Page 44 of The Roommate Remodel

Her dark eyes swirl in the light. Memories flood back—the night of the wedding reception, when we last danced slowly to Taylor Swift’s “Lover” and it ended with a kiss.

The light touch of her breath brushes my neck, and her sweet floral scent clouds all logical thought.

Right now, she’s everything that’s right in my world.

As I close my eyes and rest my cheek against her hair, I wish I could stop time, bottle this, and pull it out every time I want her close to me.

But I know it’s wishful thinking to believe it could ever happen again.

A future with me isn’t the kind she deserves. I travel too much. I get moved around between teams. Life would be transient and unpredictable as a hockey wife. She deserves someone who could be there for her every day. Not just when the season is over.

I didn’t call her back after the reception because I knew it was better this way. There are reasons she doesn’t know about—things I kept from her to protect her.

But now I’m not so sure.

The song finally ends, and she glances up at me, uncertainty in her eyes, before her gaze falls to my lips.

I know that look. The same one I saw in her eyes the first time I kissed her.

But this time, I need to make a different choice. Even if it kills me inside.

I reluctantly step away from her. “You win,” I whisper, before leaving the dance floor.

TEN

Jaz

Ithought I knew what I was doing—that we could be roommates and work for the same team without getting involved romantically.

Then I made a rookie mistake. I let him hold me again. Everything in me collapsed like a house of straw.

He’s not looking for a girlfriend. He made that clear when he ghosted me before.

But I hoped things could be different. When he walked away from me on the dance floor, I knew I’d be a fool to risk my heart again.

Despite his busy schedule, he’s kept his promise to work on the house. And he wasn’t lying when he said he was handy.

In the last week, he’s fixed broken tile in the bathroom, a leaky showerhead, and a few loose boards in the front porch railing. But I can’t rely on Brax forever. At some point, he’s going to move out and move on, and I’ll be stuck with the repairs myself.

Thank goodness Granny left a very detailed list of people who’d worked on this home over the years. Most of them are gone, but Joshua is one of the few who actually answered when I called.

Tate peeks behind the living room blind. “Jaz, Orville Reddenbacher is waiting outside for you.”

I walk to the front hall while putting on my earrings. “His name is Joshua, and you’re going to be seeing a lot of him. Please be nice.” I shoot a look at Vale and Leo, who are both eating cereal. “And no growling!”

The old man who stands on the other side of my door has a weathered face beneath his John Deere cap. He wears a pair of worn overalls and carries a small metal box that I assume contains his tools. While most men his age are enjoying retirement, Joshua stays busy with his remodeling projects.

“Joshua, please come in,” I say, waving him inside.

He gives me a warm smile as he steps into the foyer. When he looks around, his eyes get a faraway look in them. “I’d forgotten how beautiful this house is. Your granny always kept everything neat as a pin.”

I tilt my head. “Well, I have four hockey players living here, soneatmight be a different standard now.” I scoot a pair of sneakers behind the door with my foot, trying to hide them from view. “As far as projects, I want to start on the first floor with fresh paint, tear down the wall between the kitchen and dining room and remodel my bedroom with bookshelves, a window seat and a built-in desk. I just don’t know if I can afford it all.”

Joshua gives me a grin. “Just like your granny. Always had plans bigger than her pocketbook. But she made this place something pretty over time, just like you will.”

Brax comes down the steps, dressed in joggers and a sweatshirt, and takes a second glance at our guest.

I step toward him. “Brax, I want you to meet Joshua.”

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