“Should . . .” Scott stood rigid. “What time are you working on it?”
“Right after work. I can’t risk Nan getting back up there.”
He nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll grab some of my tools and meet you there.”
I looked up at him in shock. “Wait . . . meet me there? Meet me where?”
“At your house.” He folded his arms and looked down at me in my chair.
I held my hands up in protest. “You don’t need to come. I can handle it.” I wasn’t sure if I was more worried about Nan’s reaction to him, Ashley seeing his shiny car at our house, or seeing him fix our roof and having more fuel for my dreams. All options were very dangerous.
Scott chuckled. “I know. It’s not for you, it’s for me.” He turned and started walking to his office.
“Wait, how can it possibly be for you to help me fix our roof?” I followed him.
“That way I won’t have nightmares about you falling off your roof.” He chuckled, proud of his joke.
I folded my arms. “I’ve climbed on that roof for the last ten years.”
Scott shuddered.
“Whatever.”
Scott turned back to face me and rested his hands on my shoulders. “Marissa, please, let me help. My father would disown me if he ever found out I let you do it alone.” He gave my shoulders a squeeze. He studied my face. “Please,” he whispered, and my insides melted.
Ugh. There was no way I was saying no to those eyes. It waslike I was being pulled out to sea and tossed in its depths. “Fine,” I agreed and looked away, re-centering myself. “I mean, if you really want to, but?—”
Scott grinned and cut me off. “Thanks. And I know . . . you’ve got it.” He strolled to his office.
What did I get myself into?
Chapter Sixteen
SCOTT
After work,I hurried back to the B&B, changed into a t-shirt and jeans, and grabbed the compact box of tools I had gained from completing minor projects without Carol’s knowledge. I was determined to fix up Carol’s place. I knew she would refuse the help, but she was tired. Plus, resale values and all that. Win-win.
I rushed to my car. Who knew how fast Marissa would get that ladder up without me there?
I pulled into the short dirt driveway next to Marissa’s beat-up car. The house was quaint, surrounded by a short fence, a small wooden porch, and a navy-blue door. I found Marissa on the side of the house, dressed in a sweater and jeans and already halfway up the ladder.
I swore under my breath and hurried out of the car. “I thought you were going to wait for me,” I hollered as I rushed over to steady the ladder that was tipping back and forth with each of her steps.
“Yeah, well . . . like I said. I’ve got it.” Marissa grinned down atme, her brown hair framing her gorgeous face, and climbed the rest of the way onto the roof. Tension built in my shoulders. What if she fell? She reached into her back pocket. “Shoot, I forgot the nails.” She turned to head down the ladder.
“No wait there. I’ll grab them. Where do I go?”
She pointed to the front of the house. “They should be in a box on the left side of the porch. Nan can show you if you need her to.”
I nodded. “And you’ll stay where you are . . . right?”
She chuckled. “I won’t touch the ladder.”
I moved towards the porch. An older lady huffed as she reached over and grabbed the box of nails. Gray hair curled around her face, and her back curved beneath a worn flannel jacket.
I reached for the box she’d extended in my direction. “Thanks,” I said as I grabbed the nails. “I’m Scott. You must be Nan. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Her eyes sparkled as she looked me up and down. “Marissa said her boss was coming over, but had I known I was going to get to watchyouwork on my roof, I would've popped popcorn.” She chuckled.
