She groaned, not wanting to add on another cost.
“What’s wrong?”
Kenzie met his gaze, and something inside her snapped. “What’snotwrong? I’m in trouble with the IRS. My brother is on his way to becoming a criminal hacker. My water heater broke today. The big client we really need to nab to stave off the financial wolves had more to say to you than to me. And you’re really good-looking, and it’s throwing me off.”
His slow grin annoyed her even more because it drew her like a magnet.
She lowered her head to the table and banged her forehead a few times, needing to knock some sense into herself. “I can’t believe I just said that.”
Evan laughed. “You think you have problems? A beautiful woman asked me to coffee, and I froze. By the time I’d recovered enough sense to say yes, she’d left with her brother. Then when I got the stones to ask her out, she rejected me. Even worse, now she thinks I’m stalking her because her brother once again set me up. Oh, and don’t forget I probably ruined her huge business deal. So I think I’m winning in the ‘I can’t believe I did that’ contest.”
She raised her head, taken by his charm. “Oh yeah? I’m trying to sell walking, talking kale for a superfood company. And every time I sample their food, I want to puke.”
“That’s nothing. I’m filling in on the moving gig for my idiot cousin, who broke his arm while fighting a gang. Yeah, a gang. And he won. I couldn’t even save Lila from Rachel.”
She laughed then coughed and tried to look sad. “At least you have a cousin. I might have stopped Rachel from choking Lila, but I don’t have any cousins, a mom, or a dad. Just a criminally aspiring younger brother.”
“My dad is dead, my mom is forty years older than I am, and I sadly wish my cousins were my brothers because I always wanted a big family.”
“Hmm. That’s a good one.” She tapped her fingers on the table, mesmerized by Evan’s bright-gray eyes and sexy lips curled in a grin. “You’re as pathetic as I am in the family department. But my idea of fun is working and organizing my pantry, which I did twice on Saturday.” She started to enjoy the odd conversation.
“I do nothing but fix up my mom’s house and take her to doctors’ appointments when not working all the time.”
“I work with women who use words likelove slaveandpenis worshipperand have been known to wrestle in front of moving men.”
He laughed. “Yeah? I’m forced to work with a guy who just happens to be the secret son of my aunt, who’s now dead. Which makes him another cousin, but I’m not sure he knows we’re related, and I can’t ask.”
She gaped. “Seriously? That’s soap-opera worthy.”
They smiled at each other.
She started laughing. “You win. That takes the cake.”
“Did someone saycake?” her brother asked as he sat next to her. “Hey, Evan.”
“Daniel.” He pushed his uneaten pastry at her brother, who gobbled it up with a muffled thanks.
The gesture touched her.
“So is the tax problem a huge deal?” Daniel asked.
“It can be if it’s not handled right. But not really, no,” Evan answered. He said to her, “How would you feel about a trade?”
“What do you mean?”A kiss for a kiss? You’re on. Oh my God, I need to stop thinking with my ovaries!
“I fix your accounting problems. You design me a logo and help me with branding for my side business. I’m still doing accounting but on a much smaller scale, and I should probably have a more professional presence on the web. Word of mouth will only travel so far.”
“Um, that sounds…workable.”
“On top of that, I’ll throw in fixing the water heater. I’m a handy guy, always fixing stuff for my mom. So, do we have a deal?”
Before Kenzie could say yes, Daniel stuck out his hand.
“Heck yeah. I can’t do cold showers. And that’s not a sex reference. I just hate being cold in the water.”
“Daniel, ugh.” Kenzie wanted to sink through the floor. Bad enough her brother even knew about sex. She didn’t need to hear him referencing it.
“Nobody likes a cold shower.” Evan shook Daniel’s hand then let go and held his out to Kenzie. “Sound good?”
