Page 56 of The Fiance Dilemma

The rumble of laughter that left him felt like butter against my ear. It also made me smile in return.

“You asked,” I told him. “You brought this on yourself.”

“I guess I did, yes.”

There was beat, a moment of silence in which neither of us spoke.

“Hey Matthew?” I asked.

“Yeah?”

“How’s the job hunt going?” I ventured. “Is there anything I can do to help? If you’re busy with whatever you’re doing, you don’t need to come. I know you’re freelancing from home, so—”

“I’m not busy,” he said. “I’m never too busy for important things.” There was a pause. Some of the color returned to my face.Important things.“And I haven’t found anything yet.”

“Okay,” I answered. “Okay. Yes. Will you… tell me? When you do?”

“Yes.” The pause that followed that was longer still. Then he asked, “Hey Josie?”

But before he could say more, Robbie’s shape materialized in the distance. He was walking toward the barn with a face I knew well. One that was never—ever—good news.

“Uh-oh,” I murmured into the line, distracted by the intensity of Robbie’s scowling at the ground. “Robbie’s walking over. I think there’s some kind of issue. I gotta go. Talk to you later,’kay? And don’t worry about the pretzels!”

A muttered curse made me look down from the ladder I was once again perched on.

I lowered the banner I’d been nailing to the outside wall of the barn and glanced down.

Matthew.

He was standing at the foot of the ladder, his hands braced on the side rails. The terra-cotta shirt he wore was again rolled up, as if he loved those sleeves to strain around his forearms.

“You’re here,” I said, realizing only then that my mouth had parted with a smile. My eyes trailed up his arms, chest, neck, chin, searching for… “Oh my God. What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” he repeated, sounding as displeased as he looked, right as his own gaze found mine. The frown that had been knotting his brows dissolved. His lips parted. He hesitated.

“Matthew?” I tilted my head. “Are you okay?”

He swallowed, as if needing a minute. Then he grumbled, “Do you know how unstable these things are?” I arched my brows in surprise. “Can’t anyone spare a minute to do whatever you’re doing up there? Or at the very least, spot you while you work? Where is Robbie? I could have come earlier if you needed me. You should have just said.”

I blinked at him for a moment, taken a little aback.

But then a fizzy feeling tickled my rib cage. He was all growly and grouchy over me being up here. Over something I could do with my eyes closed, I’d done it so many times. I bit back a smile.

“Gee, you’re grumpy.” I slipped my hammer back into the tool belt. “I can’t decide if you have a problem with ladders or me,” I continued, turning around on the step I was perched on. Matthew’s jaw clenched. “Did you drink enough water today? One gallon a day keeps the grouchiness away, you know.”

His face scrunched down. I knew he’d found that funny, I knew he had. But he was trying to stay mad. “Will you come down now?” he pleaded with a sigh. “There’s something I want to ask you and I can’t do it with you up there.”

“But I’m not done,” I complained, using my sweetest voice. “And I can talk while I work. Today I’ve spent more time up a ladder than on the ground.”

That didn’t seem to reassure him.

“It’s fine, I promise,” I insisted. “I can multitask. You ask me while I nail this sign. Oh, and then I need to check on the orange slices we’re hanging off one beam. I have Robbie sewing them together on a string. It’s going to look ah-mazing.” I braced a hand at the top and stretched my body so I could peek inside the barn. “He was right there, inside. You can go check. I’ll be here.”

Matthew cursed.

I leaned back and glanced down at Matthew. He looked like he was about to climb the ladder and join me up here. Or… I don’t know, lift the thing—with me on it—and run into the forest circling the property. It was so cute. “You’re looking so cute right now.”

“Oh yeah?” he grumbled.

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