Her Handyman Hero

by Lorraine Beatty

  “All right. And I have one request of my own. I’d like to take a few pictures of Lily, maybe a video I can show my brother. He at least deserves to see what she looks like.” For a moment he feared she would refuse him even that. But he watched her cobalt eyes soften and lighten as she made her decision.

  “Fine. But you have to check with me first before you do.”

  “Deal.” His hope was renewed. She started to hand him the envelope, but he pushed it back toward her. “Keep it. We’ll settle up when the bed-and-breakfast is up and running.”

  “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I don’t want to be—”

  “Mr. Reid, you’re back! I missed you.”

  Lily dashed into the room, a book under her arm, and grabbed his leg with the other. A warm bubble of lightness swelled his chest. No one had ever been glad to see him. Except his mom—but that was a long time ago. He rested a hand on her head, gently stroking the silky dark brown hair. “I missed you, too, Lily.”

  He glanced at Tori. Her expression was a mixture of tenderness and concern.

  Two little brown eyes looked up at him. “I got a new book today. Will you read it to me?”

  Tori closed her eyes. “I’ll read it to you later, Lily.”

  “No, I want Mr. Reid to do it. He’s a good reader.”

  Reid fought the wave of love flooding his being. In a few short days, his little niece had captured his whole heart. “What’s the book about, Lily?”

  “It’s about a little boy and his daddy going on a fishing trip. Did you go on fishing trips with your daddy?”

  “Many times.”

  “Aunt Tori, how come I don’t have a daddy?”

  Reid froze. He heard a soft gasp from Tori. “We’ll talk about it later. How would you like to help me with my jewelry today?”

  Lily smiled and bounced on her feet, causing her pigtails to swing. “Can I pick out the most sparkly ones?”

  “You can make your own special necklace.”

  “Yay! I want to make a blue one.” Book forgotten, Lily left the main house and headed for the living quarters.

  Reid faced his landlady. “We have more to discuss, Tori.”

  She raised her chin in defiance. “No, we don’t. There’s a list of repairs on the counter. If you’ll excuse me, I need to spend time with my daughter.”

  He watched her go, stiff-backed and hurting. He’d never meant for it to turn out like this. He had to make her understand. He’d agreed to her rules, but he’d also promised his brother he wouldn’t fail him again. One of those things would have to be ignored.

  He glanced at her list. The pocket doors were number one. He’d already picked up the things he needed to complete the job. Might as well start there.

  An odd sense of contentment settled on his shoulders as he began tugging out the remaining insulation from the door channel. He’d grown fond of the old house and wanted to see it spit polished and ready for those bee bees Lily talked about.

  Mostly, though, he’d grown fond of Lily and Tori. He wasn’t ready to walk out of their lives yet. And he suspected it had more to do with his feelings than the promise to his brother.

  Chapter Six

  While Lily played with the jewelry, Tori questioned herself yet again about rehiring Reid. Seeing him again had sent her heart racing. Something about his dark brown eyes drew her to him, made her want to learn more about him. She needed therapy. She was far too trusting, too gullible. She should have sent him packing and never looked back.

  After sitting down at her computer, she had pulled up her jewelry website to check orders, but her finger clicked on her email, instead, bringing up the one from her brother Seth. After Reid’s true identity had been exposed, she’d needed to know exactly who he was. He could be making it all up, though for what reason she couldn’t guess. Maybe he was a con artist out to—what? Scam her out of an old house in need of constant repair? The idea was preposterous. Reid had been nothing but helpful and hardworking. Still, she’d been fooled once before by a charming man.

  “Look what I made.” Lily held up her latest design. “I made it all blue and purple. My favorite colors.”

  “Lily, it’s lovely.” Her compliment earned her a big smile from her daughter. She’d awkwardly wired four broaches together. Though gaudy and featuring shades that didn’t quite work, the clustered brooches had an interesting symmetry. It touched her deeply that Lily wanted to create alongside her.

  “Can I take a book to Mr. Reid now?”

  Lily didn’t seem to have any qualms about Reid. She’d taken to him from the start. In fact, she’d taken to all the men in the Montgomery family. Perhaps because she’d never been around many men. Was that a good thing or not? Judy had kept Lily insulated from a lot of things in the outside world. If it hadn’t been for Tori taking Lily on outings, the little girl would have never left the apartment. Tori had assumed it was because Judy wanted Lily as close as possible during her last days.

  “We’ll see. Why don’t you make me another necklace first.”

  Tori refocused on the email, seeking reassurance.

  He’s exactly what he told you. A former DEA agent. Decorated, respected and never in any trouble. He quit eight months ago after a mission went south and he was injured. From all I can find out, he’s a good guy.

  She closed the file. Except for being the brother of the man who’d ruined her friend’s life.

  Seth’s confirmation of Reid’s identity had helped ease some of her fears, but it did little to alleviate her concerns about his intentions. He said he wasn’t seeking custody of his niece, but he could change his mind, especially if he decided she wasn’t a fit guardian. Did he think she was doing a poor job of raising his niece? She couldn’t allow those thoughts to take root. She had enough worries as it was.

