Page 40 of Falling for a Grumpy Hero

Her features were tight with frustration, but she kept up a stream of cheerful chatter as we drove to my house. I was cognizant of the fact that this was the first time she’d seen it, but I was in a mood, hurting, and short with her when she let out a low whistle as she parked outside.

“A single-family home, huh?” she asked, smiling up at the historic house I’d renovated myself. Not that she had any way of knowing that. “Funny, I was convinced you lived in a bachelor pad. Maybe a fancy penthouse with no furniture and lots of glass and steel.”

“Why do you give a fuck where I live?” I snapped, immediately feeling bad about it when I saw the hurt that flickered in her eyes. “Okay, look. I’m sorry. I just need some painkillers.”

“Of course, you do. Have you seen your leg? That’s exactly why I took you to the doctor and why I brought you home.” She sighed and climbed out of the truck, and I opened my door and nearly shouted at the pain of getting out, but I didn’t want her trying to help me again.

“I’ve got it from here.” I looked directly into those blue eyes, and as much as I didn’t want her to leave, I needed her to. “Thanks for your help, but I’m fine.”

“Buck up, Ford. I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

“That’s really not necessary.”

She shot me another smile. “Oh, but it is.”

Since it looked like she’d already made up her mind, I didn’t try to talk her out of it, just rolling my eyes as I turned and limped to the front porch. She still had the keys to my truck, but since I didn’t even know where she’d left her bicycle, or how she’d wound up arriving at Heritage House with our client, I was assuming she was just going to drive herself home in it.

I didn’t give a crap. All I needed was a handful of pills.

By the time I made it to my front door, I still hadn’t heard the engine turning over and I frowned, twisting to see why she was still there. She hadn’t even climbed into the truck yet and instead was chatting to some of my neighbors who were out walking.

I’d lived in this neighborhood for years and I’d successfully managed to avoid them, but here Lila was, on her first visit, and she was making friends. Despite the day she’d had and my attitude, she was still smiling and animated while she spoke.

How is she always so happy? So sunny. She’s just a constant ray of light.

I honestly had no clue how she did it, or how she could care about someone like me. But at the barbecue, she’d said she did and her actions today had proven it.

Some way, somehow, the sunshine itself had come to care about me. And it felt good. So why is it so hard for me to just let her in?

21

LILA

Ford’s house was surprisingly pretty. I’d genuinely been surprised when we’d parked outside it yesterday and it had turned out that I hadn’t made a mistake with the directions. At first, I’d really thought I’d messed up, but nope.

The single-story home with the stone walls and slightly overgrown front garden was his. He’d had a key for it and everything. I’d watched him let himself in, which meant that my gruff and grumpy boss lived in one of the most gorgeous homes I’d ever seen.

It was absolutely, one-hundred percent a historic fixer-upper that he must’ve spent ages restoring, but it had come out breathtakingly picturesque. The garden could use a little bit of tender loving care, but the house itself? Stunning. Chef’s kiss.

I looked up at it from the street after I’d parked, the truck laden with snacks and groceries to make him lunch and dinner. I’d wanted to be here earlier this morning, but I’d known he’d be eager for updates from the office, so I’d stopped by there first.

After attending to everything that had been urgent, I’d popped over to a store and now I was here, my laptop at the ready in case he wanted to do some work and my bike on the bed so I could cycle home later and leave his truck here with him.

Drawing in a deep breath of warm, fragrant air, I shook my head again at the realization that he lived in a neighborhood where there were flowers in well-tended garden beds and tall, healthy trees lining the street. I really hadn’t seen that coming.

I chuckled as I finally strode up to his front door and knocked. You really are full of surprises, Ford Callahan.

Even though I’d told him I would come here today, he looked surprised to see me after he’d yanked open his door. Lightning seemed to race across those stormy blue eyes before they narrowed and he took a step back.

“What are you doing here?”

On a day-to-day basis, he was normally pretty well groomed, but there was day-old stubble on his jaw today and he was in a pair of black sweats with an old Marines shirt. I felt my chest tighten as I took him in, but I knew better than to comment on it.

He looked damn good like this. Like himself. I just wished there wasn’t still a gleam of pain behind his currently angry blue eyes. “I told you I was coming, didn’t I?”

He scowled at me and at the armful of things I’d brought along to care for him—against his will. “Why are you not in the office?”

I lifted my shoulder to show him the laptop bag hanging across it. “The tablet is in there too. This is going to be my office for the day, but I dropped in at our actual offices first. Everything is under control there.”