Her Handyman Hero

Reid pressed his lips together. A single guy who’d spent most of his adult life with the dregs of humanity, which meant he was devoid of the nurturing abilities a child needed.

Eddie studied him a moment. “What aren’t you telling me?”

He’d forgotten how Eddie could see through him. He was beginning to wonder how he’d ever worked undercover if he was so transparent.

“There was a misunderstanding when I arrived.” He explained his unexpected rescue mission. “If she didn’t plan ahead for something like painting a floor, what if she fails to plan ahead for Lily?”

Eddie shrugged off the concern. “That could happen to anyone. So are you going to see her again?”

Reid nodded. “I’m going to be her handyman for the next few weeks.”

“And she agreed, knowing who you are?”

Reid sat down and clasped his hands together. “Not exactly.” He explained the rest of the mix-up.

“So you let her think you were the handyman her contractor sent?”

“For the time being. This way I can see how they actually interact together and make sure she’s taking good care of Lily. Once I’m confident she is, I’ll explain and she’ll be more likely to agree to let me bring Lily to see you.”

A deep frown creased Eddie’s frail features. “Reid, for a smart guy, you’re being really stupid. You’ve been undercover too long. You see everything as a mission to take down the bad guys. It’s never right to deceive people. It’s one of the first things the Lord taught me when He saved me. Mark my words—your deception will only backfire.” He shook his head. “I want you to promise me you’ll set things straight. Quickly. I don’t have much time left.”

Reid nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” Eddie might have a point, but the only thing that mattered was making sure Lily was cared for, and if the Montgomery woman wasn’t suitable, then he’d have to step in, which meant he had to have evidence and ammunition. But he’d honor his brother’s request. He’d come clean soon. All he needed was a few days.

* * *

Tori lifted her coffee cup and took a sip, grimacing at the tepid liquid. That was the second cup she’d let get cold this morning. Leaning back in her desk chair, she raked her hair away from her face with a soft groan. She’d been going over the numbers for an hour, and the result was still the same. Her finances were stretched to the max. Every penny had to be accounted for if she was going to open on time.

She’d foolishly assumed her savings and the profit from the sale of her property would be enough to get the B and B up and running. But even with all her calculations, she’d been hit hard by unexpected costs. The plumbing, electric and roof had all needed to be replaced. The discovery and remediation of asbestos and lead paint had further slowed the construction. The remodel of the kitchen in the main house had taken longer than normal because of restoration requirements connected to a historic home. Her contractor had explained that a historic home required special materials at every turn. She couldn’t run to the store and buy new molding. It had to be replicated to match what was there.

The funds she applied for would ease her situation considerably. Unfortunately, she still had to wait for the on-site inspection, which wouldn’t happen for a few weeks yet, and then she’d have to wait several more weeks for the funds to be applied. The only thing keeping her afloat at the moment was her online jewelry-design business, but that covered only food and utilities for her and Lily.

She’d have to tighten her belt a while longer and concentrate on getting the inside of the rooms decorated and arranged for future guests. She had invested everything in this venture. It was her future—and Lily’s. The business would not only provide a living, but would allow her to spend as much time with her little girl as possible. But at this rate, it would never happen, and she would be stuck with a half-done white elephant of a house and be forced to take an eight-to-five job, put Lily in after-school care and miss out on so much of her life. She’d promised Judy she would be a good mother to Lily. The mother Judy would have been, and she intended to keep that promise, no matter what.

“Morning, Aunt Tori.”

Tori’s concerns melted into mist at the sound of the child’s greeting. She spun in her chair and opened her arms. “Good morning. How’s my little sweetie pie this morning?”

“Good.” She climbed into Tori’s lap for a hug and a snuggle. “I dreamed about a big flower that came to play with me in the yard.”

“You did?”

“It was blue and pink. Oh, and I dreamed about a little puppy with floppy ears.”

Tori stifled a giggle. Her little charge had been angling for a pet since they’d arrived in Dover four months ago. She suspected it had something to do with all her new cousins having dogs. “Maybe we can get you a puppy after we get our B and B open.”

“But that’s forever.”

“Not really. Are you ready for breakfast?” Mornings were Tori’s favorite part of the day. Lily generally woke up soft and sweet and cuddly, and they enjoyed breakfast together before leaving for school. But today her thoughts were focused on her bank account.

