Page 169 of Clinically Bewitched
She laughed.
And in that moment, standing in our imperfect house with my ridiculous friends and my color-coded renovation plan, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Peace.
Or maybe it was just good vibes.
Either way, I’d take it.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Julien
My peace lasted exactly four days.
Four days of believing I had everything under control.
Four days of thinking my renovation spreadsheet was comprehensive enough to handle any contingency.
Four days of assuming that hiring the highest-rated construction company in New Haven would result in professional, efficient, no-nonsense contractors.
Four days before I realized the universe was still laughing at me.
“You must be Dr. Darcy,” the man said, extending his hand with a smile that could probably be seen from space. “I’m Mason. Owner of Flawless Construction.”
I shook his hand automatically, my brain struggling to process what I was seeing.
Mason was... objectively attractive. Not that I noticed these things. I was a surgeon. I assessed people clinically. Symmetrical features, good bone structure, clear skin, well-proportioned musculature—Stop it!
You’re not assessing him. You’re just... observing.
“These are my partners,” Mason continued, gesturing to the five men standing behind him. “Jasper, Clint, Bo, Chase, and Gavin.”
They all smiled.
In unison.
Like they’d practiced.
Oh no.
“We’re really excited about this project,” Jasper said. He had dark hair, green eyes, and a jawline that looked like it had been carved by Michelangelo. “Mason showed us your plans. Very detailed. Very impressive.”
“Thank you,” I said, trying to maintain professional composure.
“Verythorough,” Clint added. He was blond, blue-eyed, and had the kind of smile that probably caused traffic accidents. “We don’t usually get clients who color-code their renovation phases.”
“Organization is important.”
“It’sadorable,” Bo said.
I blinked.
“Adorable?”
“In a good way!” He had dark eyes, sun-kissed skin, and dimples that appeared when he smiled. Which he was doing. A lot. “We love working with detail-oriented clients.”
“Especially ones who care this much,” Chase added. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and had the kind of presence that suggested he could probably lift a house with his bare hands. “You can tell this project matters to you.”
