Alpha Billionaire Series
Coming Home Chapter 15

MAKENZIE

I held the ladder steady as Ethan adjusted the sign. Gloria stood to one side and directed Ethan.

"Up a little more on the left."

Ethan moved the sign.

"Now back down a little," she directed. "Only like a quarter of an inch, okay."

"Mom, it's level. Are people really going to notice a quarter of an inch?"

"I will."

It was thrilling and nerves danced in my stomach. We were putting up the big sign. The sign that announced to the world we were a quilt shop. It suddenly felt like we had a legitimate business. We now had more than just a paper sign on the door. People would now know what we were doing. I was going to have to draw up another sign for the door, announcing how soon we would be opening. Another two weeks was our goal. And we were on target.

I heard Ainsley crying from inside the store. I glanced up at Ethan, and back at the door.

"Ainsley's awake," I announced.

"I can't do anything about that right now," Ethan quipped from up on the ladder.

"I'm aware of that. I don't think it would be a good idea for me to let go and go get her."

"She'll be fine for a minute."

"You let my child cry?"

"You don't?

"I've got her," Gloria said. She sounded completely exasperated with us. "Just make sure that sign is straight before you screw it in."

"Thanks." I continued to hold the ladder steady while Ethan started drilling the sign into place.

"How does it look?" he asked.

"I can't exactly see it from this angle."

"Step back, tell me what you think."

"I shouldn't let go of the ladder with you still on it. That's not safe, and I would hate myself if you fall."

"Maybe I can help?"

I sucked in a quick breath at Holden's voice. He stepped in close, and the nerves that were already dancing along my spine went into overdrive.

"I'll hold the ladder; you go take a look."

His arm reached across me and grabbed onto the ladder.

"Are you sure? I mean, you've been hurt."

Holden laughed at me. "I only hurt one arm. I'm strong enough to keep a ladder steady."

"Okay." I nodded.

I let Holden take over, and I stepped to the far side of the sidewalk. Our quilt shop had a sign. Tears welled up in my eyes. I covered my mouth with my hands. My cheeks started to hurt and I smiled so hard.

I couldn't believe this was actually happening. It felt more real with the sign up than it had unpacking boxes of fabric. That had felt like playtime in comparison to this.

"It's beautiful," I yelled up to Ethan.

"Is it safe to come down?"

"It looks good," Holden added.

Ethan started to climb down the ladder. Holden stepped out of the way.

"Thanks," Ethan said.

Holden held out his hand. "Holden Wells, good to meet you."

"Ethan."

Ethan looked at me and back up at the sign. "If we're done, I'll put this back, and then I'll go check on Ainsley." He started to pull down the telescoping ladder. "We're done. Thanks," I said.

I was tempted to follow Ethan inside, after all Holden had been completely ugly to me the last time, I saw him. "I should get going."

"Wait." He put a hand on my arm.

My gaze went to his hand, and I followed it up to his arm. He wasn't wearing a long-sleeved shirt, today he had one of those construction worker sleeves covering his arm. It was like a black tight sleeve that covered him from wrist up past his elbow. There was a small gap between the compression sleeve and his short shirt sleeve where I could see skin.

I met his gaze, and our eyes locked. The thrill of having the sign put up, and with Holden standing so close, my insides flipped with a completely different feeling. My pulse quickened, and I found it hard to catch my breath. I desperately wanted his arms around me. "Ethan seems like a good guy." Holden's attention was on the new sign.

"He's great. I wouldn't be able to do this without him." He was a super handyman and a super nanny all rolled into one. Ainsley certainly adored him. She was going to miss him when he headed back to school in the fall. I knew I was too. "How did you meet him?"

"He's Gloria's son. She's my business partner and mom's friend. We're all kind of interconnected. Sort of like how we used to be. My parents, your parents, my brother." I paused. "Us."

"Makenzie, the ladder provided me with an excuse to come over and say something. I need to explain my actions the other day," Holden started, cutting me off.

The way he talked fast made me think he had been waiting to say something difficult and now was his perfect opportunity. If he didn't get it out now, he might not ever.

"No, no. You were in a lot of pain. I could tell." I didn't want Holden to think talking to me was some kind of chore.

"Yeah, a lot of pain. I'm still pissed about that cyclist. I didn't handle it well, and I said things to you that I shouldn't have."

I bobbed my head in a noncommittal nod. I wasn't sure if he was looking for absolution or not. I really wasn't ready to give any. He had hurt my feelings four years ago, and all those feelings had come sneaking back in the dark when I couldn't sleep. His words the other day had brought up all those memories of hurt and loss.

I gave him a weak grin.

"So, a quilt shop, huh?" If I didn't know any better, I would have said Holden was reaching for something to talk about.

"Yeah, we will open in a couple of weeks. Look, I should probably let you go."

Even if Holden hadn't completely meant what he said when he told me to pretend, I didn't know him, part of me felt that he had said that for a reason. He was like a beautiful and dangerous animal, like a little poisonous tree frog. Getting too close was not a good idea. Touching was positively deadly. I would only get hurt. He had hurt me once; I was wary about being hurt again.

Holden released his grip on me, and the lack of touch was even worse than I could have imagined. It was a reminder of losing him. I had a sudden feeling that he would never touch me again.

"Do you have time to go get a coffee? Catch up on old times? I have missed so much. I want to know how you went from wanting to be an interior decorator to running a quilt shop with some friend of your mother."

"It's a long story."

"I have time," he said.

Well, I didn't. I had a shipment of fabric to unload and put on display. I still had to finish assembling the frame for the long-arm machine, and I needed Ethan to help me with that. I had grossly underestimated the amount of time that Ethan would be spending watching Ainsley. He was a great helper, but he spent his time unequally divided between Ainsley and helping set up shop, with the bulk of it watching my daughter. He was costing me a fortune, but he was worth it. "Unfortunately, I don't have time right now. But I really would love to catch up. Maybe another time?"

Holden looked upset. Part of me wanted to take back my words immediately. I didn't want there to be more hurt between us. I probably had time for a stroll down the street, but not enough to really spend time talking with him the way we both needed. He shrugged. "Yeah, sure. I'll let you get back to Ethan and your little shop," he said with bitter tones in his voice. "I won't bother you any longer."

I watched him walk away. He moved stiffly and the limp I had noticed the other day seemed even more pronounced. Was that because of the accident with the bike? Or was he hiding more than just scars with his clothes?

What kind of coming home reception had he gotten? He had come home, wrapped in bandages, and attended his father's funeral. What kind of a friend was I? I hadn't been able to say anything to him when he probably needed a friend the most.

I cast my gaze into the shop, and then back down the street to watch Holden's retreating form. Running after Holden seemed like something I would do if this were a movie.

"If it starts raining in the next thirty seconds, I will go after him."

I looked up at the perfectly clear sky. I didn't think I was going to get my movie moment of running after my lost love and kissing him in the rain. With a deep sigh, I headed into the shop. Unlike that movie moment, I knew how to use a phone, and I could still remember his phone number.