“I know you still need to move the trailer over to the new connections, but I’ve got you connected up to an extension hose for now. I’ve checked all the other taps on site,” Steve continued, “so you’re good to go.”
“You hooked it all up so fast,” she said, trying to focus on the big man.
He waved her off with what Katherine could only consider a giant, grimy paw, “Nah, Alex dug the trenches, and I had all the pipe ordered. With Chad’s help, it didn’t take long.”
“Well. I can’t tell you how glad I am to have water,” she said, never meaning anything more. “Please get me an invoice, and I’ll bring you a check.”
He headed toward the door, then stopped at the sofa to scratch Fish on the head. “I’ll have the missus draw one up.”
She swung the door open, then moved back so he could pass. He bent to step out, then stopped, his eyes coming to her face. “And don’t feel bad about that thing with Alex yesterday,” he said with a smile. “I remember how it is to be young and in love.”
Horrified by his words, Katherine’s stomach turned. “Oh, no, we’re not—” But the big man was already down the steps. And worse yet, she heard him chuckle at her denial.
So there it was. The whole town thinks Alex and I are in love. Again.
Tossing a glance toward the power pole, only to see Alex working his way painfully down the spikes, her stomach lurched, and she yanked the door closed with a bang. “This is ridiculous,” she blustered, “I am a grown woman capable of understanding my own feelings and deciding what to do about it.”
Okay, so what was she going to do?
“I am going to move my trailer over into its permanent location, that’s what I’m going to do!” she said out loud, her mind made up. She couldn’t test her electric hookup or use her air conditioner until she moved, and she wasn’t spending another night sweltering in the heat. That she knew for sure.
* * *
Alex was nearly down the pole when his pants pocket caught on the last spike. Twisting to disengage it, he heard the distinct sound of fabric tearing. “Son-of-a—” he cursed, reaching behind him to unhook his pants from the spike. Once on the ground he twisted and turned, looking over his shoulder, trying to see how bad his pants were torn. If the breeze on his backside were any indication, it wasn’t good.
“Great, just great,” he sighed, knowing he was screwed. He couldn’t leave to go change -- he had to make sure the hookup was secure and the power was on. And the only way to do that was to wait until Katie moved her trailer onto the permanent site and plugged it in. “Maybe I can just wait in my truck,” he grumbled, groping at his backside. He knew he’d gained a few pounds since he’d come home, but he didn’t think he’d gained enough to blow out his damn pants!
Stomping to his truck, he took no satisfaction in knowing the job was done. Sure, his dad would be pleased, but for some reason, finishing this job only made him feel empty inside. But then … didn’t everything?
Noticing that clouds were gathering overhead, he yanked open the truck door and rummaged around behind the seat. “Ha!” he cried, pulling out a dirty, rumbled hoodie. He unhooked his tool belt and tossed it into the seat, then tied the jacket around his waist. The breeze across his backside slowed, so he closed the truck door, hoping his butt was no longer hanging out. Working to regain his composure, he headed toward Katie’s trailer.
Her truck started up from behind her trailer, and his steps hitched. She must have come out as he was walking to the truck. And she’d been behind him. “Ahhh crap,” he swore, knowing she’d likely had a great view of his torn underwear flapping in the wind.
She pulled out from behind the trailer, with Fish’s funny face hanging out of her truck window and backed into position in front of her trailer.
Stepping up in the gap between truck and trailer, he used hand signals to motion her to the left and right, then back, until the hitch on her truck lined up with the hitch on the trailer.
The breeze picked up another notch as Katherine climbed from her truck and circled around the bed to see how she’d done. Fish barked in support from the front seat.
“Well done. Are you ready to move?” Alex asked as he glanced up at the clouds. They had another 20 minutes, tops, before the rain hit. The wind would feel good after the hot, muggy day, but it would feel even better if it wasn’t blowing across his naked butt.
Katherine didn’t make eye contact with him, just got busy lowering the crank of the trailer jack onto her truck hitch. “I think so, I’ve unhooked the water hose,” she said between cranks. “I’ve moved the steps. I just need to raise the jacks a little more on the back and take out the chocks.” She straightened and glanced his way, wiping sweat off her upper lip with the back of her hand. Then with a grin playing at the corner of her mouth, she headed around the trailer.
Yup, she’d seen his underwear all right, he was sure of it. The girl he knew would have teased him and laughed herself silly. Katie had grown up, she’d learned manners, and the thought made him sad.
“Will you get the back jack and the chock from that side?” she hollered from around the trailer.
He limped toward the back of the trailer. It didn’t take him long to get the jack raised and to grab the chock, and within minutes, Katie was back behind the wheel of her truck, carefully lurching the trailer forward, then back into its spot near the new water and electric hookups.
Still not meeting his eye, she got out and busied herself tugging the thick electrical cord from a storage hatch in the back of the trailer. However, when she reached out to lift the cover on the meter pole and plug it in, he stepped forward.
“Better let me do that, just in case,” he muttered.
She handed him the cord without argument, and he plugged it into the outlet. Nothing happened, which was a good sign, so he turned to her in triumph. But to his chagrin, he caught her eyeballing the jacket hanging across his backside.
