She waves me off, as if she’s had a passing thought that she doesn’t feel the need to explain further. She pulls her phone out of the front pocket of her tan overalls, covering the sage green blouse that makes her eyes pop.Oh yeah, that did make a sound a bit ago.
She checks it, the screen lighting up her face. “Oh.”
“Everything okay?” I ask, a flicker of concern in my voice. Her sudden shift in focus has me wondering if something’s wrong.
“Yeah, I have to go get Vero early because I forgot she has therapy today.” She slides her phone back into her pocket, the corners of her mouth turning up softly. “Thank goodness for calendar reminders.”
I chuckle, nodding in understanding. “I better get going then,” I murmur, taking a step back as though to make my exit.
But she holds my gaze, her eyes glistening in the soft light, and a shyness falls over her features. “I truly have no words to describe what this means to me. Please, please allow me to pay you. You’ve done so much.”
“I’ll tell you what. You keep listening to me vent about my father with your good advice, and I will help you fix things.”
“You don’t need to fix things for me to listen to you. I like it.”
“And I enjoy fixing things, so let me.”
“I–”
I cut her off gently, shaking my head and tapping her shoulder. “I already told you,” I say, my voice softer than before but still stern. The last thing I want is for her to think I did this with any expectation in return.
She narrows her eyes at me, a teasing glint in them now, and crosses her arms, leaning into the door frame. “Why?” she asks. “What’s your hidden agenda, Holden?”
I give her a small smile, one that’s somehow a little more flirtatious than I intend, but I can’t help it. “No hidden agendas. You offered me something invaluable with your advice the other day.” I shrug. “I know it’s not a tit for tat, but I truly appreciate it, and I like to work with my hands.”
Her cheeks flush crimson red, and I smile, knowing I have some sort of effect on her, that it’s not all in my head.
“I promise, this did more for me than you think.” And it did. I always feel like my life has purpose when I use my hands or my body for something good.
She raises an eyebrow. “I was just doing my job,” she adds.
The air between us thickens enough that it feels like it can lift us up. There’s something about the way we’re staring at each other, or at least I hope she can see my eyes are speaking the same language as hers.
“You didn’t have to listen and offer advice or show kindness, yet you did. Let me do the same here.” I wish there was more I could do to lighten her load, to offer the same she gives so freely.
She nods.
“Have a good rest of your week. Please call me if you need anything. You have my number now.” I walk backwards, careful not to fall and step off her porch, not turning my back to her.
“Thank you!” she shouts.
“Anytime!”
12
CHOKING ON A TACO
Lego House by Ed Sheeran
Natalie
“You fixed the swing?”Bella asks from the front seat as we pull up into our driveway.
I shake my head. “Mr. Holden actually fixed it. He fixed our porch too.” I point at it, and she follows my finger.
“Ummm, who’s Mr. Holden? Also, when? This morning, it looked like you were building a haunted house like Aunt Roe.”
“Ha, ha, very funny. He's—” He’s what? A customer who happened to show up and fix things? A friend? A soon-to-be friend? “A friend.”
