Page 63 of Someone to Watch Over Me

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Tom

I’m so glad to be out of the house. I put the window down to let in some fresh late-autumn air and let the sunshine warm my face. I keep thinking about what Lexi shared about Jim falling in the shower and ending up with a concussion and hypothermia after being stuck there for three hours.

What a nightmare for both of them.

I hate that I brought that memory back to the surface for her.

But I don’t hate that I got to hold her, to comfort her, to be close to her again. God, it feels so good to hold her. She’s so soft and sweet and gorgeous. It’s all I can do not to stare at her when she’s in the same room. I never get tired of looking at her or talking to her. She does it for me. She has for as long as I’ve known about her.

It was amazing to me how feelings I had more than twenty years ago were still there the first time I saw her again. Those feelings have only grown stronger as I’ve gotten to know her. In the past, she was a dream girl, a fantasy. In the nine months that she’s lived with me, I’ve learned that the reality of her is way better than the fantasy ever could’ve been.

I love talking to her and getting her witty take on whatever subject we’re covering. She always has something interesting to say or a facial expression that makes me laugh or want to cry when her grief surges to the surface. I’d do anything to take that ache away for her, but it’s something she’ll carry with her forever because she loved Jim so much. I’d be lucky to have her love me like that, and I know it.

I direct her to Fairfax County, where my company is constructing a new office building that’s about half done and running a month behind schedule. We’ve recently ventured into a few commercial projects, and I already regret taking them on in addition to our booming home-building business. The last thing we needed was for me to go down with a heart attack at this crucial juncture. Fortunately, I have outstanding employees who are able to pick up my slack while I’m out of work. But I want to see for myself that things are progressing in my absence.

“Take the next right.”

After she makes the turn, I direct her to the site in the back corner of a large business park.

“There it is.”

“Wow. That’s huge.”

“Six stories.”

“I can’t believe you know how to build something like that.”

“It’s not that hard once you figure out the basics.”

I direct her to park outside the trailer that serves as our on-site office and then text my foreman Ryan to come out.

With a hard hat tucked under his arm, he comes out of the office and down the stairs, smiling as he approaches the passenger side of Lexi’s car. “Hey, boss. Good to see you out and about.”

“Good to be seen.”

“How’re you feeling?”

“I’m still fine from when you asked me that three hours ago.”

Ryan, who’s tall, muscular and in his early thirties, grins. “Sorry. You gave us a scare, man.”

“It’s all good. This is my friend Lexi. Lex, this is Ryan, one of our foremen.”

Ryan bends at the waist so he can see her in the driver’s seat. “Nice to meet you.”

“You, too.”

“Things are looking good here,” I tell him.

“Much better than a week ago.”

“Thanks for taking on more than your share. I appreciate it.”

“No problem at all. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Thanks, man.”

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