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“I really do appreciate this,” I tell him as we walk.
“Don’t mention it.”
I let out a sigh. “I didn’t expect to have problems with the building. The stock or selling, absolutely, but the building was the one thing I was sure of.”
“We’ll have it fixed up in a flash,” he tells me as we step inside, and I believe him. Jared seems like the type of man who gets things done.
I give him a wry smile. “I feel like I’ve become the stereotypical damsel in distress. First, you had to help me with the trunk, now my faucets. I swear, I’m usually more in control of things than this.”
“I don’t mind, Nia. It doesn’t seem like you have anyone to really help you.”
“I have my cousin, Simone, and her husband.”
“You’re not married?” He winces as he says this. “Sorry, it’s none of my business.”
I wave off his discomfort. “It’s fine. I’m separated, working toward my divorce. Let’s just say my ex wouldn’t have approved of this.”
That’s putting it mildly. Thomas would have hated this. He hated anything that made me less dependent on him.
“Well, that’s his loss.”
The way he says this has my stomach tingling, and I’m not sure why.
“I’m not sure he sees it that way. I think he thought I was crazy for wanting the store.” I glance around the four walls that make up my tiny empire.
“Sounds like you’re better off without him.”
I smile. He has no idea how true that is. “It took me a while to see that.” I consider him, my head tilting to the side. I might not know him that well, but what I do know seems to be something of an enigma. “What about you? Are you married?”
It’s the wrong thing to ask, and I know it the moment his entire body goes solid. I want to stuff the words back in my mouth and forget I spoke them, but it’s too late for that.
“Forget I asked. I’m sorry.” I have no idea what happened, but I get the impression I just stepped on a landmine.
He relaxes a little then physically shakes himself. “Don’t apologize.” He stares at his feet for a moment before he says, “I lost my wife a few years back.”
My heart sinks for him.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
Jared waves this off. “You didn’t know. I guess it’s still kind of a raw wound for me.”
“Understandable,” I tell him, truly meaning it.
I can’t imagine how it must feel to lose someone you love. My split from Thomas was easy because I already fell out of love with him. Our past was too difficult to get around, and Thomas didn’t help matters by being violent. He thought he could control me with words, and when that failed, he used fists. It took me a while, and a lot of support from Simone, to eventually do what I had to do and leave him. He can’t stand losing that control, though. That’s why he’s making our divorce so difficult.
Jared grunts, then shakes himself. “Do you want to show me this leak?”
“Oh. Right. This way.”
I lead him through the door into the back and to the small kitchen area. I placed a bucket under the sink to catch the drips.
I watch him crouch down and lean under the sink. He finds the main shut off and turns the water off, then he starts working.
I hover around, unsure if I should leave him to it or wait for him to finish. He takes that decision out of my hands, by asking, “So, you’re opening on Saturday?”
“That’s what the flyers say, so I guess I’ll have to do it.” My grin fades. “At the rate I’m going, though, it’s more likely to be a week on Saturday.”
He reaches for the wrench and says, “I can’t imagine you being late for anything.” His voice is a little muffled by the fact his head is stuck under the sink. “You don’t seem the type.”
