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She nods at every point, understanding probably better than I do how much work it will take. She helped build my old apartment, after all, and helped her best friend remodel her fixer-upper a couple of years ago. Her friend had repaid the favor by setting Grace up with Noah.
“I can see what you like about this place.” She pats one of the plaster walls. “It’s the definition of good bones. But even with supplies at cost, it’s going to be expensive and take forever.”
“I know.” I’ll make my first mortgage payment in two weeks, and while I’ll have the money for it, I won’t be able to save nearly as much as I hoped. It’ll take forever to get a car at this rate, and forget Evie having any unplanned growth spurts, much less any unplanned emergencies. I’ll have to build a reserve first to handle those things, and I want that to be at least a thousand dollars before I even start my car fund.
None of this would have happened if Henry hadn’t tried to outbid me, but I can’t hold it against him. I know he’d make a different choice now, and I know every time he comes over, he gets that the slow pace of repairs is his fault. I’m petty enough to take a tiny bit of satisfaction from that, but I know him well enough now not to hold the bidding against him anymore.
But I don’t want to talk about my stressful finances with anyone else right now, so I smile at Grace. “I know it’s going to be slow, but it’ll be so worth it.”
“So tell me about those shelves over there.” She nods at them, taking the cue to drop the subject.
After a fun visit, we get a group text that Tabitha and Sawyer have landed and will be home shortly, so everyone heads back to the Winters house—except for me. “I’ll catch up,” I tell them. “Just have to do something real quick.”
Once they’ve turned the corner, I hurry over to Henry’s house and knock.
“Hello,” he says.
“You’re not even surprised when it’s me anymore.”
“You and Evie are literally the only people who ever knock.”
“Oh.” That’s kind of sad. I wonder if it bothers him, but I can’t tell from his neutral tone. “I wanted to tell you that you definitely don’t have to come to Thanksgiving. I can tell them that you decided you had other plans.”
He gives a slow nod. “Would you prefer that I not come?”
“No,” I say so quickly that he starts. “I mean, yes, it would be great if you came, but I don’t want you to feel pressured. The Winters clan is overwhelming. Evie is the tip of the iceberg.”
“Then if you don’t mind, I’ll accept.”
“For science?” I ask, a grin creeping up on me.
“For science,” he agrees, the corner of his lips twitching. “What should I bring?”
For a second, I lose my train of thought. It’s a victory every time I win that almost-smile. “The wine,” I say. “I know you’re an outstanding cook, but so are all of them, and there will be more food than everyone can eat. But trust me, you’re going to want the wine.”
“Very well. Would it be out of place if I brought an appetizer?”
“You really want to participate in this American social ritual, don’t you?”
“Yes. Better science and all.”
“Bring an appetizer. Evie and I will be over there early to hang out with my brother, but if you come around 2:30, that should be plenty of time to enjoy appetizers before the main event.”
He nods.
I tilt my head. “You really don’t talk much.”
He leans against the doorway, arms folded. “That’s not what my students say.”
Why is this kind of . . . sexy? I never had any handsome professors. Maybe this is a belated crush-on-teacher thing happening? But no. This isn’t a crush. He’s a moderately entertaining neighbor who is better looking than I first realized, that’s all.
Still, I dredge up a helpful buffer topic. “By the way, I’ve been thinking about Project: Makeover, and—”
“Pardon?” He looks utterly confused.
“You know, Bag-a-Babe? Your office mate?” He flinches at the terms as hard as I meant for him to, and it makes me laugh. He’s so easy to tease. “I told you, we’re going to do a makeover on you. When does the semester end?”
“Second week of December.”
