by Tara Randel
Last night’s conversation in the quiet kitchen, where they’d revealed times in their lives they actually didn’t want to revisit, was bad enough. Regarding Heidi much more closely than he normally would had to stop.
Setting her cup next to his, Heidi donned the protective gear without asking any more questions. He picked up the hammer and held it out to her. “Take a swing.”
“When I said intern, I meant running errands. Cleaning up stuff. Not destruction.”
He grinned, looking forward to how this would play out. “Every intern usually looks forward to demo day. Haven’t you ever watched those DIY shows?”
She had, so she slowly moved across the room, shook out her arms and rolled her neck. “Hand it over,” came her muffled demand.
He passed the hammer to her. Once she had a hold and he let go, the hammer nearly slipped out of her fingers. She caught it before it hit the floor.
“This is heavier than I expected.”
“Needs to be if you want to break through drywall.”
She blinked rapidly and stepped up to the wall. Then she lifted the hammer, pulled back to swing, only to miss the wall completely, and Reid, by mere inches. He jumped out of the way. The hammer continued its arc to the floor, almost taking Heidi with it.
“Sorry!” she cried as she quickly regained her balance.
“Next time take better aim.” He suppressed a chuckle. “At the wall, not me.”
She rolled her eyes and tried again, making a small dent in the plaster.
“Yes!” she yelled, fist pumping the air.
She continued to take efficient swings, but soon got to the point where she had to finesse her moves to reach higher. Even though Heidi gave it her all, Reid wanted the wall down sometime today. After placing a mask over his mouth and nose, he slipped on his gloves and claimed the hammer from her.
“Watch and learn.” He took a great whack at the spot, removing a heavy chunk of drywall near the ceiling. He repeated the process three more times until there was a large enough area cleared away.
He lowered the hammer. “What do you think?”
“That I should have made this deal after spending a month at the gym.” She pinched her biceps. “I need more muscle mass.”
“You look good just the way you are.”
She flushed at his compliment.
Reid’s mask hid a smile and he nodded at what was left of the wall. “Want to finish up?”
“Are you kidding? This is better than therapy.”
She lifted the hammer and took a more direct swing. This time she managed to expand the hole and several pieces of drywall flew off. When she faced him, he could tell she was smiling by how her eyes sparkled.
“I’m getting the hang of it.”
“You sure are.”
With a whoop, she swung again, making a mess and laughing the entire time. Reid couldn’t remember when he’d had this much fun on a project.
Once he was sure that Heidi had a handle on things, he started removing the old cabinets from the walls in the kitchen.
An hour later, her swings were getting clumsy. “Let me take over,” he said.
“No way. I can do this.”
And she did.
Before long, she’d finished, and a haze of debris hung in the air. Reid pointed to the door. She nodded and followed him to the front porch. Once outside they both removed their protective gear.
“Okay, that was officially cool,” Heidi said, her complexion red from exertion.
“Now you see why demo day is so awesome.” Reid breathed in the fresh mountain air. The misty shadows of morning were giving way to streaks of watery sunlight. He loved this time of day, when everything was fresh and new, and possibilities and opportunities lay ahead.
He’d always been an early riser, ready to get moving and greet the day. Having Heidi join him this morning made him appreciate the special moment all the more.
A smile still lingered on her sweet face. When she reached up to tug a strand of hair from her damp cheek, he noticed broken fingernails earned while swinging the sledgehammer so determinedly. A shadow of fatigue fringed her eyes. She’d never voice her weariness, not even hint at it—because this was Heidi—but she’d worked as hard as any crew member he’d ever had.
She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, as if appreciating the heat from the sun filtering through the tree branches. Her hair, pulled into a ponytail, swung back and forth across her shoulders. When she lifted her eyelids, their gazes collided and he found himself rooted to the spot. The connection continued and he couldn’t have moved even if he’d wanted to. But she blinked and the magic suddenly ended, leaving him wanting more.
More? Of being with Heidi? He wondered what she’d slipped inside the coffee to make him wax poetic.
“What happens next?” she asked, breaking the odd tension between them.
“Now you get to do intern things.”
“Like?”
He pushed open the door and pointed inside. “See that square of canvas?”
“Yes.”
“Load all the debris from the wall on it and we’ll slide it out to the dumpster.”
“You got it, boss.”
“We can make a few trips,” he offered.
Obvious relief swept over her.
“Don’t forget to put your gear on,” he called to her retreating back.
“Yes, boss.” Her reply floated through the air and he couldn’t stop another smile.
While she tackled the debris with her usual fierce determination, Reid finished knocking down the rest of the wall, removing the pink insulation hanging from the studs. He tossed it on the canvas as Heidi added loose pieces of drywall to the mess.
“What’s next?” Heidi asked as she straightened up.
“I finish off the edges. We’ll fix it up so you won’t know there was ever a wall here.”
She slipped off her mask. “I’m impressed. I never really thought about all the effort that goes into remodeling a house.” She wrinkled her nose. “Or the messy clutter.”
