Up close, I can see the muscles in his face struggling for composure. It’s costing him everything not to laugh.
I don’t think hemeantto flood the house.
I brace myself. “How bad is it?”
He wrinkles his nose. “I’m going to get a shop vac from the warehouse. The good news is your floors in the kitchen and living room are cypress.”
“Oh shit,” I gasp. “There’s water in the living room?”
He presses his lips together. Beside me the twins give each other that look again.
“I’m gonna—” Harry starts.
“We’re gonna get some towels,” Mattie finishes, and before I can respond, they sprint toward the house.
“Oh my God.” I bury my face in my hands, needing the world to go away for a few minutes.
A big hand lands on my shoulder and squeezes it. “It’ll be okay.”
His touch is solid and strong, and I can feel its warmth through my scrubs. I’d like to lean into that warmth.
Instead, I step back, letting his hand fall from me. I rake my fingers through my hair, pulling strands from my ponytail. I look up to see Luc frowning.
“It really will be okay,” he says again, this time so gently.
“But why would he do that?”
Luc looks at the house and then back at me. He shrugs. “Because he’s a kid.”
I sag on an exhale. “That I can’t fix.”
A grin brings back the dimples. “Yeah, but we can fix the mess. You should probably go talk to Emmett though,” he says, grimacing. “I think I heard wailing. But I’ll be right back with the shop vac.”
I sigh, nod, and turn to go, but then stop. “Thank you, by the way,” I say, feeling extremely grateful, and also irredeemably pathetic. “That water would still be flooding the house if you hadn’t come.”
One corner of his mouth lifts, and his lips part as if he’s about to speak. But then he closes his mouth and firms his jaw. “Glad I could help.”
This wasn’t what he was about to say. Somehow I know this. I don’t know what he would have said. I don’t know why he didn’t. But he wanted to tell me something else, and I can’t help the sudden wish to know just what it was.
I watch him. He watches me. And it’s not awkward. It’s…charged.
His eyes are such a dark brown. Like solid earth. As though anyone could look into those eyes and feel sure-footed.
“I’ll be right back.”
It’s the third time he’s said that. He turns and heads for his truck, moving with purpose. I watch him start the engine and reverse out of the drive.
When he’s gone, I turn toward the house and come face-to-face with two thoughts.
Number One: Knowing he’s coming back is the only thing that makes walking inside bearable.
Number Two: Number One scares the hell out of me.
Chapter Thirteen
LUC
I’m backfrom the warehouse within twenty minutes. I might have broken the speed limit on University Avenue. Just a little.
