Sufficiently caffeinated, Reid hoisted his tools and started toward the living quarters. Before he could knock on the door, she opened it. Lily waved and smiled. Tori looked professional today, in a dark slender skirt and a light blue blouse. Lily, her hair held back with a wide band, wore striped pants and a little shirt with a princess on it. Both looked adorable.
“Good morning. Did you find the coffee and rolls okay?”
“I did.”
“I have to run some errands this morning after I drop Lily off at school, but I’ll be back around lunchtime. Jimmy Ray is painting the living room so you might have to work around him.”
“No problem.”
“Oh, and there’s sandwich fixings in the fridge for lunch, so help yourself.”
Lily tugged on his hand. “When I get back will you read me another story, Mr. Reid?”
He hunkered down, a rush of warm emotion circling his heart. “Sure thing. I’ll be right here.” He’d hoped tracking down his family would bring him peace. He’d never imagined that he would find it in the bright eyes of a five-year-old child. Except his niece belonged to Tori, and he had no connection to her at all. Yet.
Lily bounced on her toes with happiness. “You’re a good reader.”
He’d received his share of recognition during his years as an agent, but none had given him the satisfaction found in Lily’s sweet compliment. Eddie’s child was special. He would be so proud. He looked at Tori. He had to tell her who he was and why he was here. Once she heard the full story, she’d change her mind.
After the ladies left, Reid made his way to the living room in the private area. The furniture had been shoved toward the center of the room and drop cloths spread on the floor in front of the wall to be painted. A gray-haired man was hunkered down stirring a can of paint. He glanced up and smiled, coming to his feet.
“You must be Reid, the handyman Miss Tori took on. I’m Jimmy Ray Fuller.” He extended his hand.
“Fuller Painting Contractors. I saw the van. Nice to meet you. Will I be in the way working on the window sashes?”
“Not at all. I’ll come back and paint the trim later. So what brings you to our little town? Dover is off the beaten path.”
Reid placed his toolbox in front of the window before answering. The question made him uncomfortable. Probably because he’d chosen to hide his real reason for being in the small town. His cover-up stirred his conscience into a bitter swill. Something else new in his emotional library. He formed his answer around as much truth as possible.
“I left my old job and I wanted to start fresh. A small town seemed like a good fit for now.” When Jimmy Ray didn’t respond, Reid faced him and found him staring, a knowing glint in his pale blue eyes.
“You’re a former cop, aren’t you?”
Reid frowned. “How could you know that?”
“It takes one to know one.” He ran his hands over the paint roller to remove excess lint. “And I’m guessing you did a lot of undercover work, am I right?”
Reid could only nod. What was it about the people here—Tori, and now Jimmy Ray—that they could see right through him? When had he become so transparent? If he’d been this way on an assignment, he’d have been dead years ago. “DEA.”
Jimmy Ray nodded. “I was undercover with the Memphis PD. It took its toll. I left and came to Dover. The wife was from here.”
“And you became a painter. That’s a far cry from police work.”
“I needed something stress free, something I could start and finish and see results. Law enforcement never seemed to get better. It felt hopeless. I wasn’t making a difference.” He gestured to the walls. “With this job, I come in, do my job, the customers are happy and I don’t take the work home or lose sleep over it.”
“Sounds good. I suppose that’s what I’m looking for, too. A life that doesn’t keep dragging me down.”
“Well, if you stay on here you’ll come to enjoy it. Especially being around Miss Tori. That young woman has a gift for making people feel at home. She’s going to be a terrific hostess when this place opens up.”
He agreed, but he still had concerns. “Do you think that’ll happen? She says she’s having financial issues. I’m working for room and board.”
Jimmy Ray brushed the comment aside. “For now, but she’ll sort it out. I’m working for free. My version of a housewarming gift. I’m close with her family. Knew her since she was a baby and I want to see her succeed. She’s had it rough lately, and I admire her for taking on the little girl all alone. That child has given her a purpose that was lacking in her life.”
“I assume there’s no boyfriend in the picture?” The back of his neck suddenly burned. What was up with him?
“Are you fishing, Reid?” Jimmy chuckled. “She is a pretty lady. No, I don’t think she’s looking for any kind of relationship. After three failed attempts, I think she’s only focused on Lily.”
“She’s been married before?”
“No. Engaged. Three times. She called them all off.”
Jimmy went to work on the wall and Reid turned his attention to the window, locating the access pocket and starting the replacement of the inner workings. When the window slid up and down easily, he moved upstairs to work on the three windows up there. His thoughts were distracted by what Jimmy had shared. Why had Tori broken off three engagements? Was she that poor a judge of character? Or was she incapable of making a long-term commitment—and what might that mean in regard to Lily? Would she grow tired of being a parent and abandon his niece? Absurd. He refused to believe that. From what he’d seen, Tori was devoted to his niece, despite her own confession to feeling inadequate as a mother. Yet it did raise questions in his mind.
He’d promised himself he’d talk to Tori soon about his real identity, but now he wondered if he needed to observe the situation awhile longer. A day or so. But no more than that, because it wasn’t fair to her or Lily.