“All part of the first phase. My team will be here soon and we’ll tear out the rest of the kitchen cabinets and appliances. Once you clean up that’ll mean the worst of the destruction will be over for this house.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “When I clean up?”
“Intern.”
“Right.”
He chuckled, then took pity on her. “One more load to the dumpster and then you can take off if you want.”
“No way, I’m going to pull my weight. I rescheduled the morning so I could be here.”
Impressed by her dedication, he admired how she persevered, although exhaustion was soon evident on her face.
“I’ll have you out of here before noon,” he promised as he heard truck doors slam outside.
Heidi groaned. “The crew?”
“Right on time.”
“More loud banging and crashing.”
“It’s the only way to get the job done.”
She squared her shoulders. “If it means getting this house, then I’m all in.” She continued collecting scraps of the old wall.
What would happen if she couldn’t afford the place when the reno was finished? This was just a deal, like every other deal he’d been involved in, right? After Heidi had explained why she’d used the owe-me card, he had to admit, he was pulling for her to get this place.
The crew piled inside and before long chaos started. Heidi laughed and helped the guys. Well, sort of helped. She accidentally dropped the sledgehammer on Joe’s foot when she moved beside him, making him hop away with terror in his eyes. When she tried to drag the canvas to the front door to get to the dumpster, she nearly came into contact with the kitchen sink that Mike had tossed her way. She yelled, which made him yell right
back, until she wagged a finger at him and he blushed.
Ernie, the oldest of the crew, asked her to hand him a crowbar, and when she begged to use it, he relented. Reid cringed when she misunderstood the instructions and used the tool on the wrong wall, adding another item to what they’d have to fix.
Reid strode across the room and gently removed the crowbar from her hands.
“Hey! I was helping Ernie.”
Ernie frowned and moved away.
“You know what,” Reid said. “My guys have a rhythm. How about we let them at it so we finish this job on time.”
“You really don’t want me handling tools?” she asked, a hint of hurt there.
“I really don’t.”
“Fine. Your loss.” She shrugged. “But I’m warning you, I’ll have someone teach me how to use them before this project is over.”
Sassy reply given, she sauntered into the living room. Ernie’s grandson, Phil, stood in the corner swiping through his phone. When Heidi sweetly asked him to give her a hand to dump the canvas, he seemed confused, but put away his phone. Before he knew it, she was bossing him around. Reid respected her tenacity.
Reid admittedly hadn’t been keen on hiring the young man but wanted to give the kid a chance because he’d known Ernie for a long time. So far, the twentysomething seemed to be good at one thing—pushing his work off on someone else. Reid would give him instructions, only to find Ernie doing the task. If the kid kept this up, Reid would have no choice but to fire him. His attention reverted back to Heidi as it always seemed to these last few days.
Ernie stood beside him. “What are you thinking?”
“It’s a long story.”
The older man met his gaze. “You must really like her.”
“It’s not like that.”
Ernie rubbed his head, white hair jutting here and there. “Right. I’ll remember that the next time she asks to use a tool.”
Joe, muscular and tan from hours spent in the woods, piped up. “I didn’t know it was bring-your-girlfriend-to-work day.”
“It’s not—”
“Is it?” Mike, tall and thin, clearly missed the joke. “Because Josie has a ton of upper-body strength and could empty this kitchen out in no time.”
“No girlfriends,” Reid said, then grimaced. “Not that Heidi is my girlfriend.”
“Right,” Ernie said, slapping him on the shoulder. “You keep tellin’ yourself that.”
Reid dropped his head back and stared at the ceiling, wondering how he’d lost control of the situation. Maybe he should take Mike’s advice and hire Josie to balance out the team.
He moved to the opening in the wall and watched Heidi sweet-talk Joe into letting her use his crowbar to remove the baseboard so they could refinish the wood floor. And Joe was smiling at her. Smiling. The guy who never cracked a smile, even when Ernie told a downright funny joke. And soon he found himself smiling, like it was contagious. How did she do it?
Heidi beamed at Joe, then got back to her task. The determined expression on her face proved her commitment. If she could focus on her goal, was it possible he could do the same? They hadn’t talked in depth about him returning to Masterson Enterprises last night, but watching her today as she tried to tear down the wall, he wondered what it would take for him to break down the wall between him and his father. But what if he tried and was shot down again. Could he survive another emotional hit?
The answer was simple. No.
Heidi coming back into his life had him hoping again, and he wasn’t sure he liked it.
CHAPTER FIVE
BETWEEN DOING WHAT she could at the house on Hanover and trying to squeeze more work hours into her day, Heidi arrived at the community center Tuesday night with only minutes to spare before her tutoring group met. Her shoulders ached from the demo, her legs sore from hauling debris to the dumpster and, let’s face it, she was just plain tired. If she could have called off the session tonight, she would have, but the kids were getting close to the end of the school year and needed the guidance for finals.
