Tom frowns down at him, then turns pointedly back to me.“How’s… um… work?”
“Work is wonderful.”
“I… um… like your shirt.”
“What?Oh, thank you.”The giant sunshine mug on the front is one of my favorite graphics that Willow has drawn.
For some reason, Tom’s compliment makes my neighbor snort.
Poor Tom’s face turns bright pink, and I have to resist the urge to kick my neighbor while he’s removing the nuts on the wheel.Or are they bolts?Whatever they’re called, he’s taking them off.
The fact that he still hasn’t said a word only makes this whole scenario more bizarre.
He could have given us his name when Tom asked, but no.It’s like he’s enjoying the awkwardness.
Tom turns away from me, asking if my neighbor needs any help, which earns him a clipped, “Nope,” in return.
Did this guy work as part of a pit crew in a past life?He has the tire changed already.Looks like there wasn’t anything wrong with the jack after all.
Tom mutters his thanks, and my neighbor nods in acknowledgement as he brings the jack and wrench around to my trunk and slips them back into place.
I drag my gaze away from him, finding Tom bending the bill of his baseball cap between his hands, a hopeful look on his youthful face.
“So, Chloe, if you’re not… um… busy later,” he mumbles, “I’d love to take you out.”
There it is, the moment I was hoping to avoid.
“It’s sweet of you to ask, but I have dinner plans tonight.”And thank goodness for that.If he’d come over any other day this week, I’d probably have said yes to keep from disappointing him.
Tom hikes his thumb toward the back of the car, his voice low.“Withthatguy?”
“Ha.No.Definitely not.”I prefer men who know how to smile, thank you very much.
Mr.Punctuality slaps my trunk closed.
“Oh… Maybe next time.”Tom fits his hat back onto his head, then beelines for his truck.
I’m not sure what the heck just happened, but since my neighbor is already climbing his stairs, I don’t bother asking.
Guess I’ll just stand back and enjoy the view.
CHAPTERSEVEN
ETHAN
I gripthe kitchen counter and stare out at the ocean’s gray swells.
I can’t believe that kid had the nerve to ask Chloe out.He didn’t even know how to change a damn tire.Makes me wonder what else he doesn’t know.
Stop thinking about this.You’ve got work to do.
I snatch up my phone, set an alarm so I don’t forget to stick my buffalo wings in the oven, and start patching up the back deck.
An hour later, I’m drilling into one of the loose planks when my phone starts beeping.I switch off the alarm and tug up my shirt to wipe sweat off my brow, then I still.
Is that water running beneath the deck?
Fuck, don’t tell me there’s a leak down there.I don’t have time for that kind of problem.
