Page 16 of Loved By Tandy

“I’m here, aren’t I?” He glances at my dining room table.

I wag my finger. “Do not use the edge of my table to open that bottle. The opener is around here somewhere.”

“I don’t need an opener.” He unfastens his belt and pops the top off the bottle with the buckle. “Want me to open yours?”

I hand over my bottle. “You are like a teenager with wrinkles.”

“Pretty much. It’s called being young at heart.”

I take a sip of my Dr Pepper, eyeing him as I do. “Why are you working here, Matthew?”

“You.” He lifts his bottle, then nods toward the kitchen. “Thanks for this. And I have Kisses for you anytime you want. Just say the word. I’d better get back to work.”

Those amazing Gallagher green eyes have my heart fluttering a bit, but I won’t get sucked in by his charm again.

Hopefully.

CHAPTER 8

MATTHEW

Tandy has been scarce all week. The chocolate kisses I leave around the house all disappear overnight, and the insults mug is waiting near the coffee machine each morning. But I haven’t gotten to talk to Tandy.

Blake and I don’t work at her place on the weekends, and I can’t wait until Monday to talk to her. That’s why I’m at her house on a Saturday evening. I can’t stop thinking about her project. The stuff she wants done is what I’m good at. Even though I’m not in business for myself anymore, I know all the right people, the ones who are the best at what they do. And since her renovations are wrapping up in a few days, I need a new reason to see her. Coming out of retirement for a little while would not only help her, it would also allow me to continue seeing her.

And in my gut, I know Tandy is being distant because she got spooked when I said she was the reason I was helping with the renovations.

And it was my fault. I need to set that right.

The sun is sinking below the horizon when I pull up in front of her house. Her red truck is in the driveway, which means she’s home. But that doesn’t mean she’ll open the door.

The curtains move as I stride up the walkway.

I knock, then wait.

And wait a bit longer.

She’s probably just inside the door, trying to decide what to do.

“Tandy, please open the door. I just want to talk.”

The door swings open. “About what?”

“Do you want me to step away and leave you completely alone? I don’t want that, but if you do, I’ll respect it. When I said that you were the reason I was working this project, it was the truth. But my intention was to get you to talk to me. To maybe find a smidgeon of the friendship we once shared. I didn’t know it would scare you away.”

“I’m not scared of you, Matthew.” She crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. “But I accept your apology.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

She gives an almost imperceptible head shake. “I didn’t say that.” Pulling open the door, she steps aside. “You can come in.”

I take off my cowboy hat as I step inside. “The other thing I wanted to talk about was your ranch. I’d love to coordinate whatever you need built out there. Consider it a peace offering for how I hurt you so many years ago.”

“Let’s not talk about that.”

“The ranch or that night in my room?”

She clenches her jaw. “You know what I don’t want to talk about.”

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