Page 6 of By Your Side

Owen

Crawling out from under their kitchen counter, I smile at Mrs. Choi. “All done. There was some water damage from the leak, so I replaced the base of the cabinet, sealed it, and added in a waterproof vinyl top so it looks nice.”

She peers over my shoulder, her eyes lighting up. “Wa! Thank you, Owen. How much?”

Lips twitching, I cross my arms. “Nothing.”

Her eyes narrow and despite my thirty-three years, it’s still intimidating. She mutters something in Korean before switching back to English. “You shouldn’t work for free. How much?”

Sighing, I reach out and wrap my arm around her shoulders. She’s so slight and about a foot shorter than my six-foot-three, but the woman is fierce.

When I first met her eighteen years ago, she scared the crap out of me, but now I know how loving she is. She shrugs out from under my arm, her gaze softening.

“You know I don’t charge family, Mrs. Choi.”

She throws her arms in the air, switching back to Korean. I don’t need to speak the language to know she’s not happy with me. Turning her back to me, she digs around in the fridge.

“The new young woman, Adeline, is staying at the inn.” Her voice is muffled as she continues to dig, but her tone makes me pause. “She’s very beautiful. Ari tells me she’s a widow. So young,” she tsks, her voice tinged with sadness before shifting back to the meddling tone of parents. “She’s twenty-eight and very sweet. I could set up a blind date . . .”

Adeline. The name suits her. Mrs. Choi isn’t wrong—she is beautiful. Pressing my lips together, I think about our first meeting, seeing her sad eyes and her cheeks tinged with embarrassment. My fists clench at the memory of wanting to pull her out of her car and into my arms. Widow is not a title someone her age should have, but another reason she’s not right for me. That and the fact her time in this town is likely short-lived.

Shaking my head, I decline. “Thanks for the offer, but I don’t think she’s right for me.”

Mrs. Choi gives me a knowing look as she stands, holding a huge jar of kimchi. “She’s not Jill. If you don’t want to go out with her, the offer to set up a blind date with Ari is still there.”

Chuckling, I shake my head. “Ari’s too much like a sister to me.” Pausing, I add, “Why is she staying at the inn? She bought Frank’s old place.”

Mrs. Choi’s face scrunches. “Apparently, there’s quite the mouse infestation. She planned to go home after a few days at the inn and two days of having an exterminator in there, but her movers are delayed so she’s extended her stay.”

Lips twitching, I respond. “She has her work cut out for her.”

With a shake of her head, Mrs. Choi hands me the jar of kimchi. “Be nice. Now, take this since you won’t take money. And come for dinner, you look like you need to eat more.”

Hank greets me as I enter the hardware store, list in hand for my next project. He constantly gives me heck for not ordering from a big supplier, but I will never stop supporting his business. The man took me under his wing when I first started learning how to use tools, he dealt with the snotty attitude of an insolent teen and taught me skills I can use for work and in life.

“Any word on that order from a couple weeks ago?” Leaning against the counter, I chuckle as he rolls his eyes.

“Everything is in except those luxury tiles. They’re on back order.” His deep voice is exactly what you would expect when you look at him. He’s stout and solidly built with a gray ponytail and salt and pepper beard. “I doubt I will get them before mid-July.”

I sigh. “Okay. I will let the client know. I told them they were likely going to take a while.”

Pushing up, I leave Hank to his ledger and head to the back of the store for my favorite degreaser. Halting as I turn into the aisle, I see someone in dirty overalls trying to reach the top shelf. Her light brown hair is braided down her back and there’s a headband wrapped around her head. Her back is to me, so I make some noise to prevent startling her.

Moving closer, I clear my throat and stop a few feet away. “May I help?”

She turns to look at me. Pausing, I take in Adeline, dirt and grime smeared across her face.

As the shock wears off, I press my lips together. Strands of hair stick out from under the bandana, and she looks like she was crawling through the mud.

Her eyes flash before locking down. I’m pretty sure she’s going to say no, but as she clears her throat and glances at the shelf, she nods. “Please. I need that heavy duty tile cleaner.”

She steps to the side as I reach up and grab the cleaner, then takes it from me before stepping back again.

“Thank you.”

She starts to turn.

“Wait,” I call.

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