Her head snapped up, and she grinned innocently, her eyes shining.
“Check inside and see if the lights work,” he said, but she didn’t move. “Yes, I ripped my pants,” he continued, feeling no hilarity in the situation.
“I can see that. Did it cut you up too?”
“No.”
“I didn’t see blood, but I thought I’d ask.”
He didn’t say anything, just watched her, and bit by bit, her joy at his discomfort began to lighten his mood.
“I did see everything else though,” she added as she turned away.
Chapter Seventeen
“Of course she saw everything,” Alex muttered, following Katie
A clap of thunder rolled in the distance.
The fact that she’d seen his underwear, or even his backside, didn’t bother Alex. It was looking like a fool that made him mad. Here he’d finished the job, and a pretty big job at that, and right at his moment of glory, he had to go and do something stupid.
“They work!” Katie called out excitedly from inside as he grabbed the edges of the door jam and hefted himself up into the trailer using his good leg. Relieved but not surprised, he watched as she ran through the trailer, switching on and off lights. He didn’t bother to tease her that if one worked, they all would, they’d run fine on the generator and solar after all.
“This is the big moment,” she said, her eyes shining with eagerness as she put her hand on the air-conditioning thermostat. “Are you ready?”
He chuckled. “Flip that sucker, let’s get some cool air in here!”
Katie’s finger pushed the switch over to the cool setting, and they both held their breath as a whirring noise clicked on overhead. The machine on the roof roared to life, and particles of dust and bits of dried leaves blew from the air vents in the kitchen and over the sofa.
“It works!” Katherine cried, clapping her hands. Then she hurried into the living room to stand under a vent. She motioned to Alex. “Close the door and come feel it, it’s amazing!”
He pulled the do
or shut, then stepped up next to her, spellbound by her joy.
She lifted her hands to revel in the cold air pouring from the vent, but all he could think about was taking her in his arms. They hadn’t discussed, or even alluded, to the times they’d kissed, but he wanted more.
“I’m never going to take this for granted again,” she sighed closing her eyes. The breeze from the air-conditioner blew wisps of hair that had come loose from her bun, causing a few to stick to the overheated skin of her neck and checks.
She moaned with pleasure, and that was all it took. With one swoop he gathered her into his arms, his face only inches from hers.
Her eyes flew open in surprise and she gasped but didn’t push away.
“I’ll never take you for granted again, Katie, I swear it.”
She blinked, scanning his face.
“Katherine,” he corrected.
She smiled but pushed gently at this chest, so he let her go. She took a step back, collecting her thoughts. “I’ve been thinking about you too. About us.”
“You have?” Here he’d acted on pure impulse, and she’d been thinking about them as an us. What did that mean, exactly?
“I think about you a lot,” she admitted, shoving her hands in the back pockets of her shorts, glancing up at him through her lashes. “Probably due to you being here so much.”
His heart stopped as he waited to hear what she’d say next. Did she think of him as just the electrician? If she said she didn’t want anything to do with him, what would he do? What could he do?
Nothing would change, he’d just go on as he had. But the thought of getting up in the morning to go to some other job site, where she wouldn’t be there to take care of Fish, or offer him lunch, or wrestle with a chainsaw— the thought was so depressing he held his breath, waiting for her to continue.
“I guess I’m scared,” she whispered, her expression tentative.
“Of me?” he scoffed.
“Yes, you,” she said. “I need to make sure the park gets built, without interruption. You hurt me once, and I—”
He sobered. “I can’t change that.”
She rubbed one temple with her fingertips. “I know, it’s just so confusing. I don’t know how to— I haven’t— there hasn’t been anyone else since…”
Shock registered across his face. “You mean, you haven’t dated, or you haven’t had— been with—”his voice faded, unsure how to clarify.
“Any of it,” she said with a sad finality.
He stared at her, struggling to process this information. “But you’re so pretty and young—how…”
She waved him off and took another step back. “Don’t feel obligated to say those things. I know what I am.”
His hand shot out in agitation. “What do you mean by that?”
She blushed. “Do I really have to say it?” He didn’t reply, and she sighed. “Fine, I’m a plain, old-maid librarian.”
His mouth fell open in shock at her words. “Wh— Are you crazy?”
“No,” she countered, “I’m perfectly sane, but I am not attractive. I’m snippy and uptight, and—”
“Who told you that?” he demanded, his voice harsh, causing her to flinch.
She sputtered, caught off guard by his response. “I don’t—”
“Because whoever it was, they’re crazy!” he barked, causing her to take another step back.
Silence settled between them as they blinked at each other. Fish joined in then, his bark coming from the front of Katherine’s truck.
“Oh! I was so excited, I forgot Fish,” she cried as she hurried to the door.
Alex watched her jump from the trailer, across where the missing steps would go, and head toward her truck.
He scrubbed one hand across the top of his head. So they’d admitted that they wanted something to happen, at least he thought that’s what they’d decided. What came next? Why was he acting like such an insecure idiot? If he wanted her, he should take her, ask nicely for her permission, of course, but get the awkwardness over with. Tell her he wanted her. Make his move.
