Goddammit!
I narrow my eyes at him, and he chuckles.
Rounding the island, he stops in front of me and hands me his hammer. I glance up, frowning.
“If you’re going to join me, might as well put you to work.”
“What would you like me to do?” I ask.
“You get the fun job of demoing the shelf.”
“Oh, that I can do.”
“Good. Now, chop-chop apricot—we’re losing daylight.”
And with that, he brushes past me, striding towards the laundry room like he owns the place—leaving me behind, smiling and shaking my head.
Chapter 39
Hope
The weekend arrives again in the blink of an eye, the week slipping past before I have the chance to catch my next breath. Zac is spending the day with his dad and other grandparents, making use of the free wildlife park passes he won for his school project. It was the only way he’d agree to go, and surprisingly, Adrian thought it was a great idea too.
They only have this one day together before Adrian heads back to Sandy Vale to prepare for Monday’s three-day school camp, but for the two of them, that feels like more than enough time together.
We’re in our second weekend of renovations, and, as usual, Kaden showed up bright and early this morning,dressed much like he had been last Saturday, except this time he’d traded the black shirt for a white sleeveless tank top that left his sculpted, tattooed arms on full display. The man is, quite honestly, a walking temptation, and I’ve had to physically stopmyself from staring at his biceps like a feline in heat every time he stepped into the room.
He spent the first two hours installing the new lighting fixtures throughout the house, moving from room to room with a confident ease that suggests he’s grown both familiar, and perhaps a little too comfortable inside my home.
When all the jobs were finished, he stepped out the back to find me halfway through tearing out the stubborn weeds that had claimed the fence line as their own.He instantly offered to help, but I insisted I had it under control and told him to relax for once—something I’m fairly sure doesn’t come naturally to him, given the way he always feels the need to keep himself busy.
And just to prove my point, within minutes of stepping outside, the sound of the lawn mower roaring to life cut through the open air.When I glanced over my shoulder, my eyes immediately found Kaden, guiding it steadily across the yard—shirtless, his discarded tank tucked into the back of his shorts, as he casually set about taming my slightly overgrown grass.
The sight of him without a shirt on, muscles flexing with every effortless push of the lawn mower, is something that will forever be etched into my memory, and honestly, I’m not one to complain.
Having knocked out the backyard in record time, he’s now moved on to the front, while I take my supposed ‘break,’ from gardening. I’m now reclining on the porch with a glass of iced water, shamelessly watching him from behind my sunglasses.
My eyes latch on to the large raven tattoo sprawled across his back as he guides the mower across the lawn. It’s massive—easily covering half his back, and there’s something about it that makes him look dangerously sexy.
Adrian had never been a fan of tattoos and had been thoroughly irritated when I came home with a tattoo of the exact waveform from Zac’s heartbeat on my wrist. He claimed tattoos were unladylike and should never grace a woman’s skin.
Whatever. I plan to get more in the future—let him choke on his narrow-minded views.
Kaden’s sun-warmed skin glistens with sweat as he continues to push the lawn mower back and forth, and it seems I’m not the only one appreciating the view. I’ve spotted at least three women pushing prams slow down their pace, or glance back over their shoulders for a second look at my irresistibly hot friend. Something about the way their eyes linger on his bare torso that has me wanting to scream at them to keep walking.
He, on the other hand, seems completely oblivious to the attention he’s drawing, fully absorbed in his task. Every now and then, he glances my way, flashing that playful smile and wink he always does, but it doesn’t stop the heat from prickling just beneath my skin whenever his gaze settles on me.
And if the thirsty mums weren’t bad enough, my neighbour Giselle, a stunning Brazilian woman who recently moved in with her new husband two doors down, decides to saunter over to Kaden, her short, figure-hugging dress leaving little to the imagination.
Kaden immediately stops, cutting the lawn mower and switching it off. And I watch the two engage in conversation, though I can’t quite make out what they’re saying from all the way over here.
One of Giselle’s hands shields her eyes from the sun, while the other rests firmly on her hip, her fake double D’s nearly spilling out of the top of her dress. She smiles up at him, her gaze darting to his bare chest every so often, and I have to grip the armrest of my chair to keep from tossing my glass of water straight at her head.
I don’t even know why I’m reacting this way. I’ve made it clear to Kaden that we’re just friends, and that’s all we’ll ever be. He’s free to talk, flirt, date, or sleep with anyone he wants. So why, all of a sudden, do I feel this possessive urge to yank him away from that witch?
For the most part, Kaden just stands there, listening to whatever Giselle is saying, a small smile occasionally bracing his face. When he does answer, it’s only with brief responses and gestures. One hand remains on the lawn mower handle, the other resting on his hip, almost mirroring the stance of the woman in front of him.
He shakes his head at something Giselle says, and her expression falters for a few seconds before she nods and steps back, pausing only to give me a quick wave, as if she’s only now realised I’ve been sitting here the whole time.
