Thankfully, Karter just chuckles good-naturedly. “Under the stairs it is. I’ll be right back.” He goes out of the room a moment later, knowing where the stairs are since we passed them to get to the kitchen.
I rush over to Nana and open a cabinet to pull down a few cups to busy myself.
“You don’t need to stay,” I tell her. “I can make sure he has everything he needs.”
“Oh, I bet. I’m not worried about you making sure he has everything. I’m just making sure you don’tgivehim everything.”
I’m confused by her words, but I can’t ask what she means because Karter walks back in.
“Turned off the power to the kitchen just to be safe.” The sun is still up, and there’s enough sunlight pouring in through the two windows behind the sink for us to not even need to turn any lights on to begin with.
“Okay. Can I get you something to drink?” I offer.
“Water is fine. Do you have any tools I can work with?”
Again I look at Nana, who rolls her eyes but at least leaves to grab what we have. Getting water for him takes less time than it does to bring our toolbox in.
“Help yourself,” Nana says as she sets it down on the kitchen table. “And only the tools.”
“Nana,” I scold her, but she simply gives me an innocent look and walks out of the room.
“Sorry about her,” I say sheepishly.
“Don’t be. She’s just worried I’ll corrupt you.”
“Corrupt?”
He lifts his head from pulling items out of the box to look me in the eye. “Take advantage of.”
I laugh at the silliness of his words, denying it with a wave of my hand. “You wouldn’t.”
He just hums as he goes about finding a screwdriver, then pulling the switch from the wall and inspecting the wiring.
“Would you?” I ask softly.
He looks up, and the grin he gives me says more than words ever could. Add in the wink and I have to grab the counter at my back to keep my knees from buckling and dropping me on my ass.
I watch him work. Ten minutes pass, and I’m still not sure what to say. I thought my little crush was one-sided. I mean, I hoped it wasn’t. After the shooting outside the hospital, I thought it might mean something, but then he left without a goodbye or a note.
“That should do it.” He leaves, then walks back in a few seconds later and turns the switch on. The kitchen lights up, not a hint of a flicker in sight. “Just a faulty connection.”
“Thank you! You just saved us a small fortune. What do I owe you?”
“Nothing.”
“Seriously?” I’m shocked. No one asks for nothing. Ever.
“Seriously. But I should get going. It’s getting late.”
“Okay.”
I follow him out of the room, and when he opens the front door, he turns back.
“Want my number?” he asks.
“Huh?”
The warm smile that hits his lips has me sighing a bit, thankfully soft enough that he can’t hear. “To call if it goes out again. Or if you need help on the house or something.”
