Page 54 of Can't Help Growling in Love
He nods, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. “Sure thing. Though if you don’t mind me saying, that porch could use a new coat of paint. And the board on the second stepis loose, so you might want to put a few nails in it before you trip over it.”
I stifle a sigh, not even offended by his assessment. “I know. The kitchen’s a mess, too, and don’t get me started on the bathrooms. Both upstairs and downstairs. The whole place needs a refresh, if not outright reno. I’m doing what I can, one project at a time.” I open the basement door and stomp downstairs. “This one jumped to the number one spot on that list, though. The pipes are shot, so I have no heating. Plus I think the water from the leak got into the floor, so there might be damage there, too.”
The man who seemed so laid-back upstairs focuses completely on the issues in my basement. He moves around the room, checking the wood and the valves, peers under the corner of the carpet, and knocks on the pipes with a small wrench, listening intently.
Asher appears a few minutes later, his footsteps soft on the stairs. He greets the contractor and shakes his hand, then comes to stand next to me, present but not hovering or trying to take over my conversation with Gabe.
I sidle closer to him anyway and nudge his hip gently with mine, just to show him I’m there for him. His shoulders drop a notch, and he lets out a long exhale, as if he’d been holding his breath before.
As if my presence alone is enough to let him relax.
“Well, it’s not great.” Gabe straightens from where he’d been crouched, examining a wall. “But not terrible either. No structural damage that I can see so far. You caught the leak early, right?”
I nod. “I’m not sure how long it was, exactly, but no more than a day. We did what we could to dry out the space, but I’m worried because it still feels damp.”
Asher takes my hand and gives my fingers a quick squeeze before letting go. “Is there anything we can do to help things along?”
Gabe crosses his arms over his chest. “The pipes will need to be replaced. I’d recommend doing the electric, too, if you’re already opening the walls, but I understand if you’d rather wait. It would make the project more expensive.” He turns around the space, as if doing mental math. “If you’re okay with ripping up the carpet, you could do that on your own before I get here. That’ll save me a few hours of work, and it needs to be done anyway.”
I take my phone from my pocket and open the notes app. “Okay, the carpet needs to go. What else?”
He gives us a list of things to do and the tools we’ll need. “You can rent that from my shop so you don’t have to buy it,” he finishes. “No use buying a tool that expensive if you’re only going to use it once.”
He takes out his phone and spends the next few minutes doing calculations on the work and materials, then gives me a rough estimate for the repairs. “I do offer payment plans. There’s a five percent surcharge, but we can split this up into four or even six payments. Or you can pay everything in a lump sum if you’d like, your call.”
Some of the tension I’ve been feeling since I first noticed the damaged basement leaks out of me. This might actually work. Gabe seems to know what he’s talking about, and it’s a huge relief to know that Asher will be here to help me tackle this list of tasks. I didn’t even have to ask, he just offered, as if that’s the most normal thing for a new boyfriend to do. And the price, while high, isn’t entirely out of my budget, especially with that payment plan he mentioned.
“I can start work in a few days,” Gabe tells us. “Next week, at the latest. Does that give you enough time to get started?”
I think of the calendar at work and the full moon issues looming closer and closer. Hesitating, I glance up at Asher.
But he nods decisively. “We’ll do what we can.”
The contractor shakes both our hands, and I walk him to the front door. Then I turn and lean my back on it, sighing in relief. For the first time in days, my situation doesn’t seem as dire.
“That went better than expected.” I return to the kitchen, where I left Asher, and add, “I could move back home in a few weeks, depending on how fast the repairs will go.”
Asher jerks his head up from where he’d been leaning over the kitchen table, paging through the book I’d left open. “What?”
I put the other books back in the tote bag to take them with me when we leave. “I said, I could move back home in?—”
“No,” he growls.
I blink. “No?”
He grips the edge of the table, his furry fingers pressing into the scuffed surface. “You-you can stay as long as you need.”
“I know, but I thought…” I hesitate, caught in the intensity of his golden stare. “I thought you’d want your privacy back eventually.”
Instead of answering, Asher takes my book bag from me and guides me toward the front door. “We’ll start on that list tomorrow. I need—” He stops himself, shakes his head, and pulls his hand away from my back. “June, I’m not good at this. But I promised you we’d talk. The thought of you staying away from me is making my wolf very, very upset.”
“Oh, babe.” I palm his cheek, marveling at the way he leans into my touch immediately. “Tell me what you need. I’ll do anything to help.”
He groans and kisses the soft inside of my palm, sending goose bumps over my skin. At the sight, he takes my elbow and leads me out of the house.
“Not here,” he forces out through gritted teeth. “Too cold for you.”
“Okay.” I lock up quickly and allow him to guide me to his truck. “Want me to drive? You look…wild.”