With the sashes repaired, Reid gathered his tools and headed downstairs. He opened the door and caught sight of a man entering the main hall at the same time he heard Tori’s voice in the kitchen.
“Floyd, how nice to see you.”
Reid froze. Floyd. Her contractor.
“Thought I’d drop by and see how you were doing.”
Instinct told him to run. He could make it out the back way before Floyd saw him. He took a quiet step toward the back door. Tori was speaking excitedly to the man.
“Wonderful, thanks you to. Reid has proved invaluable. He’s fixing all the doors that were stuck, and today he’s working on the windows.”
Caught like the rat. One look from Floyd and his cover would be blown.
His shoulders sagged. He should have told Tori sooner. He’d never wanted her to find out like this. He wanted to tell her when the time was right, on his own terms. Not when he’d be exposed like a criminal. He eased back away from the door. He could slip out through the French doors. His conscience clawed at his mind. This was wrong on so many levels, but if his identity was revealed now, Tori would probably fire him on the spot, and he needed time to prepare her for the truth. Safely behind the wheel of his truck, he cranked the engine and pulled away.
Coward.
Strange how he’d faced situations like this every day when he was undercover. Slipping away to avoid detection had kept him alive. But this felt different. He’d never been ashamed of what he did on the job, but the hot, smothering shame he was experiencing now was unbearable.
Tomorrow. He’d come clean tomorrow. If he approached her in the right way, he knew he could make her see his side of things.
His cell phone rang, the caller’s name displayed on the dashboard screen. Eddie. Reid exhaled a troubled sigh. For a moment he considered ignoring the call, but he couldn’t risk it. He pressed the accept button. “Hey, bro. Everything okay down there?”
“I’m good. I wanted to know if you’d told Tori who you are?”
The whole world was working against him today. “No, not yet. I’ve been busy making repairs.”
“Reid, don’t wait any longer. Please. I want to see my little girl, and I don’t know how much time I have left.”
Reid’s eyes stung. “I know, little brother. I promise I’ll settle this soon.” He debated whether to tell Eddie about Tori’s reaction to his inquiry. He didn’t have the luxury of waiting for the right time or softening blows. “Eddie, I asked her about Lily’s dad the other night and she became very angry. Does she have reason to be so bitter toward you?”
The long silence made Reid regret his question.
“Probably. I ran out on Judy when she told me she was pregnant. I never called her after that or asked about the baby. Yeah, she would have been angry. Judy had a temper and she was capable of carrying a grudge.”
“Apparently, that carried over to Tori.”
“Are you saying Tori won’t let Lily come see me?”
Reid set his jaw. “No. I’ll handle it. You lay back and take care of yourself. I’ll work it all out. I promise.”
Reid had just made a promise to his brother that he had no way of keeping. He had to get on top of this situation before it all exploded in his face.
Chapter Four
Saturday morning dawned bright and warm. A rare cold front had dropped the normally balmy October temperatures into the fifties the last few days, but today the forecast called for low seventies. A blessing, considering she’d be working at the flood houses today. She wasn’t sure what she’d be doing, but she was positive it would be dirty, messy work. She dug out her oldest jeans and shirt for the job. Lily was all packed up and ready to spend the day with Tori’s mother.
“Lily, let’s go, sweetie.”
The little girl dashed into the room, her arms folded around half a dozen books. “I’m taking my favorites to Grandma’s so she can read to me.”
“That’s a good idea, but do you know Grandma has all kinds of books there she can show you? Maybe you’d like to see all the new ones and leave these here at home.”
Lily thought a moment. “Okay. Will the doggies be there?”
“I don’t know. We’ll see when we get there.” Lily had started pushing hard for a dog of her own. Tori was holding off as long as she could. She wanted to research the various breeds and find one perfectly suited to her little girl.
After leaving Lily with her mom, she headed to the south end of town and the narrow street along the Pearl River that had been inundated with flood waters. The sight of the ravaged homes broke her heart. None of the houses were large, but each one represented a place for a family to live. Now they were all soaked and everything inside destroyed. How would they ever return to these dwellings?
She and Shelley were assigned hauling duty. They pulled out the ruined belongings and piled them at the curb. The mounds of debris lining the street were heartbreaking.
She was grateful for the mask provided because the stench was nauseating. After hoisting a waterlogged sofa cushion, she tossed it on the pile. Her attention landed on the man working in the house next door. Something about those broad shoulders, that posture, was familiar. He turned and her heart skipped a beat when she recognized Reid. He smiled and raised a hand in greeting before disappearing inside the building. What was he doing here? Had Floyd told him about the community project?
Shelley plopped an armful of soggy linens onto the pile. “What are you staring at?”
“My handyman. He’s working in the house next door.”
“Really? Cool.”
“But how did he know to come here? I didn’t tell him.”
“I guess Floyd must have.”
“But Reid has only been in town a week.”
“So? He’s already getting involved in the community. That’s impressive. Handsome and compassionate, to boot. Sounds like a good catch.”