  The calendar beside the computer reminded her of what was important. Thanksgiving was fast approaching, and she needed Reid to get a lot done. That’s all that mattered. As long as he stuck to their agreement, everything would be fine.

  Her only other threat was the way her stomach fluttered whenever she looked at him. Obviously a weakness she had to master quickly. Just because a man was handsome and appealing didn’t mean she had to develop feelings for him. She’d already had her three strikes, and she was out of the romance game for good.

  Tori stood and walked to the desk, placing a kiss on the top of her little girl’s head. “You keep making pretty necklaces. I’m going to talk to Mr. Reid.”

  “Can I come?”

  “No. Not yet.” Tori stepped into the main hall and peeked into the kitchen where she’d left Reid. Empty. Scraping sounds from the parlor alerted her to his whereabouts. He was hunkered down working on the bottom of one of the pocket doors, which was now fully extended. He glanced up, his brown eyes locking with hers, and she wondered if he looked like his brother. How much of Lily was inherited from the Blackthorn side? Clearly, she had the family brown eyes. They were the same as Reid’s. Was it a trait from their mother or their father?

  Clearing her throat, she refocused. She saw questions in his eyes and a glint of hope.

  He stood, his solid frame suddenly making her feel smaller than her five feet three inches. Despite his deception, she’d never had a moment’s concern about her safety.

  “I think we have this side in good shape. I’ll oil the tracks top and bottom so it’ll slide easier. The other side is more stubborn. I’m afraid the top track might be broken, which would mean finding a replacement from the same era and maybe removing part of the molding.”

  “I think you should know I had my brother check you out.”

  His dark eyes widened. “Did I pass?”

  “According to him, you are a well-respected former agent. So why did you leave?”

  Reid wiped his hands on a rag before tossing it into the toolbox. “I�
�d had enough. My last assignment was rough, and somewhere along the way I realized I wasn’t making a difference anymore. No matter how long I stayed undercover, no matter how many dealers I helped put away, there was always another to take his place. I wanted something different. Something not stained by evil and greed. I wanted peace. Family.”

  “So you decided to come looking for your niece?”

  “I didn’t know I had one. In fact, I didn’t know where my brother was. We hadn’t been close since our parents were—died. It took a while to find him, and that’s when I learned he’d been married.”

  “They were never married.”

  Reid raised his eyebrows. “Okay. At any rate, he told me about Judy and that she’d had a child. He wanted to find them and try to make up for what he’d done.”

  “Make up?” She took a second to get control of her anger. “No. There’s no way he can make up for running out on her, leaving her penniless and alone with a baby on the way.”

  “He’s aware of what he’s done.”

  “So now he wants to step into Lily’s life as if nothing has happened? Judy would never agree to it.”

  “Tori, my brother is dying. He’s made a mess of his life and he’s paying the price for it. When I found him, he was in a charity hospital receiving barely adequate care. I moved him to a place where he would be treated well and be comfortable in his last days. All he asks is to see Lily. He’s in no position to try to get custody.”

  “Neither are you.”

  Reid set his hands on his hips and paused a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. “When I tracked down Judy, I learned she’d passed away and left her child with a friend. The woman in the next apartment, a Mrs. Fisher, led me to you. But she made a point of telling me she felt you were unsuitable to care for my niece.”

  Tori exhaled a sharp breath. “Oh, I can well imagine what the old busybody told you. I was too loud, we laughed too much and we left Judy alone too often. I kept Lily entertained—we played and laughed, and I took Lily to the museums and playground and a whole lot of other places to keep her from seeing her mother waste away. Judy insisted I make each day as fun as possible. But that old biddy across the hall thought because Judy was dying, I should tiptoe around her and pull down the shades and start mourning before she was even gone.”

  Tears welled up in her eyes. “She fought so hard to conquer that savage disease. But she wasn’t strong enough.”

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that, but I’m grateful you were there to comfort her and help Lily. I knew shortly after I met you that you weren’t like Mrs. Fisher said.”

  “Then why didn’t you come clean?”

  Reid scratched his jaw. “Well, I had a few doubts along the way. Like painting yourself into a corner, learning you’d had a string of jobs and fiancés. I wanted to be sure before I told you who I was.”

  “So you were thinking of trying to take Lily from me.”

  “It was in the back of my mind. But not anymore. I had you checked out, too.”

  “You what?” The nerve of the man. “There’s nothing to find in my background.”

  “Nothing criminal, but you don’t come across as the most reliable sort. Always jumping from one thing to another. A restraining order against a former fiancé.”

  “He wouldn’t accept we were through.”

  Reid rubbed his forehead. “All I want is for my brother to see his child. Nothing more.”

  “Not happening. I can’t. Judy wouldn’t approve.”

  “Aunt Tori, I got tired of waiting.” Lily entered the room and smiled up at Reid. “Can you read me my book now?”

  Reid looked at Tori for permission.

  She set her jaw and took Lily’s hand. “He’s busy. I’ll read it to you. Wait for me in the kitchen.”

