Page 36 of It's a Date (Again)

“I cosign everything Debbie just said,” Maya says, biting into her Twizzler.

A knock at the door interrupts us. Maya jumps up, declaring that she’ll get it. She disappears down the set of stairs. The front door opens, and I hear her tell someone to come in. A set of footsteps pounds slowly up the stairs. Tyler appears at the top of them. I can still hearMaya talking, so either someone else is at the door or she’s practicing a comedy bit.

“Hey,” he says with a small wave. “Sorry for just dropping in, but I was in the area and thought I’d dip over on my lunch break to see how you’re doing.”

“Wowzer!” Debbie says, looking him up and down. It seems Tyler has that effect on all women. His dark hair sits on top of his head in a bun, and his facial hair is a bit scruffier today. He’s dressed in a black-and-red flannel shirt, and I imagine that was the one he was wearing on our first date. Tall, burly, and rugged, like a sexy lumberjack.

He glances at her and closes the distance, extending a hand. “I’m Tyler. Nice to meet you.”

“Debbie,” she says. “I’m Peyton’s single-and-available fairy godmother.”

Tyler gives her a peculiar look and then cracks a grin. He takes a step back and slides his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

Maya appears at the top of the stairs, carrying in an oversized vase filled with at least three dozen red roses and a sprinkling of baby’s breath. She sets them on the kitchen counter and exhales sharply, shaking out her arms.

“Wow, thank you, Tyler,” I say.

“Oh, uhhh.”

Maya pulls out a small card that was tucked between the flowers. “They’re not from him. They’re from Shawn.”

Tyler scratches the back of his neck. “Yeah, that’s what I was trying to say.”

“Since you showed up empty-handed, you mind helping me with a leaky faucet?” Debbie stands from her seat. It’s less of a question and more of a suggestion.

“Debbie!” I give her a stern look.

“What? You said he worked construction, and he can talk to you while he’s fixing it. And I’ll make you a nice BLT sandwich for your work.”

Tyler nods. “You got a deal.”

“You really don’t have to do that,” I say.

“It’s no problem at all.” He smiles. “Plus, win-win for me. I get to chat with you, and I get a BLT.”

“See? It’s a fantastic offer,” Debbie says. She redirects her attention to Tyler, beckoning with her hand. “Follow me.”

“I’ll be right down,” I call out before turning back toward Maya. “You coming?” I ask.

She takes a seat on the couch and pulls out a notepad and a pen. “I’ll let you have some alone time with the lumberjack Thor.” Her eyebrows bounce up and down. “Besides, I gotta work on my new set.”

I slip on a pair of tennis shoes and head down the stairs, yelling to Maya, “Be back soon.”

Debbie’s home is extra cozy. It’s filled with a hodgepodge of furniture and decorations that appear to have been collected throughout her life. Even though I don’t remember it, it feels like home. The drapes are thick and velvet, and the couch is adorned with pillows in all colors. It matches her style—eclectic and colorful.

I holler, “Hello.”

“In here,” Debbie answers from the other side of the house.

I follow her voice through a long hallway. Antique sconces adorn the walls on either side, lighting the way. Several open doors lead to three bedrooms and a bathroom. Framed family photos are hung up in a collage. I notice I’m in many of them, at Christmases, Thanksgivings, and other special events and life moments. There’s a picture of Debbie and me at my college graduation. There’s another of me holding a cardboard box in my home upstairs. It looks like I was just moving in. I smile at the photos that hold memories I can’t recall but can somehow feel.

In the kitchen, Tyler is lying on his back with half his body tucked under the sink. A sliver of his abdomen is exposed, revealing a chiseledVline. The very sight of it causes my heart to race and my skin to perspire.

“I know, right?” Debbie waggles her brows as she hands me a glass of water. “It’ll help you cool off,” she whispers.

My cheeks warm, and I let out a muffled laugh. At the stove, Debbie throws a half slab of thick bacon into a frying pan.

“Anything I can help with?”

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