Page 18 of Bidding on a Second Chance
This was not good.
Not good at all.
The man was unreasonably attractive and loyal. Helpful. Way too easy to fall for against her better judgment. Love and a family in a world where God offered no guarantees of happily ever after was too risky. Especially for a woman who couldn’t even navigate a parking lot without meeting trouble.
And even worse than her own crush, what feelings had inspired him to come help her? She worried her lip as he returned to his task.
Grandma and Lucy would heartily endorse the idea that he was falling for her. But they weren’t exactly unbiased observers. Grandpa, however, was the most reasonable man to walk the earth—at least, in Piper’s vicinity. A retired fruit farmer, the man believed in hard work, dedication, and facts. The fact was, she couldn’t know how Graham felt. Another relevant fact? Graham made a living from serving the community.
Can’t a man shovel a sidewalk anymore?Grandpa would ask.
Or at least, she imagined he might.
Chuckling, she left her post at the door and returned to the living room with the paper from Bryce. She lifted Teddy onto the cushion next to her and tried to focus on the team’s fundraising plans. Teddy cooperated, curling into a small ball beside her. Her attention, however, kept drifting out to the driveway.
What if Grahamdidwant a second chance?
He’d sworn he didn’t. The simmering resentment in his eyes as he’d said it had convinced her. Surely, hanging out in the stockroom for a few hours wouldn’t have changed his goals.
She forced her mind to the paper in hand. For the first fundraiser, the team would sell candy bars. She could easily support the effort. She’d put a box in her store and call some of the other small businesses to ask them to do the same.
The second initiative was a bake sale. She wasn’t an awful cook, but baking wasn’t her favorite thing to do, especially when it meant moving around the kitchen with a broken foot.
But she knew a great cook.
He was out in the driveway.
She gulped and vanquished thoughts of risotto and her imagination’s line of inquiry about what kind of treats Graham might be capable of baking.
She would volunteer to man the sale, rather than offer to provide goodies. She didn’t need to owe Graham Lockhart a single extra thing. Especially not if he’d try to collect on the debt by asking for her heart.
ChapterTwelve
Graham finished clearing Piper’s driveway and returned the shovel to the bed of his truck. He’d put off deciding on his next move, but the time had come.
Should he offer to drive Piper to the store or leave her to fend for herself?
Someone had to drive her. Might as well be someone who was going to the same place at roughly the same time, instead of whoever she’d lined up for a ride.
He headed up the drive toward the front walk.
He’d already dropped his lab, Banjo, at daycare yet again. He missed the quiet moments around the house, just him and his trusty companion, but the dog loved daycare, and Graham’s extra responsibilities wouldn’t last forever.
Unless he kept adding to them the way he’d done this morning by coming here. His truck waited at the curb like a lifeboat. He could still make a break for it without offering a ride, but again, it wasn’t as if this would take him extra time. He rang the bell.
Through the front window, he watched as Piper rolled up to the door, head cocked at a curious angle. She had to shuffle forward and back a bit to get close enough to turn the knob and swing open the interior door without hitting the scooter. Teddy stuck his nose through the opening first. Piper pulled her open-front sweatshirt, a cozy oversized thing, closer around her as he met them partway by pulling open the glass storm door.
“Need a ride to the store? I’m headed that way next.”
“Why?” She already knew he worked nights this week and planned to go to Second Chances in the morning. She must be asking what work he hoped to get done.
“I’m putting the last coat of paint on the nightstand. If I hurry, I might be able to finish sanding the dresser. Best case scenario, I get to prime it too.”
“No, like, why …” She rolled her lips together and focused beyond him.
“Why did I shovel?”
“Yeah.” She drew her gaze in, worry lurking in her brown eyes.