  She started to move away, but he took her arm. There was no threat in his touch, only a firm grip to get her attention.

  “Does this hatred of my brother extend to me, as well? Are you going to forbid me to visit Lily, to take her to the park or the zoo? Am I going to have supervised visits?”

  “I don’t know.” She saw the hope fade in his dark eyes, and her conscience flared. Could she in all fairness hold him accountable for what his brother had done? He’d admitted they hadn’t been close for a long time.

  With a regretful shake of his head, he showed her his back and returned to working on the pocket door. Maybe she should reconsider her position. If it were solely up to her she might relent, but it wasn’t. This was Judy’s decision and her last request.

  She would not change her mind.

  * * *

  The unfamiliar scraping sound drew Reid outside his apartment Friday morning and toward the garage. The door was up and he could see Tori attempting to fight her way through a large pile of chairs. They hadn’t spoken since their confrontation a day and a half ago. The repair list she’d left in plain view on the kitchen counter every day had been enough to keep his focus on his work. He’d avoided eating supper with them last night and gone to a diner on the square in downtown Dover instead. He had a lot to think through, and the two females in residence at Camellia Hall were too distracting.

  Their conversation had dimmed his hopes. He’d seen no hint of relenting in Tori’s cobalt eyes. She was loyal to a fault. An admirable quality normally, but it was turning out to be a giant obstacle to his mission. Somehow, he had to get through her wall and make her understand the importance of his request.

  Lending a helping hand might earn him a few points. “Good morning.”

  She barely glanced over her shoulder as she tugged on a small metal bistro table. “Morning.”

  “You need some help?” He grinned inwardly, knowing she wanted desperately to refuse but wouldn’t.

  “I’m trying to pull out all the rocking chairs.”

  He stepped forward and lifted the table out of the way. “What is all this stuff?”

  “Outdoor furniture. Mostly the porch rockers and the bistro tables from the tearoom.”

  She brushed hair off her forehead, and Reid found himself admiring her lovely face. She was naturally attractive. She rarely wore makeup, and her creamy skin glowed when she was excited about something. She had her hair in a ponytail again today, and it swung back and forth as she moved. She had a way of making even the oversize T-shirt and khaki shorts look incredibly feminine.

  “And you want them where?”

  “The front porch. I want it looking nice when the inspector comes. The bistro table and chairs can stay here. But I think there’s a couple of porch swings in the back over there.” She gestured in the direction of the far right corner.

  “Inspector?”

  “From the commission.”

  “Oh, right. You mentioned that.”

  “I received a grant from the Historical Society. They provide matching funds to people restoring old homes and businesses. But they work on a reimbursement policy. I have to have the work completed first and provide documentation. Then they’ll send an inspector for an on-site assessment. I was notified he’ll be here two weeks from Saturday for the walk-through.”

  “Consider it done.”

  “Thanks, but I also need you to make sure the porch railings are all fixed. I want everything feeling safe and secure when the inspector arrives.”

  “Will he be looking for those kinds of things?”

  “No. He’s only coming to make sure the plumbing and electric and the other repairs meet with historic guidelines, but it wouldn’t hurt to have everything in great shape.”

  Reid tugged out one rocker near the front and shifted a chair to lift a second one. “This one has loose arms. I’ll check each one to make sure they’re safe. They could use some paint, too.”

  “That may have to wait. I’ll settle for clean and repaired.”

  “Okay. I’ll rent a po
wer washer. It’ll make the job go faster.”

  “I don’t have the money to rent any equipment.”

  “Consider it my contribution toward Lily’s new home. Do you have a certain place you want these when they’re ready?” He’d been with her long enough to know she had a plan for every item in her historic home. No detail was too small. She chose each piece of furniture, each knickknack and lamp with care, determined to make her future guests comfortable.

  “Yes. Let me show you.”

  Reid followed her to the wraparound porch, smiling at the bounce in her gait as she moved up the steps.

  “I want the rockers along this front section and a few of them on the other side.” She moved to the other end where the railing bumped out, widening the area. “One of the swings should go here.” She glanced up at the beadboard ceiling. “You may have to get some sturdy hooks to hang it on.”

  Reid added the items he needed to the materials list on his phone, then peeked in the tall window at the end of the porch. “Is this the tearoom?”

  “Would you like to see it?” She pulled a ring of keys from her pocket and opened the door. “I haven’t been inside in weeks.”

  The stillness inside was eerie, the air heavy from lack of fresh air. The only hint of life were the dust motes that floated in the sunlight. A few wooden tables and chairs were scattered around. He noticed Tori’s shoulders sag.

  “I wanted to bring this back to life. My mom used to bring me here when I was a kid. Sometimes alone, sometimes with my sister, Beth. It was a special mom-and-daughter date.”

  “It’s smaller than I expected.”

  “It was the place to come at one time. Women would gather here and meet friends and talk and drink their tea. The girls offered cookies and petits fours.”

  “I don’t see a kitchen.”

  “No. They brought everything in from the main one. The door over there opens to the formal dining room. I was so sad when it closed down.”

  “Why did it?”