“That’s how I knew something was wrong with the front loader down the Cape.It didn’t feel right.I’ve been around them long enough to sense when something isn’t functioning correctly.”
When they’d been working together for a few hours, she sat back and sighed.They’d made a lot of progress, not only on theLevel Twobook but on Evan’s reading skills.She’d taught him a few tricks for deciphering words and using the context of the sentence or paragraph to figure out the meaning of a word he didn’t know.
“I’m not sure how much help you needed,” she said.“You seem to know a lot of this already.”
He nodded.“Yeah, I didn’t realize.Tons of this is what I already do on the job or what I’ve seen other members of the crew work on.I appreciate you going over it with me.It makes it a little easier.”
She grinned impishly at him.“I think I’m getting to be an expert at this.Maybe I can become a road construction worker, too.”
Laughing, he signed.“Sure, I can be your boss.”
“Oh, no.I don’t think I’d like that.”
The gleam in his eye made him even more handsome.“I might give you special attention on the job, especially if you’re still cooking delicious dinners for me every night.”
The idea of getting special attention from Evan definitely appealed to her.Was there a way for her to get his attention without becoming a construction worker?
Chapter Seventeen
The coffee shop near campus was crowded today, so Mercedes searched the room while she waited for her order.As her tea and sandwich was handed to her, a few students vacated a table near the window.Making her way quickly, she got there as two of them left.One still lingered, but she needed a place to sit.She hated eating at her desk, and it was raining outside today so that wasn’t an option.
“Do you mind if I sit here?”Hopefully, the students who left wouldn’t be returning.
The guy looked up from his phone and waved at the seat.She dropped into it and set her food down.The place was busy and noisy, but it didn’t stop her from thinking about last night and her study session with Evan.
It had been fun with Evan teaching her what the equipment was and how it worked, and it had completely changed his mood.He’d been excited at being able to share part of what he did with her and being the one with all the information.
She had to admit her favorite part was sitting close to him on the couch and inhaling his freshly showered scent.Hopefully, he didn’t realize she spent a lot of the night sniffing him.
“Hey, Mercedes, you saved me a seat.Thanks.”
Mercedes looked up, noting the guy who’d been at the table with her had left.How had she missed that?Tasha pushed back a chair and deposited herself in it.Oh, man.This wasn’t how she wanted to spend her lunch break.She could hardly say she was finished.Her sandwich had barely been touched because she’d been mooning over Evan.
Giving the woman a big fake smile, Mercedes shoved her sandwich in her mouth to avoid talking.That didn’t stop Tasha.
“So give me the deets on your hunky boyfriend.You don’t talk about him much.It’s like you aren’t even dating.”
Drat.The last thing she wanted was Tasha to know that she and Evan were only friends.Her mind whirred, and she grasped at straws.“Evan is a very private guy and doesn’t like being talked about.I’m kind of the same way.Keep our private life private.You understand, don’t you?”
Tasha rolled her eyes, then took a swig of her iced latte.“If I had a boyfriend who looked like that, I’d be singing it to the world.I’d want every person I came into contact with to know exactly how gorgeous he was and how great our sex life was.”
Color heated her cheeks.Had Mercedes been thinking passionate thoughts where Evan was concerned?Maybe.Even if they managed to get together, Tasha was the last person she’d confide intimate details to.
Tasha rolled her eyes and laughed.“Look at you blushing.Must be remembering something good, huh?Did he give you a great goodbye kiss this morning?Is that why you were in such a good mood when you came in?”
She’d been happy because of the success of their session last night and how calm and comfortable they’d been with each other.And how she’d snuggled into his shoulder as they read through his book.Sure, they both needed to be close enough together to see the pages, but she didn’t really need to hang on him the way she had.There had been no complaints from him, though.He’d actually smiled at her a few times when she’d nestled against him.
“Did you finish inputting the new history books into the catalog this morning?”Change the subject.Stop talking about your imaginary boyfriend.
Tasha shrugged and checked out a group of students who’d just entered the coffee shop.Being across the street from the campus, it did a booming business during the academic year.“Yeah, most of them.I’ll finish the rest this afternoon.Do you have any more pictures of Evan on your phone?How about shirtless?Does he walk around the apartment in his underwear?Oh, is he a boxers or briefs kind of guy?”
Boxer briefs.It wasn’t something she’d share with her overly assertive coworker.The questions seemed to be getting worse and worse.Maybe if she shared one picture, the woman would let it go.
Scrolling through her phone, she found a picture of the two of them at her parents’ party.Carli had taken a group picture of her parents, Jonas, and her.Evan had photobombed the image by sliding in next to her and wrapping her in a hug.The smile on her face had been real and happy, because Evan was hugging her.The rest of her family had laughed but moved away once the original group picture had been snapped.It was a great photo.She and Evan had been staring at each other like they didn’t want to be anywhere else.She usually didn’t.
“Here.This was a few weeks ago.”She held her phone with the screen toward Tasha.The woman tried to take it, but Mercedes gripped it firmly and moved it an inch back.Tasha leaned in closer to get a better look.
“Yowza.He is yummy.Those muscles from all that physical labor sure are lovely.If you two don’t work out, I’m calling dibs.”Tasha fanned her face.
