Page 46 of Redemption

My brain began spinning. “Uh…” How was I gonna get all this home? I couldn’t carry it. Sure, I was strong but these were awkward to hold and it wasn’t a short journey. Then I had a lightbulb moment. “Can you just hang onto them for like ten minutes?”

The clerk shrugged at me and once I paid, I ran back to the bar. “You got any of those dollies for carting around kegs?” I asked when I spotted Max.

He frowned at me. “Dollies?”

“Yeah, like one of those hand cart things. A dolly?” I’d said dolly so many times the word didn’t make sense anymore and Max continued to stare at me like I was crazy. “For carrying heavy shit around? It’s on wheels?”

“Oh yeah, in the back. Why?” he replied.

“Can I borrow it? I need to get some stuff home and then I’ll bring it back tonight.”

Max shrugged. “Weird but okay.”

“Thanks man, I owe you!” I headed in the back and found it buried under a ton of crap that I shifted to one side. I went back to the hardware store and piled it up with all my goodies and walked out with a big ass smile on my face. I practically skipped all the way home, practically because it’s hard to do with a piled high dolly, especially when it came to the gravel and grass.

I unpacked the cart and looked at my new stuff, deciding immediately to fix the front door to the cabin. It needed rehanging which was why it was so damn drafty.

After fighting with the door for thirty minutes under the hot sun, I stripped off my damp shirt, tucking it into the back pocket of my jeans. I’d banged my thumbnail too many times to count, used a bunch of swear words I knew even Charlie would frown at, but I feltgood.

I started working on the porch, fixingsome of the broken planks. Teddy eventually came out to investigate all the noise and his high-pitched bark drew my attention.

I felt her stare on me. Just like when I would catch her watching me from Charlie’s office. We both pretended she wasn’t watching. It was a game I was happy to continue playing because I sure as hell didn’t hate the way her eyes devoured my skin.

The back of my neck prickled and I turned to face her. The sun shone behind her, casting a halo around her straight blonde hair which was gently blowing in the breeze. She was barefoot, an anklet that was usually hidden by her cowgirl boots gleaming in the sun. Her long legs bare all the way up to the white denim cutoffs she was wearing. The oversized red lumberjack shirt had jealousy coursing through me at the thought of it being from another man.

“Hey,” I said, wiping the sawdust and sweat from my chest. Her eyes immediately dropped to my torso and lingered before she shook her head. I tried not to smirk and failed.

“Hey,” Kat replied.

“How are you feeling today?” I watched as Teddy went over and sat next to her whining. Why did my dog love her more than me?

She shrugged, reaching one hand down to stroke Teddy’s head, the other still clasped behind her back. “Stomach feels a little funny. I just feel a bit hungover and don’t really remember a lot.”

My stomach clenched at the thought of her not remembering our time together. We talked about incredibly personal things, and I felt like our relationship was changing, like she was starting to like me a bit. Which is crazy considering our history but Ineededthis woman to like me.

I don’t know when things changed, only that they had and I couldn’t stop how I was starting to feel about her.

I swallowed. “Well, I’m glad you’re okay.”

She flicked her gaze from Teddy to me. “I am, thanks to you. I might not remember a lot but I remember you looked after me and I…appreciate that.”

“Of course, anyone would do the same.” I shrugged, like it was nothing. Hoping she wouldn’t see the way my heart was pounding out of my bare chest at just being around her.

“If you say so.” She pulled her hand out from behind her back and was holding a red dog collar. “I uh, got you something to say thank you.” She bent down and secured it around Teddy’s neck. “If you hate it obviously you don’t need to keep it, I just remembered this from last night. I think he needs to be claimed.”

The second Teddy had his new collar on he bounded over to show me. I bent down and took in the soft red leather, and the gold bone-shaped tag that hadTeddyengraved in it and the address of the ranch on the back. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat as I stroked my thumb over the metal.

“You didn’t have to do that,” my voice was rough. Goddamn why was I emotional over this?

“I know, but I wanted to say thanks. A lot of people wouldn’t have noticed what happened last night. You didn’t have to look after me and you did. So, thanks.” She spoke softly and smiled at me, and it honestly felt like the first time anyone had ever smiled at me. I nodded in lieu of saying anything and making a fool of myself. I expected her to leave but she lingered and looked around like she didn’t know what to say.

Why wasn’t she leaving? Our conversation was done. Back to regularly scheduled avoidance ofeach other.

But she didn’t go. Did shewantto be here? Talking to me?

She tucked her hands in the pockets of her shorts. “Fixing stuff?” She huffed to herself and shook her head afterwards. “Obviously,” she muttered under her breath, but I heard her and tried not to laugh.

“Uh yeah. I thought I’d do the cabin up now that I’ve got a little bit of money. I read a lot of books while I was in…yeah and I really liked the sound of woodwork. Crafting something with your bare hands, felt like a good outlet.”

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