Another chuckle. “Do you remember the last time Daniel asked you to fix the fence on your own without his help? You nearly cut your finger clean off with that wire.”
“That wasthree yearsago,” Marcus argued. “And I doubt that Nora needs a fence fixedinthe house. She’ll probably have me fixing some plumbing or something.”
Mateo shook his head. “I don’t know that this is a good idea.”
“Well, it’s not up to you, is it?” Marcus could feel his patience waning. “I’m not really here to ask for your permission. I wanted to give you a heads-up. I’ll let Daniel know that he’s going to have to spread out the chores I can’t get to.” For some strange reason, Marcus wasn’t in the headspace to have an open discussion. He’d made his decision. And he’d already committed to helping Nora in person. No one was going to stop him from doing what he’d said he would.
“Easy, little brother. I’m good with it. I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. Being a handyman is a lot different than the stuff we have you do around here.”
“And there are plenty of videos online to help fill in the gaps of knowledge I might have,” Marcus answered.
Mateo cocked his head to the side and smiled at him. “And what about Wynter?”
“What about her?”
“You two were pretty close.”
“Yeah,” Marcus sniped, “and?”
“And,” Mateo drawled, “is it going to be okay working in such close proximity to the friend who left you high and dry?”
“She didn’t leave me high and dry,” Marcus said.
“Oh? What do you call it?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Marcus winced. Those were the words she’d used on him when he’d asked why she left. “I’m not doing this for her. I’m doing this for Nora. Any other questions you might have?”
His brother laughed softly under his breath. “Nope. Just… be careful.”
“I’m not going to cut my finger off helping out around the house.”
“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.” Mateo gave him a meaningful look.
Marcus nodded and left the office more unnerved than he thought he’d be coming out of that conversation.
The followingmorning as Marcus made his way toward Nora’s house, he got a call. Without looking to see who it was, he answered. “Yeah.”
“Marcus, are you planning on coming to the Christmas party the Callahans are hosting? I hear there’s going to be some fresh blood in the mix.” Lincoln Meyers had been a football player on the same team as Marcus back in high school. They’d been friendly enough, but Marcus hadn’t been interested in forging close friendships beyond what he had with Wynter.
Until she’d left.
Marcus sighed. “I don’t know, Linc. I think I’m tapped out.”
“You always say that. Why don’t you ever come hang out around Christmas?”
Because Christmas had been the one holiday that Marcus had actually loved. And it had all been because of Wynter.
“Wait,” Lincoln interrupted. “Don’t answer that. I know why. But seriously, man. You need to start living your life.”
“I do live my life. I live it the way I want to when I want to.”
“You haven’t had a serious girlfriend in years.” Lincoln was hitting him where it counted.
“And a girlfriend isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.”
“Wynter wasn’t even your girlfriend, was she? I mean, you guys hung out all the time, but it wasn’t like she dumped you. I don’t get it.”
No, he didn’t. And he probably never would. Marcus sighed. “Wynter’s back in town.”
