“What money do you have? Didn’t you just say yesterday you’re a broke law student.”
“Who clerked at one of the top firms in New York City over the summer and saved my income. I can cover a couple of books and magazines for my mom.”
She lowers to kiss my cheek before she’s out of the room.
Now I’m left with the loud banging and drilling coming from the doorway by my grumpy next-door neighbor as he fixes my door.
CHAPTER 6
Joel
“That should fix it,” I say, opening and closing Ellyn’s front door for a third time. I run my hand up and down the frame, inspecting my work.
“The only thing left is the paint job, but this color doesn’t match the color of your frame.” The new panel I had to install around the frame fits well and secures the door, but the color of her doorframe is more of an ivory than the ‘swiss coffee white’ that I had on hand at the ranch.
“I can come back tomorrow to do the paint,” I tell Ellyn as I enter the living room.
“Hm?” Her brows raise as I round the couch to move beside her. “I suppose I could tell you that won’t be necessary, but I doubt you’d listen anyway.”
“Don’t be stubborn.”
She snorts. “Coming from the donkey himself.”
“Donkey?”
She nods. “Yes, because they’re stubborn.” Suddenly, her eyes go wide. “No, wait. I didn’t mean you look like a donkey.” Her eyes move up and down the length of my body, I doubt sheeven realizes what she’s just done. “It’s something my mother used to say.”
Her mouth drops a long with her eyelids as she shakes her head, ponytail swinging.
“I’ll just say thank you,” she finishes, looking up at me.
My grip involuntarily loosens on the tools in my hands, almost causing me to drop the damn things.
Her voice softens as she tells me, “For both helping me yesterday and for fixing the door. I’m sorry for being so snarky about it all.” Ellyn clears her throat. “I’m a … not quite used to, uh, needing help so I got a little defensive.”
Looking into her eyes, I’m reminded of early mornings on the ranch where I’m privy to the sun beginning to peak over the mountains in the distance. The same warm tingling excitement that starts in my chest on those morning, starts to fill it now.
I clear my throat and step back, which makes me bump into her coffee table, knocking the stacked magazines onto the floor.
“Shit,” I bark out. I drop my tools and go to one knee to stack the magazines back on the table. Most of them are fashion magazines with a few interior design ones tossed in there.
“Would you like to stay for a late lunch?”
I pause with a magazine in my hand, raising an eyebrow.
“My daughter made some chili and cornbread. She’s an excellent cook. I know because I’m the one who taught her.” Ellyn’s laugh is warm and smoky, again reminding me of the sunrise.
“Please,” she continues. “It’s the least I can do to pay you back for everything.”
I shake my head. “I don’t need payback for helping out a neighbor.”
“No, but as the person who was the recipient of your help, I would like to at least provide you with a good meal as a token of my gratitude.”
The warmth that started in my chest now spreads to my belly. Which, coincidentally, begins growling.
Ellyn notices as well, her eyes dropping to my mid-section as I rise to my feet. Then she raises her gaze to mine.
“Sounds like it’s settled then.” Her smile nearly has me stumbling backwards again. I know against all of my better judgment that I won’t be turning down her invitation.
