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“You have got to be kidding me.” I kick the loose brick that came off the sad excuse of a flower box in the tiny front yard of the house I’m renting with my friends, forgetting that I’m wearing my flip-flops. “Ouch!”
“Everything okay over there?” Mr. Handsome climbs down the ladder, jumping the last three feet and striding toward me before I can get my wits about me.
“I’m fine.” I swallow hard, doing my best not to notice the sweat glistening on his broad chest and shoulders.
“Didn’t sound fine. Did you get hurt?” He crouches in front of me and stares at my toe.
I look down and notice a small trickle of blood. Looks like I chipped my toenail and cut the skin. Annoying, but nothing a big ugly Band Aid won’t fix. “It’s nothing.”
“What’s going on with that leaky sink?” he asks, rising until he towers a good foot above me.
“Do you always listen in on other people’s private conversations?” I ask, resisting the urge to clamp my hand across my mouth the moment the words are out.
He smirks. “Only when the person practically yells into the phone loud enough for me to hear it all the way over there.”
“Sorry about that. My landlord is something else.” I shrug and make a mental note to stay inside next time I yell at Mr. Jones.
“Want me to look at it? I’m pretty handy.” The smile on the man’s face widens.
“You don’t have to do that. If I keep pestering him, he’ll eventually make it over here.” At least I hope he will.
“It’s no trouble. If it’s a simple leak, I should have everything I need to take care of it. If not, you’ll have more ammunition to argue with him.” His green eyes sparkle in the light of the afternoon sun.
“If you’re sure you wouldn’t mind. I’m Elana, by the way.” It occurs to me that this isn’t the worst way to get to know the man I’ve been ogling all weekend.
“Ryan. Ryan Matthews. It’s nice to meet you, Elana.” He wipes his hand on his shorts before holding it out to me.
I shake it and my fingers disappear in his grip.” Nice to meet you too, neighbor.”
“That should do it. Keep that bowl under there, just in case, but I doubt it’ll leak again.” Ryan climbs out from under the bathroom sink and sticks the wrench he’d been using in his tool belt.
“A bit of tape is all it took?” I can’t believe Ryan fixed it in less than ten minutes. And that includes the trip to his house he had to make for the right-sized wrench. “Mr. Jones has been giving me the runaround about this for two months.”
“Sounds to me like you need a new landlord.” Ryan follows me down the hall into the kitchen.
“I wish. I’m stuck in a year-long lease. Besides, it’s close to work and all the stuff downtown.” I enjoy living within walking distance of the restaurants and bars in Wilmington, NC. It’s a nice change of pace from the one stoplight town I grew up in in rural Georgia.
“That’s true. It’s an excellent location.”
“Is that why you moved here?” I ask my knight in shining armor.
“I moved to Wilmington for a job. The house is more about the project. Of course, it doesn’t hurt where it’s at.” Ryan smiles at me, and my heart beats a little faster.
“You like projects?” I ask.
“I like fixing things. Restoring old buildings, like the beauty over there, to their former glory. By the time I’m done with the job, she should be good as new.” He looks out my kitchen window and into the yard of the property he’s restoring. I can hear the pride in his voice.
“You’re not planning on staying in Wilmington long?” I assumed he’d be here indefinitely if he was going through all this trouble restoring an entire house.
“I’m not sure. Depends on how things go with work. If worse comes to worst, I’ll be out of here in a month.” His eyebrows draw together, and his lips form a tight line.
“That doesn’t sound like a fun job.” I’m dying to know more about what he does when he’s not renovating old houses.
“It’s a lot of fun, but this one… Let’s just say it’s going to be challenging. But they don’t call me the fixer for nothing.” His features soften, and that calm confidence that’s been drawing me to him comes back.
“Hungry?’
“I could eat. What do you have in mind?” Ryan asks.
