The last time I’d seen Brax, he’d been about fifteen…and I’d been nineteen when I had left the small town of Maple Creek for Arizona. As a loud knock sounded at the front door, I tried to envision the man Brax had become. Visions of a cute, boy-next-door type made me grin.
Hopefully he didn’t remember the days I hadn’t been entirely nice to him, especially when I hoped he’d give me a great deal on the renovation.
The moment I opened the door, the smile vanished from my lips.
Wearing a sleeveless black t-shirt, dark, low-riding jeans that hugged athletic thighs, and scuffed work boots, the tall, tattooed man standing on my porch looked nothing like the boy I remembered.
I swallowed past the lump in my throat as my gaze slowly crept up his impressive frame to find myself staring into familiar green eyes that contrasted fiercely with his dark hair. I had been right on one count—Brax’s eyes were just as beautiful as I recalled.
“Mandy, welcome home,” he said, a huge smile on his face. Taking a step toward me, he extended his hand.
“Brax, it’s been a…long time.” My voice broke as I shook his hand, liking the feel of the calluses against my palm. Having worked in an office since graduating, I was used to men with soft hands. There certainly wasn’t anything soft about Brax, except for his smile…
“By my count, it’s been nearly seven years,” he said, his gaze shifting over me. Damn, I wish I’d worn something nicer than yoga pants and a stained, formless t-shirt. And I had just thrown my blonde hair up in a ponytail. Thank goodness I had put on some mascara and blush, so at least I didn’t feel like a complete mess.
“You look great, Brax,” I said. That was a vast understatement. Time had been incredibly kind to Brax Mitchell. Who knew he’d grow up to be a chiseled hottie with killer cheekbones and long eyelashes?
“Thanks, so do you,” he replied, and to my chagrin, I saw he had dimples as well.
I put a hand to my messy ponytail and smirked. “Now you’re just lying to make me feel better. I’m a wreck.”
“You look amazing,” he was quick to add. “You always do.”
Feeling uncomfortable under his stare, I pointed down the hallway. “Toby’s working on the toilet.”
His brows lifted high. “Really? And how’s that going?”
“I’ve heard a few cuss words coming from that direction.”
He laughed under his breath, a deep pleasant sound that made my insides tighten. “The man is a wizard when it comes to game design, but home design and construction—I’m not so sure about that.” He lowered his voice on the last few words and gave me a wink. “I can take all the help I can get though.”
Glancing past me into the living room, he grinned. “The house has nice bones. I like all the built-ins. Toby was right—the place has a lot of potential.”
He seemed genuinely impressed with the place so far. I knew the house was a steal and it made me happy knowing he thought it had good bones. “I think so, too. I feel fortunate to have found it, and I got a smoking deal thanks to my parents and Toby.”
“That’s what I understand.” He reached out and ran long-fingered hands along the door casing. “Real wood, too.”
Those were the hands of a real man. Masculine and callused, probably from long days wielding a hammer. I didn’t want to think about how young he was and what that meant in terms of experience with construction. Honestly, I was ready to forgo experience when he looked so good. He would serve as a nice distraction in the coming weeks.
“My house is the same. I live nearby…in case you ever need anything.”
My stomach tightened at that bit of information. When I had left Maple Creek, he’d lived on the other side of town, in an old duplex with his mother. “You have your own place?”
“Don’t sound so surprised,” he said, once again laughing lightly. “Not all of us live at home with our parents.”
“Hey, I heard that!” Toby yelled.
I laughed under my breath and whispered, “My mom keeps telling me that if I’m not careful, I’ll have my brother as a renter.”
Brax shook his head. “She spoils him too much. He’ll never leave home. He has it too good.”
“That’s exactly what my mom said last night.” I rolled back onto my heels. “I’m impressed you have a house at your age.”
“I suppose I could say the same thing to you,” he said with a mischievous grin that made my pulse quicken. “I saved up and bought my first flip a week after I graduated from high school. When it came time to sell I couldn’t bring myself to do it, so I moved in instead.”