Levi isn’t stupid. He may not know what happened with Scottie, but I know he can tell something has changed. I’ve always been a hard worker and try to fix the things no one wants to touch. What’s new is the intensity to it.
“I’m not losing it.”
I’m containing it. There’s a difference.
The room goes quiet, and Levi doesn’t argue back. The only sound is the nail gun in the distance from the rest of the crew working, and the shuffle of debris as Levi moves around the living room.
It’s almost peaceful.
And then I hear the front door creak open. I feel her before I see her, turning my head to the entryway of the living room, waiting for her to emerge.
Scottie stops at the edge of the hallway, looking between Levi and me, probably wondering what the hell is happening.
I open my mouth to ask her why she’s here earlier than usual, but all the words fall from my tongue, because she looks like sunshine today—the way she always does.
Her hair is down, loose curls fall down the front of her chest. She’s wearing a pair of loose-fitting jeans and a V-neck T-shirt tucked in at the front. Her shirt is a bright royal blue that brings out the color of her eyes.
It’s intoxicating.
Levi breaks the silence. “I thought we weren’t filming today,” he says at the base of the ladder, keeping his voice low.
“We’re not,” I answer him, looking at her.
“Oh boy,” Levi mutters under his breath, and I shoot him a warning glare.
“What are you doing here so early?” I ask. It comes out rougher than intended.
Her eyes glaze over the room, taking in the missing drywall and exposed wood in the ceiling. “I wanted to know what caused it,” she says softly. “The water stain. I knew you guys were starting this today, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Wanted to make sure it wasn’t still leaking from anywhere.”
“Don’t worry,” I say, reaching up to slap the wood in the ceiling, almost losing my footing on the ladder. “I’ve got it handled.”
“Right.” She crosses her arms over her chest, eying the ladder. “That’s what people say right before someone has to call an ambulance.”
Levi chuckles under his breath. “She’s got you there.”
“Why don’t you go to the truck and get my measuring tape?”
He narrows his eyes. “Why do you need that?”
“Levi.” I give him a knowing look, slightly tipping my head toward Scottie.
“Oh, right.” He salutes me dramatically and disappears from the room.
Scottie still stands where she was, so I turn around to pull more of the ceiling down. I feel her move closer, hovering just enough that I can feel her presence like static on my skin. My legs tremble slightly on the ladder for half a second.
“Should we be saving this stuff for when we film?” she asks.
“We could.” I shrug, pulling another piece off the ceiling and tossing it away from her. “I just figured this would save us some time. If Levi and I gut it today, the production crew won’t be tripping over the ugly parts tomorrow.”
“Right.”
“Trust me. The cameras will appreciate us doing the messy work when they’re not watching. It’s a dust storm in here.” I glance down at her. “And as much as I like having you here, I don’t love the idea the ceiling might fall on you.”
“Yeah,” she says softly, looking around at the debris on the ground. “I’m not really worried about the ceiling.”
I pause with one hand braced on the ladder, staring at her while she continues looking down.
“About the other night…” she starts, pausing as she twists her fingers together in front of her. My body goes rigid and I feel my heartbeat slam against my ribs. Her gaze trails up to meet mine. “You really meant it, didn’t you?”