By the time she had dropped off Lily and returned home, the sorry state of her finances had given her a monster headache. One thing was clear: hiring a handyman now was out of the question. She’d have to learn to make minor repairs herself or rely on her family. Unfortunately, they all had busy lives of their own and weren’t able to drop everything and come running. Besides, she’d received enough help from them. She needed to provide for Lily on her own. Time was running out, and there was still so much to do.

First off, she had to unhire a handyman.

Tori dialed Reid’s number. It went straight to voice mail. She considered leaving a message telling him she wouldn’t need his services after all, but it seemed rude to fire him over the phone. Instead, she simply asked him to come by the house to speak with her.

A small tingle of anticipation skittered along her nerves. Seeing the man again wouldn’t be an unpleasant experience. He was very appealing. His muscular frame, his probing brown eyes and cool mysterious demeanor were right out of a book. Something on the order of Mr. Darcy, or maybe Mr. Rochester. She shook off the idea. Maybe it was a good thing she couldn’t have him as her handyman.

Telling him she couldn’t hire him would be awkward considering how enthusiastic she’d been when she’d offered him the job. She hoped he wouldn’t be upset. She had the impression that Reid was a man capable of fierce emotions, which might explain why he was so controlled. But she also sensed a loneliness behind his eyes, as if he was searching for something. Or she could be creating drama in her mind. It was a bad habit of hers.

Reid still hadn’t returned her call by the time she’d picked up Lily from school.

“Can I take my new book out to the glider?”

“Of course.” Lily had been overjoyed to receive a new book, and she loved to read in the old double-glider swing.

“Will you watch me?”

“Of course.” Settling onto the back porch in one of the old wicker rockers, she smiled as her daughter skipped across the grass and climbed into the glider. Since arriving in Dover, Lily had developed a need to have Tori near or at least watching over her at all times. Tori loved watching the child play. She was endlessly entertaining, and Tori delighted in everything the little girl did. However, sitting and watching her made working difficult. She’d transferred several items to her tablet so she could oversee Lily’s playtime and still get work done. The amount of paperwork involved in opening a bed-and-breakfast was staggering. Every time she submitted one completed document, three others would be required.

The squeak of the gate told her someone was there. She looked up as Reid came up onto the porch, his solid footsteps sounding on the wooden floor. He stood with one foot on the porch floor, one hand grasping the post, an expectant look on his angular face. His presence sent a wave of awareness along her nerves. He was an impossible man to ignore. When he stepped into a room he sucked all the air and energy right out of it. Very peculiar. She stuffed the weird notions away and stood. “Thank you for coming.”

“No problem. I had an appointment this morning. What’s up today?”

“Nothing, I’m afraid. I’ve been going over my financial situation, and I’m unable to afford to hire any extra help. I’m sorry. I offered you the handyman job before I’d looked at my bank balance. Things should turn around in a few weeks, but until then I’m tapped out.” She smiled, hoping to lighten the news. Reid’s dark eyes narrowed, and his brows drew together. Her heart skipped a beat. Even a deep frown couldn’t mar his chiseled features.

“That’s too bad. I was looking forward to the challenge.”

“And I could use the help. By the way, thank you for finishing the floor. I didn’t notice it until you’d left yesterday.”

“The paint was quick to dry. Half hour tops.”

How had she not known that? Probably because she’d failed to read the information on the paint can. He must think her a real ditz. She touched her ear. “So I could have walked out of the corner and not smeared the floor?”

He shrugged.

Was that a smirk she saw move his lips? She crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, thank you again for rescuing me and for completing my paint job.”

“You’re welcome.” He turned to go, but the post under his hand shifted loose. “Was this on your repair list?”

“One of them.” Her lists grew longer every day.

“Hey, Mr. Reid.”

Tori saw her daughter waving frantically. She climbed out of the double-glider swing and raced across the yard, stopping in front of Reid. “This is my new book. You want to read it to me?”

Tori watched the big man carefully. Would he refuse? Or would he acquiesce to the little charmer’s request? She stifled a grin when Reid shot a panicked glance in her direction. Before she could respond, Lily tugged on Reid’s finger and urged him to sit on the step.

“I’ll turn the pages, okay?”