I hid an evil grin. “Um, I hate to break it to you, but I just saw your dad pulling down the driveway.”
“Are you kidding me?” Andrew bent over in exasperation, his hands on his thighs. “He did this on purpose. Itoldhim I’d come back tomorrow with the brackets we need and install them myself, but he must’ve decided to go to the hardware store now.”
“And he left you up there,” I mused, slowly realizing the full extent of Andrew’s predicament. I walked closer so I’d be able to see his face as he begged for my help.
“I could jump,” he said, leaning over the edge and eyeing the patio at least sixteen feet below him.
“You could,” I agreed. Even though he was a brunet Thor, I didn’t want to encourage him to drop off the roof into a superhero pose on the flagstone. “Or you could tell me where the ladder is and I could bring it to you.”
He dismissed me with a smirk and wave. “It’s too heavy for you. I can wait. He won’t be that long.”
I ignored his insult and squinted up at the sky. “The forecast calls for rain. Starting soon.”
Mother Nature kicked up the wind and spit out a few raindrops to prove that I was right and I relished my power position. Maybe I could let him get alittlewet before I rescued him.
“Have you seen Dude?” Andrew asked, peering into the distance.
I shook my head. “No, but I was focused on my students.”
“Damn it, I need to chase him down before the rain.” Andrew sighed. “Okay, fine. It would be great if you could grab the ladder for me. See that barn?” He pointed to a small stone and slat building down the lane. “It’s probably on the far side of it, on the ground.”
“Okay.” I bobbed my head. “Be right back.” I paused and smiled sweetly. “Or not.”
“Hey, that’s fine,” he shot back, clearly not enjoying my power play. “Do whatever you want, I’m totally content.”
“Maybe you can spot Murray and Dude from up there,” I mused.
“Exactly,” he said, still not looking at me. Andrew cupped his hand around his mouth. “Murray!” He clapped his hands, hoping that the one dog with hearing would respond.
It hit me that I was sort of being an asshole. “I’m going, I’m going. Back in a sec.” I set off at a trot.
“Be careful, it’s heavy,” he yelled after me. “It’s okay if you can’t manage it. Don’t be a hero.”
I snorted over my shoulder at him. “Give me some credit, Gibson. I’m strong like ox.” I flexed my arms like an old-timey muscleman.
Or IthoughtI was strong until I tried lifting the damn thing. Not only was the giant metal ladder heavy, it was almost impossible to find a comfortable spot to grab. I finally managed to grasp it in a way that would allow me to drag it and was reminded of the pain in my wrist. How was it possible that Andrew kept injuring me over and over without even getting close to me?
I dragged the ladder gracelessly until I reached the spot in the yard where he’d be able to see me, at which point I repositioned myself in the middle of it and hoisted the entire thing up on my shoulder so that I was the fulcrum in the world’s stupidest teeter-totter. I took a deep breath and started moving with purpose toward him, ignoring the way the metal cut into my shoulder.
I half expected him to clap or hoot as I rounded the corner supporting the full weight of the ladder, but he just watched me make my way closer, squatting and silent like a gargoyle.
An incredibly attractive gargoyle. If you went for that sort of thing, which I didn’t.
I put the ladder down with a clatter and “wunf” but tried to pretend that it was no big deal.
“Nice,” Andrew said and it felt like the most appreciation I’d get out of him. “Okay, first you need to find a level spot,” he directed. “We set it up right there, by the flowerpots.” He pointed below and to the left of where he was perched.
I took a deep breath and shook my hands in the air to try to get feeling back in them.
“You got this, Higs,” he said, pulling my nickname out of his back pocket. “Feel it.” Andrew clapped like he was rallying a football huddle.
I nodded and tried not to be obvious that my shoulders were already screaming from the weight of the thing. I moved to the correct spot on the patio and managed to get the ladder above my head, but I couldn’t find the gear to give it the final push so it would fall into position against the gutter. I stood there, the ladder hovering in the air, frozen.
“C’mon, Higs, yougotthis!” Andrew clapped louder.
I felt heat spread to my cheeks. Suddenly I didn’t want to disappoint him. Andrew had never cheered me on and I sort of liked what it was doing to me. I felt a little... invincible. I took a deep breath and mustered the strength to walk my hands up one more rung.
“Ow, ow, ow,” I let out before I could stop myself.
