Page 15 of Bradley

“He didn’t say that to your face, did he?”

“Yep, he sure did, but that’s not the worst thing I have heard. I’m used to people making comments about my size. From the back, I look like a teenager. Hell, even from below the neck, I look like a teenager, but my face belies my thirty-seven years.”

I blinked. “You’re thirty-seven years old? You can’t be.”

“I am, and I have a twelve-year-old and a ten-year-old to prove it.”

I laughed. “Your kids are the same age as mine. Is your older one in your class?”

She pursed her lips momentarily. “No, my girls are back in New York with their grandparents finishing out the school year.”

“Wow, that has to be hard,” I commented. I could not imagine my kids not being around me every day. Maybe sometimes I wished they weren’t, but not really.

“It is hard, and hence this overwhelming project to keep me busy.”

“When are they coming to live with you again?”

“This summer.”

“You are aware that you will never have all of this done by then, right? Not unless you hire a few guys to do it for you, and even then, it will be tight.”

“I know that. My goal is to get the house cleaned and functional, like working water and no unwanted houseguests, and then work on the other things. I’d also love to have the kitchen done, but there is a lot to do there. First thing first is that I’ll have to reconfigure the kitchen and find out where I’ll need the new plumbing and electrical.”

“I have a computer program that you can use that will help you design it so you can see what it would look like.” Did I seriously just offer myself up to this woman again?

“Really? I have seen those programs where they render it, and you can see precisely what it’s going to look like. I know you are busy, Brad, but would you mind helping me with that?”

Yes, I would mind. “No, not at all. I’d love to help.” Who the hell was talking through my mouth?

She turned away from me, pointing at the shower, sighing. “That entire thing needs to come out, and I think I am going to remove the old cast iron tub and make it a large walk-in shower.”

“Tiled?”

“Yes.”

“Milton does that. Mr. Townsend’s son. I’m sure he would love to help you.”

“Do you know anyone who does stonework?”

“Yep, I have a guy for that too. Chester.”

She eyed me carefully. “What about an electrician?”

“Pete.”

“Look at you! You are fulfilling all my needs, and we aren’t even in bed together yet.”

I’m pretty sure my jaw dropped as she giggled and slipped around me and out of the room.

I stared at the age-cloudy mirror, wondering if she really was hitting on me. I had to be imagining it. I had been out of the dating field for so long that I wasn’t sure what any of this meant, but there was no way she was openly flirting with me—right?

I followed her out of the bathroom and bedroom into the hallway. She was standing at the top of the stairs waiting for me as she gnawed on her bottom lip.

As I approached her, I took in her trim legs and hips. Her brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and I suddenly had the urge to tug on her ponytail and expose her throat so I could taste the soft skin on my tongue.

She spun quickly, making me stop in my tracks a foot away. “I’m sorry about what I said in there. You are probably not used to someone being so direct.”

“No, I’m not.”

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