Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 98134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
“I wish you wouldn’t try to pay me back,” I say. “I really don’t mind. Actually, I’d rather you save the money to get a place of your own. Or you could let me find you someplace to stay.”
Her expression falls a notch, and I hate how quickly I’m wanting to take back my words just to make her look happy again. “If I’m causing that much trouble for you, I could ask Jake to help me figure something out…”
I hesitate. Don’t say it, Jesse. Don’t fucking say it. “No. You’re not trouble. I just thought you’d want to be someplace with more privacy. I doubt you want to be sharing a cabin with a bunch of smelly hockey thugs.”
“You guys all smell great! I’ve loved being at the cabin. It’s like a vacation with a bunch of big brothers I never had.”
I sigh. “Yeah. Well, take your time.”
I head inside to see if Caroline has what I’ll need to repair the porch step. She’s serving brunch to a couple of older folks hanging out in her kitchen. It looks like some kind of tiny sandwich.
I move past her to the storage closet and find the drill and nails.
She eyes me. “Finally going to fix that porch step?” Caroline has on a white sweater with a giant red fuzzy ball in the center of her chest. There’s a cartoony eye on each of her boobs, and a huge curved smile across her belly.
The old man nods, chewing and swallowing his bite of the tiny sandwich. “I was going to mention it. That step will give out sooner or later. Someone could get hurt.”
“Yeah,” I say. “I’m on it.”
“Weird,” Caroline says. “You’ve been making excuses when I ask you. I guess if you get to watch Andi decorate the porch while you work on it, things are different, huh?”
“It’s not that,” I say.
“The cute one who played checkers with me?” The older woman asks. “She’s just a doll. She’ll make a fine wife for somebody.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” I say. “I think she might have more of a future in track and field.”
The older folks give me a confused look and Caroline folds her arms, scowling at me.
“What?” I say. “I thought it was funny.”
“The wood is in the storage shed. I think you’re going to have to cut it to size, though. Think you can handle that, Mr. Not-so-handy-man?”
I ignore her and head out back.
About half an hour later, I’m on my knees in front of the porch with the mostly cut-to-size board and the original ripped off. My spot on the steps has given me an unfortunate eye-level view of Andi’s ass in those jeans all morning. She’s constantly going on tiptoes to reach up for things, just daring me to stare.
“What do you think?” Andi asks.
I glance up, trying to figure out what she’s asking about. I see a little string of candy cane lights framing the front door and two windows on either side.
She puts a fist on her hip, tilting her head as she studies her work. “Is it too much?”
My eyes fall to her ass again, and I force them back to the decorations. “It’s great. They’re great,” I say, clearing my throat.
She glances over her shoulder, smirking. “How long is that going to take you, anyway? No wonder you don’t charge your sister. You’re super slow. You also realize you cut that step kind of crooked, right?”
“Are you an expert on replacing steps?” I ask. “Maybe I’m doing this fast. How would you know? And I’d like to see you do better with a thirty-year-old hand saw that’s rusted to hell.”
“Somebody’s grumpy today. Is that why you’ve been giving me the silent treatment?”
“I haven’t,” I say. “I asked about your sweater.”
She laughs. “And then you’ve proceeded to stare at the ground and pretend I don’t exist ever since.”
Definitely not true. “I’m trying to respect your brother,” I say. “He’s right, anyway. I was way over the line with you yesterday.”
She scrunches her face up. “What?” she laughs. “You weren’t at all. You’ve been a total gentleman since you rescued me off the side of the mountain. You didn’t even look up my dress when you boosted me into the truck! And that was when we’d just met. I think five out of ten guys would’ve looked. Easy. And not because I’m some hot commodity, just because who isn’t going to be curious if I was actually commando under my wedding dress. Right?”
“I could have sent you into those clothing stores with my card and waited in the truck. And I should’ve asked you to get dressed before trying to show you how the bed vibrates.”
Andi folds her arms. She’s so damn pretty it hurts. It hurts, because I know I’m not even remotely ready to date again or enter into anything resembling a relationship. Even if I was, she’s my best friend and teammate’s little sister. I need to get that fact tattooed on the inside of my damn eyelids at this point. It feels like I need constant reminding.