’s together, spent in front of the fire, snuggled up together.
“What do you think about June?” Brendan asked as he lazily ran his fingers up Paige’s arm. “Is that enough time to plan a wedding?”
Paige looked up at him. “Five months? Yeah, that’s enough time.”
“How about the second weekend?”
“That sounds perfect,” she said and grinned.
With the date set, plans started to get underway. Before Brendan knew it, it was the beginning of April. They’d been so busy getting ready for the wedding that time had flown by. They’d started spending a lot of time over at Paige’s parents’ house, eating most dinners there and using it as the home base for all the wedding planning. On some nights, Lula Mae, Oliver, and Grace would come over with dinner and they’d help out too.
Whenever Brendan had been dismissed from whatever planning he’d needed to be a part of that day, he would hang out with Trevor, watching a hockey game and then baseball when the season started.
The last Saturday in April, the guys threw Brendan a bachelor party. Brendan spent the day out on the water deep-sea fishing with Oliver, Trevor, Jax, Shep, Bennett, Shep’s father Nathanial Sr., Shep’s little brother Finn, Shep and Finn’s uncle Jacob Meadow’s, all of the guys who played on the Stingrays, and all of the guys from the shop. They’d closed King’s Auto for the day.
“I really don’t know how fishing became the logical substitute for a stripper,” Shep said as he popped open a beer.
“I told you I didn’t want that,” Brendan said as he baited his hook. “I have absolutely no interest in seeing any naked woman besides Paige.”
“Oh, hey there, Mr. Morrison,” Shep said, looking over Brendan’s shoulder.
Brendan turned quickly to find no one behind him. Trevor was on the other side of the boat talking to Oliver and Shep’s dad.
“You’re the least funny person I know.” Brendan frowned, turning back to Shep.
“I’ve been telling him that for years,” Finn said, shaking his head at his older brother. “But he just never shuts up.”
Finn was a few years younger than Shep. They looked almost identical, same easygoing grin and deep blue eyes. There were a few differences though. Finn was slightly smaller, didn’t have tattoos, and wore his thick, dark hair a little shorter than Shep. Finn had just finished his second year of veterinary school and he was home for the summer.
“So how’s school going?” Bennett asked as he cast out his line.
“Long, man,” Finn said, shaking his head. “This summer is my last of freedom. Clinics start next year. What about you? How’s it been since you got back?”
“It’s better,” Bennett said and nodded. “Slowly but surely.”
Bennett had been hanging out with them a lot over the last couple of months, and Brendan had definitely noticed a few changes. Bennett was quick to smile again, much like he had been in high school, and some of the haunted man had left his eyes. He’d become a good friend too, so much so that he was going to be a groomsmen along with Shep and Jax.