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“If you need me at all, I’m going to be in the garage, okay?”
Faced with more silence, she went out through the kitchen and crossed the garage to open the large overhead door. The over-long grass was right there in her face before she turned to face her broken lawnmower.
She couldn’t fix things with Ian right now, but she could fix her damn lawnmower. Based on the online video she’d found, changing the broken mulching blade shouldn’t be too hard.
Forty-five minutes later, her confidence was in the toilet. The entire evening had become a complete failure. Tears were threatening yet again, which annoyed the hell out of her.
Stupid pregnancy hormones.
Her wrench slipped off the bolt she was trying to loosen as she kneeled on a cushion next to the tipped-up mower. She swung the tool against the side of the mower deck in frustration. “Piece of crap stupid thing.”
“That’s not going to fix anything.”
Mae jumped at the sound of the male voice from the open garage door. Her heart rate took off at double speed as she twisted around and saw Merit. She lost her balance and fell back on her butt. He was in front of her in an instant, and she lifted her chin to find herself staring into his dark-lashed, gold-tinged brown eyes as his dark hair fell rakishly across his forehead.
“You okay?”
Oh, yeah, fine. I feel like a complete idiot as you stand there looking hot as hell, but yeah, I’m good.
When he leaned closer with his hand outstretched to help her up, her breath hitched in her throat. She quickly shifted back. One touch from him and she’d be in danger of forgetting exactly what he was.
A playboy she could not depend on.
“What are you doing here?”
Merit stilled, then straightened and stuffed his hands in his front jeans pockets. A frown creased his brow as he wet his lips. “You were going to let me know how things were going.”
Don’t look at his lips.
But her green lawnmower was nowhere near as seductive. Still, looking at him made it hard to think clearly, so she got up off the ground, wiped off the seat of her cotton shorts, and kneeled beside the mower once more. “It’s only been a couple of days.”
“Five. It’s been five days, Mae, and we still have a hell of a lot to talk about.”
She heard the accusation in his voice and fought against a wave of guilt. Yes, she was deliberately keeping him at a distance, but it was the only choice she had.
“I want to be involved,” Merit said.
She picked up her wrench to work the bolt again. “There’s nothing for you to be involved in right now.” And by the time there would be, he’d probably be on to greener pastures.
“Have you gone to the doctor yet?”
“No.”
“I want to go with you.”
What?
Mae’s pulse skipped as she strained to budge the stubborn piece of metal. He wanted to go to doctors appointments with her? Ian’s father’s first ‘request’ had been to tell her to get an abortion.
Suddenly, Merit was kneeling beside her. His large, warm hand closed over hers on the wrench. “Let me help.”
For a brief moment, she closed her eyes and imagined leaning into his strength. Letting his arms close around her as his warmth and yummy manly scent made her stomach flutter.
Realizing she was already starting to lean toward him, she jerked her hand out from under his and rose to her feet. “I don’t need your help.”
Only she stood too fast, and the now familiar rush of dizziness made her sway on her feet. Shit. She braced a hand on the closest thing in reach—Merit’s back.
The wrench clattered to the cement as he turned and caught her at the same time he rose to his feet. For the second time in less than a week she found herself swept up into his arms. The guy had serious hero moves.
