Rob’s gaze skirted over her shoulder toward the bathroom. “Anything I can help with?”
“No.” Maybe he would use the fact that her bathroom was on the fritz against her. Could he call the town and have her shut down? Would he? The earnest look on his face indicated that he had noble intentions, but maybe he was a good actor.
There was another reason Claire didn’t want to accept help. She didn’t want to admit to anyone that she couldn’t do this all herself, not after she’d fought so hard against Peter’s constant insinuations that Sandcastles would never take off, that she couldn’t make the bakery successful on her own. She didn’t want Rob to think the only reason she could even stay open for the cupcake sale was because he had bailed her out. She didn’t want anyone else to think that either. Most of all, she didn’t want to think it herself.
“So you know how to fix plumbing?” The doubtful look on Rob’s face only made Claire want to dig her heels in deeper.
“YouTube has all sorts of tutorial videos. I’ll start there.”
He must have seen the mulishness in her expression because he leaned forward and added, “I’m pretty good at fixing leaks. I’m not trying to sabotage you.”
Claire hadn’t even considered that he would make the problem worse. She bristled again. Although he had leaned closer by less than six inches, the air between them felt more intimate. Like they were companions, friends even.
“I’m sure you are, but I’ve fixed plenty of things in here, and I’m sure a little leak won’t be my downfall.” Claire frowned. Fixing a leak wasn’t exactly like fixing a crack in the tile or a cabinet door. What if she tried to fix it and made it worse? “I don’t want to impose on you. You have your own bakery to worry about.”
Rob nodded, his gaze drifting back to the bathroom. “True. I’m sure you’ll get this fixed in no time. But the truth is, I could useyourhelp, and if you’re busy fixing your bathroom, you might not be able to help me. What about a trade?”
Claire was about to turn back to her bathroom but paused, cocking her head. “A trade?”
“Yep. You’d be doing me a big favor.”
Claire lifted her chin. “That depends on what the problem is.”
His smile grew brighter than the overhead lights. “Ever since coming into your shop, I’ve been thinking about the cozy atmosphere you have going. I won’t be able to put anything up before the grand opening, mind you, but I’ve been thinking that it might be nice to add some tables to the front of my store to invite customers to stay a while. The problem is, I have no idea how to do that. If you’ll tell me where to start, I’ll fix the leak in your sink. Sound fair?”
Claire pursed her lips and tapped her toe. She shouldn’t barter with the competition who had moved in across the street. But without fixing that leak in her sink, she wouldn’t be able to open her store come morning. And if she called Ralph, he would charge an arm and a leg, and there was no guarantee he was even available. What if he was out of town too?
“You have a deal.” She held out her hand then gripped his firmly as he shook hers. She caught his eye. “But we fix the leak first.”
He laughed. “You drive a hard bargain. Show me where the problem is.”
Rob had purposely worked late at his store that evening because he knew Claire would be baking her cupcakes at night after she closed. It was silly, he knew, but he’d been hoping to catch a glimpse of her, maybe even get up the nerve to suggest they grab something to eat.
From his shop, he could see the side of the building that housed Sandcastles. He’d seen her helpers leave one by one, but after several minutes, Claire hadn’t come out. What was worse, the slice of light spilling out onto the alley told him that the door leading to the kitchen was ajar. Naturally, he’d gone over to investigate.
He didn’t know what he’d expected, certainly not that he’d end up lying on his back on the damp, mopped-up floor of her bathroom trying to fix a leak in her plumbing. Luckily, the leak had been minor, and he’d fixed it the best he knew how.
It was a stroke of good luck, actually, and he hadn’t been making up the part about wanting Claire’s help. Okay, so he really hadn’t planned on having a seating area over at Bradford Breads, but her café was cozy and inviting, and it wouldn’t hurt to get her advice on how he could replicate that at his bakery. Besides, he knew she would never let him fix the leak if he didn’t try to make it seem like an equal exchange.
Who knew? It could be a new beginning for them.
As he pulled out from under the sink, he stifled a groan. He wasn’t young enough to lie on the floor on his back for that long anymore. He feigned a smile and stood, dusting off his knees. As he’d worked, Claire seemed to thaw toward him.
She returned his smile, but it was tentative. “Is it fixed?”
“Should be. Are you ready to give it a shot?”
She bit her lip and nodded. Although nervous, there was a hopeful gleam in her eye. He bent to open the shut-off valve, holding his breath as he turned the knob. The pipes pinged, but no water came gushing from the seams.
He turned to Claire and motioned to the faucet handles, confidence making the motion fluid. “Will you do the honors?”
A faint blush stained her cheeks as she stepped closer to him in the cramped bathroom. She smelled like vanilla. Hesitantly, she reached out to turn on the faucet. Water gushed into the sink. No drips. It looked as though his fix had worked.
When she turned to him, the relief was apparent in her face. Her eyes had warmed, softening toward him. “Thank you.” She infused a world of gratitude into those two words.
He cleared his throat. “You’re welcome.”
She nodded. The color in her cheeks deepened as she turned away to shut off the taps. With her back still turned, she told him, “Come with me to the front of the store, and I’ll give you some tips on how I set up the café.”