Katie returned with Fish and set him inside the door, then motioned out over her shoulder. “I’m going to hook up the water before the rain starts.”
He didn’t have time to respond before she turned away. So this is the moment, do I have the guts to make this happen with Katie, or am I the wimp I think I’ve become. Before he could decide, she was back, settling the wooden steps in front of the door.
She hurried inside, then glanced over her shoulder at the storm approaching over the trees as she pulled the door closed.
Feeling the tension in the air, as well as the storm, the puppy ran in excited circles.
“It’s already cooler in here,” Katie said, wiping wisps of hair back from her forehead.
“I won’t hurt you again,” Alex blurted. “And I’ll do my best not to—” his words broke off as he stepped closer, ready to lay his heart on the line.
Her breath caught as he neared. He stopped, and her eyes followed his hand as it reached out to her. When his fingers touched her cheek, her breath released with a silent whoosh and her eyes fell closed. She swayed, and he didn’t miss a beat. Quick as a wink, his arms slipped around her, pressing her against his chest. He kissed first one cheek, then the other, dropping light kisses over her face. Her skin tasted salty, pushing him further. “You are so beautiful, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” He whispered, taking in her features, her shuddering breaths, the feel of her body in his arms, everything about her.
Her eyes opened, and when she tried to speak, he silenced her with a kiss on the lips, then another and another. When he pulled back to catch his breath, her eyes fluttered open, so he kissed her again.
Drowning in the moment, Katherine could only ride the wave of passion that swept her up, body and soul.
Thunder clapped overhead, scaring Fish, and the little dog whined, wiggling and squirming, to squeeze between Katherine and Alex’s legs. When they ignored him, he stood on his hind feet, pawing at their thighs, whining for attention.
Katherine broke away first, her cheeks rosy and her heart pounding. Her eyes flickered open, but she clung to Alex. Another crack of thunder shook the trailer, and she pulled back, working to regain her equilibrium. Then as if she suddenly remembered something, she jolted out of his arms and hurried to the kitchen to flip a switch on the wall over the sink.
Unsure what to say, or what made her turn away, he reached down to scoop up the whining puppy. “What’s that for?” he asked motioning toward the switch.
“It turns on the hot water heater,” she said with a grin. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to take a hot shower.”
Her words conjured a mental picture of her in the shower, and he knew she’d be shocked if she could see his vision of her naked, covered in soap suds, dripping wet and— Fish planted a sloppy kiss on his face and Alex cringed, lowering the dog back to the floor.
“Sorry,” she apologized, “it takes a while to heat up, and I don’t want to forget.”
“You’re good,” he said, still grinning at his daydream.
“Your pants,” she said, pointing. “Want me to see if I can mend them?”
For a moment he thought she’d been referring to the issue at the front of his jeans. Glancing down, he remembered the tear in the back. “That’s all you have to say?” he asked, hoping she had more than sewing on her mind.
Her face fell, and she reached up to check her bun. Finding it a mess, she grew flustered. “I— I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I don’t—”
Feeling like a heel for rushing her, he ratcheted himself back a notch. “Let’s talk about my pants.”
She stared at him, unsure where his words would go next. Fish ran to her feet, whined once, then wiggled his way between her ankles. She looked down at him, and he looked up wearing a silly grin on his little doggie face as if offering her encouragement.
The air turned white, as a flash of
lightning lit up the sky, followed almost immediately by a rolling roar of thunder as a deluge of rain broke loose, pouring down on the little trailer. The room darkened. Katherine jumped, one hand coming up to her chest and her eyes wide.
“How does this trailer do in bad weather?” Alex asked, moving toward her.
“I don’t know,” she murmured, watching him approach, much as a rabbit would watch a wolf creeping nearer.
With his eyes locked on hers, he didn’t speak -- just slipped his arm around her to pull her close.
Holding her in a sweet embrace, he smoothed one hand down the back of her head, putting her head on his shoulder, rocking her gently. With his voice soft and low, he crooned endearments. As her shoulders relaxed, then her back, and her breathing slowed, emotions swept over Alex, filling him to the brim and then overflowing. What was this feeling?
He knew this girl, but he was just starting to learn the woman -- what scared her, what soothed her, where her thoughts went when no one was around. She’d been hurt, wounded by life and loss, and part of that was his fault, but he was here now, and he wasn’t going to leave her to face the storm, or the world, alone.
* * *
Rain pounded on the metal roof of the trailer, hammering along with Katherine’s heart. Flashes of lightning accompanied by thunder rocked the trailer but wrapped in Alex’s arms, she wasn’t afraid. As a matter of fact, she felt at peace. The combination of the roaring storm and Alex’s words wove a tapestry of emotion and sound around her, binding her in a safe cocoon. The feeling was new, astounding, raw and tender, hot and cool.
The sensation of Alex’s fingers massaging her back felt like the tide sweeping forward, then back, wiping away her worries and fears. Her body responded in alien ways, rocking with Alex, like a dance. She didn’t feel like herself. She felt alive, soft, and beautiful -- none of the traits she would have used to described herself only days before.
Hometown Series Box Set Page 113