He chuckles, sizing up thepieces. “Yeah, it is.”
Across the hall, Laith and Thayer are putting together the boys’ beds. The boys? They helped a little, but quickly lost interest, as I expected. Now they’re outside doing who knows what. Terrorizing the poor squirrels in the tree? Figuring out how to roll the U-Haul down the hill? Plotting world domination?
I sit on the floor and bring my knees up to my chest. “I’ve always done things on my own. It’s easier that way. So this is new for me.”
He glances sidelong at me. “Get used to it here. This town is small, and we look after each other.”
“That’s… nice.” I wrinkle my nose. In reality, it sounds like my own personal hell.
He chuckles. “This may not be the right place for you, then.”
I sigh, resting my chin on my knees and locking my arms around them tighter. “I did it for them. Good school district and low crime rates.”
And this town is several hours away from our mother, so the chances of her showing up unexpectedly once she’s out of prison are slim to none. Not that I’d give her the address.
He pauses, Allen wrench in hand, and assesses me.
Uncomfortable with the scrutiny, I eye the stained carpet. How is he not concerned that he’s probably sitting on toxic waste? It’s probably eating a hole in his expensive jeans as we speak. “I think you’ll like it here.”
I exhale, my breath causing my dark hair to flutter. “Do you want help, or should I get out of your way?”
He looks up from his work again, one hand frozen in midair. “What’sgoing to make you feel better?”
“To help.”
“Then I’d be happy to have it.”
Thirty minutes later, the frame is assembled and we’ve positioned the queen-size mattress.
“Where are the sheets?”
“Oh.” My face goes hot. “I can handle that.”
The last thing I need is for my hot neighbor to see the holey, threadbare pink and white striped sheets. They were a girly indulgence I purchased with my first paycheck when I was sixteen. Even the TJ Maxx price was out of my budget, but their soft material made the splurge worth it and now I’m too attached to get rid of them.
He eyes me, raising his hands. “All right. Anything else you need?”
Lips pressed together, I pretend to ponder his question. “I think I’m good.”
The amused look he gives me—lips half curled—tells me he sees right through me. “I ordered pizza. It should be here any minute,” he announces, wiping his palms off on his pants.
I wince at the dust stains left behind in the shape of his massive hands.
“When did you have time to order pizza?”
“I used the app. Takes like two seconds,” he says.
He did pull out his phone halfway through assembling the bed, but I figured he was checking in with a girlfriend or something. Because there’s no way a guy this hot is single.
He only paused for a minute, but maybe that was enough time to text a girlfriendandorder pizza.
I’m the one who should be providing a meal for him and his friends?—
My stomach growls at the thought of food.
He grins, triumphant.
“I haven’t eaten today.” I bring a hand to my stomach and grimace.
