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“So are you.”

Her cheeks flushed even darker as she rolled her eyes. “I was making sure you didn’t fall.”

“Sure you were.”

“I was,” she protested.

“You sound concerned.”

“I am concerned.”

The words came out before she could stop them. For a moment neither of us spoke. The breeze swept through the trees scattering autumn leaves on the wind. Somewhere inside, the television murmured while Jace worked through an English assignment beside his grandpa. Then she seemed to realize what she’d admitted and immediately crossed her arms.

“Strictly for financial liability reasons.”

A smile tugged at my mouth. “ Naturally.”

She narrowed her eyes, and my smile only widened. The look she gave me should have been intimidating. Instead, it made me want to climb down the ladder and pull her into my arms, which was exactly why I stayed where I was.

“You are impossible,” she muttered.

“So I’ve heard. Several times. Usually from you.”

The hammer found its rhythm again as I finished securing the siding, acutely aware of her lingering in the yard below. Neither of us seemed particularly eager to end the conversation. The fact that she didn’t find a reason to disappear inside made my heart race. She remained where she was, sipping her coffee and watching me work, like she hadn’t quite decided whether she should leave or stay. The fact that she stayed mattered more than anything she’d said all morning.

“There,” I said some ten minutes later after I drove the final nail into place and inspected my work.

“Good.”

The ladder creaked beneath my weight as I climbed down. She watched me all the way down. The closer I got, the harder it became for her to hide the worry. By the time my boots touched the grass, her shoulders visibly relaxed. I stepped away from the ladder.

“You were worried.”

“I was calculating depreciation.”

I laughed, and despite herself, her smile slipped free.

Hell, I liked that smile. Far too much. I’d spent years convinced that smile belonged to someone else now. Seeing it aimed at me only made me ache for more. I took a few steps toward her before stopping. I was close enough now to see the tiny freckles scattered across her nose. Close enough to catch the floral scent of her shampoo. Close enough to forget why stopping had seemed like a good idea.

“You know,” I said quietly, “for somebody who keeps telling me to leave, you spend an awful lot of time worrying about me.”

Her breath caught. For one long second, neither of us moved. She lifted her chin.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Lane.”

I smiled. The blush creeping into her cheeks suggested otherwise. And for once, she chose not to argue when she knew she was losing.

Thirty-Eight

Cali

Iknew exactly two things. The first was that the electric bill had been due today. The second was that there was absolutely no way it should have shown a zero balance. I refreshed the page twice. Then a third time. The amount stubbornly remained the same.

Paid in Full.

My pulse kicked up. I knew precisely what had happened—or rather, who.

“Oh no.”