Mia greeted her as soon as she walked through the door. “Heidi. I got a B on the Algebra test.”
Despite being weary, the news brought an instant smile to Heidi’s face. “That’s wonderful. I knew you could do it.”
The teen grinned. “I’m closer to getting my car keys.”
“And the satisfaction of making a good grade doesn’t matter?”
“I’m closer to my keys,” Mia repeated. “My. Keys.”
“Okay, I get it.”
Heidi dropped off her tote bag and purse. She scanned the room. Not as many students tonight, and the ones who were there were slouched in their chairs. To be honest, she would have liked to have stayed home too. But no, she honored her commitments. To Serena’s store. Her clients. The house remodel. She summoned whatever energy she had left.
Heidi straightened and had the students get out their homework to review. The hour passed with the usual roadblocks. Mia, excited about her test grade, chatted the entire time. The high school’s baseball pitcher only had the upcoming championship on his mind. And the others, varying from those truly struggling and those who didn’t care about school at all, merely went through the motions. Heidi’s mind was elsewhere, as well.
On broad shoulders and deep green eyes. Strong arms and glances that made her toes curl.
Beyond that was the fact that she felt she could depend on Reid, unlike some in her past. He’d kept his part of their deal, instead of paying lip service. Hadn’t he given her the space to complete her tasks at the house without butting in to get her to do it his way? Sure, her being there created extra work for him, but he’d been patient. Maybe even a little impressed if his smiles were any indication. And those smiles...wow. To see one aimed at her was a major motivator.
“Okay, everyone,” she said to the preoccupied students, hoping to instill a little motivation, “Only thirty more minutes and we’ll call it a night.”
Once they’d gone over the material for the final test, it didn’t take long for the kids to rush out. Only Mia remained to pack up her notebook and pencil at turtle-like speed, her attention focused on the doorway. She applied some lip gloss.
“Everything okay, Mia?”
The girl jumped. “Yeah, I uh...”
“Waiting for Todd?”
“No.” Her cheeks went pink. “Why would you think that?”
Heidi hid a smile. “Just a guess.”
“I’m not in a hurry, that’s all.”
Right. Heidi wasn’t buying it. She stood at her weathered desk and collected her stuff.
Mia wandered over to stand beside her. “Can I ask you something?”
“Shoot.”
“Did you ever ask a guy to prom?” Mia all but whispered.
“No. In fact, I never went to prom.”
Not because she didn’t want to. It was a case of no one asking her and Heidi never working up the courage to ask the one guy who would have made the night fun. Reid.
He’d been popular and never had to worry about getting a date. She’d envied him for that. Or had she envied the girls he’d asked out? Or the other girls who may have asked the guys?
Mia’s eyes went wide. “That’s like...sad.”
Yeah, it was. Or so she’d thought at the time. “I didn’t mind.”
Looking back, would she have done anything differently? Probably not. All of the difficulties she’d endured along the journey had made her stronger than she’d ever imagined she could be. The curveballs life had thrown her way had made her appreciate what she had now, no matter the struggle. Didn’t adversity develop character? She hoped so.
So, no, the memory didn’t sting so much anymore. Life went on and high school traditions didn’t seem important in the grand scheme of things. Not when she had a grasp on the future in the fo
rm of a lasting home.
Curious, Heidi eyed Mia. “Is there a reason why you’re asking?”
Mia looked away, then back at Heidi. “I’ve gone to prom before, but my dates always asked me first.”
“No one’s asked you this time?”
Mia tried to pull off an air of nonchalance. “Yeah, but I’m not interested.”
“And the boy you want to go with?”
Her bright countenance faded. “He’s not interested in going, I think.”
Heidi could easily sense Mia’s insecurity, and relate, but still, it wasn’t a great feeling.
“Then take a chance,” Heidi said, a bit surprised by her bold suggestion. “Lots of girls ask boys out. What could it hurt?”
Plenty, Heidi realized after she’d posed the question.
Should she take her own advice?
After she’d spoken to Reid at Masterson House, the idea of asking him to attend his brother’s engagement party had stayed front and center in her mind. It made sense, really. They’d both be there, so why not go together? Yet every time she attempted to bring it up, he’d give her a long look that took her breath away and she’d chicken out. Her excuse for asking was that she wanted to help Reid by getting his grandmother off his back, but at the same time, she wanted to know if this interest in Reid was only one-sided. What better means to find out?
“You’re right,” Mia said. “I can ask him. At least then I’ll know where I stand.”
“That’s very grown-up of you.”
Mia shrugged. “And if he says no, then I can tell one of the other guys I’ll go with him.”
The door across the hallway opened and the sound of voices filtered into the air. Mia looked over her shoulder, seeing the kids file out, she ran to get her backpack to meet the others.
“Bye,” she yelled and dashed out the door.
Heidi watched as Mia singled out Todd and started a conversation. So, yeah, Mia had her eye on Todd.