Tori glared at her friend, who was smiling gleefully. She had to admit, she hadn’t expected Reid to be the community-service type. He was too reserved and aloof. Yet here he was, right in the thick of things.
Tori went back to work, but each time she went outside her gaze traveled to the other house, searching for a glimpse of her handyman and wondering if there was more to his volunteering than met the eye. Her last relationship had proved to be a lie on all levels. Will had pretended to love her, to be CEO of a large corporation and a Christian. His deception had left deep scars and caused her to question everything about the men she met.
As if materializing out of her thoughts, Reid stepped out onto the porch carrying a large bookcase. It was nearly as tall as he was, yet he handled it like it was Lily’s little lavender one. Unable to look away, she admired the way his muscles flexed as he maneuvered the large piece of furniture to the curb. He glanced over and caught her staring.
He set the wooden furniture on the pile, then started across the soggy yard. Her mouth suddenly went dry. She cleared her throat to find her voice. “What are you doing here?”
“Same thing you are. Helping out.”
“How did you know about the workday?”
“Jimmy Ray invited me.”
She should have guessed. Jimmy Ray was always recruiting volunteers for one thing or another. “I thought you had personal obligations on weekends.”
“I do. On Sundays. I thought I’d spend my first day off lending a hand. I’m not good at sitting around doing nothing.”
She could well imagine a man like Reid going stir-crazy with nothing to do. “Well, thanks for helping. How’s it going?”
“We’re ready to start on the carpet and drywall in this place. Should have it cleared by lunch. Lily at her grandma’s?”
“Yes. I’ll pick her up when I’m done here. Oh, several of the spindles on the front porch are loose. Could you take a look at them?”
“Add them to the list. I’ll check them out first thing Monday.”
“Thanks. I’d better get back to work.” She moved off, aware of Reid’s gaze on her back. She always felt as if he was analyzing her, but she had no idea why. Was he interested in her, or was he wary of her? Neither made sense. She was hardly a threat to anyone, least of all a big man like Reid, and she certainly wasn’t looking for any romantic entanglements. Tugging her ball cap more securely to her head, she shook off the fanciful ideas as nothing more than her heightened suspicious nature. She had to get over that. Not everyone was like Will.
But she had to admit that something about Reid intrigued her. He floated through her thoughts more times than she’d care to admit. Fatigue. That’s all it was. Too much on her mind, and he was a pleasant distraction. Nothing more.
She started back to the house as Shelley trudged out the door with a bag of trash. The sight of her oh-so-fussy friend covered in streaks of dirt and grime made her smile. Pulling out her phone, she snapped a quick picture, only to receive an angry glare in return.
She waved her phone in the air. “This will go viral in ten minutes. Tabloids will pay big bucks.” As she started up the porch steps, she caught a glimpse of Reid and another man wrestling a ruined refrigerator off the porch and to the street.
She really had to get a grip.
* * *
Reid noticed the dark gray sedan in the drive the moment he stepped out of the apartment Monday morning. He didn’t recognize it. Perhaps it belonged to one of Tori’s siblings. He’d yet to meet the Montgomery clan, but Tori mentioned her family frequently during their conversations. From what he’d gathered, the family was close and Tori was particularly close to her sister, Bethany, and her brother Seth, the cop. He found himself looking forward to meeting them. If he was still working here.
After attending early service yesterday at Peace Community, he’d spent Sunday with Eddie, who had been tired and depresse
d, worrying about living long enough to see his daughter. Reid had promised to come clean with Tori today. No more procrastination. He’d deliberately waited until she’d come back from taking Lily to school. Hopefully, whoever was at the house wouldn’t delay his conversation.
He jogged up the porch steps and entered the back hall, turning toward the kitchen, where he usually found his landlady enjoying another cup of coffee as she organized her day. She had her back to him and spun around when he entered. The greeting on his lips died when he saw she wasn’t alone. An older man with craggy features and a thick head of gray hair stared at him. Floyd. He’d only caught a glimpse of him before. The look in his eyes raised the hair on Reid’s neck. A sign he knew meant trouble. He braced himself. The look of betrayal in Tori’s blue eyes pushed a hot barb deep into his conscience.
The older man had one hand on the counter, which slowly curled into a fist. “You must be Reid.”
He knew a setup when he saw one. He nodded, preparing himself for the inevitable.
“I’m Floyd Mason, her contractor. Miss Tori was telling me what a big help you’ve been around here.”
“I’d like to think so.”
Floyd crossed his arms over his chest in a challenging posture. “Imagine my surprise when the man I sent to help her, a twentysomething kid named Sylvester Reed, called me last night to apologize for running out on me and going back to Arkansas. Now, who are you and what are you doing here?”
Chapter Five
Reid froze, his heart slamming painfully against his rib cage. This was not how he’d wanted Tori to find out who he was. The stunned expression on her face twisted his insides. He prayed she’d let him explain. Though, after this, it might not matter. Eddie was right—he had made a stupid, impulsive decision to deceive Tori, and now he was going to face the music.
Floyd took a menacing step toward him as if to place himself in front of Tori.
Her Handyman Hero Page 5