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“I’ll see you then,” she replied, ushering him out of the door so she could lock it behind her.
Part of her expected Kyle to dawdle or hang around, as she turned the key in the door – but to her surprise? He was already walking off towards the station in the distance, his reflection staring at her in the glass before her face.
Just as she was about to look away, she saw his reflection glance over his shoulder before he turned bodily, walking backwards across the parking lot of the fire station, looking back towards the café… and at her.
She smiled.
3
A week later…
Reyna wasbeyond tired and feeling overwhelmed. There was so much still to do, the bills were coming in, and her savings was getting quickly depleted… not to mention that yesterday was a horrific day at the nursing home where her mother was.
They had called, claiming that she was crying and deliberately messing herself, before screaming at the nurses. Reyna had rushed over, only to have her mother fail to recognize her, making things so much worse.
Oh, it was heartbreaking – and Reyna had cried herself to sleep.
Today she was not feeling quite up to dealing with the handsome firefighter… nor did she feel like being on a ladder all day long painting.
As she pulled up, the urge to flee was stronger than ever before as she saw Kyle standing there, leaning against an old seafoam green pickup truck that had seen better days.
No man should ever look that sexy in ragged work clothes, she mused, and looked away.
“Good morning,” he said cheerfully. “Are we ready to knock this out?”
“Actually – no,” she replied grumpily. “I’ve got the paint, rollers, tape, and brushes, but I forgot to get the light fixture or pick up the new toilet. I was going to get something for lunch – once I pick up everything else that’s a mess in my world…”
“No problem,” he said, watching her curiously as she got out of the vehicle, slamming the driver’s door shut.
His thumbs were hooked in the pockets of his worn-out jeans that were dotted with small holes, grass stains on the knees, and had a few patches ironed on in places. His shirt looked atrocious with a few holes and bleach spots on the material – including a massive grease spot near the hem near his waist.
“I hope you don’t mind that I dressed for the part?” Kyle began.
“Of course not.”
“Just checking, because you look really… ready for some hard work.”
He grimaced then and looked away, making her wonder what that expression was for… and feeling slightly insulted.
Did she lookthatbad?
Yes, her own pants were worn out and the shirt she had on was threadbare, forcing her to wear a tank top underneath to keep things modest. Apparently, she looked awful to him – which certainly didn’t help how she felt this morning, after yesterday evening’s debacle with her mother.
“Why don’t I take the paint and just get started,” Kyle offered, opening the back hatch of her SUV without any regard for boundaries or privacy – he just helped himself.
As he opened it, several bags that she had failed to carry inside to the nursing home spilled out everywhere onto the asphalt due to her hurried driving on the country roads this morning.
There – staring up at the two of them from the ground – were the worst possible things that could have ever spilled out of her vehicle in front of a budding crush.
Several bright pink packages of Poise leak protection pads, a package of tampons, another supersize package of adult diapers, a package of Hanes women’s briefs in bright neon colors, a tube of hemorrhoid cream, a plastic bed pan… and a King Size Kit-Kat bar that she’d picked up to comfort herself with chocolate.
She had forgotten about that Kit Kat bar and could have used it last night when she was sobbing pathetically.
Chocolate always helped.
“Oh I’m… sorry…” Kyle said in embarrassment.
Reyna immediately stooped to pick up the items, shoving them back into the large plastic totes where they’d fallen out. She wasn’t even sure what to say or do, because it was so mortifying.
