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Now she was here and another bolt of kismet hit—David was here, too. God must have set the wheels in motion.
"Good morning, Jason. Please come in." She pasted on her brightest smile.
"Good morning, Ms. Donnelly. This may take about four hours, but I'll try not to be too intrusive," Jason said as he tipped his baseball cap down by way of greeting. She liked him. He was pretty to look at, too—blond curly hair, big dimples, and shiny brown eyes. She imagined the girls were lined up for a piece of Jason.
"Don't worry about it, Jason. I've arranged to work from home today, so I can be here to learn the system when you’re finished. I'll be in my office. If you need anything, please pop in or yell, whatever works. Okay?"
"Yes, ma'am. Will do."
Grabbing her coffee cup from the table, she shuffled back to her office—the best room in the house, as far as she was concerned. It was spacious and bright with full view windows on one wall and her dark desk across the room. She could sit in her chair and watch the pleasure boaters float on the lake. It was peaceful here.
Booting up her computer, she began working.
5
David wiped his forehead on the sleeve of his T-shirt as he twisted the screw into the camera holder on the wall. Working on a new construction had its perks, no furniture to move around, no worry about the floors, and wiring was easier to run through the walls. But this place still didn’t have the air conditioning installed, and it was hot as Hades in here. His pocket vibrated, and he swore under his breath as he reached for it. Seeing Jason's face on his phone screen, his stomach tightened. Jason was at Kiera's today.
"Jason. What can I do for you?"
"Hey, boss. I ran into an issue here, and I need some assistance. Sorry, but the wiring in this building is not the norm. I already called Steve, and he can't make it. Not sure what else I can do."
Glancing around the room he stood in, noting the freshly painted walls and little else, he responded, "Yeah. I'll be there in a few minutes, Jase. Hang tight." Sliding the phone into his pocket, he muttered under his breath, "Fuck."
Driving to Kiera's house, his grip on the steering wheel threatened to break it into pieces. Chiding himself and at the same time giving himself a pep talk, he repeated, “I can do this.” He could see her again. If—and that’s a big if—she wanted to explain, he’d let her. He sure as fuck wouldn't make her cry again. He’d been pissed at himself all week for making her cry. He knew he was a better man than that; his dad would kick his ass if he were still alive. Pulling into a parking space and turning off the ignition, he sat back and took a deep breath. Giving himself another pep talk, he muttered, "Behave now. You can do this."
Ringing the doorbell, he took deep breaths to calm himself. A little bit self-conscious because he’d been sweating at the new construction, he decided it was a blessing; he’d be uber careful not to get too close to her. She had some weird pull on him, and he’d need to remember to keep his distance. He raked his hands through his hair and twisted his head to the side, stretching the muscles in his neck.
He heard the locks turn in the door and sucked in another deep breath, letting it out slowly as the door opened.
She wore a downy looking lightweight sweater; the soft peach color complimented her skin, and her eyes deepened in color from the hazel he’d remembered to a darker, almost brown hue. "David. Hi. Please come in." She stepped back to allow him room to enter. He hesitated just a split second before entering her home.
Stopping just inside the doorway, he cleared his throat. "Ah, Jason called and said he needed some help. I'll stay out of your way."
"Sure. He's in the bedroom right now."
His jaw tightened and a knot formed in his gut at the thought of another man in her bedroom—as innocent as it was. He nodded and held his hand out for her to lead the way. She stepped in front of him and softly walked down the hall. He marveled that her feet never made a sound. Her limp was still prevalent, and he studied it to see that she favored her right leg.
She halted a few steps into the bedroom. "David is here, Jason." Not sure if he should wait for her to step out or follow her in, he hesitated until he heard Jason’s voice.
"Okay. I'm in the closet, boss."
Sighing, he followed Jason's voice into the spacious walk-in closet.
He caught a glimpse of Kiera as she stepped from the room and disappeared.
* * *
The soft tap on her office door brought Kiera out of her daydream. She had moved from her desk to the soft leather chair by the windows, watching the boaters play and listening to David instructing Jason on how to install her security system as she clutched the soft tan stuffed puppy that was never far from her. He was patient, kind, and encouraging. She heard David tell him twice he was proud of the good work he’d done. She couldn't help it—a tear slipped down her cheek before she could catch it. He was a good man. It wrecked her to know she’d hurt him so deeply.
Turning her head, David stood in her doorway. "We're finished here. I'll be heading out, then—Jason will show you how to use the system."
She scooted to the edge of her chaise and awkwardly stood. "Would you?"
The surprise on his face was evident. His eyebrows raised and his head snapped up. When he didn't respond right away, she softly asked again, "David … please?” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “I would like to explain myself to you if you’ll let me. Would you, please?"
Jason appeared in the doorway, his blue eyes dancing. "Are you ready to learn your new system, Ms. Donnelly?"
She smiled at Jason. "I am, but Mr. Haggerty said he would show me. You don't mind, do you, Jason?"
