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Mack.Twelve hours earlier, she had Mack’s tongue in her mouth. And if she thought she was conflicted before, her confusion doubled down. Besides Ben, she couldn’t remember the last time someone helped her out just because. Sexy, intelligent, and now helpful? What was she supposed to do with that? Her body tugged her in the same direction as her heart, but her brain yanked her back to reality.
Mack returned with a sheepish grin. She wrung her hands together before scooting a chair near Charlie. “Hey, um, I called my dad. I hope I’m not overstepping here, but he’s happy to help.”
“Your dad? George Clooney?”
Ben would help if he were in town, but even though he could bring muscle, he couldn’t advise.
“Mack, I barely know you.”
Mack winced. “Do you really think that? We only met a few weeks ago, but I feel like we’re friends, right?”
Friends.Mack said the word hesitantly, almost like she wasn’t sure what constituted friendship.
Sure, they were friends, but Charlie’s mouth watered when she looked at her. Their lips touched. Charlie thought about her every night. Her heart skipped when Mack walked through the door. In the morning, she added an extra spritz of perfume just in case Mack visited. She’d never done any of this before with afriend. The only time she’d done this was with Jess.
“Yep, of course, we’re friends.” She tossed her cup in the trash and scanned the room.
A cyclone and earthquake had a devil baby and it ransacked her place. A nerve in her shoulder death-pinched her, and she pressed her thumbs against it. She needed a shower and a massage. And a really, really long vacation. But hopelessness faded for the first time in seven hours since she stepped into the shop and saw the damage.
An hour later, Charlie swallowed the last bite of a turkey on brioche sandwich, Mack tossed her banana peel into the garbage, the floor had dried, and Charlie popped an aspirin.
The front door chimed, and Mack’s dad strutted in with a toolbox and a smile. “Hey there, Charlie. Helluva night, huh?”
“You could say that,” Charlie said with a weak grin.
“Hey, kiddo,” he said to Mack before shifting his eyes to Charlie. “Mackey said you might have some water damage, but looks like you two cleaned up everything pretty good. Wanna point me where I should look?”
Charlie pulled her shoulders back. She wanted to tell him that she confirmed the material was waterproof, sturdy, and eco-conscious before installation. And that she took three days to review their contract and ensure everything fit in the budget. Instead, she opened her mouth, closed it, and hung her head. “I don’t know what happened. I think there was too much rain.”
He smiled. Warmly. Kindly.Fatherly.He took deliberate steps and pushed into the floor with the tips of his shoes. Mack gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, and her touch provided everything Charlie needed not to feel alone. Without thinking, she rested her head on Mack’s shoulder.
“What do you think, Dad? Fixable?” Mack asked.
He snugged his jeans up and crouched down. His eyes narrowed as he pushed his palms into the floor. “The joints weren’t installed properly. We have to rip them out.”
His casual tone didn’t reduce the weight of his words.
Charlie’s knees verged on buckling. To keep from crying, she clamped her teeth on the inside of her cheek. “I… uh, can’t afford to replace them.”
As his eyes dashed between her and Mack, he softened his stiffened shoulders. His slow nod and compassionate smile made her want to grip him around the waist, lean her head on his chest, and have him confirm everything was okay.
“Listen. If you can do the labor, we have some surplus at the warehouse that matches pretty close. Cover the area with a rug, and no one will notice the difference.” He paused. “Think you can handle the labor?”
The thousand-pound weight she’d been carrying around since 5:00 a.m. started to vanish.
“Absolutely.” She had no idea what to do. But she had YouTube, Google, and a library card. “I mean, I think I can handle the labor.”
He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Iknowyou can.”
His confidence held a magic thread that straightened her back. She glanced at Mack, who grinned at her father.
“Installation’s probably a two-person job,” he said. “I can show you how to tear it out and install it, but then I need to leave.”
“I’ll help.” Mack raised her hand.
Her dad angled his head. “You sure, Mackey? I don’t think you’ve ever even hung a painting.”
“Seriously?” She groaned. “I can absolutely help.”
