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He shook his head. “Sorry. Not exactly light lunch conversation.” He unloaded sandwiches and chips from the cooler. “I’ll see you later, Kota.”
She patted his arm. “Sure. Go for a run. Shake off some of that doom and gloom.”
Kit smiled tightly. “Yeah. Good idea.”
His gaze landed on me once more, forehead furrowed as if I was a puzzle he couldn’t make sense of.
Well, join the club.
CHAPTER 14
KIT
It didn’t get any easier seeing Joey. Three weeks after he delivered the letter, he was continuing to show up at work sites for New Horizons.
It also didn’t get any easier to look away.
He was on hands and knees, installing the transition strips between rooms, back arched slightly as he screwed them into place. We were well into cooler November weather now, so he wore jeans, and they pulled tight across his ass and thighs whenever he crouched and bent.
I huffed with annoyance, pausing in the hallway behind him. “Is that really the fastest he can go? He’s blocking traffic.”
Dakota snorted beside me.
I glanced down at her. “What?”
“I’m not sure it’s his speed that’s getting you all riled up, Kit.”
“What do you—” I cut short at her coy look, shaking my head. “No. That’s not it. Don’t start with me.”
She shrugged. “Just calling it like I see it.”
“I could never see him that way. Not Joey.”
“No?” She flicked a glance his way, then back to me. “It wouldn’t bother me if you did, you know? Joey has shown true remorse and tried his best to make amends. What more can he really do?”
“Go back in time and change his shitty choices?”
She swatted my outer thigh. “You know he can’t do that, Kit.”
I sighed. “I know. That’s the whole problem.”
“Well, have it your way. It’s too bad though.” She wheeled forward, giving me a playful grin. “Because you’re not the only one doing some looking.”
I glanced past her, gaze connecting with Joey’s. He had sat back on his heels and turned, eyes fixed on us, bottom lip caught between his teeth.
Our eyes met and held for a long beat.
Dakota cleared her throat, and Joey jerked his gaze away and scrambled to his feet. “Sorry, Dakota. The strips are done.”
She wheeled into the kitchen more easily than before. “Great job, Joey. Why don’t you and Kit get started on the painting touch-ups in the bathroom?”
I glared at my sister. “You need both of us on that?”
“Oh, yes. I definitely do.” She nodded decisively. “I’ve got Dan on hauling duties today. He’s best suited to that, between you and me. The construction guys need to focus on the work we’re not skilled enough to do on our own.”
Damn. That logic didn’t give me much room to make excuses. I cast around for something else to argue.
“I can paint it on my own,” Joey offered. “Kit looks tired. He works all week.”
