Hearts Like Ours | Red View Romance #1

🍎 Five

Dawson lingered around the dining room and the adjacent kitchen with the excuse that he was on dish duty. It wasn't because he was eavesdropping, listening to Layla and Kenzie talk about tomorrow's boot camp plans. And it definitely wasn't with the intention of finding out more about Layla. At least, that's what he kept telling himself.

But the conversation never strayed from cardio and Pilates, so whether he wanted to learn about her or not, he didn't. Not unless he was interested in her workout routine—which, he supposed, could be interesting. Physical activity from a woman built like that could stir up longing in a dead man.

All this had him wondering as he washed dishes: what was he hoping to learn? And more importantly, why the hell did he want to learn it? Layla was a soon-to-be married woman, and even if she wasn't, he had no interest in anything further than a physical relationship, ever. Not after the last time he'd tried his hand at that.

Movement in the doorway caught his eye, and as if he'd been granted a silent wish, there she was. Beautiful, mysterious, and alone.

"Need any help?"

Dawson shook his head, both to clear his thoughts and to deny her. "Mom has a rule about making our guests do the dishes. Otherwise, yeah, I would've made you bus the table instead of me."

The laugh brightened her face and seemed to relax her whole body. He couldn't help noticing that she seemed to carry nerves with her wherever she went, but in a subtle way that was hidden underneath a layer of professionalism and easy social skills. He figured both were from the career—she had to be good with people, but he also heard from Kenzie and Craig that this whole boot camp thing was basically a test-run.

He'd never had to deal with that before. If he came to his parents with an idea about the business, they took it on. If it didn't work out, it didn't work out, and everyone moved past it. But then, McAden Orchard wasn't a famous company with star-studded clients. He guessed her parents had reason to be wary, and she had even more to be tense.

He didn't know why he felt the need to help put her at ease. "I hope we didn't overwhelm you. We don't make existential toasts at every meal, just so you know."

Her smile grew as she leaned a hip against the granite counter-top. "Too bad, because I was going to start preparing for the next one."

"Prepare for the wedding." At her look of amusement, he continued, "I'm only half kidding. Kenzie's a sucker for all that ooey-gooey stuff. I'm sure she and Marsh would appreciate it—especially since you three are bound to be friends for life, after enduring two weeks of pain and suffering together."

"Very funny." The curve of her lips didn't help her feign annoyance, but it sure did hold his attention. When she spoke again, her voice was softer. "It's nice that you all get along so well. I'm an only child, so I always wondered what it would be like, having a big family."

"Oh, we didn't always get along." A far-off look and a slow grin dawned over his features as he set the last dish in the drying rack. "This house was pure chaos when we were younger. And these days Jack and I grate on each other even more than we did back then."

"Oh. I'm sorry. You two seemed..." She trailed off, seeming to recount the evenings events in her head. He figured that she probably realized that he and Jack hadn't interacted all night, especially as she changed the subject. "Kenzie mentioned you have another brother?"

"Cliff. He's off playing piano in some orchestra in Amsterdam. He'll be back for the wedding, though. Kenzie'd never have it without him."

"I have to admit her excitement is already wearing off on me. It's good, that she's looking forward to it so much."