I smirk at him but shake my head. “You are insufferable.”
“Thank you for talking to me. For telling me what I did that was off.”
Something about his tone sends off an alarm in my brain.
“How did you notice I was different?” I ask, curious. I don’t have siblings or close family, aside from my grandparents. And they’re not that observant, mostly because their eyesight isn’t the greatest.
Burton lets out a breath that’s full of so many emotions. “I learned to read body language really well growing up. It was vital to know how certain members of my family were feeling. It’s great for my sport, just not so great for day-to-day life, since I’m constantly reading the room.”
I shake my head. “It sounds exhausting, but at least you aren’t oblivious to how others are feeling.” Like my ex-boyfriend.
Burton directs me to the parking lot where he left his truck earlier, and it’s nearly empty. He gives me a smile and opens the door to get out of the car.
“Thank you for coming and for helping at my grandparents’ home. I don’t know if they would’ve finished as quickly without you.”
“Thank you for letting me in. For allowing me to be there.”
My car engine makes a strange sound, and I turn to Burton with a frown. “What’s wrong with it?”
“You should be okay. I’ll drive behind you in case anything happens, though.” He gives me a small smile before shutting the door.
We make the two-mile trek in a little over ten minutes, and I don’t hear the sound again. Burton opens the hood and checks it out anyway.
“I don’t see anything that’s off, and it sounds like it’s running well. I wonder if one of the fluids had something clogged for a minute?”
Giving him a small smile, I say, “Thank you for checking it out. Maybe I should’ve taken a class on mechanics instead of self-defense.”
With a chuckle, Burton says, “I don’t know. From how my nose feels, I’d be afraid of you. What do you have tomorrow?”
I pause and turn, only a few feet away from him in my driveway. “Since the hockey team lost in the second round, their season is done. But my contract has me working with the baseball team throughout the summer and into fall, so we leave for a long road trip in the morning.”
He frowns, but I’m not sure if I’m just reading into things too much.
“How long will you be gone?”
“I haven’t gotten the full itinerary, but I think it’s close to ten days. What about you? Working and box lacrosse?”
He nods, smiling only barely. “Yeah, back to the grind.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t have to work tonight.”
He nods. “That’s because I have to work a double tomorrow. When I found out about this service project, I knew I’d be too tired to work after, so I traded with someone.”
“That was probably a good idea,” I say.
“Well, Laney Loo. I must bid you adieu.” He bows and stands up with a smile. “Have a great night and safe travels.”
I walk over before he can move and give him a hug. “Thank you for everything.”
I take in way too many details about the man before me. He’s several inches taller than I am, andhe smells like the wood he cut today. I’d be okay having his arms around me for a very long time.
Leaning back, I try to see into his eyes. He’s quiet, his eyes searching mine.
For a moment, I feel like we’re being pulled together like a magnet, both of us leaning in so closely that I can feel his breath on my skin. I close my eyes, waiting for our lips to touch, but I jump when a voice across the street calls out, knocking my forehead into Burton’s chin.
“Burton! We need your help in here.”
I reach up to touch his chin. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry. I’m a big klutz today it seems.”
