Page 20 of Meet Me in Ivy Falls

He sank down onto the curb. The droop to his shoulders said all I needed to know. Now that he’d been inside the house, he’d figured out what a big job it was. That he’d been dumb, reckless to buy it. But I wasn’t about to save him no matter how much it dug under my skin that he’d made such a stupid decision.

‘I’m sorry, Torran,’ he whispered. ‘Like everything else between us, I’m not sure that’s a promise I can keep.’

Chapter Nine

BECK

A True Force of Nature.

It was hard not to laugh at what a fool I’d been. For the few minutes I’d been inside the house reality had taken hold, and now I fully understood why Torran had wanted to rip my head off after the auction. She knew how much work, time and money it would take to get the house back to its former state.

Watching her move so confidently around the space an idea began to form in my head, but I was positive no matter how much I groveled she’d still say no. But what was I going to do? She was the only solution to my problem. Somehow I had to figure out a way to get through her armor.

Torran shoved a toolbox to the back of her truck before wrestling the ladder into the bed. I didn’t offer to lend a hand because I knew better. She was a tornado of determination. Never letting anyone set her path. Or tell her what to do. A true force of nature.

The twinge in my chest reminded me how much I’d missed having her in my life. The little way she twirled the ends of her hair when she was nervous. The tick in her cheek when she got annoyed. Convincing her to work with me would take more than a wink and a wicked grin. If she was going to agree to my plan, it had to be more about restoring the house, helping her business, rather than saving me. Plus after the damage I’d left in my wake, I owed her this one.

She jumped down from the truck and made her way to the driver’s side. She climbed inside the cab and I jumped up and raced to the passenger door. A song from The Dead Weather blasted out of the speakers. Before she could peel away from the curb, I slid inside.

‘What are you doing?’ she demanded.

‘I want to keep talking.’

‘No. I have to go to work.’ To make her point, she reached across my lap and pushed open the passenger door. Her hand skimmed across my thighs and I loved the sudden flush in her cheeks.

‘But it’s Saturday.’

She rolled her eyes.

Yep. Battle shield firmly in place.

‘Every day a house isn’t on the market, you lose money. In this business there’s no such thing as a day off. You’d know that if you had a clue what you were doing.’

I stayed glued to Sally Mae’s worn seat even as Torran’s shoulders tensed up around her ears.

‘What do you want from me, Beck? I just saved your ass from a potential trip to the hospital. I warned you about the house.’ Her eyes narrowed as she caught on. ‘There is no way I’m helping you out of this mess!’

‘But you were bidding on the house. I know you want it.’

‘Yes, I was bidding on the house until you buzzed in like a stray bullet and took it. Then you start poking around things you don’t understand and make it a complete disaster zone.’

‘What happened in the attic was an accident. If anyone should get that, it’s you.’

Heat burned at her cheeks and shame washed over me. Poking fun at her video mishap was only going to make things worse.

‘We are not talking about me,’ she ground out. ‘You got yourself into this mess. Don’t expect me to jump in and save you.’

‘I’m not asking you to save me. I don’t need anyone to save me!’

I’d forgotten how she could burrow down into my skin like a splinter and cause so much pain. She knew me too well. Could push all the right buttons to drive me mad.

‘Fine,’ I said, climbing out. ‘I’ll ask Diego for help because it’s clear you don’t give a crap.’

‘Good luck with that! And while you’re at it, tell him to call the fire department, not me, the next time you do something stupid.’

She gunned Sally Mae and tore down the street. Her taillights faded into the distance. Once again I’d screwed everything up and I only had myself to blame.

‘Dammit!’ I yelled up into the bright blue sky. By now I should have realized that she wasn’t going to make this easy for me. That I deserved every bit of anger she tossed my way.