Page 16 of The Problem with Dating
Heading outside, there was still enough sun to get a few decent pictures. Standing in the middle of my walkway, I scanned the neighborhood to see how my neighbors had landscaped, and all the yards looked pretty typical. Nicely kept, but still typical.
I turned back around to face my house, pulled out my phone, and started snapping pictures. It didn’t seem as if I was going to need anything special, but I still wanted a professional opinion. Even though I had the money for lawn service, I wasn’t too keen on spending money on something I could do myself. Besides, I wasn’t scared of hard work. I could mow a lawn with the best of them.
Before my parents had died, they had been hands-on parents. My mother had taught me to cook, while my father had taught me to mow the yard. I had the best of both worlds, and I could sew just as well as I could change the oil in my car, if I had to.
It wasn’t a few moments later, I heard the familiar rumblings of a truck, and as much as I wanted to rush inside and avoid Gideon Hayes, I didn’t want to look like a coward more. Besides, the man was my neighbor. Unless I was willing to put in the time and money to move again, there was no avoiding that.
Then there was also the fact that, sooner or later, Louise would find out I was living next to Gideon, and then what? Gideon was determined to make amends for his behavior Friday evening, and I’d be the one left looking like the asshole for still holding a grudge. I didn’t want to be an asshole, even if he deserved it.
Then there was also thatotherthing.
That other thing where he was so hot, he should come with a warning label. The way he had carried those boxes into the house and had put my furniture together…mmm…mmm…mmm. My lady parts had been tingling all afternoon, no matter how much my mind had told them to shut the hell up.
It wasn’t a good idea to become friends with Gideon, because my deprived body might start wishing for more, and that was just a bad idea all around. He was my neighbor, and our association was precarious at best. There certainly was no need to throw idiotic hormones into the mix.
My phone chimed, and I looked down at my incoming text, determined to ignore the sounds of a truck door opening and closing.
Mitchell:B there n 5
Yesterday morning, I had researched the internet for local contractors. I knew MacArthur’s was closed on Sundays, so instead of browsing through their bulletin board again, I decided to go the technological route. As long as I was still committed to hiring local and small, that was the same thing as searching MacArthur’s bulletin board, right?
After reading reviews and making a few calls, Mitchell Waverly had been the only contractor who’d had great reviews and an opening. I had called him, and he’s been nothing but friendly and helpful, and I had gotten good vibes from our conversations. He had agreed to meet me this afternoon, and the sooner the better had worked perfectly for me.
Me:Perfect
“What are you doing?”
And because he wasn’t already sexy, his voice had to be low and seductive, too. He sounded like grey smoke whirling around you mystically.
Ugh.
“Taking pictures,” I replied, doing my best to make the most of the situation. I wasn’t going to be rude, however, I wasn’t being welcoming either.
“Why?”
Don’t look at him, and maybe he’ll get the hint.
“I need to buy a lawn mower and stuff, and I want pictures to take to MacArthur’s for the best advice,” I replied, proud that I was being a grownup and not a raging lunatic.
“You are not-” The rumble of another truck stopped whatever chauvinistic shit Gideon had been about to say. We both turned to see Mitchell pulling up to the curb in front of my house, Mitchell Waverly Construction advertised on the passenger side door.
“That better not be what the fuck I think it is,” Gideon growled beside me.
I looked up at him, but his eyes were laser-focused on Mitchell getting out of his truck. “It’s my contractor,” I informed him happily. Happy that he was irritated because I was still irritated with him.
He glowered down at me. “The fuck he is,” he returned, and his tone left no room for argument.
However…
“Well, I mean, not yet, of course,” I said sweetly. “He’s here to give me an estimate, and if it’s reasonable, I’m hiring him.” Before Gideon could comment, I started walking to meet Mitchell.
“Echo?” I had given him leave to call me by my first name over the phone. “I’m Mitchell Waverly.”
I took his outstretched hand in mine and smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Mitchell.”
Then he looked behind me at Gideon. “Hayes,” he acknowledged with a head nod. “I take it you’re the second opinion?”
Gideon actually growled behind me.What a freakin’ caveman.“No,” he lied. “I’m the first opinion. You’re the second.”
