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“I want to.”
I pursed my lips. “I appreciate that, but right now, I’m a little tight on funds, so I’m not sure what I can afford to get done.” I felt my cheeks warming from embarrassment.
Lines creased his brow for a split second. “Look, make a list, let’s see what’s on it, what would be the most important things to fix, and I can help you approximate the costs so you can make a game plan. How does that sound?”
“Actually, that sounds good.” He grinned, and I took a moment to enjoy it. “I’m glad you stopped over, Peter.”
“Would you have contacted me if I hadn’t?”
I averted my gaze. “I don’t know. Honestly, I’m not sure how long I’m going to stay.”
“Well, will you at least be here tonight?”
“Um, yeah, I’m pretty sure I’ll be here tonight,” I said with a light laugh.
“Good, then I’ll come by tonight, and we can go over that list.”
My brows jumped. “You want me to make that list today?”
“Yeah, is there something else you need to do?” He glanced around a little. “Besides putting some Christmas decorations up?”
I laughed a little uneasily. “Mom always had a real tree. Luke is allergic to trees, so that’s not an option, and artificial trees are kind of expensive, and I didn’t think to have our tree shipped out here.”
“Ah, I get that. Makes sense.” He nodded slowly. “Will you work on that list, though?”
“Peter, I do appreciate your wanting to help me, but I’m serious about not being in a place to do anything right now financially. Especially without a job.”
He again took hold of my wrist. “Faith, how about you just make that list, and I help you put it in order, and then you can figure out when you can afford to do things? If you decide to sell the house, you’re going to have to do some of these things anyway.”
I winced. “Yeah, that’s true.”
“Alright, so I can come by tonight.”
“At least let me cook you dinner if you are going to help me figure this out.”
He cocked his head. “Do you cook better than you did at twenty? I remember you cooking at our apartment once, and you almost burned the place down.”
The memory came back immediately, and I laughed. “I’ll have you know, I would not have burned the food if you had left me alone. If I’m not mistaken, you were teasing me about something.”
“Not me!” He looked comically affronted. “I would never.”
“Yeah, right, Peter, and you should know that I’m an excellent cook. Would six-thirty work for you?”
“Six-thirty would be great,” I told her and glanced at my watch. “And with that, I need to get out of here. I have to get to work.”
He finished his coffee and then carried the mug to the sink before he came back for his jacket. I slipped out of my chair as he put it on.
“I really am sorry about Jeremy and your mother, Faith.”
“Thank you, Peter.” I touched his arm, and the two of us stared at one another for a moment. Did I hug him again?
Chapter Four
Peter
The sad, haunted eyes that stared back at me screamed for me to take her in my arms and protect her, but I wasn’t sure that would be received very well. So instead, I put my hand on her shoulder, squeezed, and told her I’d see her tonight.
As I let myself out of the house, I realized that in less than a day, all my unresolved feelings for Faith had exploded back into place. I sat in the cab of my truck as I realized that my hands shook slightly, and my heart was pumping fast. She did that to me, she always had. Seeing her again, having her look into my eyes, touch me, speak to me, and laugh—holy shit, that laugh—about tore me to shreds. At least a dozen times, I had wanted to pull her to me and comfort her.
