Evan scrubs his hand down his face. “No, I don’t, but if I don’t get on the road soon, I’ll be back late and dragging ass tomorrow.”
“Would you be interested in a seasonal position here, instead? Clearly, we need a handyman around here…”
His gaze lifts from me to stare out the windshield. With his arm slung casually over the steering wheel, he taps his finger on the dash a couple of times. He pulls his bottom lip in between his teeth, clearly stewing on my offer.
“Can’t. Colt would shit a brick thinking I’m keeping tabs on him,” he finally replies, shaking his head.
“What if I told you he and I already talked about that too, and he agreed to me asking you if you wanted a position here,only ifyou promise not to engage with him?”
His brows furrow. “You want me to work here, but pretend he’s a stranger?”
“Not a stranger. A coworker. A peer.”
“You have enough stuff to get done here that I’d be out of his hair?”
“Somuch stuff is falling by the wayside. I spend most of my day having one on one sessions with the campers, so much so that I could use two of myself to do that job alone. Plus, Morgan still has softball and stuff for now. I don’t have the energy to tackle many projects.”
For a minute, I think he’s considering blowing off my offer and heading back to what he clearly has no passion for. Which is why it comes as a shock when he replies, “I think I can do that, then.”
I can’t even, nor do I try to, contain the broad smile that splits my face. “So, yeah? You don’t even want to negotiate pay either? Shoot, this has got to be the easiest interview ever.” I huff out a breathy chuckle. “Don’t tell me, you won’t pass a background check… That glimmer of hope just—poof!—evaporates.”
His lips tip into an almost smile, but he bites his cheek to staunch it from spreading. “I’d pass. We can work something out. Anything’s got to be better than putting up with the old man barking orders at me all day.”
I shrug. “I can be bossy when I want to be.”
He snorts, eyeing me up-and-down. “Doubtful. Hardly known you all of a weekend, and I can already tell that’s complete bullshit.”
I mock offense at first, but then concede with a chuckle. “You’re probably right.”
“I know I am,” he says matter-of-factly, popping his cheek with his tongue. “Anyway, yeah, I’ll let youtryto boss me around.”
Another grin works its way to my face.Hischeeks get a little pink, odd, but he quickly glances out the windshield again, averting the way our eyes just met. “I still need to go back and get more than just what I have on for clothes, though. That way, I’m not barging into your house all the time, until I can get the right gasket.”
“I don’t mind you coming into the house, but yeah—wearing that one outfit all summer might get a little awkward.” I chuckle. “Maybe not as awkward as you trying to wear my sweatpants, though…” I tease.
He shoots me a withering look. He may not have appreciated the way the britches he borrowed from me, while his were in the wash, were a couple sizes too small for him, but I sure did. Talk about a barely obstructed view of his very manly manhood.
No, nope. I’m his boss now. I can stop engaging in this flirtatious banter anytime. I purposely drew this line in the sand to help extinguish these feelings. Time to be a boss, Brooks.
“Don’t jump out in front of me again,” he warns, tugging at the gear-shift, putting his truck back in reverse. “I’ll tie up some loose ends with the old man and be back in a couple days.”
Later in the evening, Kai snags a baby carrot from me and crunches it between his teeth, before I get a chance to chop it for the salad. He gives me a sardonic look. “Don’t we pay people to do this?” he asks, gesturing to the food prep splayed out in front of me.
Yes, the kitchen staff is here now, but since they’re prepping for the campers to arrivetomorrow, I’m working on something for everyone elsetonight. I had a little free time on my hands, now that I’m reassured that I’ve hired a handyman for the other things. And besides, it’s not like it’s a huge deal, it’s just a couple pots of spaghetti, some garlic toast, and a couple of green salads.
I huff out a beleaguered breath. “Are you seriously going to audit every expenditure here this summer?”
He nabs another carrot and crunches that one just as obnoxiously. “Probably.” He swallows, helping himself to a swig from my water bottle. “Where’s the eye-candy? Finally get sick of me being a brat and leave?”
I set down my knife and spin to face him, crossing my arms over my chest. “You’re not allowed to give me any guff about this either,” I warn him.
“Guff,” he echoes with a chuckle. “You’re such an old fart. What am I not allowed togive you guffabout?” he mocks.
“I hired him on as our new handyman,” I explain. “He’s gone to pack some clothes, and he’ll be back in a day or two.”
Kai’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. “I’ve not a single guff to give about this expenditure. I rather like having something nice to look at while I toil away rehabbing this pigsty with him.”
“I get the sense that the feeling is not mutual. Please don’t keep needling him. He’ll be on the payroll now. Technically that’s sexual harassment.”
